GUEST ENGAGEMENTS

Ephraim has written numerous guest articles, spoken publicly on a wide range of topics and been an expert guest on podcasts and webinars. Here you can find links to his latest guest appearances.

GUEST BLOG POST: Does your nonprofit send out an enewsletter to subscribers? It’s important that you know best practices… and what to avoid. In this guest post for Inbox Collective, I share with you 10 enews no-no’s and how to fix them.  

WEBINAR PANELIST: Qgiv recently released their Sustainable Giving Report which brought findings from both fundraisers AND donors. The report is chock full of fundraising data worth reviewing and learning from. In this webinar, I was honored to be one of 4 experts discussing the report’s findings and sharing tips and advice to help nonprofits be sustainable and thrive in 2023, 2024 and beyond. 

GUEST BLOG POST: Feedback is critical to email fundraising and marketing success. In this Inbox Collective post, I share a look at the survey I give to my enewsletter subscribers, why I asked specific questions and how survey results will shape the enews in 2023. When your subscribers feel like their opinion matters, they will stick around for longer. 

WEBINAR: Email is one of the best platforms out there for connecting, engaging and building relationships with individuals. That all begins with onboarding new subscribers to your enews. In this Foundant Technologies webinar, I showed participants how to encourage more sign ups via their website. I also discussed online forms, CTAs, welcome emails, data hygiene and more.

GUEST BLOG POST: On your online donation form, should your checkboxes be opt-in or opt-out? I know what I used to advise clients and presentation attendees. But an email from a friend made me rethink my position. In this post for Foundant Technologies, I take a deep dive into whether checkboxes n your online forms should be pre-checked or not. Hear from experts in the field. Did I change my mind? Read and find out!

WEBINAR: I presented a webinar for 4 a Good Cause to help nonprofits successfully onboard more people to their email list. I discussed where the website sign form should be placed, CTA’s that encourage more signups, what fields to display, whether one should include an enews signup on their online donation form and much more. Building a list means more opportunities to eventually convert subscribers into donors.

WEBINAR: Rachel Werner and I presented a joint webinar for Bloomerang about leveraging grants. In my portion I discussed how foundation and corporate sponsors evaluate your organization as a potential partner. Your application is not the only thing they’re reviewing! I also discussed post-grant recognition, making sure your audience knows about the partnership and the different ways to publicly recognize your funding partner.

PODCAST GUEST: In this Charity Therapy podcast episode, host Jess Birken and I discuss fundraising. But not just any fundraising! We discuss Giving Tuesday, trying and testing new campaigns, the Board and fundraising, data, setting goals, year-end giving and more. And yes, we may be holding an Ephraim-a-Thon!

GUEST BLOG POST: Should you use curse words in your fundraising and marketing campaigns? Before you say “absolutely not!” read this post I wrote for SOFII. I look at language changes, using curse words in public campaigns, nonprofits that have used used curse words successfully, building relationships and more. Basically, should you put the F-U in your fundraising? 

WEBINAR: OneCause hosted me and I delivered a presentation about social media. I explained how to create a social media strategy, what data to measure, types of content, the 10 commandments of social media engagement and more. 

PODCAST GUEST: Email is a great way to communicate with people. In this episode of the Do Good Better podcast, host Patrick Kirby and I discuss email fundraising and marketing, communications, storytelling, why open rate is fool’s good, enewsletter content, building relationships, moving people from subscriber to donor and much more.

WEBINAR: I partnered with Jennifer Robins of Environics Analytics to deliver a presentation which discussed Millennials and their giving habits. Jennifer presented data about Millennial demographics, while I discussed their giving tendencies, how to engage and build relationships with them so nonprofits can include them in their fundraising and marketing efforts.

WEBINAR: Foundant Technologies hosted me as he delivered a presentation to hundreds of nonprofit pros on the topic of gratitude. The webinar covered why donors give, elements of a good thank you, why gratitude matters to building relationships and donor retention, 13 different ways to say thank you and much more.  

