The 20-year-old Thank You

This week, I sent a thank you note that I should have written 20+ years ago.

When I was applying to colleges, I asked one of my English teachers for a letter of recommendation. He wrote it, I'm certain I at least said "Thank you" when he handed it to me, and I included it in my applications.

A few months later, I blew out of that suburb and didn't look back.

Now...fast-forward a couple of decades. Picture me in my sweats, sitting on the living room floor surrounded by dusty boxes from the attic. I pulled out a file and found the original letter of recommendation from my English teacher.

It was quite a letter -- one tight-margined page filled with praise for me as a student and as a person. It was clear as I read it that Mr. Lewis hadn't relied on boilerplate recommendation language, replacing another student's name with mine. He'd put thought and effort into that letter. And I am sure I was one of dozens of kids who had asked for his recommendation. 

As I read the letter, I knew I hadn't fully appreciated what he'd done for me back when I was in high school, and my verbal "thank you" felt entirely inadequate.

I wanted to thank him properly. But what were the chances he'd remember me out of thousands of kids he's taught over the years? What difference would a heartfelt thank you note mean now?

I decided it didn't matter if he remembered me or not. (To be perfectly honest, I probably wouldn't be able to pick him out of a line-up either!) I knew from years of working with nonprofits that sending a thank you is always the right thing to do.

So I did it. And he responded with a kind note of his own. I don't think he does remember me, but that doesn't matter.

The important thing to me is that I was able to acknowledge his generosity.

Now, clearly, I should have written that note many years ago. I blew it then...just like so many nonprofits blow it each and every day when they fail to acknowledge their donors' generosity.

But it really is better late than never. So if you are still sitting on a stack of thank you notes from your year-end giving drive, for pete's sake, send them out! Better yet, take a few minutes out of each day to telephone those donors and thank them profusely for their support.

They don't have to give to you. They don't owe you anything, just like Mr. Lewis didn't owe me such a stellar recommendation letter.

But you do owe them something: a sincere and timely thank you.

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.

Asking Well

The other day, one of my neighbors sent around an email asking to borrow a large duffle bag. The family was heading to Hawaii for 9 days, and they really wanted to take their boogie boards with them but didn’t own a bag large enough to pack them in for the plane trip. They didn’t want to have to buy or rent boogie boards when they got to Hawaii.

Full disclaimer in case said neighbor reads this: I totally would have leant you the bag if I had one like that, and I’m sorry for using your well deserved family vacation as an object lesson for how not to ask for things if you’re a nonprofit. I hope you had an amazing time.

Now, for my nonprofit readers: you can perhaps imagine what my initial, gut-level reaction was upon reading my neighbor’s request. If not, it went something like this: The only way I would be digging around my attic to find a giant duffle bag is if I was going to Hawaii. Buy your own damn bag.

Of course, my rational, altruistic self then kicked in, and I realized that I would love to help, but I don’t own a bag like they needed. And probably someone else did, so really, I didn’t need to go digging around in the attic to make sure.

And then another email came in from a friend looking for childcare so she could go to a party with her husband – their first date in the two years since their son was born.

My gut-level reaction to that request? YES, I would LOVE to help you out.

When you’re asking your donors for money, are you making the right pitch?

Both my neighbors and my friend were asking for something that wasn’t completely necessary. There were no lives at stake, just convenience and fun.

My neighbors made a practical, extremely logical pitch: It would be a waste of money to have to buy new boogie boards when we could just take ours with us if we had a bag. That logic got my brain working, but it didn’t exactly make me feel like being generous.

But my friend made an emotional pitch: We haven’t been out alone together in two years! That heartfelt request moved me to immediate action, and I thought, “I can make that happen for her.”

When you’re asking your donors for support – or your friends for a favor -- remember: emotion wins the day.

