Why Your NGO Can’t Afford to be the “Best Kept Secret”

Emily Page (00:01):
Great work does not speak for itself. If people never hear your message, they can never support your mission no matter how valuable it is. That is the lesson behind today's opening story and the reason being the best kept secret is one of the greatest risks an NGO can face.

Farzana Baduel (00:28):
It almost never happened. A revolution in home kitchens, a shift in how an entire country thought about food. A voice would one day become unmistakable. But before all of that, Julia Child was living quietly in Paris, scribbling notes, testing recipes, and building something no one had asked for. But everybody would one day need. She poured herself into a manuscript, hundreds of pages, years of work, recipes tested again and again until they were nearly perfect. And then nothing. That manuscript sat on a publisher's desk unopened, unloved, a best kept secret that was supposed to change everything if only someone knew it existed. Julia believed the value inside those pages was obvious. She assumed the work would speak for itself, but the world cannot be changed by a book no one reads or a message no one hears. It stays hidden until she did something different. She started teaching, showing, sharing, proving what was possible, showing people what they were missing. Only then did the spark catch. Only then did the secret become a movement. Being the best kept secret is not a point of pride for NGOs. The causes we care about, the missions we serve need to step out of the shadows and into the lives of the people who need them most. Today on Stories and Strategies, sometimes the difference between failure and impact is simply learning to turn up the heat.

(02:19):
 My name is Farzana Baduel,

Doug Downs (02:21):
And my name is Doug Downs. Our guest this week is Marc Whitt, joining today from Lexington, Kentucky. Hey, Marc.

Marc Whitt (02:28):
Hey guys. How are you doing today?

Doug Downs (02:31):
Well, December in Kentucky, I'm up in Canada's Rocky Mountains. I am shoveling snow big time. In Kentucky, what do you

Marc Whitt (02:39):
Have? We have a little dusting, a little dusting of snow right now, Doug, but when you put that snow on the thoroughbred horse farms here, second to none. It's gorgeous.

Doug Downs (02:51):
At least you're not mowing the lawn. Then I would be jealous. That's right. Marc, you've been doing this PR thing for four decades now. You're a leader in higher education and nonprofit communications, and you're a bestselling and award-winning author of multiple books aimed at guiding PR professionals, including your latest 2025 release Takeaways: Ideas, Strategies, and Encouragement for the Nonprofit Public Relations Professional.

Farzana Baduel (03:19):
So Marc, thank you so much for your book. And of course you've written a number of books, but this particular one is really ideas and strategies and encouragement for the nonprofit public relations professional. And what I wanted to ask is, do you feel that you need to encourage nonprofit professionals? Because actually they probably tend to be quite earnest, not the sort of show-offy ones like the rest of us. And do you consider that a sort of false modesty that actually doesn't help their organization? Do they need to get out of their comfort zone and actually learn to toot their horn a bit?

Marc Whitt (03:52):
Well, I personally feel like we all need encouragement no matter what profession we take. Thinking back to when I first began penning this current book, I thought back to when I first began, and even though I came with several tools and understandings of the public relations profession, there were times where, wow, I just simply needed a good word, a word of encouragement, somebody who would say, you're doing it the right way. And so with this book, although that is not the major thought with the chapters that I've written, it definitely is a piece of the fabric that is woven throughout the theme.

Doug Downs (04:43):
So it's true to nonprofits, if we build it and we do good work, they will come. I think a lot of PR pros, even outside of nonprofits, have that kind of attitude. If we build it and we do good work, success will come. But what are the underlying beliefs or assumptions that go into that that organizations have? Because the build it and they will come days, I would suggest they're not around anymore. You need to do more than that.

Marc Whitt (05:11):
Oh, I completely agree. And it's a very dangerous philosophy to take, in my estimation. There's a well-meaning but dangerous belief that if the work is good enough, people will just notice. And that is very much wrong. Impact does not automatically equal awareness. Too many leaders still see PR as optional when today it's essential. Some fear telling their story feels self-promotional, but sharing impact is actually an act of stewardship in my opinion.

Farzana Baduel (05:54):
Now, Marc, the NGO sector has had such a tough time. I mean, they have been having an incredibly tough time for a long time, but in particular, you've had cuts with USAID, you've had a lot of cuts across European governments because they've had to make all these donations to NATO and then reduced international aid. And then on top of that, I really do feel for the PRs working in the not-for-profit sector, because even before the cuts, it was really hard for them to justify money for PR because so many people, the average person on the street, is happy to give money if they think that money's going directly to somebody in the field and directly to the recipient. But actually they don't want that money to go toward operational costs, let alone probably the least aspect being a comms budget. And so I just want to know from your research that you carried out in the book, how are these not-for-profit PRs coping in this even more enhanced minefield for them to navigate through to be able to have a budget, protect that budget, and communicate effectively?

