As content creators, we all know how hard it is trying to come up with fresh ideas that will be interesting to your readers. Inspiration can be hard to come by some days, but that’s where our Monthly Nonprofit Writing Prompts come in.
Every month we send out a free e-newsletter designed specifically to help you come up with ideas for your newsletter articles, blog posts and social network updates. We include at least 10 prompts to get you thinking about content. We send the e-newsletter at the beginning of the month with ideas for the following month. For example, last week we sent out the prompts for July. Here is just a sample of what’s normally included:
On the Calendar
(You’ll find events with specific dates on a shared Google Calendar for subscribers.)
7/1: International Joke Day. Make fun of yourself a little. Have a funniest joke contest. Or if you deal with kids, then have them share their favorite jokes.
7/4: Independence Day (U.S.). What do you want your readers to declare their independence from?
7/11: World Population Day. Does your organization deal with population issues? This year’s theme is reproductive health so you could focus on family planning, women’s health or other issues relating to the explosive growth in population.
7/13: Embrace Your Geekness Day. Perfect for those orgs who deal with training or other “geeky” causes. How to’s would also work here.
It’s also:
Park and Recreation Month
National Picnic Month
National Cell Phone Courtesy Month
National Ice Cream MonthMetaphor of the Month
This month’s metaphor is Literature. Think about summer reading lists, fairy tales, mysteries, autobiographies, libraries, poetry, fantasy, historical romance, paperbacks, characters.
How is your work like some of these things?
Pop Culture, Events, and News
Major League Baseball’s All-Star game is July 16th with the annual Home Run Derby being held the day before.
Kate Middleton is due in July so that should dominate a few news cycles.
The Statue of Liberty, closed to the public since superstorm Sandy, should re-open around July 4th.
Source of the Month
Summer allows a lot of us a little more free time to pursue our interests and hobbies outside of the office. How can you relate your hobbies to your work? For example, I have taken my love of hiking and turned it into a metaphor for creating a content marketing strategy in my new book.
Think a little more creatively about the things away from work that you love to do. You could write something like “Three Things Playing Candy Crush Saga Taught Me About Saving the Planet” or “Tennis, Anyone? Strategies for Dealing with your Congressman.”
Got You Thinking?
Join the more than 5,400 nonprofits who are currently receiving the Monthly Nonprofit Writing Prompts e-newsletter and end your writer’s block! Sign up now.
Want More Help?
I will be presenting a new webinar called How to Communicate Like Their Favorite Nonprofit: Real & Relevant Messaging for Today on June 25th and again on July 2nd. You can register directly through CharityHowTo for $69 (early bird pricing – subject to change) or become an All-Access Pass Holder for $145 and attend all of my webinars for three months.
