Resource Hub for Strategic Communication Professionals
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From Unknown to Unstoppable: What Strategic Comms Leaders Can Learn from Curt Cignetti’s Culture Reset
Two years ago, almost no one beyond football insiders had heard of Curt Cignetti. He wasn’t a household name, a blue-blood coach from the Power 5, or an up-and-coming assistant coach from last year’s championship team. Instead, he was quietly winning everywhere he went — at small programs that needed exactly what he built: belief, standards, and consistency.
Unconventional (and Free) Ways to Promote Your Nonprofit
Marketing budgets at nonprofits are often tight (or nonexistent). That constraint can actually be an advantage. When you don’t have money to throw at ads or other paid channels, you’re forced to be creative, scrappy, and strategic about where you show up.
Here are a few overlooked (but effective) ways to get your organization talked about.
So You Have a VIP Visiting? Turn a Good Meeting Into a Memorable One
Someone important is coming to your office. Maybe it’s an elected official. Maybe it’s a funder. Maybe it’s an industry leader whose opinion carries weight.
You’ve done the basics: The calendar invite is accepted. The agenda is set. Everyone knows to show up on time.
But here’s an instance where the details really, really matter. And when handled well, small, thoughtful touches can elevate a routine visit into an impactful experience and one that people remember long after they leave your building.
Begin the Year With Thanks
The bottom line first: your handwritten thank you note will be remembered simply because you sent it.
Handwritten thank you notes have become uncommon and are easy to overlook in a digital-first world. Many send quick emails of thanks. Some people still intend to send a handwritten one. Very few actually do. In a world of quick replies, reaction emojis, and “circling back,” taking the time to write and mail a real note already sets you apart.
Holiday Content Planning
As we look ahead to 2026, many organizations are starting to sketch out their content plans for the year. This is the moment to zoom out, month by month, and flag the can’t-miss moments worth recognizing on your channels.
One content area that can trip teams up: holidays. Here’s how to navigate which days to celebrate on your official channels, and which to let go.
What’s in a Name? Why Getting It Right Matters More Than You Think
In communications, a name is never just a label.
It’s the first story you tell. It’s the shorthand people use to understand who you are. And it’s often the difference between being recognized and being understood.
That distinction matters, especially for mission-driven organizations.
Earlier this year, Clarity Channels Communications (the home of The EO Report), had the privilege of working with Connected Roots Care Center (CRCC) on a rebrand that seemed simple on the outside, but had a major impact on their identity: it gave meaning to a name that already carried trust. The project received Nebraska Public Relation Society of America’s Paper Anvil Award of Excellence in Brand/Reputation management this past week, so we thought it was a great time to highlight the learnings from the project for all communicators.
The Next Step Coin: Stories That Save Lives
At The EO Report, we believe talented communicators use their craft to tell stories that matter – stories that create change, stories that endure, and stories that serve the greater good.
Brandon Sanderson understands that responsibility deeply.
Meet the Messenger: Emily Poeschl
In honor of our 100th edition, we’re launching a new segment at The EO Report: Meet the Messenger. It’s a chance to tap into the minds of some of the most thoughtful and experienced communications professionals in the field. Each installment will share hard-earned advice, lessons from the moments that didn’t go as planned, and insights on how our craft is evolving.
We’re kicking things off with our good friend Emily Poeschl, brand communications manager at Mutual of Omaha.
In Five Minutes, It’s Possible
We are good at imagining every potential obstacle. We inflate complexity. We wait for an ideal block of time that rarely arrives. Then we quietly postpone the whole thing. Not because the task is impossible. But because our projection of it has become unrealistic.
The result is familiar to most of us. Important emails sit unsent. Hard conversations linger. Drafts stay trapped in folders. Interesting ideas go unshared. Connections wait for a “better time.” We tell ourselves we need an hour. Or an afternoon. Or a clean calendar. What we often need is five minutes.
Short Takes: The Turkey Talk-Line
Butterball, brilliantly, doesn’t just sell you a turkey: they give you all the tools to succeed from “how big of a bird should I get?” to “Why is it doing that!?”
Every year from Nov. 1 through Christmas Eve, 50 trained Turkey Talk-Line experts help more than 100,000 anxious cooks get dinner across the finish line. Phone, text, email, live chat – whatever has you panicking, they’ve got a channel for helping.
The Season of Gratefulness
It’s the season of gratefulness, and the research is clear: the more time we spend noticing what’s good, the healthier we are. Not in a vague, inspirational-poster way, but the real stuff that steadies us and reminds us we’re part of something larger, something made of presence, connection, small beauties, and the kind of perspective that outlasts any to-do list or crisis moment.
So I try to pay attention. And here’s what comes to mind as I write about gratefulness.
“Can We Talk?” Reducing Anxiety for Your Team
Internal communications aren’t just about sharing information. They’re about how you make people feel while doing it.
And one of the fastest ways to spike anxiety across your team? Dropping messages with no context.
You may think it’s efficient. But your colleagues’ hearts may start beating a little faster. Here’s what to do instead.
Lessons from Cub Scouts Pack #365
The Cub Scouts behind this story had more than candy on their minds this Halloween.
As some of the pack members headed out in their costumes through the Dundee neighborhood in Omaha, NE, one of the boys happened to mention his troop’s upcoming food drive while trick-or-treating at one of the homes.
That single moment could have ended there, but it didn’t.
The Anatomy of an Apology: GoFundMe
Last week, GoFundMe made headlines when news broke that it had been automatically creating donation pages for nonprofit organizations without their knowledge or consent.
Eventually, the organization realized an apology was necessary and rolled one out. Here’s a breakdown.
Make ‘Em Cry: CBC’s Impactful Storytelling
CBC: The National gave us a perfect example of how reporting can turn into beautiful storytelling. We break it down.
The Bookend: A Post-Event Email
Last week, we talked all about the ever-important “know before you go” email. But we’re all about closing the loop, so now it’s time to explore its equally important counterpart: the post-event email.
The Humble “Know-Before-You-Go” Email
One element that doesn’t get enough credit in event planning is the humble know-before-you-go email. It’s that final touchpoint that clears away all the “what-ifs,” helping attendees show up confident, informed, and ready to park and enjoy the experience. Here’s how to write a stellar one.
Find Your Niche: Spooky Lakes Month
When it comes to content, the temptation is to cast a wide net. Go broad, appeal to the masses, rack up followers. But those waters are crowded. The creators who stand out are the ones who pick a lane and stay there by offering something so specific that their audience can’t find it anywhere else. That’s where loyalty lives.
Take TikTok creator Geo Rutherford. She’s built an audience of 1.8 million followers around a single, unlikely niche: haunted hydrology.
Short Takes: Rock On, Anthropologie
If you are an Anthropologie shopper, you’re probably in on the joke that sometimes the brand sells seemingly simple products for laughably high prices. Here’s a short take on a prank that started circulating on social media — and how Anthropologie responded.
Lessons in Apologizing From a Beauty Guru
At just 25 years old, James Charles is one of the titans of the beauty influencer sphere. With his personal Instagram account amassing 20 million followers and his YouTube channel boasting 24 million followers, he’s one of biggest names in the beauty industry.
He’s also, we acknowledge, a controversial character. But despite the scandals, admissions, and allegations, he knows how to deliver one heck of a corporate apology.