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Powering Nonprofits to Fuel Positive Change

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info@bigbuzzideagroup.com
Big Buzz Idea GroupBig Buzz Idea Group
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Board Nominating: A Better Way

Board Nominating: A Better Way

By Brad Ball Vice President Big Buzz Idea Group “I love deadlines. I love the whooshing noise they make as they go by.” – Douglas Adams Simply too many organizations think about bringing new people onto the board of directors as a last-minute activity. They wait until just before the Annual Meeting, have a few quick, quiet conversations about who has time and is willing to join the board for the next term. Those people say ‘yes,’ the names are hastily approved, and thus, the next year’s board of directors is born. And this story repeats itself, often with just...

How to Develop Your Nonprofit’s Audience Persona

How to Develop Your Nonprofit’s Audience Persona

By: Lidia Varesco Racoma Brand Strategist & Creative Marketer Lidia Varesco Design Determining your organization’s audience is a crucial part of branding and marketing. Developing a persona for each segment of your audience provides a framework for your content and assures that your outreach is strategic, focused and targeted. What Is a Persona? A persona is a representation of the target audience segment you are trying to reach based on internal data and research, and it includes the basics of who they are, as well as insights into their challenges and values. Some personas even include a name and image...

Leadership Starts with You

Leadership Starts with You

By: Melissa Lagowski CEO/Founder/Queen Bee Big Buzz Idea Group “Character cannot be developed in ease and quiet. Only through experience of trial and suffering can the soul be strengthened, ambition inspired and success achieved.” ~Helen Keller When you think of a “leader,” who comes to mind? We typically list examples of great leaders like Abraham Lincoln, Mother Teresa, Martin Luther King, Jr., Mahatma Gandhi and other famous people, but we overlook the value that each of us possess as leaders. Does your organization have strong leadership? How enthusiastic and impassioned are the leaders that sit on your board of directors?...

Promotion Ideas to Benefit Your Nonprofit – Part II

Promotion Ideas to Benefit Your Nonprofit – Part II

By: Melissa Lagowski CEO/Founder/Queen Bee Big Buzz Idea Group In “Promotion Ideas to Benefit Your Nonprofit – Part I” we covered ideas for you to utilize relative to email marketing, leveraging your community and capitalizing on some basic public relations tactics. Part II will advance the promotional discussions and cover more ideas for digital exposure. Online Marketing Marketing online via social media remains an important part of overall promotions for nonprofits and associations so we encourage our clients to include online promotions to achieve maximum exposure. Social media options can be a bit overwhelming, so it’s best to compare the various...

Silver Linings Discovered Amidst a Pandemic

Silver Linings Discovered Amidst a Pandemic

By: Melissa Lagowski CEO/Founder/Queen Bee Big Buzz Idea Group We have always known that, out of necessity, nonprofit organizations are incredibly nimble and resilient. Over the last 12 months, organizations have made quick pivots and showed great commitment and creativity to the missions they serve. Now that it has been a full year of life with COVID-19, we asked our clients if they had any unexpected positive results from the pandemic. Here is what they had to say:   Rogers Park Business Alliance “We added video interviews to our Small Business Saturday event in 2020. The pivot to video for...

6 Tips for Recruiting Ideal Board Members

6 Tips for Recruiting Ideal Board Members

By: Melissa Lagowski CEO/Founder/Queen Bee Big Buzz Idea Group We regularly hear from nonprofits that their Board of Directors or certain members are not carrying their fair share of the weight. The biggest concern is leadership not delivering on their Board commitments and sometimes they aren’t even showing up to the organization’s events. But imagine the flipside: What if each Board member actively engaged with your organization? What if every Board member met their give-or-get requirements and took their fiduciary responsibilities more seriously? What if every Board member actively served and supported your nonprofit with shared vision and commitment toward...

Budgeting for Your Nonprofit in Uncertain Times

Budgeting for Your Nonprofit in Uncertain Times

By: Melissa Lagowski CEO/Founder/Queen Bee Big Buzz Idea Group Far too many nonprofits that we talk to have a wash-rinse-repeat model of budgeting that we at Big Buzz do not generally support. For those readers who have been following us for a while, you know that we believe that forward-thinking budgeting leads to the growth of your organization. We fully believe that when it comes to budgeting, it is imperative to do a deeper dive about where you are and where you want to go as an association. You need to annually evaluate which resources are necessary to elevate your...

