Debbie Gillum
Welcome to our latest installment in our series on the “Day in the Life” of nonprofit communicators! This series lets you describe your workday in your own words.
We’d love to feature YOU in this series! Don’t be shy – tell us what you do in a typical day as a nonprofit communications pro.
Debbie Gillum lives and works in Columbus, Ohio where she enjoys horseback riding, going to coffee shops and listening to audiobooks. She graduated from Denison University with a BA in English and Communication. She studied abroad for a semester in Copenhagen, studying Strategic Communications. Volunteers of America of Greater Ohio is a national non-profit that helps families, veterans, ex-offenders, and homeless individuals rebuild their lives to create a brighter future.
And this is her typical day:
Before 8:00 a.m. – When I wake up, I check my email on my phone. I love reading TheSkimm to stay up to date on the news.
I also look at Instagram, Snapchat, Facebook and Twitter before starting my day. I like to stay informed of current trends as well as see what other non-profits are posting.
8:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m – I start my day by replying to emails, checking our social media accounts and responding to any messages or reviews left on social media. I typically do this while drinking a large black coffee and eating strawberry yogurt with granola.
Then, using a lot of colorful pens and highlighters, I write out my to-do list for the week and the day. I highlight top priorities and estimate how long each task should take.
10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. – Once a week, I meet with my supervisor to go over what I worked on that week, what I’m currently working on and what I need her help with. It’s a great way for us to check-in and keep each other informed.
For lunch, I like to walk across the street to our city’s botanical gardens to grab a salad from their cafe.
12:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m. – I’ll start working on current projects for our thrift stores, auto donation center and fundraising events. Often, I make graphics for social media, write copy, and schedule posts.
I also might watch a webinar about social media trends or email marketing best practices. It’s easy to fall behind the times!
2:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. – I might grab an afternoon coffee as I work on organizational emails that need to be sent out, like our monthly company newsletter (called In the Loop), our monthly newsletter for donors, our monthly thrift newsletter, and reminder emails about upcoming auto auctions.
I like to write blog posts and client stories for the newsletters so I need to make sure I work ahead and save myself enough time to do everything.
After 4:00 p.m. – I like to look back over my to-do list and cross off what I accomplished. I highlight items that still need to be done and leave myself a sticky note for the next day, as a friendly reminder of where I left off.
After work, I try to go to the gym to burn off any stress and go home to watch Parks and Recreation.
Thanks for sharing your day, Debbie!
Want to be featured in this series? Tell us what you do in a typical day as a nonprofit communications pro.