Marc Whitt (07:09):
That's an excellent question. And what I have found is perhaps no surprise that the vast majority of nonprofits or NGOs get this and are quite sophisticated in their strategic and tactical efforts. But unfortunately, there are still far too many who do not understand what it takes to get a public to better understand and to be engaged with the mission and values of what they do. When you think about it, nonprofits are truly the backbone of our communities, whether it's the arts or healthcare. Even today, we're seeing newspapers that are turning toward becoming nonprofits. So for nonprofits, it's even more essential than ever to understand and apply just basic PR 101 principles to be able to get out there. Sometimes we hear where individuals will brag about the fact that they are the best kept secret. A few years ago, I was at a conference where a president of a nonprofit speaking before a group of community leaders proudly got up and said, we are the best kept secret that this community has. And to my amazement, there were actually some people who applauded that. And I sat there in horror thinking, oh my gosh, you've got to be kidding. That's the worst thing that can be said. Calling yourself a best kept secret really means you've chosen comfort over growth.

(08:58):
 Donors don't give to secrets and volunteers don't show up for secrets. So best kept secrets attract passive supporters. Known nonprofits, however, build active advocates. And that's what we've got to be able to reach out and do to be effective nonprofit organizations. Great PR, as you all well know, isn't about ego. It's about advancing the mission through visibility. We're not just storytellers, we're community builders.

Farzana Baduel (09:35):
I love that. I wanted to ask because it's not just charities that have to communicate to donors, but also to employees and potential employees, because actually most people working in the not-for-profit sector have to take cuts compared to taking a job in the private sector, for instance. And so you really have to communicate the impact that you're making in order to not only attract donors but also attract talent willing to take a cut to move from the private sector to the not-for-profit sector.

Marc Whitt (10:12):
Oh, most certainly. This kind of reminds me of a memory I had as a child watching the old Ed Sullivan Show here in the States. There was an act in which a gentleman would come out and put a plate on top of a pole in the middle of the stage, and he would start spinning it. Then as that plate spun, he would run off to the side, come back, put another pole, get another plate, and on and on it went to the point where he had 20 plates all spinning at the same time, and he would rush around the stage making sure none of them crashed. When you think about it, those of us who are in public relations and who try our best to be very effective and strategic with it, we're in a lot of ways spinning those plates so that none of them fall. It's critically important that not only do nonprofits make sure that the public and their donors or supporters understand the mission and what their plans are, but it's just as important making sure that the internal audience of their organizations knows. I have seen with some of the nonprofits that I have consulted over the years, the nonprofit may spend so much time as they should trying to make sure that the public and their supporters understand where they are going and how their dollars are being used effectively. Again, that's a plate that we've got to keep spinning. But when I would turn and ask their staff members about their current efforts, sometimes I would get a blank look saying, oh, we’re doing that? So for those nonprofits that are doing great work, and the vast majority are doing incredible work changing lives and making an impact, it's important that the people who are working behind the scenes on their staff also understand the big picture.

Doug Downs (12:32):
Would you agree the psychographic for the average nonprofit public relations practitioner might be a little different? Here's the reason I'm asking. Back in my corporate days, and I sold my soul for a good 10, 12 years in corporate to make as much money as I could, worked in oil and gas, worked in utilities, and a very senior colleague from a competitor company, somebody I liked a lot, smart guy, all of a sudden quit his very senior position and went and was leading communications for basically homeless people within the city. Extremely noble. I have no idea what the monetary switch was. I have to think it was dramatic. My goodness. I admired him for that and it's something that I couldn't do. So does it take a different person?

Marc Whitt (13:28):
I think so. I think so. Sometimes I think that in our profession, in the PR profession, the global aspect, there's somewhat of a misnomer that those who are doing nonprofit public relations work perhaps could not elevate themselves to a higher level, whether it be in the corporate world or perhaps in an agency world. And I think to that end, we need to all be supportive of each other. We are all called to different aspects of this profession as both of you are. And so we need to wrap our arms around one another. We need to learn from one another. We need to support each other. For me, when I was in college and I knew that I wanted to get into public relations, I loved being able to get out and meet people and understand where they were trying to drive their business and their energies.

