Communicating for a Cause

RFP Questions To Ask

1) How would you help us solve this problem?

 2) Who else have you helped?

3) What will it take to get us there? (time, budget, resources)

That's it. 

Don't get me wrong. I understand where a Request for Proposal comes from and the purpose it can serve. But oftentimes an organization believes it needs to know HOW to solve the problem when creating the RFP and subsequently compares costs against executing that solution. 

But it doesn't matter which car we drive if we're headed in the wrong direction. Don't feel the pressure to figure out the how—That's a big part of what you're paying for. 

Instead, tell them what needs to be fixed and look for a team that truly seeks to understand your needs, your culture and has the experience to back them up. Chances are high the proposed solution may not be what you expect but you'll be delighted with the results.  

 

Uncomfortable in the Quiet

This morning, I found myself stepping over dog toys on my way to the kitchen. I've been picking up toys for what feels like an eternity.

But today there's this crazy, empty kind of feeling as I tossed the toys in the basket. When our children were small it seemed like a constant whirlwind of activity that seamlessly blended from one stage to the next without a moment to catch my breath 

Constant feedings and sleepless nights

Chasing toddlers, trying to keep them out of harm's way

Filling out permission slips; packing lunches

Chauffering from one practice to another 

Late nights wondering if she'll be home in time for curfew 

Hoping he will make wise judgments when away at college 

At first, I was so grateful for the glimpses of quiet that were so few and far between I welcomed them with open arms. I didn't even notice the whirlwind of activity was gradually dying down. 

Until it had just stopped.

And now I only find myself picking up dog toys. 

This empty hole I find in my chest feels so uncomfortable. So peculiar. We got married at a very young age and had our first child immediatley. I went from taking care of my younger brother and sister at home to taking care of my own children. I've never known life without the constant hum of activity. 

And it feels foreign. 

People used to tell me "they grow up in a flash," and I remember thinking how absurd that sounded when the days felt so long. But the twist is the years are ridiculously short.

 

 

What Image Are We Reflecting?

I had an interesting conversation with my 16 year old daughter yesterday about her Psychology class. It seems they were having a heated discussion about lifestyle "choices" some people make and whether this is predetermined at birth or if it is a conscious decision made by each individual. 

One of her classmates brought in her Bible and was firing off verse after verse on why this is an "abomination to the Lord," refusing to discuss the actual topic presented. She explained it seemed like it was just this girl taking on the entire class. (She goes to a secular public high school)

"It made me sad to consider myself a Christian", she told me

I'm certain this girl felt she was just standing up for what she believed in. But instead of drawing people closer to Jesus, she came across as closed-minded and judgmental; unwilling to discuss another point of view. 

The point of this post is not about the subject matter the class was discussing. It's about being intentional in how we respond, keeping the bigger picture in mind. Sometimes we need to lose a few battles in order to win the war. 

Will those kids remember the Bible's point of view on transgender? Probably not. Will they remember a harsh and judgmental Christian? Absolutely. 

Sometimes I wonder what could happen if we spent more time reflecting the heart of Jesus and less time reflecting organized/institutionalized religion. 

Easter Opportunities

Churches—How easy is it to find what times your Easter services are being held?

We have a unique opportunity to spend Easter weekend with our son who's attending college in Sarasota, FL and looked for a church near where we're staying.

The experience of searching for a church was eye-opening and I'm guessing is quite similar to what many first-time guests experience. (And even a little depressing, to be honest)

I know it's easy for all of us to get caught up in the routine of daily stuff and sometimes forget that people not connected to our church may need a little extra help. Here's a quick overview of the process I went through:

1) Searched Google
I simply typed in "churches near <my location>"

2) Filtered by Name
I know our kids are going to want a more casual experience for a place they've never been before. Names that sounded formal or included "Holy Grail of the Tabernacle," I'm sure are great churches but not what we were looking for this time.

3) Checked the Website
100% of people who've never been to your church are going to check out your website before coming to your church. (Even if it's just to remember what time their friend said the service starts)

This is where I was amazed how few churches made it easy to know when their Easter services were held. Out of the ones I checked, it was less than 25%.

Most didn't include information at all; several listed it several clicks in (One search experience was: Gathering Times > Home Page > Upcoming Events > Sunday Gathering > Back to Home Page > Back to Gathering Times > Passion Week > Scroll to bottom, Easter Services) Just one church had an icon for Easter Services listed on the home page.

People expect websites to have time-sensitive information.

Easter is a great opportunity to connect with people who don't go to church all the time. But if we're shouting a message they can't hear, does it matter?

 

 

Pick up the Phone

If an email exchange seems to be going south.

If you're trying to manage a delicate situation with your teammates.
[ ...Or someone's supervisor ...Or your direct report]

If your email could potentially be read the wrong way.

Pick up the phone.

Often a short investment in time now can avoid lots of confusion, hurt feelings & a derailed project later.

M2LIVE :: 5 Quick Ways Social Media Can Kill Your Brand

 

  

For those who missed the Echo Conference this year, I'll be participating in a webinar this week hosted by M2LIVE covering the core chewy nougat from my session 5 Quick Ways Social Media Can Kill Your Brand.

I love the unique approach the M2LIVE team takes, as the session was pre-recorded but we'll all be on live chat & ready to answer your questions during and after the session.

Best part... it's free.

When & where does this social media goodness occur, you ask?

