Recommendation from Adriana Rodriguez at Palo Alto University

Recommendation from Adriana Rodriguez at Palo Alto University

“I worked closely with Michelle while she was a contractor at Palo Alto University, where she played a central role as part of our External Affairs team.

“Michelle immersed herself in PAU’s culture and community and became a trusted partner in shaping our brand voice and public presence. She managed our social media channels and external-facing newsletter, developed and led our editorial calendar, facilitated large-scale content meetings with stakeholders across the university, and led strategic advertising campaigns. Her work strengthened brand consistency, increased brand awareness, and improved how we showed up across channels.

“Michelle has a unique ability to combine strong storytelling with a strategic understanding of how messaging, audience, and platforms work together. She immersed herself in the content she created and knew how to meaningfully engage our audiences, even when working with complex or sensitive stories. She is also highly knowledgeable about current social media platforms, trends, and best practices, and she uses performance data to inform decisions and refine strategy.

“The content meetings Michelle led were large and cross-functional, with stakeholders from across the university. She kept these meetings focused, productive, and on track. Michelle also played a key role in funneling content from across departments into a clear messaging framework that increased external engagement and visibility. She is highly collaborative, deeply knowledgeable, and a pleasure to work with.

“I truly miss working with Michelle and would highly recommend her to any organization seeking a strategic, brand-minded, and data-savvy communications professional.”

Adriana Rodriguez

Brand, Communications, and Events Manager

Palo Alto University

Recommendation from Adriana Rodriguez at Palo Alto University

Recommendation from Dana Christianson at Green America

Recommendation from Dana Christianson at Green America

“I have been working with Michelle for over 5 years, and she still, consistently unearths new ways for Green America to increase ROI, find new donors, streamline processes, and more authentically share our story.

“Michelle is an expert in Google Ad Grants, paid Google Ads, Microsoft Ads for Social Impact, Meta Ads, search engine optimization, social media creative and management, and A/B website testing.

“I am profoundly grateful that I can go to Michelle with big strategic challenges. Michelle is a ‘C-level’ thinker. Her decades of non-profit leadership make her the perfect thought-partner for how I can inspire change in our organization. I am thankful for her mentorship and can honestly say a talk with Michelle makes me feel more energized and confident as a leader.

“What I love most about working with Michelle is that she’s not just going to recite industry-best practices, advise me on a strategy, and walk away. She knows what works, AND she will roll up her sleeves and implement. Michelle is a “doer,” expert project manager, problem solver, presenter, and analyst.

“Green America has benefited tremendously from Michelle’s expertise, ambition, and dedication. Personally, it is a joy to work with Michelle!”

Dana Christianson

Director of Membership Marketing and Operations

Green America

Learn more about Google Ad Grant and Microsoft Ads for Social Impact advertising, search and social advertising, social media strategy, website analytics, search engine optimization (SEO), and integrated, multichannel marketing.

Recommendation Dana Christianson at Green America

Recommendation from Scott Kindred, President at SafeHouse Web

Recommendation from Scott Kindred, President at SafeHouse Web

“Michelle Barber has been an invaluable asset to SafeHouse Web since fall 2019. Michelle has consistently demonstrated exceptional skills and dedication in her roles, contributing significantly to the success of key projects and client relationships.

“Among the highlights of Michelle’s work has been her engagement in serving our client, a regional food bank in California, where her work has been nothing short of first-class. Her interviewing and writing skills have been instrumental in crafting compelling narratives and marketing materials for the food bank. Moreover, her proactive thinking and resourcefulness have led to the implementation of several impactful initiatives, including the recommendation of the Google Ad Grant, AmeriCorps VISTA, and the innovative Hunger Action Month spoon idea. These recommendations directly contributed to the advancement of our client’s fundraising goals and brand awareness objectives.

Additionally, Michelle has been managing the Google Ad Grant for a Seattle-area nonprofit since July 2023, further showcasing her expertise and commitment to driving results for nonprofit organizations. She has not only managed their Google Ads campaigns effectively but has also played a vital role in setting up foundational tools such as GA4 and Google Tag Manager. Under her guidance, the nonprofit’s Google Ad Grant has generated an impressive $12,800+ in revenue since early September 2023, highlighting Michelle’s strategic acumen and ability to optimize campaigns for tangible impact.

“Beyond her technical skills, Michelle has been attuned to our core value of fostering positive client relationships and has done exemplary work in communicating with them positively and proactively. Her professionalism and dedication to delivering high-quality work make her a true asset to any team or project.”

Please read the recommendation I enthusiastically offered Scott on LinkedIn.

Learn more about the marketing I do for nonprofits and universities.

Recommendation from Scott Kindred, President at SafeHouse Web

Recommendation from Rebecca Levy, Director of External Affairs at Palo Alto University

Recommendation from Rebecca Levy, Director of External Affairs at Palo Alto University

“Michelle has worked as a contractor for Palo Alto University’s External Affairs Department for four-plus years. She has been instrumental in managing the University’s multiple social media accounts and producing our monthly e-newsletter. She also has responsibility for writing stories and developing digital content. I couldn’t have asked for a more professional, conscientious and reliable partner! A strategist as well as a tactician, Michelle regularly contributes creative and insightful ideas, keeping our audiences in mind, while supporting our goals and making us shine. She is also incredibly organized, detail-oriented, and responsive on short notice. It is a privilege to have Michelle’s expertise in our corner! I would hire her again and highly recommend her!”

Rebecca Levy

Director of External Affairs

Palo Alto University

Learn more about the marketing I do for nonprofits and universities.

Recommendation from Rebecca Levy, Director of External Affairs at Palo Alto University

7 Questions to Ask Before Starting a Blog

7 Questions to Ask Before Starting a Blog

Many non-profit staffers and small business owners start blogging because they “know” they “need” to do it or because someone suggested it would help their cause. These are innocent nudges in the right direction, often doled out by a board member with marketing experience or a CEO who wants to write or by a consultant who is ready to set you up with a blog, whether it’s right or wrong for your needs.

I’ve personally cautioned more people out of blogging than into blogging because a blog wouldn’t best serve their goals or because they just wouldn’t be able to devote the appropriate time to it. Blogging can be a huge undertaking and first one needs to ask if a blog is right for your cause or your business.

Here are some questions to ask before starting a blog:

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Case Study: A Website for Coastal Maine Getaways

Case Study: A Website for Coastal Maine Getaways

Coastal Maine Getaways was a great opportunity to start a website from scratch. Lindsey, the owner, had been managing vacation rental properties for some time, but hadn’t yet named her company and had only advertised her listings on VRBO (Vacation Rentals By Owner). It was working fairly well for her, but she wanted more control over her web presence, including the name of the company, SEO (search engine optimization), and the ability to add and highlight more options than VRBO allowed.

Lindsey engaged me to do some market research and to eventually design and populate the site.

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Recommendation from Ellen Hoil, VP at Nutritional Therapeutics

Recommendation from Ellen Hoil, VP at Nutritional Therapeutics

“The work we did with Michelle was fantastic. She set up our social media while teaching our staff how to maintain it, and continues to help us better our sites and reach. Overall her work has been more than exemplary.”

Ellen Hoil

Vice President

Nutritional Therapeutics

Learn more about the freelance marketing services I offer.

Recommendation from Ellen Hoil