Big Buzz Idea Group Launches Additional Services

Big Buzz Idea Group Launches Additional Services

Big Buzz Idea Group has enjoyed consulting nonprofits for the past 15 years, and over that time, whenever we met a new potential client, we heard a very common theme: “I had no idea a company like yours even existed!” The need for assistance has never been more obvious, which is why we are presenting a new suite of budget-friendly services to a larger audience of nonprofits.

Your mission is our mission, and now in addition to “powering nonprofit organizations to fuel positive change in the world,” we want to also “power nonprofit professionals” to accelerate your organization to fuel positive change in the world.

The Compelling Case to Renew

The Compelling Case to Renew

By: Melissa Lagowski CEO/Founder/Queen Bee Big Buzz Idea Group   Today’s the day to make things happen. It’s time to move forward (while the whole world seems to have stopped, and we watch and wait and wonder and worry). Put aside the feeling of helplessness, that the more we learn, the less we understand what it all means for each of us. That’s the problem with paralysis by analysis: while we’re stuck in the mud and waiting for something, time keeps slippin’ and the world keeps spinnin’… A boulder has been placed in your path. While deciding what to do...

Life After COVID-19: Next Steps for Your Nonprofit

Life After COVID-19: Next Steps for Your Nonprofit

By: Melissa Lagowski CEO/Founder/Queen Bee Big Buzz Idea Group   COVID-19 entered the news in early January, but it entered our American lives hard in mid-March. For the last three weeks we have gone from “normal” living to modified living to shelter in place. And now we all wait and wonder when these restrictions will lift and when we will be safe to return to “normal” again. Unfortunately, normal will never be the same for any of us. So, what now? Immediate Needs As we all adjust to this new “normal,” it is important to identify your most immediate needs....