 

Thursday, Dec 2nd @ 11:30 am EST

http://www.M2LIVE.org/live

 

M2LIVE is a grassroots effort allowing believers of all backgrounds to come together to celebrate Christ, while sharing and learning from one another. A series of web-based and live hands-on workshops, M2LIVE is designed for church leaders and volunteers interested in enhancing their ministry using the latest in web and social media technology. View an archive of past M2LIVE webinars at http://www.m2live.org/web/webinar-archive/.

 

**UPDATE** Thanks to all who participated! In addition to the above notes, Tim Schraeder did a fantastic job [as always] capturing they key ideas which can be found here. There will be a rebroadcast Tuesday, Dec 7th @ 8p EDT for those who missed it or would like to catch it again.

Catalyst Atlanta

Catalyst 09 Backstage
Originally uploaded by The Catalyst Movement

It's that time of year again... and easily my favorite event of the year.

Catalyst Conference--happening October 6-8, 2010 in Atlanta, where 13,000 young leaders will converge for the leadership experience of the year, including high-octane speakers, powerful worship, innovative programming, and an experience unlike any other.

Hear from leadership authorities including Andy Stanley, Seth Godin, TD Jakes, Craig Groeschel, Francis Chan, Beth Moore, Perry Noble, and Christine Caine, along with several innovative thinkers and practitioners like best-selling author Daniel Pink, charity: water founder Scott Harrison, Gabe Lyons, First Response Team founder Tad Agoglia, and Rani Hong, winner of the United Nations Human Rights Award.

Plus, Catalyst Labs will feature innovative thought leaders like Michael Hyatt, Pete Wilson, Mark Batterson, Anne Jackson, John Ortberg, Mike Foster, Jud Wilhite, Reggie Joiner, Jamie Tworkowski, Alan Hirsch, Gayle Haggard, Chris Hodges, Jon Acuff, Tim Elmore, Charles Lee, Chris Seay, Chris and Phileena Heuertz, and others. [Honestly, the labs are worthy of their own "conference" in themselves]

Best Rates on Catalyst tickets end this Thursday, August 26th, so register now. Call 888.334.6569 to speak to a Catalyst Concierge, or register online at www.catalystconference.com.

        **Bonus** Use Rate Code FOB for an additional 10% discount off your ticket price

Catalyst will sell out, so make sure and register early. Hope to see you there!

ECHO Conference

 

Thanks again to everyone who came to the session today at the ECHO conference! As promised, here's a quick recap of some of the key points we discussed as well as a few take-home resources.

Enjoy!

Download DawnNicoleBaldwin_Echo notes

Personalized, Plug 'n Play Media Player

 Yep, you read that right. The super-talented crack team at AspireOne is launching a new & improved media player. Totally customizable, plugs into your existing site & we'll even design it to match. 

**Special bonus for all Echo Conference participants** [well, and readers of this blog] 

Sign up before the end of this month [8/31] & score two months free

So for all you savvy deal seekers who already checked out AspireOne Media and found the pre-paid deal of two free months, THIS is on TOP of THAT. Just use the promo code ECHO

Cheers!

*Player graphic courtesy of TimSchraeder.com, THE go-to source for live blogging of the ECHO Conference

Ten Stages of Speaking at Events

The following dramatization may or may not fully represent the cycle some (*cough*) speakers go through before, during and after an event.

Stage One
Oh wow--this sounds like such a fantastic event! Love the concept. Love the audience. Topic is right in my sweet spot. So honored to be invited. I can't wait.

Stage Two
Bio & headshot? I hate writing bios. Can I send what I've been using for the past decade? Yes, a lot has changed but did I mention how much I hate writing my own bio? Can I successfully extract a decent headshot from this family photo?

Stage Three
Description of my talk? It seems so incredibly far away. (Brainstorm cool title, scratch, rewrite, repeat until the very last moment it needs to be submitted. Scribble description that's compelling, yet vague enough to change the content direction at least 9 million times)

Stage Four
Holy smokes! It's when?!?? What did the description I sent say again? WHAT IS THAT SUPPOSED TO MEAN?? I'm such an idiot.

Stage Five
Cancel all extracurricular activities. Hole up in office. Stare at blank sheets of paper. Re-read Presentation Zen, Confessions of a Public Speaker and an unhealthy amount of blogs on successful presentations. Why did I sign up for this again? I hate speaking. (Write blog post about the insanity of preparing to speak)

Stage Six
**And then a miracle occurs** (Light bulbs go off. Heavenly choirs can be heard) This is going to be so cool. I can't believe I get to do this as my job. I love speaking. The audience is going to love this. I'm so excited. (Much enthusiasm now around building slides)

Stage Seven
(Day before event) This sounds so stupid. They're going to hate me. I'm tired of hearing the sound of my own voice. Why did I think this is cool? I hope no one shows up.. and all recording devices break so there's no evidence of my ineptness. I wonder how bad it'd be if I left the country for a few days.

Stage Eight
(15 mins before event) I don't believe I should drink anymore Red Bull. Or eat anymore candy, lest I go into a sugar-induced coma. Or talk at a billion mph. What if no one comes? What is the sound of one hand clapping? What if that one hand doesn't even clap? Why isn't Keynote working right???

Stage Nine
(Immediately post-talk) That sucked. I suck. I can't believe people were interested in that. I'm such a poser. The people who followed up were probably just being nice. I should go poke my own eyes out now.

Stage Ten
(After talk) Wow--I can't believe all the great feedback I keep hearing. Maybe it went better than I thought? It sounds like it really helped a lot of people. They want me to come back? Really? Wow. That is so cool. I love my job. 

**Any others we should add?**