3 Things You Need to Know in 2021

Can you believe January is already nearly over? My holidays are done, I’ve started to fill up the freezer with lunchbox treats and I’m back in the saddle focusing on what 2021 will bring for our sector and my business. 

The hard truth is there is still a lot of uncertainty this year. I know a lot of us are feeling the sense of disconnect or even anxiety that comes with facing what is going to be an unpredictable year.

Maybe you’re feeling there is still so much you need to figure out and you don’t know where to start. 

You’re not alone in feeling this way. In the current climate, it’s totally expected. But that doesn’t mean you can’t do something about it.

This is why we’re putting on #Unite2021 and have worked so hard to put together workshops and Q&As with all the leading experts from around the world that we thought you’d need, so you can easily and cheaply access the knowledge you need to succeed this year.

Today, I want to talk about what I think you’re going to need to know to succeed in 2021. Because the biggest lessons I’ve learnt in my career is knowledge is power. Learning from people who are succeeding and have done what you want to do – eliminates so much doubt.

Here are my top tips of where I’d invest my attention right now based on what you do. 

If you’re a CEO or organisation leader…

As a leader, you have the broadest remit needing to be across and have a solid understanding of every aspect of your organisation. Now is the time to be asking the question – what am I not strong in that I need to better understand to lead into 2021? 

Identify where the organisation, or even your knowledge, may be weaker than you’d like. Do you need to explore technology? Marketing? Social media? Audience building? Video creation? A good overall understanding of these topics will help you clarify where your team can upskill and succeed this year. Check out the full #Unite2021 schedule for workshops on all these topics and more. 

Outside of these specialist topics, my top picks for CEOs and leaders are:

• Ethical Leadership – learn from social justice leader and former World Vision CEO Rev. Tim Costello about what it means to be a strong and ethical leader during the current crisis.
• Data – in an uncertain times lean into what the data and research is sharing us with Social Trends Impacting the NFP Sector
• Growth – The Business of Doing Good, Building a Growth Mindset with Richard Bell

If you’re a marketing manager…

There are three main areas to focus on for 2021 and they are tech, tactics and strategy.

Tech – the things that will leverage you forward the most in 2021 are your email and CRM marketing tools, image creation, advertising and video. 

I’d encourage you to grab a seat at these Unite workshops to cover all these topics:

• Email marketing with ActiveCampaign
• Social media scheduling with Hootsuite
• Graphic design with Canva
• Facebook advertising
• Creating effective video

Tactics – this year I’d be digging deep into LinkedIn opportunities, Instagram, social media trends and predictions and podcasting.

• Instagram algorithm with Jenn Herman
• Advanced Instagram stories with Sue B Zimmerman
• Social media trends for 2021 with Matt Navarra
• LinkedIn networking and opportunities with LinkedIn
• Podcasting with Matt Hanham

Strategy – the most fundamental piece for succeeding in marketing will be strategy. When everyone’s competing for the same eyeballs success is going to hinge on the strength of your strategy. For this workshop – make sure you jump on the free workshop with me, where I’ll take you through the opportunities for marketing and social media for not for profits in 2021 and where to invest your time and energy.

If you’re a social entrepreneur or organisation founder…

When I was getting started as a social entrepreneur the thing I needed more than anything else was guidance from those who had been there before me. 

That’s why I’ve invited some incredible social entrepreneurs to speak at #Unite2021 and focus specifically on their journeys, where they made mistakes, where they succeeded and give their advice to those starting the same journey.

My top picks for you are:

• Nick Hudson – how he grew the Push-up Challenge from a hobby to raising $5 million during the pandemic. 
• Jesse T Martin – the story of creating an international movement. 
• Taaniko Nordstrum – the power of storytelling and how it can change perceptions around your cause or brand. 

If you don’t fit into any of the above categories or you have questions about which workshops will best help what you need to learn, pop me an email and let me know. I am happy to help you curate the sessions that will help you achieve your goals.

Don’t forget – you get access to the entire conference both live on February 24 and as video replays for a full month and every ticket is only $97 whether you attend one workshop or 40.