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Insights Blog Archive

  • Big Buzz Has COVID-19 Resources For You!
  • Real Progress Requires Intention: What Do You Want to Achieve in 2020 for Your Nonprofit?
  • Outsourcing: The Only Solution To Staffing Shortages
  • 3 Tips For Maintaining Your NPO’s Digital Assets
  • Four Pillars to Attracting and Retaining Ideal Employees
  • Fundraising: Creating a Straighter Path to Revenue Growth
  • Silver Linings Discovered Amidst a Pandemic
  • Our Top Five Free Online Tools for Nonprofit Management Teams
  • Holding On When You Feel Like Throwing In the Towel
  • Meet Big Buzz, the Creators of Ribfest Chicago
  • Lessons Learned in Nonprofit Management
  • 10 Tips to Cultivate Sponsor Relationships
  • Team Culture Exists Beyond the Office Walls
  • Want To Retain Your Employees? Wellness in the Workplace Matters!
  • Clearer Communication Is the Secret to Better Outcomes
  • Something Good: Building Your Team’s Connection
  • The Compelling Case to Renew
  • 11 Tips to Make Your Newsletter More Readable
  • Take Time to Evaluate Your Events
  • Please Send a Hi-res Copy of Your Logo
  • Life After COVID-19: Next Steps for Your Nonprofit
  • Engage Your Board – Start with Recruiting and End with A High-Performance Culture
  • 5 Tips for Prioritizing Your Mental Health in the Workplace
  • Conference Call Hero – 6 Tips to Master the Art of Video and Audio Conferencing
  • Promotion Ideas to Benefit Your Nonprofit – Part I
  • How to Rewire Your Brain with Positive Thinking
  • Board Nominating: A Better Way
  • Why Nonprofits Need to Evaluate Their Budgets Every Year
  • How to Manage Your Organization During an Election Year Without Violating Your Nonprofit Status
  • How To Secure More Donor Dollars
  • 9 Lessons Learned from Our First Virtual Conference
  • SPONSORSHIP 101: Growing Nonprofit Revenues
  • Boost Your Daily Productivity
  • Are You Leaving Money On The Table?
  • Tips for Virtual Event Success
  • Cross-Train Your Team for Better Outcomes
  • 6 Tips for Cultivating Gratitude in the Workplace
  • The Taxman Cometh (Yes, Even For Your Exempt Organization)
  • Making a Case for Strategic Planning
  • Innovative Approach to Volunteer Recruitment
  • Does Your Mission Have a Compelling Voice?
  • Client Spotlight: Illinois Theatre Association
  • How Nonprofits Can Use Social Media to Meet Goals
  • Fostering Board Engagement in Virtual Times
  • A Job Gone Wrong
  • Cyber Security: How To Protect Yourself In Today’s “Connected” World
  • Big Buzz Idea Group Launches Additional Services
  • The Benefits of Outsourcing
  • 7 Tips for Managing Hybrid Events
  • Make Your Nonprofit Stand Out: Creating Impressions for Impact
  • 3 Reasons Why Your Organization Should Use Canva
  • Re-Imagine the Possibilities to Better Serve Your Mission
  • Talk to Me! Prioritizing Internal Communications During Times of Transition
  • Why Is My Organization Not Growing?
  • Interim Directors Provide Strength in Times of Transition
  • Seven Tips to a More Productive Year for Your Organization
  • Becoming a Virtual Event Planner in an Instant
  • If You’re Feeling Hopeless of Late, Remember That Your Work Matters and You Do, Too
  • Transparency and Nonprofit Organizations
  • Networking for Personal and Professional Growth
  • Should You Ever Cover Board Member Expenses?
  • Four Step Process to Building Better Buy-In
  • Why Identifying and Communicating Your Core Values Is Important
  • Is Your Marketing Missing the Mark?
  • Implementing Diversity, Equity & Inclusion at Your Nonprofit
  • Leadership Starts with You
  • How to Develop Your Nonprofit’s Audience Persona
  • Why Your Nonprofit Needs Brand Guidelines
  • Promotion Ideas to Benefit Your Nonprofit – Part II
  • 5 Secrets to Streamlining Your Administrative Tasks
  • 3 Questions to Ask If You Hope to Grow Your Membership
  • Goal-Setting For Successful Events
  • Self-Care: A Necessity for Successful Leadership
  • 50 Content Promotion Tactics: How to Drive Traffic to Your Next Article
  • Organic Methods to Cultivate Sponsorship Leads
  • Celebrate You and Avoid Nonprofit Burnout
  • To Be Successful, Nonprofits and Associations Must Be Forward-Thinking
  • Word of the Year: Manifestation
  • How to Hire a Consultant
  • Client Spotlight: Cyberjutsu
  • 5 Reasons to Outsource Instead of Rely on Volunteers
  • Budgeting for Your Nonprofit in Uncertain Times
  • The Hidden Costs Behind Your Fundraiser
  • Financial Planning for Uncertain Times
  • The 3 Mistakes I Made Managing a Nonprofit
  • Optimize Your Contact List for Nonprofit Growth
  • SPONSORSHIP 101: To Package or Not to Package
  • Tips to Ensure Event Safety
  • Four Tactics to Resolve Nonprofit Staffing Shortages
  • 4 Productivity Tips to Elevate Your Nonprofit
  • Board or Bored Leadership – Enter the Magnificent Seven
  • 6 Tips for Healthy Collaboration with Your Board Chair
  • Nonprofit Event Venues 101
  • Grateful for Nonprofit Leaders
  • Spend Less. Do More. Your Guide to Effective Outsourcing
  • Leveraging E-Newsletters For Nonprofit Growth
  • Fresh Funding Ideas Are Blooming
  • Tips For Meaningful #GivingTuesday Follow-Up
  • The Birth of a New Vision
  • Cancelling or Postponing Your Events in Light of COVID-19
  • DIY Event Photos
  • Securing Help from Your Board: Are You Ready?
  • Virtual Fundraising: 18 Ideas for Nonprofit Revenue
  • What’s Your Nonprofit’s Story
  • Chart a Path for Nonprofit Success
  • How to Secure Mega Sponsorships For Your Fundraising Event!
  • Organizational Operations Versus Organizational Strategy
  • How to Keep Your Visuals On-Brand
  • Post-Pandemic Event Lessons
  • Put Some Zing in Your Zoom (Or Any Other Virtual Meeting)
  • 5 Ways to Generate Sponsor Leads
  • Keep Your Mission in Mind to Maximize Results
  • Never Overlook the Value of Gratitude
  • The Board’s Hot (Summer) Topics
  • Time to Assess Your Year-End Campaigns
  • Should Sponsorships Include Membership Dues?
  • Nonprofit Form 990: Friend or Foe?
  • Defining Your Value: Reclaiming Relevance to the Community You Serve
  • 4 Ways Outsourcing Your Development Work Can Provide Value
  • 6 Tips for Recruiting Ideal Board Members
  • New Year’s Resolutions for Board Members
  • Why You Need to Establish Gratitude as a Pillar at Your Nonprofit
  • The Need to Go Beyond Surveys
  • Communication Tips to Advance Your Organization
  • Crisis Management: Are You Ready?
  • Employee Retention Tax Credit Yields Powerful Opportunity
  • 2020: A Lesson in Gratitude
  • Client Spotlight: Hope For The Day

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  • 4055 W. Peterson Ave., #105 Chicago, IL 60646
  • 773.804.8589
  • 773.804.8986
  • info@bigbuzzideagroup.com

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