The Activist Attitude: 5 Ways to Fundraise like an Activist

Earlier this week, I talked about cultivating an Activist Attitude. Now we're going to get down to the nitty-gritty: what can you do in your fundraising to frame your organization in a more activist, we're-changing-the-world way?

Here are 5 ways to fundraise like an activist:

1. Include an Involvement Device.

For more traditionally activist organizations, this is often a petition to a person in authority. They work. Not only do they inspire people to respond to your direct mail or your email solicitation, but they also show you who your most passionate and engaged supporters are.

But you don't have to do a petition to involve your donors! Try a survey. Ask donors what they think about various aspects of your work or the issue you're focused on. One client had such good results with the survey they used in Acquisition, that they included one in a renewal effort, as well.

Another great involvement device that doesn't get used often enough is asking your donors to sign a Declaration of Support. This gets donors signing on to your mission, making them a key player in your work. And you can use these signed declarations in a variety of ways, from delivering them to a decision-maker or displaying them prominently in your headquarters as a Wall of Support.

2. Have an Urgent Call to Action. 

You know urgency is key to fundraising, so pair it with a call to action. For many activist organizations, this is tied to a specific campaign, but if you've got your Activist Attitude turned on, you'll see many ways to use it.

Your donors have full lives, so you need to give them a reason not to set that fundraising piece down on the “I’ll get to this later” pile.

Make your asks urgent. Tell your donors you need their help NOW. Better yet, give them a deadline by which to act. And make it sooner rather than later. Plaster that deadline on the outer envelope, on the reply form, in the letter and on the reply envelope. Explain to them why it’s so important that they act fast.

And give them specifics about what you're asking them to do. Tell them how much you want them to give or what you want them to sign and what that action will do.

Instead of "You can feed the hungry this winter", think: "Respond within 14 days to feed hungry families this month!" Or "Your gift of $XX will feed YY hungry families -- give now!"

3. Find an Enemy. 

Your enemy doesn't have to be a political leader, as it is for many activist organizations. An enemy can be abstract, like the weather. Or it can be systemic, a bureaucracy that your organization helps people navigate. Enemies are fundraising gold. Is someone trying to stop you from accomplishing what you need to accomplish? Is there a system standing between you and success?

People love rooting for the little guy. When you have powerful forces arrayed against you, your donors will want to help you.

Need a softer "enemy"? Think roadblocks or obstacles instead. Staff stretched too thin? Funding troubles? Lack of awareness about your organization or a particular program?

All of these roadblocks can be cast as enemies, forcing your audience to wonder how you can possibly overcome. (And of course, you’ll tell them that THEY are the key to solving any problem that comes your way!)

4. Empower Your Donors.

You already know you need to be donor-centric, right? Well, a really great way to be donor-centric is to tell them this truth: they are changing the world. Every time a donor makes a gift, volunteers, or takes an action on your behalf, they are saying, "Yes, I want to help your organization solve this problem!"

Activist organizations understand this inherently, and they let their donors know that their enthusiastic embrace of their missions makes a difference. They give them many opportunities to participate -- from telephone town halls, to news updates via email and in the mail, to gatherings with organizational leadership, and social media engagement.

Your donors are your tribe, the heroes who make your work possible. Your donors wield a great deal of power to re-shape the world in the way you're working to reshape it. Engage them in conversation, listen to their voices, and give them as many opportunities as you can to use their power!

5. Embrace Your Righteousness.

You believe your cause is important, right? You are passionate about the work you do and believe that it is critical to creating a better world for us all. Embrace that.

Successful activist organizations stick to their messages because they know without a doubt that they are right. They own it, and they don't back down -- they fight hard and don't compromise their beliefs. And that righteousness breeds trust in those who share their vision.

Don't be afraid to stand up for your mission. And don't apologize for your passions. Yes, there may very well be causes that are more life-and-death than yours. But your donors are looking to you for leadership on your issue. And your work is right.

Above all, embrace your Activist Attitude!

With a little more activism injected into your fundraising, you just might see more energy among your staff, your supporters and your fundraising.

You Are an Activist

If you work in the nonprofit industry, you want to change the world. Whether you're trying to find homes for abandoned animals, feeding hungry children, working to cure an incurable disease, or committed to bringing more art into your community, you're out to create a different world than the one we have today.

The status quo isn't good enough for you. You want the world to be better.

You are an activist.

Funny thing is, when I use this word with a potential client, I can tell right off if we're a good fit by their reaction. Some fundraisers embrace their activism, understanding that whether or not they are petitioning Congress or staging demonstrations, activism is inherent in everything their organization does.

Other organizations shy away. They prefer to think of themselves in terms of social good, community benefit, outreach or education. Anything but activists.

Forget for a moment about what you think your organization does. What does your donor think? Does Verna give because you're doing good work? Or does she give because you are changing the world?

After almost 20 years working with a broad spectrum of nonprofit clients, I've come to believe that if you want to raise more money and encourage more loyalty in your donors, cultivating an Activist Attitude is where it's at.

A Case Study of Environmental Organizations

Let's put this in real terms by talking about two different environmental groups.

Group A is a venerable institution in the environmental world, with a 40-year history and a host of achievements.

Group B is a newer organization with a fierce passion for their work.

Both are international in scope. Both stage protests and work collaboratively with other organizations. Both do a fair amount of cage rattling at the national and international level. Both have impressive track records in their areas.

