Quality Service Marketing

My Blog Has Moved!

The Quality Service Marketing blog has a new look in a new home (located at http://www.qualityservicemarketing.com/blog/) where you'll find exciting new content + archived posts on how to create an engaged workplace and stronger brand.

Come on over to QSM's updated website (www.qualityservicemarketing.com) and check out my blog located on the toolbar between "What Can QSM Do for You" and "Marketing Toolbox."

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Thanks! I look forward to re-connecting with you at my blog's new location! 

An Updated Holiday Classic

With apologies to Clement C. Moore, you can find many “Twas the Night Before Christmas” parodies. In the holiday spirit, here’s one of my favorites. 

One Crazy Cool Yule [Author unknown]

"Twas the Night before Christmas" has lots of nice rhymes
But I fear that the tale doesn’t fit modern times.
What is a kerchief? My dad wears no cap.
He snores the whole night, no way it’s a nap.

They tell me that Santa is coming tonight.
He'll be flying in here on a sleigh. Yeah, RIGHT!
When I was much younger I believed all that stuff,
Now that I’m older I know it’s a bluff.

As this Christmas eve is going so slow
I sneak down the stairs to watch HBO.
Nothing is stirring, it’s quiet down here.
Security’s on so there’s nothing to fear.

All of a sudden I hear the floor squeak
Someone is coming, sneakety, sneak.
And then as my heart leaps up to my throat
I see a fat man in a funny red coat.

He stands by the table and looks through the house
And takes from his pocket a tiny gray mouse.
He says, "Ho, Ho Ho, I truly believe,
There must be a mouse in each Christmas eve."

His belt buckle shakes as he laughs, look at that.
My gosh this jolly old guy sure is fat.
He looks up. He sees me and gives a big smile.
Says, "I came to see you. Let’s talk for a while.

"You’re one grown up child that doesn’t believe
That Santa Claus comes on each Christmas eve.
You’re a big girl. Your mind’s filled with doubt.
It’s simple, without me the joy is left out.

"I remember the time you sat on my knee
A smile on your face, eyes sparkling with glee.
Don’t you remember the thrill you felt then?
With a little belief you can feel it again.

"Santa Claus comes for each child at the start.
The rest of their lives I live in their heart.
If you are a youngster or wrinkled old guy
You still can hear sleigh bells ring cross the sky."

He turns as he says, "Will you please come out here?"
And there on the driveway stand eight cool reindeer.
They all nod to me and then snort in chorus,
"Who’s this pretty girl now standing before us?"

I wave as I tell them, "I’m Anna May."
As the big burly guy crawls into his sleigh.
He says, "It’s my new team, a real with-it crew.
I’ll let Captain Cosmos give their names to you."

"Here’s E-mail and Hat Rack, Cool Dude and Charley,
I’m Cosmos, there’s Awesome, Brucie and Narley.
Head Cat is Santa, the North Pole’s his home,
We see him all year cause we hang out in Nome."

Then they take off and fly to the roof
Tap a short rap and give a "high hoof."
All turn and shout, "Tonight reindeers rule.
The eight of us wish you a crazy cool Yule."

Then Santa shouts, "It’s true some things change.
But believe in the basics." As he speeds out of range.
Then I hear repeated, as my willing ears strain,
The words I now love, my favorite refrain.

"Twas the Night before Christmas" has some things outdated
But The Story, dear folks, is not overrated.
Throw open the window, and rejoice in the sight!
"Happy Christmas to all and to all a good night."

Whatever and however you celebrate this holiday, best wishes for a happy & safe one!

"Share of Mind, Share of Heart" Book News

Nonprofit professionals, leaders and volunteers interested in Share of Mind, Share of Heart: Marketing Tools of Engagement for Nonprofits now have the option to purchase it in both print and electronic versions. In response to numerous requests, my latest book is available for purchase and download at Energize Inc.’s Bookstore. I’m honored that Energize, Inc., a valuable resource for ALL things related to volunteerism, has chosen to offer my book.

For those readers who prefer print, Share of Mind, Share of Heart: Marketing Tools of Engagement for Nonprofits is conveniently available online through WME Books, and Amazon.

Recommended Nonprofit Books For Gift Giving

Need a helpful gift idea for your favorite nonprofit professional or volunteer leader? Consider a book that provides valuable insight and advice on how to maximize a nonprofit’s effectiveness.

Note: I’m a fan of books-as-gifts, especially when paired with chocolate or other sweet treat, specialty coffee or tea. Feed the senses as well as the mind!

In addition to my favorite nonprofit books, I asked the members of my LinkedIn network groups (BoardSource and Independent Consultants to the Nonprofit Sector) to share the books they most recommend for nonprofit managers and leaders. What a response! The impressive list of books covers a range of topics that include leadership, organizational development, fundraising, governance, board development,  relationship building, and advocacy. The books are listed alphabetically by title and without links so as not to favor any particular online book seller. Please look for them via your favorite search engine, online bookstore, or local bookstore.

