writing

Make a Resolution to Be Donor-Centered

Ann Green Communications, donor relations, fundraising, writing
New Year’s resolutions are a mixed bag.  Most people make them with good intentions and then revert back to their old habits after a few weeks.
One resolution nonprofit organizations need to make (and keep) is to be donor-centered.  The term donor-centered is pretty self-explanatory.  You want to focus on your donors’ needs and interests and take into account that not all donors are the same.
Is your organization donor-centered?  Here are a few areas to look at.
Fundraising Appeals
You’d think fundraising appeals would be donor-centered, but many are not.  Some focus too much on the organization – saying how great they are. Your organization may be great, but let your donors figure that out. Your donors are the ones who are great and they want to hear how they can help you make a difference for the people/community you serve.
Donor-centered fundraising appeals are segmented to the appropriate audience.  Thank past donors or reference your relationship to a potential donor.  Maybe they are event attendees, volunteers, or friends of board members.
Many fundraising appeals are vague, impersonal, and filled with jargon.  Don’t say we are helping disenfranchised members of the community.  A donor-centered appeal would say something like – With your support, we can help low-income families find affordable housing.
Thank you letters
Even If organizations do invest time in creating a donor-centered appeal, they often fall short with their thank you letters.  Many come across as transactional and resemble a receipt. Yes, you need to acknowledge that the donation is tax deductible, etc, but most donors are more concerned about how their gift made a difference.
Marketing consultant Kivi Leroux Miller stresses catering more to your donors’ inner angels rather than their inner bookkeepers.  A donor-centered thank you letter (or better yet,a handwritten note), might read – You’re fabulous.  Thanks to your generous donation of $50, we can provide groceries for a family of four at the Southside Community Food Bank.
A donor-centered thank you letter recognizes each donor.  Is this the first time someone has donated?  If someone donated before, did she increase her gift?   Acknowledge this in your letter/note.
Newsletters
Newsletters are a great way to stay engaged with your donors throughout the year, but they, too, are often not donor-centered.
Some newsletters come across as self-promotional and are focused more on the wonderful things the organization is doing, as opposed to how their donors are helping them make a difference.
I recently received a newsletter in which one of the articles looked as if the organization took a press release and stuck it in their newsletter.  It was written in the third person and included quotes from the executive director and program directors.
A donor-centered newsletter article should be written in the second person, as should most of your communications.  Write to the donor and use the word you more often than we. Instead of including quotes from directors, let your donors hear from the people you serve.
Let’s say your organization just opened a community health center.  You could write –  Thanks to your support, residents in the Northdale neighborhood no longer have to travel five miles to get a check up.  “I’m so happy that I don’t have to take two busses to go to the doctor anymore”, said Mary, a long-time neighborhood resident.
Make a resolution to be donor-centered and stick with it throughout the year.  Be sure every message you send to your donors will make them feel special. 
Read on for more information.
A donor-centered organization, your donors, & relationship building
 10 Reasons this Fundraising Appeal Hits it Out of the Ballpark
Are you donor centered?

Photo by LC Nottasson via Flickr


Create a Thank You Plan

Ann Green Communications, donor relations, fundraising, planning, writing
This post is included in the November Nonprofit Blog Carnival | Giving Thanks and Gratitude

You probably have a fundraising plan (if not you should) and maybe a donor relations plan, but do you have a thank you plan?

Nonprofit organizations spend a lot of time on their fundraising campaigns, but treat thanking their donors as an afterthought.

You need to spend just as much time thanking your donors as you do on fundraising.

Creating a thank you plan will help you stay focused on gratitude all year round. Donor retention rates keep plunging and some of the reasons are donors don’t feel appreciated and that they only hear from nonprofits when they are asking for money.

Here are some things to consider as you put together your thank you plan.

Plan to thank your donors right away
Every single donor, no matter how much they have given or whether they donated online, gets a thank you card/ letter mailed to them or receives a phone call.