Group A wants to be seen as on-the-ground activists, out to fight for our planet. Group B insists on presenting their work as education and community outreach. Even their protests and petitions to governments and governmental bodies is couched in terms of local empowerment, not activism.

Group A has doubled in size in the last two years. Group B has...not.

A Case Study from the Arts and Culture World

An acquaintance works for an arts organization that has always struggled to raise money. They can articulate why art is important, they believe in the critical importance of their work, but they were in danger of disappearing because they couldn't get the funding they needed.

We discussed their problems, and I asked if she'd ever thought of making the case that the organization was addressing very real and persistent problems in the community -- that it was changing the world through its work.

They tiptoed into a more activist tone in their next appeal, and it garnered the best response of the year.

Later this week, I'll post more about how to fundraise like an activist organization. But for now, take some time to remember that you wouldn't be doing the work you do if you didn't think the world needed to change. Don your Activist Attitude!

You are an activist. And you can fundraise like one.

You Are Not Your Brand

The other day, I spied an interesting conversation on Twitter about author branding. And while the conversation revolved around those who write books for a living, I think many of the ideas apply to nonprofit organizations as well.

Here's the tweet that started it from author Chuck Wendig: Referring to your "brand" is another way of saying "here's the carefully constructed, safe, corporate lie I need you to believe about me."

One of the things I love about writing for nonprofits is that, when I get it right, it can take all those meetings and reports and outreach that you do each and every day and make it all personal. The donors reading your direct mail -- or, really, any marketing or fundraising copy you write -- should be able to feel the conviction, passion and tireless effort behind what you do and get a sense of the personality behind your organization...not the brand.

So here's my PSA for the day: Stop talking about branding!

It's boring. It's obnoxious. And your donors don't care.

Instead, talk about who you are -- your identity.

Your brand is an image. It's helpful when you want people to recognize your organization at a glance. It's great shorthand for marketing. But it's not who you are.

Your identity is the soul and vision of your organization, what you hope to achieve, now and into the future. What does your organization care about? Why do you care? Why is it so important? What will be better in the world because you're working on this issue?

That's what your donors care about. Branding is just the fancy icing your marketing and communications team puts on the delicious cake that is your organization.

Don't let the marcomm team tell you "That issue isn't part of your brand." That gets you stuck in a rut, and there's no better way to stop caring about what you do than to make it so rote and routine that it ceases to matter -- to you or to anyone else.

If you're working on it, and you care about it and it will make the world better, it's part of YOU.

Are you a scrappy band of rabble-rousers? Or a firmly established group making changes from the inside? You may be tempted to straddle the line or try to be all things to your donors, but if you want your identity to be authentic -- and you do -- you have to make a choice about who you are as an organization. And then stick to it in all your copy.

As Chuck Wendig said a bit later in the conversation, "Just be the best version of yourself. Let everyone else worry and talk about your brand."

Celebrity Endorsements and You

A lot of organizations I've worked with are fortunate to have celebrity supporters and allies, so I've spent my fair share of time discussing how best to leverage that kind of high-profile support. It's not always clear or easy to take advantage of a big name on your donor roll, so I wanted to share some of my thoughts.

First, a "celebrity" isn't just a famous actor or musician. It can be anyone related to your specific community who has name recognition and credibility. For a health-related nonprofit, that might be a super-star physician, for a science advocacy group, a former astronaut or Nobel Prize-winner. For fundraising purposes, a "celebrity" is anyone your supporters will recognize and relate to.

So, you've noticed a prominent person has started giving to your organization. Or you've got a famous board member. Or a celebrity tweeted their admiration for your mission to their 600,000 followers. How can you use their support to generate even more love for your cause?

Five Ways to Use Your Celebrity Supporters

• Ask them to be the Chair (or Honorary Chair) of a specific Membership group, probably a high-dollar giving group. This can involve anything from simply signing fundraising materials directed at the group, to taking a more active role, depending on their interests, time and level of commitment.
• Ask them to sign a Prospecting Letter or a Lift Letter in your Acquisition package. NRDC and Friends of the Earth both use celebrity signers -- actors known for their environmental passions -- in their acquisition packages to great success.
• Ask them to make a video expressing why they support your organization and asking others to do the same. You can post this on the Web or send it in your e-mail newsletter as an extra endorsement for what you do.
• Ask them to host (even in an honorary capacity) a major special event. A good name will draw more people to your event, and their participation can lend a "stamp of approval" that inspires others to give.
• Present them with an award at a major special event. An alternative to asking them to host, this technique can also up attendance at your event. And it could be a first step to a more fruitful relationship with that celebrity, ensuring they help you more in the future.

There are, of course, some sticky issues with using celebrity supporters to assist in your fundraising. If your celebrity becomes embroiled in a scandal, for example, your association with them could hurt your organization more than help. Alternatively, if their notoriety doesn't add credibility to your cause with your donors, then it might not be the best fit. And obviously, you should always treat these supporters with respect and gratitude. Don't push them to do more than they're comfortable doing, and don't take them for granted.

But if you have a loyal celebrity supporter or two who is willing to use their acclaim to call attention to your cause, and you target that attention in one of the ways listed above, you can give your fundraising a boost.

Social Media and Your Non-Profit

When clients and potential clients ask me to help them with their social media, I often groan (silently) and wonder what I should say. Your social media tells a story about your organization. Are you telling the story of an active and dynamic organization that is mobilizing and engaging supporters in the passion of their mission? Or are you telling the story of an organization that would prefer your supporter hand over their money and let you get on with your work?

