Tonic Magazine Articles
Encouraging Innovation
Last updated October 12, 2018 Innovation comes in all shapes and sizes. Whether you need more money, more volunteers, a new way to do X or a better way to do Y, creative thinking skills, problem solving and innovation are vital skills for a successful and sustainable...
Good Ideas for Bringing Humour to Work
Last updated January 18, 2017 Laughing is good for the soul, the mind and the body but did you know that a sense of fun is also a bonus for your career and work life in general? Those of you with a good sense of humour at work are perceived as better at your jobs and...
Good Ideas for Volunteer Managers
Last updated January 3, 2017 Recruiting and retaining volunteers is a pretty hard task, and one that so often impacts on an organisations’ ability to do their job well. Here are some simple resolutions for all Volunteer Managers to help make that task a little easier....
20 Ways to Look After Yourself at Work
Last updated January 12, 2017 Working in and for the community is one of the toughest jobs around. Sure it can be immensely rewarding, but it can also be littered with crisis and emotionally exhausting. If you want any chance of staying around for the long haul, you...
The Pendleton Method of Giving Feedback
Last updated January 3, 2017 Providing constructive feedback is a great way to help develop staff and volunteers, but it can sometimes be tricky to navigate if there are lots of things that need to be improved. The Pendleton Method is a simple way to give feedback in...
Engaging Gen X Volunteers
Last updated August 23, 2016 When it comes to volunteering, Generation X volunteers far out-number those from any other generation. Given that their large-scale contribution is often essential for your organisations success, it’s important to understand what makes...
Crowdfunding Tips for Non-Profits
Last updated August 17, 2016 Not that many years ago, very few New Zealanders had even heard of crowdfunding and those who had were sceptical of its value as a genuine fundraising tool. I remember watching an interview where one well known New Zealand fundraiser...
Capturing the Time Poor Volunteer
Last updated August 11, 2016 Over the years I have had countless conversations with people who are happy to help out, but don’t have the time or energy to commit to the traditional models of volunteering. They don’t want to be on a committee, they don’t want to have a...
Marketing Using Traditional Media
Last updated June 29, 2016 With the rise (and rise!) of online social media many organisations are questioning if traditional media such as newspapers, radio, television and magazines still have a place in a non-profit marketing plan. And to be fair, when you have a...
Managing a Media Interview
Last updated June 22, 2016 Being interviewed by the media is a great opportunity to market your non-profit cause, but it pays to be prepared. Here are our top tips for successfully managing a media interview. 1. Know exactly what you want to achieve from the...
Succession Planning for your CEO
Last updated June 14, 2016 As a Board, one of your responsibilities is to ensure your non-profit organisation has a capable, well managed Chief Executive Officer (CEO). Hopefully you’ve got that box ticked, but what would happen if your current CEO or Manager chose to...
5 Things to Include on your Non-Profit Website
Last updated June 14, 2016 What you choose to include on your non-profit website will depend on what you are ultimately trying to achieve. However, if you’re like most organisations and want to use your website to inform, inspire and ultimately generate support, there...
Developing a Non-Profit Website
Last updated June 14, 2016 It’s no secret that a great website is an essential marketing and communication tool for all non-profit organisations, but it seems that getting a great website is harder than it looks. We constantly hear horror stories from people who have...
Staging a Non-Profit Publicity Stunt
Last updated June 1, 2016 The term ‘Publicity Stunt’ has been used for decades as people, businesses and non-profit organisations create activities to entice media attention. The really successful stunts have a direct link from the activity to the message that needs...
30 Minute Fundraising
Last updated May 25, 2016 Fundraising can often feel like an overwhelming, never-ending task, especially for small organisations with limited resources to invest in the fundraising process. Thankfully, successful fundraising does not rely on just one thing, but rather...
Great Donor Thank You Letters
Last updated May 12, 2016 We all talk about how important it is to thank our donors and supporters, but many small organisations lack any real systems to make sure it is done well. Saying Thank You takes more than a generalised letter and a Christmas card at the end...
Getting Major Donations
Last updated April 13, 2016 I can’t think of a single organisation that would say no to a $20,000 gift of untagged funds, yet so few organisations have a plan for attracting those kinds of donations. Is it any wonder that the gifts don’t come? If you want to create a...
Simple Ways to Market Your Non-Profit Message
Last updated April 12, 2016 There are literally hundreds of ways you can market your non-profit message to your community. Many require a considerable budget and at least some degree of time and effort, but many are easy and inexpensive to implement. The key is making...
Simple Ways for Non-Profits to Work Together
Last updated April 11, 2016 Over the last few years it has become obvious that small organisations need to work more collaboratively if they want to survive in the changing marketplace. There is constant chatter about collaboration rather than competition, and even...
Tips for the Part-Time Fundraiser
Last updated April 7, 2016 You and I both know that fundraising is a full-time job, whether you’re paid for it or not. Even if you’re not actively phoning donors, negotiating with event suppliers, or writing a sponsorship letter, your brain is always on the job and...