by Rachel Dukeman | Apr 9, 2015 | Marketing, Social Media, Thought Leaders
One of my guilty pleasures is binge-watching TV shows on Netflix, and I recently caught up on the first three seasons of The Mindy Project. For those of you who know me, that’s strange – I’m much more what Netflix might label the “Dark, Gritty Crime Dramas with a Strong Female Lead” type. Since watching The Mindy Project, and suddenly finding myself interested in how this oddly affirming show came to be, the marketer in me decided to a little research.
Mindy Kaling, like her character Mindy Lahiri, is witty and sarcastic and terribly intelligent. She’s beautiful and confident and abashedly unashamed of her enjoyment of pop culture and junk food. Rather than take a self-deprecating approach to her comedy, as women who don’t look like Ana Faris are often asked to do, Mindy is ALWAYS outrageously confident. She loves to say things like, “I have the right to life, liberty and chicken wings,” and “It is so weird being my own role model.”
It is with this mix of abundant confidence and a ridiculous commitment to being hilarious that Kaling has also become a marketing powerhouse in the entertainment industry. From a fashion blog that lists details about each gorgeous ensemble she wears on her show to her Facebook feed filled with merciless teasing of her colleagues and articles about how she is revolutionizing television, Kaling has leveraged the cult interest in her show effectively and with style. One of the busiest women in television (she created, writes, stars in and produces The Mindy Project) Kaling has built a creative social media empire that is equal parts serious and frivolous without losing sight of her brand or what her audience wants.
In spite of her current success Mindy Kaling’s journey has never, ever been easy. This isn’t the first time Kaling has had to create and produce a show so that she would have space to write the characters she wanted to play. She was even offered a sketch show at one point, but the now-defunct network decided she was not funny or pretty enough to play herself. Seriously.
Kaling’s unrelenting belief in her work could teach us a lot about how to survive in a highly competitive arts industry: be resilient, create the brand you wish existed, give customers what they want and don’t compromise your vision just rework your plan. In Kaling’s own words:
“…write your own part. It is the only way I’ve gotten anywhere. It is much harder work, but sometimes you have to take destiny into your own hands. It forces you to think about what your strengths really are, and once you find them, you can showcase them, and no one can stop you.”
by Rachel Dukeman | Jan 5, 2015 | Fundraising
PNC Arts Alive announces that the application process for year seven funding opened TODAY Monday, January 5, 2015. Visual and performing arts groups that meet the eligibility requirements may submit applications for programs that will take place between June 1, 2015 and December 31, 2016.
UPDATED funding guidelines, eligibility information and application will be available via www.pncartsalive.com. The application will not be available before then.
The deadline for submission is February 6, 2015 at 5:00 p.m.
PNC Arts Alive is a multi-year, multi-million dollar initiative of the PNC Foundation, designed to support visual and performing arts organizations. The goal is to increase engagement in the arts, develop new audiences and make the arts more accessible to diverse communities in the Greater Philadelphia/Southern New Jersey region.
NOTE: You are receiving this email because you are a PNC Arts Alive past applicant, grantee or website visitor. Please check the eligibility guidelines to determine if your organization qualifies.
by Rachel Dukeman | Jan 5, 2015 | Fundraising, Social Media
Note: I wrote this back in 2010, rediscovered it, and was so surprised by its continued relevance (to me and the field) that I’m publishing it here. (It was first published by Jan Crocker LLC in July 2010).
Online Fundraising: A Case For Social Media at NonProfits
As a millennial, there are two statements that I often hear that irritate me to no end. The first is the misconception that “social media is for young people.” And the second is that online fundraising should be separate from “traditional fundraising plans.”
I feel confident that the misconception that only young people utilize social media is less widespread than it used to be. And, statistics show it’s not even true. According to iStrategyLabs, “the 35+ demographic now represents more than 30% of the entire user base” on Facebook. Furthermore, “the 55+ [Facebook] audience grew a whopping 922.7% in 2009.”
What is true, however, is that nonprofits are still acting like social media audiences are not potential users or, more importantly, potential donors of their institutions. Which leads me to the second misconception, the need for separation of traditional and online fundraising.
The key to fundraising, whether traditional or not, is effective communication and relationship building. You can plan the most posh fundraising gala on the planet, but if you can’t effectively invite people to attend, you won’t raise a cent for your institution. Social media is the way people are communicating in today’s world. Nonprofits need to start getting better at it.
Some nonprofits are incorporating social media, but most are barely tapping the surface. Simply starting a Facebook page or Twitter profile won’t get you very far. On the contrary, I would argue that setting up an account you hardly use has a negative impact on your institution’s public image. The operative word in social media is social. If you’re not going to interact with people regularly, then you’re not effectively communicating.
What’s more, it is not only individuals utilizing social media. If you search Twitter today you will find over 100 Foundations that use the networking site to disseminate information. Facebook even has a special section unique to Nonprofits that allow individuals to search for different causes. Your potential donors are out there and they’re looking to talk to you. And, the best part of social media is that these communications will most likely go viral and be spread through “word of mouth,” thus multiplying your efforts.
As with any new venture, it takes planning. Do not start a new online fundraising initiative until you have effectively adapted your annual appeal for the web. A social media communications plan needs to be developed and incorporated into all aspects of a strategic plan in order to be the most effective.