Social Media is not just another leg on your marketing stool. It's a whole different seat at the table.

The problem most non-profit organizations and for-profit companies have with social media is the social part. This isn't old-school, get-your-message-out promotion… Creating a successful social media presence requires you to actually interact with your customers, constituents and supporters.

Which is why I cringe when nonprofits ask me to bid on writing their social media content. I write my own tweets, Facebook posts and LinkedIn updates for my consulting practice, and I really believe it's critical that you have an organizational insider conducting your social media.

It's easy for a consultant to come in and say something like, "You should make sure you tweet your message XX times per day." or "Engage your supporters in conversations on Facebook."

But an outsider will have a much harder time creating engaging social media content and building authentic relationships than an insider will have.

Social media is another way of telling a story -- the story of how your organization functions on a daily basis. How do you treat supporters and staff? How do you view your mission? How nimble are you when news breaks or a crisis rises up? Social media is a big plate-glass window into all of these areas.

And an outside consultant -- even one specializing in social media -- cannot deliver that authenticity you need. A consultant will never, for example, be able to walk out of an energizing meeting and tell your donors and supporters about the excitement in the air around the office.

When you have an actual social media professional leading your SM efforts, you'll get

• Someone with their finger on the pulse of the organization.
• Someone who can seamlessly integrate the rest of your marketing, communications and fundraising plan into your social media.
• Someone who can explain social media to those in your organization who might not understand what it can do…and what it can't.
• Someone who can be the "voice" of your organization on a ground level.

Better yet, make sure your social media person also has a working knowledge of donor-centered fundraising, so they can give your SM-savvy supporters a more personalized, high-touch experience.

Of course, social media isn't (yet) a fundraising powerhouse. But like fundraising, social media is about creating and nurturing relationships. And investing in key relationships is something that all successful nonprofits are committed to.

Social media isn't going away, and it is increasingly the way people are checking out the organizations they decide to support. What are you doing to make sure your social media plan is as engaging and authentic as it can be?

Tourists or Travelers?

This past weekend, my husband and I took our three kids up to Seattle for what we called a Tourist Weekend. Living so close to the city, we've often popped up there for ballgames or concerts, or just to spend a day or two in different surroundings. But we generally make it a point not to travel like tourists, preferring to ferret out the spots where locals go, the neighborhoods where people actually live. So it had been years since we'd done any of the typical tourist things that visitors to Seattle often do.

We booked a hotel near the Seattle Center, visiting every tourist attraction we had time and energy for. I'd forgotten what a vibrant and fun city Seattle is for travelers, and how much history and knowledge there was for my kids -- and me! -- to soak up.

Our Tourism Experiment got me thinking, though, about how donors experience their interactions with the organizations they support.

Are they tourists, visiting the highlights on your website, giving to the flashiest campaigns?

Or are they travelers, enjoying the chance to feel like insiders in your cause, proud to support efforts that might not be popular, but are just as deserving?

And when was the last time YOU acted as a tourist to your own cause?

As we head into the last rush of year-end madness, it might be a good time to take a fresh look at how your donors experience your organization…and how you experience the organizations you support.

• Log onto your website -- or another organization's -- with a specific question and see how long it takes to find the answer.
• Try giving a gift over the phone.
• Ask a friend to read your newsletter and report what stands out to her -- without coaching!
• Browse through a few old blog posts and see how long it takes you to read them -- and what you retain.
• Respond to one piece of direct mail, taking time to note how easy or difficult it is to follow the instructions. Track how long it takes to receive an acknowledgement.

How does this Tourist Experiment make you feel? Excited about the cause you're touring? Or exhausted and ready to curl up in your generic hotel room?

There is room in most organizations for both Tourists and Travelers, and the most successful organizations are adept at catering to both. And the easiest way to figure out how well you're doing is to take a tour yourself.

Busting Direct Mail Myth #5

The last Direct Mail Myth I want to bust is the one that is the most true: Premiums always boost response. Of course, nothing is guaranteed, but adding a premium to an acquisition package very often will boost your response rate. And while I have less experience with premiums in house mail, it's certainly true that a well-chosen premium can increase both your average gift and your percent response. But premiums in direct mail come with a host of complex issues, and the truth is they don't always work.

Here are three things to consider when you're looking at premiums:

-- How much do they cost? And I'm not just talking about the cost of the actual premium. What will your costs be to fulfill the premium? If it's an up-front gift -- a magnet, notecards or address labels, say -- will the added weight up your postage, or will the item itself distract from the real purpose of your package, which is, of course, to get a gift? If the premium is something you're sending out once people donate, how much will it cost to mail it to them? Some seemingly cheap premiums have hidden shipping costs that make the item prohibitive.

-- Is the added cost worth it? If you get a boost in response -- either in larger average gifts, or more donors -- you need to do the work to see if that pencils out against the cost of the premium and fulfillment. And how do those donors renew? Are they joining just to get the premium, then dropping like flies? Or are they sticking around, ensuring that the added costs are made up by their years of giving?

-- And most importantly: How does the premium fit with your mission? An environmental organization that sends address labels may acquire more donors, but that extra paper is sending a subtle, unintended message that they may not be quite as green as they claim. On the other hand, an environmental that promises a tote bag is putting their money where their mouth is -- and getting more effective advertising when donors carry the bags in public. Carefully consider what your chosen premium says about your organization: is that a message you want to send to your potential donors?

