I don't need to tell you how much information you're inundated with everyday. But have you thought about the impact this has on your donors?
Every communication you have with supporters or prospective donors has to break through a lot of noise to get their attention.
And that's no small task. But it certainly can be done.
Here are the first five of ten proven strategies to set you apart from the rest...
1. Get all emotional
You may think you make decisions based on logic. Being a bit of a nerd, I certainly like to think I do. But, neurology studies prove that's not the case.
People act because you moved them emotionally -- you made them feel something. MRIs show that it's our brain's emotional nerve center that gets activated first.
It's not a rational, logical process where we weigh costs against benefits and make an informed decision. Your brain gets involved later, largely as a rubber stamp to make sure you don't do anything too wacky!
But it starts with the heart.
If you're not hitting your donors on an emotional level, then you're not raising as much money as you could.
So, how do you do this exactly? Funny you should ask...
2. Use stories, not statistics
Stories are one of the most effective ways to communicate with people. This seems to be one of those things that we know in theory... but then we just keep trotting out those facts and figures. Stop.
Stories are more powerful. Stories get our attention. Stories put a face on an issue, make it personal, make us feel something. And that moves us to act (aka -- give).
Like storytelling guru Andy Goodman said, "Even if you have reams of evidence on your side, remember: numbers numb, jargon jars, and nobody ever marched on Washington because of a pie chart."
Want more help on how to tell great stories?
3. Think small
When it comes to the stories you tell, don't paint a picture of some dire scenario. I don't care how serious the problem is. Small, not big, prompts us to act.
Research proves it -- the more overwhelming the situation, the less people feel they can help.
Why?
Because most people (Not you, Ms Nonprofit Insider...you're not "most people.") -- most people don't act because of how bad things are. They act because they think they can help make things better. Hope is critical.
If anything seems too overwhelming, you'll scare off potential supporters with the scale of the problem. We lose hope and you lose donations.
People want to help. But they also want to know that what they do will matter. So progress, change, solutions -- these things need to feel within reach.
Your job is to take your big issue and make it small. Tell me the story of one person, one dog, one tree...
4. Talk about the benefits
On some level, whenever we're asked to do something, we're wondering -- what's in it for me?
Now this doesn't mean people are looking for some kind of tangible reward, monetary payout, or tote bag. (Though if tote bags are working for you, go for it!)
What it means is that we choose to spend our free time and our disposable income on what feels good.
So tell people what they'll get out of donating. Spell it out for them. Make them an offer. Give them benefits like...
- Knowing first-generation college students have the support they need to excel and graduate.
- Having your gift matched dollar for dollar.
- Being one of the first 100 supporters to join this exclusive new giving circle.
- Having 93% of your contribution spent directly on feeding families.
- Receiving a personal update every quarter on what your donation made possible.
5. Different strokes for different folks
If you're saying the same thing to everyone, you're losing a lot of people. Because you and I might not be motivated by the same things.
I might be a newcomer to the ASPCA who's given just once (and that was almost a year ago!). You could be a tried and true supporter who's already donated three times in 2011. I might have made my contribution online, while you don't even use email regularly. I might have a soft spot for dogs and you could be a cat person.
The more you can personalize your messaging for each audience and tailor your communications to different segments of your list, the better response you'll get.
If you're not doing this already, start by figuring out exactly who your audiences are and then craft your messages accordingly.
All the donors (and prospects) on your list have a different relationship with your organization, a different level of motivation, a different connection to the issue. Figure out what they are and speak to them.
I'll see you in August with tips 6-10. I hope these first five will keep you busy until then... Ciao!
