While some nonprofit organizations — like American Cancer Society or Make-a-Wish — generate a lot of publicity and online chatter, many others struggle to spark meaningful conversations. As a society, we’re uncomfortable talking about certain topics (e.g., child molestation, addiction as a disease). Organizations focused on such causes face an uphill battle. It’s easy to see how the silent treatment can cause significant challenges: A lack of dialogue can result in  a lack of awareness … which can lead to a lack of funding and an inability to deliver the necessary services. It’s a vicious cycle.

Understanding that it’s a challenge isn’t enough though. A nonprofit communicator recently posed this question to me, “Our subject isn’t ‘warm and fuzzy,’ so it’s hard for us to get media attention or initiate online conversations. How can we communicate our message to community leaders (many of whom play a key role in funding decisions)?” Continue reading →