How’s 2025 treating you so far? Feeling good? A little overwhelmed? If you’re like most nonprofit communicators, you’re probably juggling excitement about the new year with the same overloaded to-do list. But here’s the thing—what if I told you there are 12 things you can stop doing this year? Yep, the stuff that’s unnecessary, outdated, or just done out of habit—you can let it go. Actually, scratch that—you need to let it go!
Last week we presented a new webinar called Permission Granted: 12 Things Nonprofit Communicators Can Stop Doing in 2025 that was all about helping you let go of unnecessary work and reclaim your time for what truly matters: creating inspiring communications that change the world.
It was VERY well-received so we took those 12 things you should stop doing (along with what you should be doing instead) and created a handy dandy infographic.
We give you permission to stop doing the things that overwhelm you and offer a fresh perspective on what nonprofit communicators really need to focus on in 2025.
12 Things Nonprofit Communicators Can Stop Doing in 2025
- Wasting Time on Channels with No Engagement – Instead, focus on channels that get engagement and also where you can match the vibe and produce the kind of content that works best there. You can drop “popular” channels like X and Facebook if they aren’t working for you!
- Paying Attention to the Wrong Metrics – Instead, give less attention to “vanity metrics” that might look impressive, but don’t always reflect what’s really happening. Focus on metrics that align with your goals and show meaningful engagement.
- Publishing Long Annual Reports – Instead, create shareable reports with visuals that are more easily digestible.
- Sending Everything to Everyone – Instead, focus on your core audience and use segmenting to create more relevant messaging.
- Second Guessing Your Expertise – Instead, trust your knowledge as a communications professional and push back on those bad ideas.
- Being Reactive Instead of Strategic – Instead, make time to think about quality over quantity. Be intentional about giving yourself 10 minutes at the start of your workday to think about the day ahead. Engage in your work and not just thinking about completing your to-do list.
- Redoing Other People’s Work – Instead, adopt a coaching mindset so co-workers create better work before it gets to you.
- Hiding How Long It REALLY Takes – Instead, be honest and transparent about timelines and you and your team’s capacity WITHOUT working all hours to get it done.
- Jumping on Every New Idea – Instead, DO LESS. Have a system to prioritize and manage ideas so you don’t spread yourself too thin.
- Seeking Approval for Experiments – Instead, PLAY! Create a culture where experiments are seen as an opportunity more than a risk. (Or just go with “it’s better to ask forgiveness than permission”)
- Going It Alone – Instead, lean on the Nonprofit Marketing Guide Community. (Not a member? Join us now! It’s free)
If you want to know why you need to stop doing these things and how to implement the alternatives, our All-Access Pass is your ticket to all our webinars and workshops for the year including the recording and bonus resources from this webinar as well as our upcoming Communications Planning That Works in 2025 Master Class.
We sent the infographic to those who registered for the webinar earlier today and one of our All-Access Pass Holders hung it up next to her desk!
We hope this will help you take some of the tasks off your to-do list and focus on the important work you need to do. Let’s kick 2025’s butt!