GUEST BLOG POST: Expressing proper and heartfelt gratitude is one of the best ways to build relationships with donors and supporters. Bonus feature: It will also help boost your organization’s donor retention rates. In this guest blog post for Foundant, I review the data on gratitude and why it’s critical for you to excel at saying thank you.  

PODCAST GUEST: How do you increase retention? How do you show proper gratitude to donors? How can your nonprofit’s fundraising and marketing teams work together to make magic happen? I appeared as a guest on dotorgstrategy’s Nonprofit Hero Factory podcast to answer all those questions while also discussing social media, storytelling, fundraiser turnover, email marketing and more. 

GUEST BLOG POST: Apple recently announced a new security setting which is going to have a major affect on your email marketing and fundraising. In this guest post for Bloomerang, I discuss what email data matters and what doesn’t, data hygiene and how your nonprofit can use email to build relationships with donors, supporters and brand new subscribers.

PODCAST GUEST: How to convince the Board to make a move to digital marketing? Is employee giving something that an organization should pursue? I appeared as a guest on the Charity Therapy podcast hosted by Jess Birken to talk fundraising, marketing, legacies and much more.

GUEST BLOG POST: I received a phone call from an organization I hadn’t heard from in almost a decade. Needless to say, their data needed a serious cleaning. In this post for eJewish Philanthropy, I discuss not only data hygiene but the stories that your data is telling you. You need to pay attention to those stories and learn lessons which will help your nonprofit succeed. Data should help you build relationships. Collecting data to let it catch dust is pointless.

PODCAST GUEST: The topic of employee giving is one that doesn’t get spoken about publicly enough. But it’s a subject that almost every nonprofiteer has a very strong opinion about. I appeared as a guest on the Fundraising HayDay podcast to discuss all aspects of employee giving with hosts Amanda Day and Kimberly Hays de Muga.

WEBINAR MODERATOR: 1832 Communications partnered with Bloomerang Tech to present a webinar entitled “The Next Morning.” This webinar, which featured three panel experts and was moderated by me, discussed what to do when someone is laid off from their nonprofit job. Expert advice, tips and best practices were offered by the panelists about job search, interviewing, salary negotiations, transitioning to a new job and more.

PODCAST GUEST: I was a guest on Foundant Technologies “Grantseeker Coffee Talks.” I discussed employee giving with host Tammy Tilzey of Foundant. Should employees have to give or not? Should Board members and senior managers have to give? Is employee giving related to grants and foundations? I provided answers to all these questions and more.

GUEST BLOG POST: What does the term “Board giving” mean to you? To most nonprofit pros, it means that Board members should be givers. And not just small givers- large donations are expected. In this article for Hilborn, Canada’s largest charity e-news, I argue that money should not be the criterion for Board membership. Inclusion and diversity means allowing everyone a seat around the decision making table.   

GUEST BLOG POST: Gratitude helps donor retention. It’s also the proper way to greet a new subscriber to your enewsletter. In this Showcase of Fundraising Innovation and Inspiration post, I outline 8 best practices and tips for a welcome email to new subscribers.  

GUEST BLOG POST: Should nonprofit senior staff be expected to donate higher amounts than other staff? In this Bloomerang post, I expand on what I learned from my dad: Never look in other people’s wallets.  

GUEST BLOG POST: Does your nonprofit say thank you to donors with just a letter or email? It’s time to diversify your gratitude portfolio! In this Wild Apricot post, I offer nonprofits 8 ways to say thank you that will be memorable and help retain donors year after year.  

GUEST BLOG POST: Should Board members be expected to be donors as well? Although there’s an attitude of “absolutely” among many in the nonprofit sector, it’s not so simple. In this Bloomerang post I delve into the issue and analyze why Board giving should not be automatic. 

GUEST BLOG POST: In his debut post for Showcase Of Fundraising Innovation and Inspiration, I explain how to encourage people to sign up for nonprofit emails via the organization’s website. I discuss how form location, form fields and the CTA all contribute to growing your list.