To me the biggest question to ask yourself about premiums, encompassing all the things I discussed above, is this: Do you want donors who support you because you shower them with gifts, or because they believe in the importance of your mission?

Three Ways to Make Your Writing More Conversational

I stumbled into the world of nonprofit copywriting by happy accident. I needed a job, any job, and a "Nonprofit Marketing Firm" in my town was hiring a receptionist. My six-month stint answering phones at an answering service gave me a leg up in any receptionist job, so I applied. In the course of the interview with the owner of the company, I mentioned my love of writing. They hired me as a copy editor, and a career was born.

A few weeks later, I had my first solo writing assignment. I was terrified as I handed my boss the piece. She had a reputation for wielding her red pen with wild abandon, and I was so, so green.

She glanced at it long enough to read two-thirds of the first sentence, crossed out the entire page, and said, "Make it more conversational."

Making your copywriting conversational is one of the biggest challenges for every copywriter. We all talk to people every day, so why is writing like we talk so darn challenging?

Here are three sure-fire ways to make your copywriting sound conversational:

1. You, you, you.

When you're having a conversation with someone, there's none of that stilted "When one brushes one's teeth, it is critical to reach every tooth" business.

Contrast that with something more like this:

You and I both know how to brush teeth. You make sure you get every tooth.

Which one sounds friendlier, more personal? And which one sounds like an expert handing down dictums from on high? Now, you're probably not writing a whole lot about tooth brushing, but the principle applies regardless.

And if this makes it easier to use "you", remember, even if your letter or ad will be viewed by thousands of people, you should aim to write as though you're talking to ONE person. 

2. Read Your Copy Aloud

This is probably the most re-hashed and basic advice that any writer receives. And you'd be shocked at how few writers heed it. (Confession: I have been known to skip this step myself...and I always regret it later!)

Even when you think you're doing a bang-up job writing readable, conversational copy, I guarantee that you will have a few passages that sound awkward when read aloud.

So lock yourself away in an office and read it like it's a bedtime story you're reading to a 6-year-old. Any sentence or phrase or word that trips you up -- go back and fix it. You'll have more conversational copy in moments.

3. Axe the Jargon

Please tell me you're going on jargon patrol each and every time you write copy! If not, you need to add this step to your revision process right now. I don't care if you use terms like capacity-building, participatory action, leveraging stakeholders or value proposition in your conversations at work (though your colleagues might), but please don't use them in your copywriting.

Donors want to hear what you're accomplishing with their donations. They've invested their time, attention, resources and passion with you, and they want to know you're worth it. They can't know that if you're holding them at arm's length with insider language they don't understand.

Use one of your revision passes to replace any words or phrases that would be more at home in a conference room with those that would be heard in a donor's dining room.

I used those three steps to revise that first piece of copy. My boss still tore it up with her red pen, but on the second time around, she read the whole thing.

Adding to My Resource Library

I spend as much time as I can spare trying to learn from my colleagues. Here are three great posts, articles and other resources that I'm loving these days: 1. This amazing post by Stuart Glen packages 10 solid gold copywriting tips into a wise and fun tribute to Dr. Seuss. The legendary children's author and I share a birthday, so I'm a sucker for anything Seuss-related, but there's a lot of great information here for non-Seuss-fans, too.

2. The Harwood Institute for Public Innovation is dedicated to bringing people together to create real progress for their communities. Their Harwood in Half an Hour worksheets are a great package of tools to help you zero in on your goals and make them a reality.

3. After going through huge re-branding campaigns with several clients, I have a lot of ideas about branding, public awareness campaigns and the near-constant pressure on organizations to raise their public profile. Jeff Brooks sums it up nicely in this post.

Anything I've missed? Post it in the comments or send it my way on Twitter or via e-mail!

The Secret to Excellent Donor Communication

I've seen a few posts, tweets and other advice on the secrets of donor communication recently -- Gail Perry had this great post on the most boring words in fundraising last week -- and I couldn't resist offering my two cents: You're talking to a person, so act like a person.

It sounds simple, but for organizations and businesses that have developed their communications strategies around press releases, official statements and copy-by-committee, treating your donor like an actual person is challenging.

This has become exponentially more important with the rise of social media. Social media is all about personal relationships and one-on-one interaction. It's about hearing what other people think and having a conversation with them.

Far too many organizations tweet from up on high, but social media is really about getting down in the trenches with your constituents and geeking out with them about the things you share in common -- ideally a passion for your cause. Really, it's a matter of sounding like you are an individual, a person who actually cares about about what you do. Is that really so difficult?

You can find more lengthy articles with detailed dos and don'ts if you need them. And definitely read everything that Tom Ahern has ever said about donor communication.

But for me, it all comes down to remembering that one fundamental thing: you're one person talking to another.

What the Veronica Mars Kickstarter Can Teach YOU

There has been a lot written about the Veronica Mars Kickstarter project and its implications for how movies are funded. Launched last week, the project reached its $2 million goal on the first of its 30 days. With 18 days to go, it has almost doubled its initial goal. I’m excited on a personal level because I was a big fan of the show and am looking forward to watching another 90+ minutes of Mars-y goodness. But what really intrigued me is what the project can teach fundraisers.