Celebrating Milestones

A funny thing happened to me last week. My oldest child turned 10. I know, really it happened to her. But it's strange for me to think about the changes the last ten years have brought to my life as a direct result of her presence. In a very real way, I owe her much of my progress as a writer and creative consultant to nonprofits. Having her was an earth-shattering, highly focusing experience.

So after the dust settled from her sleepover party and all-around over-the-top birthday celebrations with family and friends subsided, I decided to take a few minutes to celebrate my own journey over the last ten years, reflect on what I've achieved, and plan for the next decade.

The process is ongoing for me, but it also made me think about my clients and their upcoming milestones. So much excitement and opportunity -- so how can we take advantage of it?

Does your nonprofit have a big anniversary coming up?

Anniversaries are a good time to reflect on the past and set new goals for the future -- individually and for nonprofit organizations. Sometimes you find you simply need a course-correct. Other times, a full-on reinvention is required. And while much of this work will be internal, there are ways to celebrate publicly...and perhaps induce your donors to give even more to commemorate your milestone.

Here are my key suggestions, cautions and ideas for celebrating your nonprofit's anniversary with your donors:

• First up, you have to remember that donors generally don't care as much about the anniversary as you at the organization do. With a few exceptions, they're not going to give solely because you've suddenly reached 25 years (or whatever anniversary it happens to be). It doesn't mean you can't celebrate it with your donors, but I would caution against making huge projections based on it being an anniversary year.
• See if you can get a challenge grant from a major donor in celebration of the anniversary. You know that a good Challenge Grant will spur other donors to give, and pinning that challenge to a big, sentimental anniversary might give it a bit extra oomph.
• Can you segment out charter/founding donors? If so, give them special treatment for their longevity. These are your most loyal donors and the ones most likely to be invested in your anniversary, so make sure they know they are the reason you reached such a monumental milestone.
• You might consider designing a special anniversary edition of your logo, to be used just for that one year. Using that in all donor communication will help remind them that it's a special year/exciting time for the organization. Maybe even try using a retro look -- old fonts/logos that were used/popular the year you were founded. Anything you can do to make your donors feel sentimental (read: emotional) about your organization will inspire more giving.
• Consider revisiting some of your early success stories. Tell donors again about the people you've helped, the battles you've won, the previous milestones you've celebrated. Can you profile someone whose life you touched early on, give a "where-are-they-now" update? Even better! Remind your donors why they gave to you in the first place, and they'll be more inclined to give again and keep giving.
• Above all, try to use the anniversary as a way to remind donors of all the great work they've accomplished over the last xx years and then tell them your plan for this year (and the next xx years). As always, keep it simple and compelling. Remind them that they made this anniversary possible.

Anniversaries are a great opportunity for your organization as a whole, and they can also be a good hook for fundraising as long as you always remember this key: it's all about your donor. Stick to what your donors care about in fundraising, avoid showing them the internal details of your reflection, and make them feel like a part of your organization's past, present and future.

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 2

Well vacation and a mountain of work came between two pieces I had hoped to post a little closer together, but I do want to follow up on my earlier post on storytelling ethics, with a set of basic rules to follow for nonprofits. Those rules are a great start, but I don't think that's the end of the discussion at all. Because when I was asked the question, it brought up a lot of other, related ideas about storytelling, ethics and the nature of truth and fiction that I think are valuable to explore.

What is truth?

If you work for a nonprofit of any size, you probably see hundreds of stories coming through your organization each year. And I'm willing to bet that many, many of these stories have a commonality to them that can, sometimes, make them seem indistinguishable from each other.

It's probably easy for you to generalize about the people you serve: "Our clients are predominantly [insert three adjectives that describe the typical constituent here]."

So is that generalization true?

What if you put the generalization into story form by creating an amalgam? Could you give it a name, a set of circumstances and a story arc and still call it "true"?

I've worked for organizations that had no problem with this definition of the truth, believing that slavish adherence to the details of the stories in their organizations undermined the true spirit of their work. I've also worked for organizations that would never, ever consider using an amalgam, certain that it was lying to their donors.