My Favorite Books for Nonprofits

The Five Life Stages of Nonprofit Organizations: Where You Are, Where You’re Going, and What to Expect When You Get There by Judith Sharken Simon

From the Top Down: The Executive Role in Successful Volunteer Involvement by Susan J. Ellis

Hesselbein on Leadership by Frances Hesselbein

How to Make Your Board More Dramatically More Effective, Starting Today: A Board Member’s Guide to Asking the Right Questions by Gayle L. Gifford

Robin Hood Marketing: Stealing Corporate Savvy to Sell Just Causes by Katya Andresen

Share of Mind, Share of Heart: Marketing Tools of Engagement for Nonprofits by Sybil F. Stershic

Zilch: The Power of Zero in Business by Nancy Lublin

Network Recommended Books for Nonprofits

ASKING: A 59 Minute Guide to Everything Board Members, Volunteers, and Staff Must Know to Secure the Gift by Jerold Panas

The Board Member’s Book: Making a Difference in Voluntary Organizations by Brian O’Connell

Breakthrough Thinking for Nonprofit Organizations: Creative Strategies for Extraordinary Results by Bernard Ross and Clare Segal

Emotional Intelligence by Daniel Goleman

Everyone Leads: Building Leadership from the Community Up by Paul Schmitz

Exposing the Elephants: Creating Exceptional Nonprofits by Pamela Wilcox

Field Guide to Consulting and Organizational Development With Nonprofits by Carter McNamara

Forces for Good: Six Practices for High Impact Nonprofits by Leslie R. Crutchfield and Heather McLeod Grant

The Functions of the Executive by Chester I. Barnard

Good to Great and the Social Sectors: A Monograph to Accompany Good to Great by Jim Collins

Governance as Leadership: Reframing the Work of Nonprofit Boards by Richard P. Chait, William P. Ryan, and Barbara E. Taylor

The Hour Series of Guides for Nonprofit Management by Nonprofit Management Services, LLC

The Impossible Will Take a Little While: A Citizen’s Guide to Hope in Time of Fear edited by Paul Rogat Loeb

Leadership is an Art by Max De Pree

Let’s Have Lunch: How to Reach Out and Build More Powerful Relationships by Marshall Howard.

Little Bets: How Breakthrough Ideas Emerge from Small Discoveries by Peter Sims

Managing to Change the World: The Nonprofit Manager’s Guide to Getting Results by Alison Green and Jerry Hauser

Measuring the Networked Nonprofit: Using Data to Change the World by Beth Kanter and Katie Delahaye Paine

Mega Gifts by Jerold Panas

The Mission Myth: Building Nonprofit Momentum through Better Business  by Deirdre Maloney

The Non Nonprofit: For-Profit Thinking for Nonprofit Success by Steve Rothschild

Policy vs. Paper Clips: How Using the Corporate Model Makes a Nonprofit Board More Efficient & Effective by Eugene Fram

The Power of a Positive No: Save the Deal, Save the Relationship, and Still Say No by William Ury

Power Questions: Build Relationships, Win New Business, and Influence Others by Andrew Sobel and Jerold Panas

Race to Relevance: 5 Radical Changes for Associations by Harrison Coerver and Mary Byers

A Voice for Nonprofits by Jeffrey M. Berry with David F. Arons

Let me know if you have a favorite book for nonprofits that’s not listed here. I welcome additional recommendations!

Pocket Guide to Nonprofit Board Effectiveness

The adage, “Good things come in small packages” applies to How to Make Your Board Dramatically More Effective, Starting Today: A Board Member’s Guide to Asking the Right Questions, by Gayle L. Gifford. This 115 page guide is a short and provocative read that should lead to some powerful discussions. It’s also a book that I highly recommend to nonprofit leaders and board members who want to improve their stewardship. Here’s why.

My work with clients involves engaging them in “discovery”--asking questions that enable them to find workable approaches and ideas. Finding the right questions to ask is often as challenging as coming up with the right answers. The value of Gifford’s book is that she provides a comprehensive set of critical questions that nonprofit boards need to ask themselves. These questions are organized into three areas of board performance that include mission/community impact, stewardship, and board development. Each of the 34 chapters introduces a key question and briefly explains why it needs to be addressed. For example:

• “Does our vision matter?”
• “Do we think and act strategically?”
• “Is our organization worthy of support?”
• “Have we given our CEO the necessary support?”
• “Are we prepared enough to make a difference?”
• “Do we make policy instead of one-time decisions?”

Not all the questions Gifford asks are as challenging to answer as those I’ve shared here, but they are all purposeful in enabling board members to assess their effectiveness in areas that include governance vs. micromanaging, CEO evaluation, staff relations, board recruitment, the board’s role in fundraising, understanding financial information, and productive meetings.

Nonprofit board members will find How to Make Your Board Dramatically More Effective, Starting Today a valuable tool that can be used for new board member orientation, special board retreats, and ongoing board development.