If you’re not familiar with the crowdfunding platform Kickstarter, check out their FAQ. In a nutshell, it’s a way for artists and other creative types to collectively fund their projects. Musician Amanda Palmer financed her successful album Theatre is Evil via a Kickstarter campaign, and two documentary short films funded by the platform went on to be nominated for Academy Awards.

Though there has been a lot of backlash against the Veronica Mars project – the money is going to fund a movie that the studio will profit from! There are so many worthier causes! These people are millionaires and should fund the movie themselves if they care so much! – there are some really powerful fundraising lessons embedded in this campaign.

1. They asked. Lots of fans have been clamoring for a Veronica Mars movie for years. The stars of the show and the show’s creator wanted to do it, but it was stuck in development hell, languishing for lack of financial support. So creator Rob Thomas figured out what he needed, explained it to his supporters, and asked them to fund it.
2. They have a well-articulated plan for the money. They set a campaign goal for the minimum amount they needed and then made a plan for what they’d do if they received more. Donors to the campaign were informed up front exactly how their money would be spent and what their contribution would make happen. They also told people what would happen if the Kickstarter goal wasn’t met and explained why this campaign was the best way for everyone to get what they wanted.
3. They acknowledged their supporters. Sure, they offered plenty of swag – that’s part of the Kickstarter model. But they also immediately thanked all supporters as soon as the campaign achieved its goal. And they kept thanking them, offering new incentives and updates as the campaign continued.

People have a choice of how to spend their money – and that counts for charities too. The Veronica Mars Kickstarter shows how loyal your supporters can be. Years after the show went off the air, fans jumped at the chance to get one more story from the series.

But it also shows that when you have a loyal base of supporters and you treat them with respect, candor and gratitude, you can fund even your most audacious projects.

Where Space Exploration and Fundraising Collide

Like many people the world over, I was thrilled to see that the Curiosity Rover landed successfully on Mars this week. I showed my kids the first pictures and answered their questions about space exploration. (I think my 5-year-old's mind was officially blown by the news that a ROBOT took that picture!) But even as my kids were getting more and more excited about space exploration, I saw the tweets racing by lamenting the money spent on sending a rover to Mars when there are so many problems here on Earth we need to solve.

I'm not going to write a comprehensive defense of space exploration. If you wonder what the value is, check out this interview with Neil deGrasse Tyson, or read his newest book. But I will say that many of the things you and I use every day -- everything from our cell phones and computers, to athletic wear and tennis shoes -- were originally developed for NASA.

Imagine what might be achievable if NASA had reliable funding and the freedom to aim for truly audacious goals. What alternative fuels or advances in solar power technology might be made? What cool new fabric might make sweaty summer runs like the one I took this morning even more comfortable?

A lot of fundraising departments I work with are just as starved for funding as NASA. In an effort to be efficient and streamlined -- to put as many of those dollars they raise toward programs as possible -- too many nonprofits are denying themselves a chance to innovate, evolve and, ultimately, do even more to further their missions.

Instead of aiming for the big and complex mission to Mars, they're content to run the same near-Earth orbit mission over and over again.

It's easy to play it safe. After all, nobody wants to be the one who bets big and loses. But your donors can tell the difference between an organization that's hanging on to the status quo and one that's charting a bold and energetic course for the future. Guess which one most of them prefer?

Investing in your fundraising efforts -- whether it's in increased time, money, energy or vision -- can pay huge dividends.

Test boldly in your direct mail, and you can find out what appeals to your donors and target your fundraising more effectively. No more incremental nudges. Let's find out what happens when you take an entirely different creative approach, or aim for a new universe, or aggressively go after lapsed donors.

Take the time to coordinate communications and fundraising department efforts, and you can pool talents and develop strong messaging that helps inform and enlighten people about your efforts. (Bonus: unless you have to bribe them with donuts to sit in a room together, this won't cost you a cent!)

Spend a little more on personalization -- in the mail, on the Web and in your face-to-face efforts -- and you can foster better relationships with your donors...and reap the benefit of increased giving.

And another bonus of investing in your fundraising is that in doing so, you might just find other ways to cut costs that don't stymie innovation.

I'm excited to see the pictures and read about the discoveries that Curiosity sends back to Earth. It's a remarkable achievement.

But I also get really excited when I work with an organization that is committed to exploring all the ways they can improve their fundraising. Be bold. Be daring. Dream big. Show your donors how much passion you have for your mission, and watch as they reward you with their loyal support.

Is That Really True? Storytelling Ethics Part 1

I've been quiet recently -- a combination of end-of-the-school-year craziness and looming deadlines. Now, summer seems on the verge of appearing here in the Pacific Northwest, and in between sunny runs by the reservoir and neighborhood cookouts, I'm going to try to put in a few more appearances here at the blog. During the non-stop action of the last month, I've been spending a lot of time mulling over a few really interesting questions someone recently asked me about storytelling ethics.

How true does a story we use in fundraising have to be? Can we change names? Can we fudge details or timelines? Do people ever make up stories entirely?

I gave a fairly evasive answer: how literally truthful you are in your organizational storytelling is up to each organization to decide.

But I was curious how others might answer that same question. As I began researching the issue, I started contemplating ideas of truth and fiction and where we draw the line between the two.

Let me say up front that I still don't have a better answer to the original question. I do think it's a discussion each organization needs to have internally and then convey to any consultants or writers they bring on board.

But I did find some helpful basic guidelines to follow as you have these internal conversations.