Truth in Fiction

It may be because I am a fiction writer as well as a copywriter that I fall more into the first camp than the second.

Think about memoir for a second. Memoir is generally considered to be a form of nonfiction. But memoirists also take liberties with dates, places, names and timelines in order to create a more cohesive story, while staying true to the overarching themes of their work. Looking at it another way, memoirists lie to preserve the truth.

And some of the "truest" writing I've read is fiction. Sure, the facts may not be there, but truths of what it means to be human are often found in fiction, and can serve to inspire as well as -- or sometimes better than -- nonfiction.

But...

But we're talking about nonprofit storytelling here, not memoir, not fiction. Making up stories whole cloth and pretending they actually happened in your organization will not serve your purpose well.

Lying is a crummy thing to do to your donors. It betrays their trust and is an extremely poor way to repay their generosity.

Still, it is extremely easy to turn a compelling story into a boring collection of facts. And while your donors never deserve to be lied to, you certainly don't want to put them to sleep.

So as I mentioned earlier, use the constraints of the truth to up your creative game. Remember to hit as many of the five senses as you can. If you're interviewing someone, really listen to what they're saying about how they felt so you can convey that to your donors.

Your organization's storytelling ethics deserve careful thought and consideration. Make sure you can justify your stance -- to your board, to your employees, and above all, to your donors.

And, as always, be creative about how you tow that line. Nonprofit storytelling should be about taking your donors on a journey with you, not just about telling a story and asking for money.

All Aboard! Use storytelling to unite and inspire

I had the good fortune to present at the Willamette Valley Development Officers fundraising conference in Portland, OR earlier this month. My friend and business partner Amy Blake and I debuted Super Storytelling, our comprehensive how-to on storytelling and story-collecting for nonprofits. (If you attended that session, thank you so much!) You can see the slides from our presentation here, and we hope to offer the presentation again live and on the web soon. (Stay tuned here and at the ARC Communications website for details!)

In the course of preparing for the presentation, I did a lot of research about the power of story to get the word out, educate and inspire. And since there wasn't time in the presentation to talk about all the exciting things I discovered, I thought I'd do a little brain dump here.

One of my favorite resources was Story Proof: the science behind the startling power of story by Kendall Haven. In the first couple of pages, I learned that people have been sharing stories for 100,000 years. (Not being up on my pre-history, I was pretty impressed humans had been around that long!) All that storytelling has left our brains hardwired to learn through stories and to think about life in story terms.

Haven spends a lot of time in the book going through actual neuroscience studies that clearly show that we learn better, engage more and remember details through stories. Psych studies back this up, too. And if that isn't enough for you, he includes dozens of anecdotes showing just how well it works. From schools, to corporations, to the World Bank, people have discovered -- by accident and by painstaking work -- the power of storytelling.

For nonprofits, one passage in particular stuck out to me:

"Want to develop a sense of belonging and buy-in in your organization? Collect and refine the stories of your group members that best embody the attitudes and outlook you want to promote. Actively tell these stories and encourage others to create and share their own."

If you want to get your donors to remember you, if you want them to understand and appreciate the importance of your work, and above all, if you want them to give, all the statistics in the world aren't going to work for you as well as one good story.

Make stories a key part of your fundraising strategy. Engage everyone -- fundraising folks, program people, volunteers, board members, execs, constituents and even donors -- in collecting and sharing stories. Value all contributions and share stories wherever and whenever you can.

Once you do, you'll find -- as Haven reports in anecdote after anecdote -- that the effort pays off in remarkable ways. People love stories, and when you foster a culture of storytelling, it builds on itself. People become more engaged and committed to your mission, and they pass on that engagement and commitment to newcomers.

Bottom line: Create a community of storytellers in and around your organization, and you'll inspire your staff to greater heights, lead your donors to greater giving, and ultimately, enhance the effectiveness of the critical work your organization performs.

