I’m sure you’ve been stuck in a conversation with someone who brags about all the wonderful things he’s done or talks too much about herself while ignoring you. As they drone on and on, you think – “Hey, I’m part of this conversation, too.”
Imagine your donors having the same reaction when all your communication sounds like one big bragfest that’s all about your organization and doesn’t even acknowledge them. Then imagine all your hard work going to waste when your boring appeal or newsletter goes straight to the recycling bin.
Yes, you want to share your accomplishments, but you don’t want to annoy your donors by focusing too much on your organization. It’s possible to do this without bragging. Here’s how.
Be donor-centered
You don’t need to tell your donors your organization is great. They wouldn’t have given you money if they didn’t think highly of you.
Let your donors know they’re great because they helped you make a difference for the people or community you serve. Give specific examples. Because of donors like you, the Coleman family can move out of a shelter and into a home of their own.
All your communication should be donor or audience-centered. One way to ensure this is to use the word you more than we or us.
Why is it So Hard to be Donor-Centered?
Share a story
Telling a story is a great way to share accomplishments. Whether it’s in the first or third person, you can give a personal account of how you’re making a difference. Remember to focus on the people you serve and keep your organization in the background.
If You’re Making a Difference, You Have Stories to Tell
Photos and videos featuring the people you serve is another good way to share accomplishments.
Why is what you do important
Instead of the usual laundry list you see in annual reports, such as we served over X number of students in our tutoring program, focus on why that’s important, too. Students in our tutoring program are now reading at their grade level and have a better chance of graduating from high school on time.
Instead of focusing on what you do, let your donors know why it’s important.
Show don’t tell
Too many newsletters and annual reports ramble on about how an organization is number one in such and such, or there was a crisis and X organization came in to solve it.
Go back to stories and examples. You can’t ignore your organization altogether, but instead of saying we were the first organization to come in and help the flood victims or we’re the number one hospital in the community, say Thanks to you, Fuller county residents now have access to clean drinking water and can start rebuilding their homes after the devastating flood or Thanks to you, the Brookfield neighborhood has a new outpatient clinic so residents don’t have to travel far to see their health care providers.
How you made a difference is more important than being first or best.
Current donors want to see the results of their gift. Potential donors may be more interested in your reputation, but they also want to see how their donation will make a difference.
How to do better
Before you share accomplishments in an appeal letter, thank you letter, newsletter article, social media update, annual report, etc, ask yourself these questions:
-Is this donor/audience-centered?
-Are we focusing on the people/community we serve?
-Are we showing results?
-Are we saying why this is important?
-Are we bragging too much about ourselves?
Read on for more about the perils of bragging.
Ann Green's Nonprofit Blog 
[…] First, you don’t have to do an annual report, but you do have to share accomplishments with your donors. You might want to ditch the annual report and send short progress reports a couple of times a year or monthly e-updates instead. If you decide to do an annual report, I encourage you to move away from the traditional multi-page one. Aim for something no longer than four pages. Here are a few ways to rethink your annual report so you won’t put your donors to sleep and also make it a little easier for nonprofit staff. Your annual report is for your donors Keep your donors in mind when you create your annual report and include information you know will interest them. You may want to consider different types of annual reports for different donor groups. You could send an oversized postcard with photos and infographics or a two-page report to most of your donors. Your grant and corporate funders might want more detail, but not 20 pages. See if you can impress them with no more than four pages. Make it a gratitude report Donors want to feel good about giving to your nonprofit. Think of this as a gratitude report. You may want to call it that instead of an annual report. Focus on thanking your donors for their role in helping you make a difference. Get inspired by these examples that celebrate the donor. Oregon Zoo Gratitude Report What’s in my Mailbox | “Annual Report”…or “Gratitude Report?” How are you making a difference? The theme of many annual reports is look how great we are. Are You Boring Your Donors By Bragging Too Much? […]
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