INTERVIEW: Fundraising expert Amy Eisenstein interviewed me about fundraising and storytelling. I discussed platforms, videos, different types of stories to tell, why storytelling is important to nonprofit leaders and more.

GUEST BLOG POST: Economic recessions occur every 5-7 years and yet when each one happens, nonprofits find themselves scrambling just to survive. In this guest post for Foundant, I offer 5 tips and strategies to plan long-term. This way you’ll have an umbrella to protect you when they next rainy day comes. 

GUEST BLOG POST: In post two of this Bloomerang short series, I list five reasons why employees should not be asked to become donors to the organization they work for. No matter where you stand on this issue, odds are you have an opinion. Read both pieces- you might end up changing your mind. 

WEBINAR: Qgiv hosted me to present to hundreds of participants how to encourage more people to sign up for their nonprofit e-newsletter. The presentation showcased examples of the email onboarding process from the largest 100 nonprofits in the U.S. At the end of the presentation, I answered multiple questions related to email marketing strategy and best practices. 

GUEST BLOG POST: Everyone has an opinion when it comes to employee giving: Should employees be asked to donate to the organization they work for? In the first of a 2-part series on Bloomerang, I offer four reasons why employees should be asked. 

WEBINAR: The Masterminds Series by Donor Search hosted me to discuss successful email onboarding. Attendees learned about email marketing strategy, where the newsletter signup form should appear on the website, what forms the field should contain, what CTA to use to encourage signups, the elements of a good  thank you for subscribing email and more. 

WEBINAR: Gvahim hosted me to discuss creating a social media strategy which helps organizations build their online community. Building that strategy means asking and answering the W questions. This presentation covers what a social media strategy should include, discusses using data to measure success, what content engages your online followers, reviews all the W questions and more.

GUEST BLOG POST: Coronaworld is still with us and it has definitely affected the nonprofit sector. The question is if the “current normal” will become the “permanent normal.” In this guest post for Foundant, I discuss the future of office life, budgets, staffing, meetings, working with consultants and more. The times are changing.

GUEST BLOG POST: The nonprofit community is divided over whether employees should or should not be asked to the donate to the organization they work for. In this guest post for eJewish Philanthropy, I dive into the reasons why they should not be asked. The main reason? Pressure to give. Philanthropy is an act of giving willingly, not something one should be forced to do. 

WEBINAR: I was a presenter for the Association of Fundraising Professionals- Global on the topic of employee giving. The presentation covered Board and C-level giving, the reasons why people are for and against employee giving campaigns, why it’s a complicated topic and best practices for running an employee giving campaign properly. This presentation was based on the survey data and ebook I published on this contentious topic.

GUEST BLOG POST: Employee giving is a very contentious topic. In this guest post for eJewish Philanthropy, I look at the reasons why employees should be asked to donate to the organization they work for. The overriding reason? Everyone should be able to participate in the joy of philanthropy. 

GUEST BLOG POST: In a guest post for Hilborn, Canada’s largest newsletter for charities, I offer a list of do’s and dont’s for organizations considering asking their employees to become donors.

WEBINAR: I spoke to the AFP Central Iowa Chapter about gratitude and how saying thank you can help nonprofits build relationships with their donors and supporters. I discussed why donors give, the elements of a good thank you, why having a gratitude attitude is crucial to fundraising, 13 different ways to say thank you and more.

WEBINAR: I spoke to the AFP Western Pennsylvania Chapter about the elements of modern day storytelling. Using some of the worst- and best- examples from both for-profit and nonprofit organizations, I discussed how digital and online posting has added new wrinkles to storytelling. Tips and best practices for images, hashtags, engagement, Instagram Stories and more were presented. 

All attendees received link to a “cheat sheet” that summarized the presentation.

GUEST BLOG POST: After your organization submits a grant application, what is the funder doing? They’re busy finding out more about your nonprofit- looking for more information than what you provided in the application. In this guest post for Foundant, I point out what foundations are researching including your website, social media presence, email marketing, what Google says and more.  