(14:36):
 And I wasn't really sure if I wanted to go into agency work or get into corporate work or whatever. And the more I thought about it and the more that I was getting experience with it, I had an internship in my college years, the last two years of my undergraduate, and then all through my graduate work, I handled public relations for the Department of Music at the college or at the university where I was at the time. And I absolutely loved it, absolutely loved it. And so I think, Doug, to your point, for those who are called, and I really use that word called, to serve in the nonprofit sector, they realize that they may not be earning the same salary that perhaps you might earn if you were in a corporate setting or perhaps in an agency setting. But with that calling, there is such a deep desire to serve, to make a difference for others in our communities and in our world. For one, I believe that we have such an incredible opportunity in a day and time where maybe civility, we've lost a little bit of that in our world and we've lost some of the kindness that we need to bring. And so with nonprofits, it's not to say that the others don't bring that,

Doug Downs (16:09):
But

Marc Whitt (16:09):
I think that it's a good reminder how nonprofits, perhaps those who are in PR, can help lead the way and wrap our arms around everyone, no matter where their calling is in this work, to join us for something that we can truly make a difference in our world.

Doug Downs (16:27):
It's almost like corporations need to prove their kindness because their work is taken for granted, and nonprofits need to prove their work because their kindness is taken for granted.

Marc Whitt (16:36):
Oh, very well said. Agreed.

Farzana Baduel (16:40):
So Marc, they often say that PR is really about building trust with stakeholders. And when you think about it, a not-for-profit, would you say that it's easier for them to build trust with stakeholders because actually people think, well, they're a charity. They have a head start over the other sort of for-profit sectors. Government tends to have a deficit in trust. Also, business isn't automatically trusted. But do you think actually when PRs are working in the charity sector, they have a bit of a head start over us? Or do you think that isn't the case because there's been so many high-profile charity scandals as well?

Marc Whitt (17:21):
I think that is the expectation for those of us who work in nonprofit work, as it should be, because we are seeking philanthropic dollars to help support the missions that we have. Boy, trust is the absolute foundation for what we do as public relations professionals regardless of the sector of our work. Trust and ethics have got to be the mandate for everything that we say and do. Our actions, our words, our deeds, have always got to stand on trust and the best of ethical practice. We're in the relationship building business. I know that's not a headline for today, but we need to remind ourselves of that. And sometimes, if we're not careful, we can easily do our work almost entirely behind our desk, whereas we really need to be out and about. I'd like to remind the senior public relations students I teach that it's public relations, not desk relations.

Doug Downs (18:41):
Okay. Give us a couple of practical first steps for an NGO leadership team today so that they can step away from being that best kept secret, just in 60 seconds or less.

Marc Whitt (18:52):
Okay. First, PR must be treated as a leadership function, not an afterthought. Every nonprofit must clearly answer three things: who we serve, what problem we solve, and why it matters. Now, impact has to be captured in real ways such as stories, data, faces, and outcomes. Your staff, donors, and volunteers should all be empowered as story ambassadors. Video, media relationships, and digital storytelling are no longer optional tools. And then last, the messaging must shift from "look what we did" to "here’s what changed because you believed."

Farzana Baduel (19:41):
I love that. Really good. Make the donor the hero of the story.

Doug Downs (19:45):
You bet. You bet.

Farzana Baduel (19:47):
Thank you so much.

Doug Downs (19:48):
Thanks for your time today, Marc.

Farzana Baduel (19:49):
Marc, in our last episode, our guest, Steven Shepherson-Smith, left a question for you.

Steven Shepherson-Smith (19:56):
Hey, it's almost 2026. Woo. I'd like to ask you, what are your New Year's resolutions?

Marc Whitt (20:02):
Oh gosh, Farzana. I fail so miserably at New Year's resolutions.

Farzana Baduel (20:09):
Do you make them?

Marc Whitt (20:09):
I used to. Those were the days when I was going to lift weights the day after New Year's and eat just healthy stuff and all, and even would tell myself, all right, this next year you're going to slow down, you're going to say no more often. But unfortunately, I fail miserably. So for me, if there is a resolution, I'm thinking in terms of public relations for all of us, bring more kindness into our world, do a whole lot more listening to one another, and oh my goodness, let's do way more genuine conversation in our daily personal and professional lives. Gosh, if we do that, we'll be a far better place.

Doug Downs (20:57):
Amen.