A Basic Ethical Stance

In my initial burst of research, I came across this article by Joanne Fritz on the ethics of changing details in stories. She interviews two noted experts -- Lisa Sargent of Sargent Communications and Pamela Grow of Simple Development Systems. Both take a firm stance on changing details, agreeing that it is sometimes necessary to protect the identities, particularly of young people, of those whose stories you want to share.

They urge nonprofits to take three key steps: get written permission, alter or hide key personal details, and be transparent with your donors.

This is great advice, particularly for nonprofits working directly with clients, such as a nonprofit helping clothe foster children, or a drug addiction support organization, for two examples. Activist groups and other large-scale groups may be gathering stories that are of a less personal nature, so they may not have to worry about protecting identities as much.

But from what I see in the mail that comes across my desk, the toughest thing about these standards is the transparency portion. Sure, you can simply add a disclaimer into your letter. But please be clever and creative about how you do that.

Because as soon as you say, "some of this story isn't 100% true" your donor is going to stop reading your pitch and start examining your story to see what details sound made up.

And once you lose 'em, you lose the chance of a gift.

If you need to use a disclaimer, weave it into your story. Instead of a an asterisk next to a message saying "Details have been changed to protect identities" try appealing to your donor's sense of empathy:

"Joanie was really nervous about people learning her secrets. But she knows how important it is to get her story out there, so she's agreed to let me share it with you, as long as I protect her privacy."

Adhering to strict ethical rules does not have to kill your creativity, nor should it. Always try to push yourself to find the most organic and natural way to adhere to your standards, and your nonprofit copywriting will shine that much brighter.

The rules I mention above are a great starting point. But I think storytelling ethics deserve more thoughtful consideration. So please check in later this week for more thoughts on storytelling, ethics and where (and how!) to draw the line in your own organization.

Mind Your Manners

Everybody talks about how important acknowledgements are. It seems to be generally understood that if someone is generous enough to give you a donation, the least you can do is thank them.

So why are so many organizations so bad at it?

I can't tell you how many times a client has said to me, "But it's so expensive to send a thank you letter for every gift!" Or even better, "But it's so much work!"

I'm sorry, but I don't accept that excuse from my 7-year-old, so I'm certainly not going to accept it from an organization I give money to.

In fact, I'd go so far as to say that you can't afford NOT to send acknowledgements.

An old boss of mine used to preach to all of her clients about the importance of including a reply envelope in acknowledgements, saying, "There's no better time to get another gift from a donor than when they're in the 'rosy glow' of having just given."

But even if they don't give again right away, your thank you letter is a critical tool for future giving.

Done correctly, an acknowledgement does three things:

1. It thanks a donor for their support.
2. It tells the donor what that support has accomplished so far.
3. It tells the donor what their continued support can accomplish in the future.

Many of my current clients also put information about planned giving and sustainer programs into their acknowledgement packages, too. They're great vehicles for getting the word out about other ways to give to the organization. (Remember the 'rosy glow'!)

But however you thank them, make sure you do thank your donors. As Mal Warwick says, "If you run a responsive donor-acknowledgement program, you'll gain a competitive advantage that will pay off in higher renewal rates and greater loyalty."

And who doesn't want higher renewal rates and greater loyalty?

Fighting the Formula

The other day, one of my Twitter pals -- Kevin Monroe from X Factor Consulting -- asked me what copywriting tips I like to share with fellow consultants. It wasn't something I'd actually considered much before he asked, since a) I work in my kitchen and b) I'm usually on the receiving end of writing advice. But his question did touch on something that I have been thinking about off and on over the last couple of years. During the course of my 14-year copywriting career, I've dabbled in other kinds of writing, including publishing several feature articles and neighborhood profiles in The Oregonian and having a short story appear in VoiceCatcher.

During times when multiple deadlines were looming, I wondered if that moonlighting was hurting my main money-making endeavor, and I have downplayed my extracurricular writing in my professional life.  But I now think all that second-guessing was a mistake.

In fact, I think one of the reasons I have been so successful in my copywriting is because I have a richer web of writing experience to pull from.

Fight the formula

I have written hundreds of direct mail letters, and there is definitely a formula for the successful ones. But in following a formula you should never become formulaic. The minute you do, the letters you pen become stale, lacking the passion and verve that are absolutely necessary to convince people to give their money to your cause.

When I feel myself treading an all-too-familiar path in my copywriting, I know it's time to fight the formula. So I take another look with my fiction-writer's glasses on. Are there themes I can weave through this letter more effectively? Is there a character begging to leap off the page?

Then I put on my features-writer glasses. How can I make my descriptions more vivid? Are there sights, sounds, tastes and smells that would make the issues in this letter come alive for the reader? Perhaps I'm rambling and need to tighten everything up with a journalist's editing eye.

Let's face it, there is a LOT of writing advice out there, and good writing is good writing, whether you're penning a direct mail letter, a slick advertisement, or the Great American Novel. Sure, there are degrees, but the rules are the same: use action verbs, aim for clarity, be as specific as you can, tickle all the senses...

But knowing the rules and using them well are two different things.

Tap into a different part of your brain!

Try writing poetry to hone your ability to use imagery to make a point. Write a short story to put yourself in a different person's shoes and sharpen your storytelling. Become a blogger to learn how to encapsulate big ideas and personal feelings in 500 words. Try your hand at literary criticism or movie reviews to learn how to identify weak spots in your writing and in others'.

Above all, love writing, all writing. Play with language, revel in how words get put together, rejoice in how they can connect, inspire, educate, and move.

