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NONPROFIT MARKETING EDIT

Hello!

June's Comms Connect session gave me the answer to something I've been trying to explain for years.

I opened the session with three questions.

The first one was: "How's your marketing brain feeling today, in one word?"

The answers came in fast. Motivated. Exhausted. Excited. Undecided. Divided. Scattered. Sharp. Calm. Creative.

Every single word landed like a nod. Because everyone in the room had felt every one of those things, usually in the same week. Sometimes in the same day.

Then I asked what was taking up the most space in their work right now. The majority said planning what's next. A few were in the middle of a campaign. One was putting out fires.

And when I asked what win they were celebrating, the answers were beautiful. A new website launched. A network growing. Contracts signed. Learning curves being climbed. Someone celebrated that their LinkedIn engagement was up.

Someone else just wrote "exhausted." And honestly, that was a celebration too. Because they showed up anyway.

That is what Comms Connect is.

A room where you can say you are exhausted and motivated in the same breath, and nobody blinks. Where "planning what's next" is a real answer, not a performance one. Where the win you bring can be as small or as big as it actually feels.

Here is why I am writing to you today.

I know you have been part of my community for a while now. You read the newsletter, you show up to what I share, you probably work in or around nonprofit marketing yourself.

But you have not yet joined a Comms Connect session.

I wanted to invite you personally.

For most of us in nonprofit marketing, the people around us at work do not fully get what our day looks like. We are teams of one. We are pulled in fifteen directions. We are asked to explain the same strategic choices over and over.

Comms Connect is the place where you do not have to explain any of it. Because everyone in the room is already living it.

We meet once a month. It is free. It is for nonprofit communicators and marketers at any stage, whether you are running a full department, doing all the marketing as one of many hats, or somewhere in between.

If any of this sounds like a room you have been looking for, come join the next session.

https://marcelazafra.com/comms-connect

Whether you come or not, I am grateful you are here.

Best,

photo

Marcela Zafra
Hands-On Marketing Support For Nonprofits

www.marcelazafra.com

marcela@marcelazafra.com

Let's give your mission the visibility it deserves

Img Free Gift Download the guide + template to build brand guidelines

 

Help me get to know who you are:

P.S. I work with two or three nonprofits at a time, and I have space for two new fractional partnerships starting in August. If you've been reading along and quietly wondering whether we should work together, this is the moment to say so. You don't need a polished problem or a perfect brief. Just reply. Half my job is helping you name the real problem anyway.

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What always impressed me most was how driven and invested she was in our success. Marcela is exceptionally hardworking, strategic, and detail-oriented. She has a talent for seeing the bigger picture while also diving deep into the details that matter. Whether we were discussing messaging, marketing strategies, donor engagement, or brand positioning, she consistently brought fresh ideas, valuable insights, and a clear focus on achieving results."

Emily Braun, Distress Centre Calgary

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"Marcela joined us at a critical time when we needed extra support, and she delivered beyond expectations. While her initial role focused on pricing and project support, she quickly took the initiative to understand the bigger picture. Her strategic insights, professionalism, and willingness to contribute beyond the scope of her contract made a real impact.

If you're looking for communications support that goes above and beyond, Marcela will be a valuable asset to any team."

Nurishah Dharamsi, Canadian Immigrant Women Association

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Marcela is an outstanding communicator, always ensuring that I am kept informed about the progress and any important details of our marketing campaigns. Her clear and timely updates have made working together seamless and efficient."

Kathryn Kolaczek, Alchemy Communication

9 Legacy Lane SE, Calgary, AB T2X0W9
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Marcela Zafra

I help nonprofits give their mission the visibility they deserve through various marketing strategies. I am a seasoned marketing expert with a track record in digital advertising, content and email marketing strategies; I bring more than ten years of experience in the nonprofit sector. Clients value my ability to see the big picture and create practical, executable marketing strategies. My transformative digital initiatives in a previous role with Brown Bagging For Calgary’s Kids boosted new website visitors by 141 percent and website engagement by 130 percent. I also grew their online community by almost 20 percent across all social media platforms and generated hundreds of leads through targeted Google and Facebook ads. As a creative thinker with a growth mindset, I love bringing ideas to life through painting, drawing, and dreaming. I offer Fractional Marketing support for nonprofits looking to: Increase awareness Boost fundraising efforts Build a thriving community of supporters. Reduce stress and workload. Execute strategic and consistent marketing efforts. Fractional marketing gives small and medium-sized nonprofits access to the expertise of a seasoned marketer on a part-time (fractional) basis. It's for organizations looking to enhance their marketing efforts with a small budget, and that means hiring inexperienced staff who require more effort and time to manage. marcela@marcelazafra.com www.marcelazafra.com

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