Farzana Baduel (20:58):
Amen. Love that. Absolutely love it.

Doug Downs (21:01):
Your turn, Marc. What question do you want to leave behind for the next guest?

Marc Whitt (21:04):
Oh boy. Okay. Well, I've been thinking about if we were to look at kind of building on 2026, what is the one impactful thing that we could do as public relations professionals, regardless of the sector of PR where you serve, whether it be in agency work, corporate, or nonprofit, what is the one impactful thing that we can do to make a difference in 2026?

Farzana Baduel (21:35):
Ooh, that's a big one. That's a big one.

Marc Whitt (21:38):
I'm glad I'm not your next week's guest.

Farzana Baduel (21:40):
Same, Doug. How would you answer that?

Marc Whitt (21:43):
Oh, I was

Doug Downs (21:43):
Going to ask you to go first. Oh, wow.

Farzana Baduel (21:47):
I'll throw you under the bus. Okay, I've got it. I've got it. I would say to take a positive mindset toward artificial intelligence.

Marc Whitt (21:58):
Oh, you stole my answer.

Farzana Baduel (21:59):
Right? And I would say that actually, because people think, is it a frenemy, is it an enemy or a friend? I would say treat it as a friend. Treat it as a way to do your tactical work, your content production, so that you can then elevate your work into strategic thinking. Do all that sort of horizon scanning, blue sky thinking that you've always wanted to do in PR, but the budgets and resources never allowed you to. Let it really unleash that inner strategist, which is where I think PR naturally should be.

Marc Whitt (22:29):
That's amazing.

Doug Downs (22:30):
Okay. I'm going to take the opposite side of the same coin from Farzana. I'm going to address people who rely on AI too much and are constantly using AI. Don't become a prostitute.

Farzana Baduel (22:48):
Oh my God. Wow.

Marc Whitt (22:50):
How do I follow that? There you go.

Farzana Baduel (22:52):
I don't think you can. My husband said to me the other day, there are three in our marriage, me, you, and ChatGBT.

Doug Downs (23:02):
He probably got that line from ChatGBT.

Marc Whitt (23:05):
Well, to me, everything that both of you have said, I completely agree with. I would add though, that we need to very much look at the ethical uses of AI and make sure that it's a wonderful tool, and that's what it is, a tool, and rather than it controlling us, we need to be the ones controlling it and its uses. Lock it down. Thanks for your time, Marc.

Farzana Baduel (23:37):
Thank you, Marc.

Marc Whitt (23:38):
Oh, great being with you. And let me say thank you to Farzana, who's been a part of two of my three books, and just really appreciate you very, very much. And Doug, great getting to meet you.

Doug Downs (23:50):
Yeah, send me a book.

Marc Whitt (23:52):
Will do. Give me an address.

Doug Downs (23:54):
Or bring it with you. Farzana, bring it with you when you come.

Marc Whitt (23:57):
I will.

Farzana Baduel (23:58):
I will. Here are the top three things we got today from our lovely guest, Marc Whitt. Number one, impact is not awareness. Good work does not speak for itself, and NGOs must treat visibility as essential, not optional. Number two, stop celebrating being a secret. Calling yourself a best kept secret signals comfort over growth and keeps donors and volunteers disengaged. Number three, trust requires clarity. Shared storytelling. Both the public and internal teams need to understand the mission, the impact, and why it matters now.

Doug Downs (24:41):
Yeah, this is like cold water in my face. I'm so guilty. I think I do reasonably good work, but I hate humble bragging, so I fight that and don't post things like hey, look at our podcast and things like that. But I'm the worst for this.

Farzana Baduel (24:57):
Well, in this day and age, you have to shout and shout impactfully, but also using the right tone as well. I mean, you also don't want to alienate people by doing humble brags, and that's equally annoying as well. So you've got to really walk that tightrope between promoting but also staying true to your values and an appropriate tone of voice.

Doug Downs (25:22):
Yep. If you'd like to send a message to our guest, Marc Whitt, we've got his contact information in the show notes. Stories and Strategies is a co-production of KRS Public Relations and the Stories and Strategies Podcast. If you like this episode, leave us a rating, possibly a review, those help. Thank you to producers Emily Page and David Olajide, who I had poutine with last night here in Calgary. He tried it for the first time. Oh my God, he's here visiting.

Farzana Baduel (25:53):
I can't wait to hear.

Doug Downs (25:55):
He wasn't sure about it. Lastly, do us a favor, forward this episode to one friend. Thanks for listening.