Podcast Summary

Episode Overview

Title: Working Session: LinkedIn Strategies for Year-End with Tania Bhattacharyya
Podcast: We Are For Good Podcast - The Podcast for Nonprofits
Date: December 8, 2025
Host: Jon McCoy (A)
Guest: Tania Bhattacharyya, Founder of Lumos Marketing (B)

This episode focuses on actionable, human-centered strategies for nonprofit professionals to use LinkedIn effectively during the critical year-end fundraising season. Tania Bhattacharyya joins the show to break down how organizations can foster authentic connections, grow their visibility, and leverage the platform’s features without feeling overwhelmed. The conversation is rich with real-life examples and practical steps designed for immediate impact.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Mindset Shift: LinkedIn as a Long-Game for Nonprofits

• LinkedIn is not just for job seekers. It’s evolved into a vibrant space for conversation, community-building, and showcasing organizational impact. [00:00-00:29]
• Thought leadership on LinkedIn is a marathon, not a sprint. Nonprofit professionals should view their activity as a long-term investment in relationships and brand, not simply a quick fundraising mechanism. [01:31]
  • Quote: "LinkedIn thought leadership in general is usually more of a long time, long-term burn marathon, not a sprint." – Tania Bhattacharyya [01:31]
• Efforts pay off later. Posts that resonate this year might inspire action in months ahead. [02:26]
  • Quote: "Even if you do something that touches somebody and they don't give this year, maybe they'll give in March, maybe they'll give at next year's giving campaign because you did something today that connected and resonated with them." – Tania Bhattacharyya [02:26]

2. Types of High-Impact LinkedIn Posts for Year-End

A. The "Ripple Effect" Gratitude Recap Post [03:11-06:47]

• What it is: A year-end recap post highlighting companies, groups, and individuals who volunteered or collaborated.
• Why it works:
  • Tags create broader visibility via LinkedIn's algorithm ("the ripple effect").
  • Builds social proof (e.g., "people like me give here").
  • Encourages engagement and pride among participants.
  • Attracts attention of decision-makers—sometimes leading to unexpected corporate gifts.
  • Quote: "The LinkedIn ripple effect, the algorithm effect, gets that post in front of people... who you can't necessarily reach but are actually already warm to you." – Tania Bhattacharyya [04:32]
• Tip: Tag the people or companies involved and use photos where possible.
• Results: Greater awareness, future opportunities, and long-term donor cultivation.

B. LinkedIn Polls: Engage the Passive Majority [06:55-11:44]

• Why polls?
  • Most LinkedIn users are silent observers ("lurkers"); polls offer an easy way for them to "raise their hand" and interact.
  • Quote: "The majority of active LinkedIn users are actually lurking, right? They're lurking, they're scrolling." – Tania Bhattacharyya [06:55]
  • You can see who responds (even though votes are anonymous publicly), allowing for personalized follow-up.
• Poll Ideas:
  • Ask which aspect of your mission excites/supporters most ("What issue matters to you most this winter?").
  • Use dreamy, visionary questions ("What big future can we build together?").
  • Quote: "I love putting out like your big vision. I think so often nonprofit leaders get stuck in… we served X amount of people… But I think LinkedIn is a really great place to be dreamy and visionary and inspire people." – Tania Bhattacharyya [10:25]
• Actionable tip: Follow up directly with poll participants to drive deeper connection.

3. Humanizing Your LinkedIn Presence [11:44-14:23]

• Personal profiles outperform organizational pages—by up to 561% greater reach. [13:07]
  • People connect with people. Recruit staff, board, or volunteers to post on behalf of the organization.
  • Quote: "You're going to have better results sharing from a personal page... that lights shines back on your mission." – Tania Bhattacharyya [12:08]
• Expand your ecosystem: If internal capacity is limited, enlist active board members, passionate donors, or volunteers to be LinkedIn voices for your cause. [13:43]

4. Maximizing LinkedIn Direct Messages (DMs) [14:23-18:25]

• Why DMs Matter:
  • They’re often less gatekept than email; people respond faster and more directly.
  • DMs allow voice notes, video messages—more personal, more engaging.
  • Especially valuable for alumni engagement, corporate donors, or busy professionals.
  • Quote: "When I get a LinkedIn message, it shows up almost more to me than an email or a text. Like, I see it right away." – Tania Bhattacharyya [14:58]
• Tactical advice:
  • Regularly send personalized connection requests to event attendees, volunteers, or anyone involved with your nonprofit.
  • LinkedIn provides a "flexible Rolodex" since people update their profiles after job changes. [16:09–17:56]
  • Build time into your week for LinkedIn outreach.
  • Action step: "Just maybe once a week... have like a little block of LinkedIn time." – Tania Bhattacharyya [16:09]
• Professional appropriateness: Unlike Facebook or Instagram, it’s always appropriate to connect and interact on LinkedIn.

5. Permission to Show Up Imperfectly [19:18–19:55]

• Don't let perfectionism slow you down.
  • Quote: "Just do it imperfectly. I think LinkedIn... people feel like they have to be really perfect on there... but people don't necessarily remember the words that you use. They just remember how that thing made them feel." – Tania Bhattacharyya [19:18]
• Assignment: Try one thing imperfectly—send a post, a poll, or a DM this week.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• "LinkedIn thought leadership is usually more of a long-term burn, marathon, not a sprint." – Tania Bhattacharyya [01:31]
• "People want to share that they are part of the community that they believe in and that they got to have a meaningful role." – Jon McCoy [05:06]
• "You have a much greater viewership than you think." – Tania Bhattacharyya [07:31]
• "Even if you do something that touches somebody and they don't give this year, maybe they'll give in March." – Tania Bhattacharyya [02:26]
• "You're going to have better results sharing from a personal page... that lights shines back on your mission." – Tania Bhattacharyya [12:08]
• "Just maybe once a week, have like a little block of LinkedIn time..." – Tania Bhattacharyya [16:09]
• "Just do it imperfectly." – Tania Bhattacharyya [19:18]

Timestamps of Important Segments

• [01:31] LinkedIn as a “long game” and investment in relationships
• [03:11] The ripple effect of gratitude recap posts
• [06:55] LinkedIn polls: engaging the silent majority
• [10:25] Using vision-based polls to inspire and dream with supporters
• [12:08] Why personal accounts outperform company pages (561% greater reach)
• [14:23] Using DMs for direct, authentic relationship-building
• [16:09] Building connection routines and leveraging LinkedIn as a living Rolodex
• [19:18] “Do it imperfectly”—Embrace authenticity over perfection

Action Steps & Takeaways

1. Host a gratitude recap post tagging partners, volunteers, donors—use photos!
2. Launch a LinkedIn poll about which aspect of your mission excites people most, or ask a visionary question.
3. Share from personal profiles when possible, or engage visible supporters outside staff.
4. Send regular, personalized connection requests and experiment with DMs (voice/video).
5. Block short routines in your week for consistent engagement.
6. Let go of perfection. Done is better than perfect.

Connect with Tania Bhattacharyya

• Primary channel: LinkedIn (find her and subscribe to her newsletter via her profile)
• Community: “Firestarters”
• "Send me a connection request and I will connect with you back and maybe send you a little voice note and see what's, what's going on with you." – Tania Bhattacharyya [20:07]

This episode is a practical, permission-giving roadmap for nonprofit professionals seeking to leverage LinkedIn to maximize year-end impact, deepen connections, and authentically share their mission—all without burning out.