WEBINAR: The AFP Palm Beach County Chapter invited me to speak to their members about growing their email list. The webinar covered signup form location, which fields the signup form should contain, the CTA, whether an online donation form should include a enewsletter opt in, welcome emails and more.   

WEBINAR: The AFP Northern Arizona Chapter invited me to speak to their members about growing their email list. The webinar covered signup form location, which fields the signup form should contain, the CTA, whether an online donation form should include a enewsletter opt in, welcome emails and more.   

GUEST BLOG POST: Someone subscribed to your nonprofit enewsletter. Hooray! Now what? Time to build better relationships with subscribers and convert them into donors down the road. In this Michael Rosen Says blog post, I provide you with 5 elements your email marketing strategy has to include to make it happen.   

GUEST BLOG POST: People want to know there’s a human manning your nonprofit’s social media accounts. In this Bloomerang post, I discuss what it means to show people the face behind the logo. That person should be authentic, engaging and help to build relationships. Because at the end of the day, you social followers can become email subscribers, volunteers, advocates and donors.    

PRESENTATION: I spoke to members of the Des Moines Fundraising Institute about fundraising and email marketing. This was part of their course work as they learn about messaging, digital marketing and donor communications.

WEBINAR: This webinar, organized by Bloomerang, was attended by hundreds of nonprofit employees and consultants. The goal was to teach best practices and help nonprofits onboard more subscribers to their enewsletter.

WEBINAR: This webinar, organized by Gvahim, was for nonprofit pros in Israel to learn how to grow their email list. The first part of that process is successfully onboarding new subscribers. The webinar covered signup form location, which fields the signup form should contain, the CTA, whether an online donation form should include an enewsletter opt in and more.   

WEBINAR: This webinar, organized by Svivah, was for female CEO’s who are working to navigate their organizations through the choppy waters of Coronavirus. We discussed how to be a more effective leader, fundraising during a pandemic, advertising, marketing and more.   

GUEST BLOG POST: The coronavirus pandemic has certainly changed nonprofit office life. The question is, when life returns to normal, will office life do as well? Writing on eJewish Philanthropy, I give 21 predictions related to leadership, staffing, budgeting, events and more.   

PODCAST GUEST: On the SOAR podcast, hosted by Taylor Shanklin, I had a chance to discuss how your nonprofit can survive and thrive right now. We talked about leadership, fundraising, goats, communications and hairdressers. And yes, as a proud card carrying member of Gen X, I dropped a “Where’s the beef” reference. Have a listen and learn how your organization can make it through these rough times successfully.

GUEST BLOG POST: Early 90s recession. Dot com bust of 2001. Madoff mess.
We’ve been here before. The same fundraising and communications principles that worked then work today. Writing on eJewish Philanthropy, I present 5 do’s and dont’s to guide your fundraising comms during this pandemic.  

GUEST BLOG POST: In part two of this series for the Hilborn Charity eNews, I discuss how consultants can steady their ship in turbulent times and how they can use their “free” time wisely.

GUEST BLOG POST: Part I of a two part series for the Hilborn Charity eNews. I discuss how nonprofits can deal with remote work, keeping in touch with stakeholders and working with consultants during a pandemic.

GUEST BLOG POST: Writing on the Hands On Fundraising blog, I explain why your nonprofit needs to provide content that interests the target audience and not what you want to push out. Less we, more you.

WEBINAR: I presented the components of modern day storytelling to the Las Vegas AFP Chapter. I talked about the elements of storytelling, how to use them to engage followers and ultimately use what was learned to increase donations. The presentation included examples of marketing, communications, social media and storytelling gone wrong and what can be learned from the mistakes of other brands.

It was a fun presentation mixing the good and the bad. A chance to groan, cringe, shake one’s head in disapproval but also to smile and laugh. The goal was to learn from the mistakes and successes of others.

All attendees received a “cheat sheet” that summarized the presentation.