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?

Passionate Persuasion

"Passionate people are the only advocates which always persuade. The simplest man with passion will be more persuasive than the most eloquent without."

~Francois de La Rochefoucauld

When I interviewed the executive director of an environmental organization recently, he was extremely eager to give me statistics about Congressional budgeting as it relates to the environment and to talk about specific legislation winding its way through Congress – down to the subcommittees and staffers involved. I think we can all agree that only the most wonky among us have that level of interest in environmental legislation.

So I asked him why he cared so much. There must be a reason he was willing to delve so deeply into the minutiae of the legislative process on this one issue, right? It took him a few minutes to shift gears, but once he did, he talked about what prompted him to become an environmentalist, his outrage at what he sees as the immoral way government is spending taxpayer money, and his fears for the future of humanity if we ignore Global Warming.

In just a few minutes, we went from a dry fact piece about Congressional spending on the environment, to a Control-tying acquisition letter based on an impassioned plea for moral and humane fiscal decisions.

It’s easy to get caught up in the facts about what you’re doing – and for a lot of people working in nonprofits, people who face desperate circumstances every day as a part of their job, it’s an important method of self-preservation. But when you’re trying to get people to support your mission, you have to be able to recreate that initial surge of passion. Because all the facts in the world won’t get you as much support as one good, emotion-driven story.

This is where that old writing rule “Show, Don’t Tell” comes in.

Need an Example?

It’s easy to tell your story like this: “Every week we see more than 50 homeless, often ill, dogs come into our shelter. And tragically, fewer than 20% of those are adopted. As our canine population grows, our needs grow, too, and today, we’re facing a crisis situation. We urgently need an infusion of $XX to house, feed and care for the dogs we currently have and those we expect in the next few weeks.”

You’ve got the numbers, it’s pretty emotional, and your core group of donors will probably respond.

But consider this approach: “Zoe cowered in the back of her dog carrier, shaking. I looked at her check-in sheet: She’d been abused in her previous home, and she suffered from malnutrition and a bad case of fleas. I got down on the floor, my eyes fixed on her big brown beauties, and coaxed her forward. It took a while, but eventually, she scooted out of her carrier, calmed her shaking, and placed her head trustingly in my lap. One small triumph…that will be replayed more than 50 times this week. You can help Zoe – and all the dogs of XX shelter – make this challenging transition…”

Who can resist a pitch like that? By painting the picture of one dog the shelter has helped, you give your donor the chance to feel like they are there with you. What’s more, this approach breaks down an overwhelming problem – 50 dogs a week that need homes – into a small, do-able task. They may not be able to help every dog that needs them, but they can help this ONE dog.

Very few people dive into the nonprofit world without having some passion. So don't forget why you chose nonprofit work in the first place. Communicate that in your fundraising, and you'll find others flocking to your organization as well.

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.

Testing in a Tight Market

One of the joys of working with a large nonprofit is the ability to test -- from how you visually present your message, to who you choose to mail to, and what special offers you make, when you're mailing for the big guys, you have the chance to really hone in on what works best for your audience. But what if you're a small shop with a small list and a smaller pool of resources to devote to direct mail? How can you test and refine your mailings until you know you're getting the most bang for your buck?

You may not be able to do a split test on any one mailing, but if you're clever and creative, there are still ways you can tell what's working and what's not in your direct mail.

Use Your Swipes

Those of us who work in direct mail are obsessive about checking our own mailboxes because that is one of the best places you can go to get ideas about what's working in today's direct mail.

And I'm not just talking about keeping an eye on the nonprofit organizations you give to. For profit companies -- from banks and financial institutions, to magazines and catalogs -- mail millions of pieces of direct mail each year and have budgets for testing that most nonprofits only dream about. And sure, you might not be able to include a handful of inserts, but can you crib a few ideas about what works from them and apply them to your own packages?

