Weekend Link Roundup (May 4-5, 2013)

What a gorgeous weekend! Hope yours, wherever you are, was half as nice. Here, a little late, is our weekly roundup of new and noteworthy posts from and about the nonprofit sector....

Communications/Marketing

The Catalytic Network, an interesting new initiative of the Rockefeller Foundation, aims to share tools and stories which emerge from the foundation's work with innovators around the globe. In that spirit, Michael Myers, a senior policy officer at the foundation, lays out the 5 Golden Rules of a Great Pitch on the network's site to help nonprofits better tell their story.

The five rules are:

• Keep it under two minutes.
• Know your audience, and know the ask.
• Talk about the problem you are solving -- in one sentence.
• Give two reasons why your approach is unique.
• Leave them one memorable, repeatable story.

Data

On the Harvard Business Review blog network, Mark Bonchek, "chief catalyst" at Orbit & Co, argues that without Little Data -- "what we know about ourselves. What we buy. Who we know. Where we go. How we spend our time" -- Big Data "has a tendency to become Big Brother," and that without Big Data, Little Data "is incomplete."

The Art of the Phone Call: How to Stand Out With Funders

(Allison Shirk is a freelance grantwriter based in the Puget Sound region. In her last post, she shared ten tips for making the best use of your grantwriter's time.)

In today's world of high-speed communications, it can be hard to make a meaningful connection. Remembering the art of the personal phone call is a great way to stand out in the crowd. Here are some tips when reaching out to a potential funder by phone.

Leave a short but detailed message. Most funders receive dozens, if not hundreds, of phone calls a week. Voice-mail messages that don't include the right amount of detail will be ignored. Leave your name, phone number, and the elevator pitch for your organization/project. Speak clearly and slowly.

Make a plan to connect. Be sure to include a time (during regular business hours) when you can be reached. Mention that you'll call back in two days if you haven't heard from them. Follow up with an e-mail that includes your contact information and a link to your organization's Web site.

Don't drop the ball. If they call back and you miss the call, call them back within forty-eight hours and follow up with an e-mail. Be persistent but respectful.

Most Popular PhilanTopic Posts (April 2013)

It's May Day/International Workers' Day/Loyalty Day! Before you begin your celebration, take a few minutes to check out the most popular posts on PhilanTopic in April:

• 'How Do I General Support Thee, Let Me Count the Ways!' (Brad Smith)
• Ten Ways to Make Your Grantwriter's Time Count (Allison Shirk)
• Dispatch From the Frontlines: Council on Foundations' 2013 Annual Conference (Michael Seltzer)
• Closing the Achievement Gap for African-American Males: An Economic Imperative (Angela Glover Blackwell)
• Digital Tools and Apps: A 'Flip' Chat With Harish Bhandari, Robin Hood Foundation (Regina Mahone)

What are you reading/watching/listening to? Share your favorites in the comments section below....