And don't just write. Read! Starting with this article about the business benefits -- it's scientific, people! -- of reading fiction.

The STOP List

I'm a sucker for New Year's Resolutions lists, even though I rarely make them myself. There's something so hopeful about them, as if by simply writing down the things we hope to do, we can make our lives better.

I often wonder, though, if the things we wish we were doing really are the most important to focus on. Perhaps it would be more helpful to make a list of things we're doing that we should strive to STOP doing. So with that in mind, here's my list of bad fundraising habits that you should banish in 2012.

STOP promising the moon.

When the pressure's on, it's hard not to make any promise you can in the hopes that you'll be able to come through. But aiming for the stars when you're traveling in an old jalopy is an exercise in futility.

Make your goals realistic and achievable for where you are right now. Small successes lead to bigger successes. And if you can build on those successes, you'll be able to promise the moon when you can actually deliver it.

STOP playing it safe.

This might seem like the opposite of the above, but I think the two go hand-in-hand. When you're promising more than you can deliver on one project, you're forced to play it safe in other areas to compensate.

The best way to have a successful year is to try new things, reach out to new people, engage new experts, and test, test, test.

STOP wallowing in your mistakes.

We all make mistakes. But dwelling on them doesn't make you better, it makes you more paranoid. Embrace your mistakes, and find the nuggets of wisdom that come from them.

STOP downplaying your successes

Normally, I'm not a fan of those who toot their own horns, since far too often, those who talk about how hard they're working are just that: all talk.

But if you have a successful fundraising event, help craft a winning direct mail package, or convince a donor to give more than she's given in the past, make sure you share those successes with your board, your volunteers and your staff. Hold those triumphs up as examples of what can be done...and challenge your people to beat them.

I'm going to work on these things this year, and I challenge you to develop your own Stop List for 2012.

Storytelling 101

 

You've no doubt heard about the importance of storytelling to nonprofits. As a writer with an English Lit. degree, I love a good story, and one of the best parts about my job is uncovering those stories and sharing them with my clients' donors.

But what makes a good story? And how do you tell your story in a way that moves your donors to give?

A Story Has a Destination

A story can be as simple as "I went to the store. I bought three grapefruit. I returned home." But how inspiring is that?

You want your story to arc from the kernel that starts it all, through the challenges in the middle, to a satisfying resolution. Once you've written your story, you should be able to point to each section and see how the details you've chosen propel the reader forward.

Your story should always arrive somewhere. Most of the time, this destination will be different from the place you started, but sometimes you'll end up in the same place you began. Either way is fine, but there must be some destination.

A Story Has Significance

When you arrive at your story's destination, it means something. A lesson was learned, a decision was made, an epiphany occurred -- something about your destination offers your audience some true, deep knowledge they didn't have at the beginning.

For most nonprofit organizations, the stories will often be about how your work helped a person. So when you're telling that story, think about how your work impacted that person's life. What would have happened without your intervention? How were minds and hearts opened? Ask your reader to imagine what would happen if this story were repeated with other people.

What does it mean that your organization exists?

A Story Helps Us Understand Our World

Since the beginning of time, people have been telling stories as a way of explaining the unexplainable in our world. You can harness this power in your own storytelling.

One good story explains who your organization is helping, what innovative tools you're using, why your organization's mission is important, how you're using your resources to make a difference, and how your donors can help. A well crafted story will give your donors everything they need to understand why they should give to you.

A Story Helps Create Community

Doubt the power of a good story to unite us? Consider the Twilight phenomenon.

When you knock it out of the park, your story will get read and passed around...it will get noticed. And those who notice it will have that bond that comes from shared experience and understanding. Telling the stories of the work you do to your donors is one of the most effective ways to connect your donors to your organization and keep them giving for years to come.

Stories have power, and the better you learn to tell them the more power you'll have.

Check out the Mercy Corps blog for great examples of nonprofit storytelling. And if you want more on the art of storytelling, I loved this article from Jane Friedman's blog.

Chasing that Silver Lining

When I picked up my 8-year-old from school a few weeks ago and asked her how her day went, she heaved a huge sigh and said, "Terrible." Of course, I asked what had happened. In a voice heavy with anger, she told me that her teacher had asked her to write her personal narrative more neatly. "That's it?" I asked.

"You don't understand!" she howled. "I want to write fast! It made me so mad that I had to slow down!"

"So," I said, "your teacher did one thing that made you mad, and that ruined your whole entire day?"

"Yes!"

It's human nature to focus on the bad stuff. Listen to the morning news any day of the week, and stories about horrors happening in the world outnumber stories of joy by a wide margin. The mistakes we make in life stay with us in a way that our successes rarely do. We remember the bad days, remember exactly where we were the moment tragedy struck.  But those days of ordinary sweetness -- of tasty dinners and laughs with friends -- are harder to recall with the same clarity.

And the same is true at nonprofits. It's so much easier for the Board, the staff, the volunteers -- for everyone -- to zero in on the one mailing that didn't go right instead of celebrating the dozens that did. That mistake that resulted in a deluge of angry donor calls? Everyone remembers that. The fundraising event that exceeded projections? All anyone can recall is the snafu that meant there was one bathroom for 500 people.

And there is tremendous value in reflecting upon our mistakes.

But I've found -- in life and in fundraising -- that if I want to have more success and more joy, I have to chase down the success and joy I've already had.