Bonus tip: if you're not on the lists of other organizations in your sector, sign up! A small donation gets you a fine sample of renewals, special appeals and cultivation mailings that can give you a really great picture of what's hot in your niche.

Cheap and Easy Tests

If you can divide your list but don't have a lot of money to spend, there are a few things you can test with little-to-no up front investment.

• Try a lasered upgrade message test on the reply form. You're already lasering donors' names and addresses (and if you're a very small shop, you might be printing everything on your desktop printer!) so it shouldn't cost you much, if anything, to test two different lasered messages.
• Play with color. Too many organizations get stuck in a color rut, which can be great for sending a strong branding message...but might get you ignored in direct mail. Try substituting a different color for black -- dark blue or dark green, maybe. If you absolutely have to limit yourself to approved logo colors, try using them in unique ways -- a graphic band at the top of a page, highlight specific words in the text with color, or use screens to create a layered look.
• Along those same lines, use graphic elements to call attention to your pieces. Give your designer freer reign within the same cost parameters. Bands of color (or black), reversed out headlines, handwriting and other specialty fonts, and color screens don't generally cost any more than more straightforward design, as long as you're not bleeding off the edges or adding colors.

The Long Haul

If you've got a small list but a little money for testing, try testing the same thing over several mailings. That way you can get a more statistically significant pool of results than you can on one small mailing that might include a surprisingly large gift, or have its results impacted by things outside your control.

Bonus tip: if you're testing something on a component that doesn't need to change from one mailing to the next -- say, a colored stock reply envelope -- you can print ahead for the second mailing, which will save you money due to economies of scale.

Bottom line: money's tight for everyone. Even the big organizations are cutting back. But you can still find ways to be innovative and creative and continue testing, even on the most constrained budget.

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.

Thanksgiving Thankfulness

This fall has been a whirlwind of activity -- from kids' school and soccer, to a husband in grad school, and a work load that threatened to bury me in direct mail. There were more than a few moments I wasn't sure how much longer I could keep up the pace.

A friend of mine once told me that if you work for a nonprofit, you will always have work on your desk and exhaustion in your bones.

And these days, when more organizations are trying to meet increased need with decreased resources, I think that's more true than ever. If you don't find a few moments during the year to remember why you do what you do, you'll go bonkers...or worse, burn out completely.

So now that I have a light, short week in which to take a breath and reflect, I want to jot down a few of the things I'm thankful for...things I haven't been able to see amidst the deluge of responsibilities this past few months.

• Clients who consistently surprise and delight me. It is so much easier to endure crunch time with people who appreciate what we're trying to accomplish and who collaborate fully and openly. What a treat!
• Family support. Even my four-year-old knows when Mama needs a break, and my husband and three children are my biggest caretakers...and biggest fans.
• Friends and neighbors who step up, no questions asked. Whether it's providing emergency child care, donating a hot meal, helping me network, or volunteering to proofread my latest letter, these people have my back!
• Work that I believe in. One of the best things about my job is being able to channel my creativity into efforts that make the world a better place to live.
• Connectivity. I'm old enough to remember how cumbersome working at home used to be, and I'm thankful every single day for the tools that allow me to work with people all over the world from a corner of my kitchen.

There are, of course, many other things I'm thankful for -- my home, my town, my good health, the bottle of wine on my counter, peppermint jojos from Trader Joe's, and more. But those are the biggies.

Try to take a moment this week to think about what makes you thankful in your job and in your life. Colleagues? Donors? Small successes or huge triumphs?

Nonprofits are busy places at year's end, and sometimes the only way to make it to the other side is to remember what keeps you going. So, what are you thankful for this year?

Calls to Action...And How to Use Them

When you send out your Direct Mail package, you've got one goal in mind. A gift, right?

Nope. Your one and only goal is to get your donor to take action.

