The Influential Nonprofit Episode 47: Emily Tailor: How listening can help raise more money — Courageous Communication With Maryanne Dersch

Emily Taylor, the principal of teenyBIG, is an expert listener who is passionate about helping nonprofits find better ways to engage the people who matter to them. She guides teams in stepping outside of their day-to-day work in order to create stronger connections with their audiences, turning lackluster followers into enthusiastic supporters.

Build a strategy according to what results you get from listening to your target group. Be mindful of the words that people use and value and turn what you know into something actionable.

When you’re listening to your people, they’ll feel more invested in your organization. Use their words and bring it to life. Everything you need is already in the room.

Apply listening in every interaction that you have with your target group. Allow them to have a voice so that you can listen to it. Give out feedback forms, ask questions on social media, have a QnA in webinars, give out small surveys in your email marketing - make it a part of every engagement.

Communicating effectively starts with a shift in mindset. It’s not all about creating the perfect message, it’s about crafting the message into something that speaks the language of the receiver. You’ll only be able to do that if you start listening.

“I grew up really shy and wanted to connect with people so one of the things that I did - just listening to what people are saying and finding what I wanted to talk about and connecting it to that. I’d listen for the words that they were talking about, what excited them, and be able to change my wording to what was hot in the playground and what connected with people.”
“The benefit is usually two-fold. One, you get valuable information about how someone perceives your organization but you also get a sense of participation. So people - more than just feeling they’re a part of something - but they are actually being a part of your organization. ”
“Just start building listening into what you’re doing. If you’re posting in social media, make sure you’re asking questions and listening to those responses, it’s a great opportunity to just get some quick feedback from people and get them to engage in your social media. If you have a program, leave some time at the end for questions… you’re building engagement but it’s also giving you information. ”

Reach out to Emily Taylor at:

Website: https://teenybig.com/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/emily-taylor-teenybig/

Email: emily@teenybig.com