Chip and Dan Heath, in their amazing book SWITCH: How to Change When Change is Hard, call this "finding the bright spots." See where your fundraising program is working and try to replicate that success in your weaker areas.

A few years ago, I had a client that was very enthusiastic about trying new techniques in the mail, but they didn't want to spend the money to test. The result was a series of mailings that were wildly divergent in their results. A blockbuster appeal was followed by a bomb, one renewal performed well, while the next effort tanked. They wailed over every disappointment and bemoaned the lack of consistency in their direct mail program.

I desperately wanted them to test, but they refused. So instead of fighting a pointless battle, I started honing in on what was going right in their program. I came up with a list of appeal themes that I knew had worked. The designer and I started using graphics that were still bold and exciting, but that we knew from past successes would work. We were able to create a more consistently effective program, while I continued to impress upon them the importance of testing.

The great Tom Ahern says that a fundraiser's primary mission is to "Deliver Joy."

But how can we deliver joy if we're only focused on the bad stuff?

That day with my daughter, I asked her to spend the walk home from school listing three good things that had happened that day. She was sure she would never be able to think of three good things about that horrible day, but by the time we walked through our front door, we had a list of five great things about the day. (Which may not have softened the blow when I made her work on her handwriting for homework.)

Embrace your mistakes. But don't forget to chase your successes, find the bright spots, and deliver joy.

What Nonprofits Can Learn from Netflix

I read the email from Netflix Co-Founder and CEO Reed Hastings this morning with a mixture of disbelief and amusement. A lot of people have summed up the new changes, which include dividing the company into two entities, with Netflix responsible for streaming video, and the new unfortunately named Qwikster responsible for DVDs. Despite Mr. Hastings' emotional admission that he "messed up", his statement remains almost as tone deaf as the one he made earlier this year when he announced controversial new price structures. Which is why I think the Netflix debacle holds a great lesson for nonprofits.

A lot of nonprofits have had to reinvent, restructure and reassess over the last few years of economic turmoil. Some have cut back on donor newsletters and magazines, others have laid off staff, sold assets, and consolidated services. A lot of the time, you can get away with making big changes without informing donors. But when financial or other concerns force you to make big public changes, how do you communicate that to your loyal donors?

Not like Netflix.

The big mistake the Internet media company made wasn't raising its prices or splitting its business -- or even lacking "respect and humility". It was not understanding what its customers liked about the service it provided.

When I read Mr. Hastings' statement, I wondered if anyone in the PR department actually uses the Netflix service. Customers flocked to Netflix because they could get DVDs and streaming content. They saw the company as a content-delivery service with multiple avenues for delivering that content.

But the company saw itself differently. Where customers saw one service, Netflix saw two (DVD and streaming) and decided to charge for each. Which they probably could have gotten away with pretty easily had they made moves to separate the services in customers' minds before they announced the big price hike. (I have no words for the new Qwikster service. WHY are they making it harder for people? Why?)

The lesson: You must listen to your donors. Know how they perceive your organization, what they like and what they don't like. See where their goals and your goals meet and where they diverge. If you must make a change you know will be unpopular, see if you can steer your communication efforts so that your donors will understand where you're headed and why.

You'll always get complaints, and most of the time, that's good. It means your donors are paying attention.

But if you understand where they are coming from, you can communicate your changes more effectively, and avoid the kind of controversy -- and mass exodus of once-loyal supporters -- Netflix has enjoyed the last few months.

Three Ways to Collect Testimonials

We all know we should be collecting testimonials from our Members, board members, constituents, volunteers and those affected by our organization's work. They're the stuff of fundraising gold, able to leverage gifts more effectively than any facts and figures can ever do.

But how do you collect them?

Listen

Nonprofit professionals work long, hard, often thankless hours. By the time you answer that 50th phone call or head off to that Friday night Member event, it's hard to remember what your own name is, much less to muster the energy to actively chase down testimonials.

So don't.

All you have to do is listen. People want to tell you their stories. They want you to know why they support your organization and what your cause has meant to them. Give them the space to say what they want to say, and they'll give you the gift of a shining testimonial. (You might have to take notes, though!)

Ask the Right Questions

Some people need more guidance than others. If you find yourself with someone who has a story to tell but doesn't know how to tell it, ask them a few questions to get them thinking in the right direction:

• How did you become involved with this organization/issue?
• Why are you passionate about it?
• What have you seen personally that drives you to support this organization/issue?
• What does the organization's work accomplish? For you? For your community? For the world?
• What would the world look like if this problem was solved?
• What are the barriers to solving it?

Any one of these questions can get people's testimonial juices flowing -- and give you oodles of great stuff to use in your fundraising.

Get Everyone In On the Act

Testimonials are great for fundraising, but collecting them is not just the job of fundraisers. In fact, the best testimonials often come from program staff as they're out in the field because they're the ones who see firsthand what needs to be done and how your organization is progressing.

All staff members -- program staff, executive staff, board members, interns and volunteers -- should be on the lookout for good testimonials.

Make it easy for everyone with these ideas:

• Create a special Testimonials folder on the file server
• Put a box on the conference table for collecting handwritten stories
• Make a My Story form donors and friends can fill out at events
• Learn how to use the audio recording feature on your smartphone so you can capture stories in the moment
• Give a prize for "Testimonial of the Month"
• Start every staff meeting off by reading one or two of the stories you've collected to inspire and inform

How does your organization collect and share testimonials? I'd love to hear your suggestions!