That action may include a gift. And most fundraisers are hyper-focused on that outcome, since it's measurable and -- let's face it -- the reason they're there. But donors don't want to be treated like ATMs. They want to feel like partners in your mission, the invisible force that's making all of your crucial work happen.

Instead of looking for the gift, look at the action the people on your list take. In time, you'll see that the most engaged donors also have the busiest wallets. Try these calls to action for better donor engagement:

Join!

Most philanthropically minded people would love to count themselves among the enlightened and compassionate people who support your cause. Most of us like to feel like we're part of something bigger than ourselves, a coalition or broader movement that will make things happen or solve problems or just make a difference.

Of course, by itself, asking someone to "join" your organization or your cause isn't especially compelling. Some of us see that word and think about how we "joined" the PTA in September and by February were spending 20 hours a week making photocopies and attending meetings about school uniform policies.

So make your "join" message irresistible by linking it to a campaign or an action-plan that has specific goals in mind. Consider the difference between "Join This Great Organization!" and "Join our 3-step Campaign to Solve This Very Important Problem!" One's vague and only moderately interesting, while the other promises results.

Subscribe!

This works well on a website or for an organization with a high-quality publication as part of its benefits. If you can get someone to subscribe to your e-newsletter or your magazine, you know that person is a willing ear. They may need a little more convincing before they fork over the dough...but if you're writing your publications correctly, it won't be long before that reader turns into a donor.

Of course, all the subscribers in the world are no good unless you are sending out publications that include fundraising asks and describe the various fundraising needs your organization has. So make sure the publications and fundraising teams are working together!

Sign!

I write for a lot of activist organizations, so this is one of my favorites. Anytime you send out a package (or put up a web page) with a petition in it, you'll get a lot of people -- usually around 30-50% of responders for mail -- who will ONLY sign the petition without sending a gift. But guess who your best responders are the next time you go out? That's right, those who signed the petition. Petitions are a fantastic way to get people involved in your mission and an easy way for donors to feel like they're making a difference in your cause.

You need to have a petition-worthy issue to make this work, though. If you're sending a petition to one of 18 city councillors or the undersecretary of some department no one knew existed, it's not going to be very compelling. Save this for when you have a big, well known target in mind...and an issue that gets people excited enough to sign.

Tell us Your Opinion!

Everyone loves to spout off their opinions, and when you give your donors a quick, easy-to-follow survey to fill out, few can resist. Keep it short -- 3-5 questions -- and make sure the last question leads them to donating. (Try something like, "If you knew that This Great Organization was a leader in solving This Terrible Problem, would you be willing to support us with a financial gift?")

All of these are great ways to get donors involved in what you're doing. And an involved donor is a donor who gives again and again. Which gets you to the one action that most fundraisers -- and board members -- are most interested in: Donating.

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!

Tips & Tricks: Letter Length

The other day, I sent an acquisition letter to the new development director at an organization I've worked with for several years. The letter had gone through the rounds with her predecessor, but we wanted him to make sure he was comfortable with the language, the tone, and most importantly, the facts as laid out in the piece. His #1 comment? This letter is too long! Nobody's going to read all that.

How long is too long?

The only good answer, of course, is as long as it needs to be. But there are a few general guidelines you can follow.

There was a time when 6-page letters were not unusual, but these days, most direct mail is 2 pages or 4 pages. Why not 3? Paper costs -- there's simply no good reason to have a blank page (the back of page 3) in your package. That's space that could be better used to sell your cause or make your case. If you're running 3 pages and can't cut, make sure your margins are nice and big, your paragraphs short. Try adding one more testimonial, or a personal story from the signer. But don't waste that last page!

A 2-pager

I like 2-page letters for simpler, more straightforward campaigns. Those that have easy-to-understand asks with no need for a lot of explanation or history work well in shorter letters. Urgent actions -- we have 14 days to save this animal's life!, for example -- are perfect for 2-page letters.

Sometimes financial constraints can dictate a shorter letter. If you need to save money, getting rid of that second piece of paper is an easy way to do it. But make sure you can still make your case in those two pages.

A 4-pager

There's a reason this has been the standard for so long: it works. No, people may not read every word, but they do skim through, and if they can see that you've used those four pages well -- with testimonials, facts, a story or two, and urgency -- they'll feel good about giving to you, knowing that you are knowledgeable and passionate about your issue.

Especially when you're introducing someone to your organization or asking them to take a specific action, it's nice to have that extra space to tell them why their support is so important right now.

Test, test, test!

Letter length is a fantastic test. You may think your donors like the short-and-sweet letters you've been sending out, only to find out they really do respond better when you tell them more. Often, organizations "cheat" on letter length by narrowing the margins and running paragraphs together. Test and see if more air in your letter -- even if it runs to 4 pages -- bumps up response.

Conversely, if you've been sending out 4-page letters for years, you might save a bundle by switching it up to 2-pagers.

Many of my clients like to switch it up depending on a number of factors: how many people are getting the mailing (the smaller mailings often get 2-pagers to save on up front costs), the subject, the action required, the signer, the printing turnaround (there are some 2-page formats that can be turned around in 48 hours at the printer), etc.

The message

Above all, the message you're communicating should drive the letter length. Donors don't like it when you pad your letter with boring repetition, just so you can fill out 4 pages. And they don't like feeling like you left out important details just to keep your page count down.

3 Ways to Involve Your Donors

One of the easiest ways to get people fired up about your organization is to involve them directly in your work. Give them a piece of the action, and they'll be that much more invested in your mission...which means they'll invest in you. So how do you get them involved? Try these three simple involvement devices that can work wonders:

Petitions

I work with a lot of activist causes, so one of my favorite involvement devices is the Petition. Petitions are win-win for organizations and donors. Your people make their voices heard, and you have a chorus behind you on some of your biggest issues.

A few of key points to consider when doing a Petition: first, it's best if the Petition goes to someone your donors have heard of and who has the clout to make the change you're asking for. The President, prominent members of Congress, corporate CEOs or business titans -- these are all great targets. Second, make sure you're asking for something sufficiently large enough to warrant a Petition. Your donors want to help you move mountains, not drive the truck around the block. Finally, make sure you deliver them as promised! Nothing zaps your credibility faster than collecting a stack of petitions that don't ever make it out of your office.

Surveys

Nearly everyone loves a Survey. Like the Petition, this gives your donor the chance to make their opinion known. You can make it narrow by asking specific questions about one current issue your organization is working on, or you can ask a series of questions about the overall work your organization is doing, or, for current supporters, how you're doing.

I like to include a survey toward the end of a Renewal series as a way of prompting late responders to finally renew -- or say why they won't. Two caveats: keep surveys short -- 5-7 questions is best -- and always use the final question to lead toward the gift.

Declarations

I've used this involvement device sparingly, but when you are launching a huge campaign, changing the direction of an organization, or pushing for policy change on a massive scale, a Declaration of Support can be a great involvement device.

Structured much like a Petition, a Declaration enables you to lay out your entire case in a few lines, then asks your donors to sign their support. You get donor buy-in for big campaigns or organizational changes, and donors get the satisfaction of being visionary leaders helping to guide and support exciting new endeavors. Again, it's not for every campaign, but when you've got a blockbuster, a Declaration of Support might be just the thing to involve your donors.

One key point to remember: For all three of these involvement devices, about 1/3 to 1/2 of your responses may come back with no money. Don't panic -- these no-money responders have proven they care about your issue. They'll reward you in the future if you keep giving them the chance.

There are many other kinds of involvement devices -- from membership cards, to tear-off forms, and much more. But these are three of my favorites for nonprofits because they're affordable and they invite your donors to become more invested in your mission than they were before.

What are your favorite involvement devices? Is there something else I should add to my bag of tricks? Post in the comments.