Try to thank your donors within 48 hours. This shouldn’t be hard to do. Carve out some time each day you get a donation and thank your donors.

Plan to go beyond sending a boring thank you letter

Instead of sending a generic thank you letter, mail a handwritten card or call your donors. Calling your donors to thank them is something your board can do. It’s often a welcome surprise and can raise retention rates among first-time donors.

Here’s where planning comes in. Find board members, staff, and volunteers to make phone calls or write thank you notes. Come up with sample scripts. You may also want to conduct a short training.

If you can’t send handwritten cards or call all your donors, send them a personal and heartfelt letter. Don’t start your letter with “On behalf of X organization we thank you for your donation of….” Open the letter with “You are amazing” or use one of the suggestions from this post. 22 Delightful Ways to Say Thank You!

Add a personal handwritten note to the letter, preferably something that pertains to that particular donor. For example, if the donor has given before or attended one of your recent events, mention that. In addition, make sure all the letters are hand signed.

Let your donors know how much you appreciate them and highlight what your organization is doing with their donation.

Here is more information on how you can do a better job of thanking your donors and some sample phone scripts and letters.

Let’s Do a Better Job of Thanking Donors

Fundraisers, Fix Your Thank You Letters!!


Plan to keep thanking your donors all year round
As you put together your communications calendar, incorporate ways to thank your donors. Try say thank you at least once a month. Here are some ways to do that.

  • Send cards or email messages at Thanksgiving, during the holidays, Valentine’s Day, or mix it up a little and send a note of gratitude in June or September when your donors won’t be expecting it.
  • Invite your donors to connect with you via email and social media. Keep them updated with accomplishments and success stories. Making all your communications donor-centered will help convey an attitude of gratitude. Share accomplishments such as:

Thanks to you, we just started an afterschool program at the Northdale Middle School. Now these students have a safe place to meet and learn new skills.

  • Be sure to keep thanking your donors in your newsletter and social media updates. Emphasize that you wouldn’t be able to do the work you do without your donors’ support.
  • Create a thank you video and share it on your website, by email, and on social media. Our Favorite Nonprofit Thank You Videos 
  • Hold an open house at your organization or offer tours so your donors can see the inner workings of your nonprofit. 

Show Appreciation by Holding an Open House

The Power of Place – Making the Most of Tours For Donors

  • Keep thinking of other ways to thank your donors.
Creating a thank you plan will make it easier to keep showing appreciation to your donors all year round. If you treat them well, maybe they’ll treat you well the next time you send a fundraising appeal.

How to Create an Annual Report That Won’t Bore Your Donors

Ann Green Communications, donor relations, fundraising, writing
What do you think of when you hear annual report? Are you picturing a long, boring document filled with wordy text and statistics? It doesn’t have to be like that.


You want to create an annual report that will engage your supporters and not bore them. But, before we get into how you can do that, here are few things to consider.

Does it make sense to produce an annual report? 
It might not. Nonprofit organizations aren’t required to produce an annual report, but they can be beneficial, if done well. Read on for more information to help you figure out if it makes sense for you to produce an annual report. Do Annual Reports Still Make Sense?

If you decide not to do an annual report, find another way to share accomplishments with your donors.

All your donors are not the same
You may want to consider different types of annual reports for different donor groups. Marketing expert Kivi Leroux Miller recommends an oversized postcard with photos and infographics. I think that’s great for most of your donors.

Your grant and corporate funders might want more detail, but not 20 pages. Aim for no more than four pages. Your funders are busy and don’t have a lot of time to read your annual report.

This Annual Reports Wiki includes some great examples including postcards and videos.

No matter what type of annual report you produce, here are some suggestions for creating one that won’t bore your donors.

Be donor centered. 
The purpose of an annual report is to show your donors how they are helping you make a difference for the people you serve.


Think about what your donors want (not what your board wants or what you have always done). They don’t want you to go on and on about how great your organization is. Share accomplishments like this –Thanks to you, 85% of the students in our tutoring program are reading at their grade level or above.

Make it visual
Find some engaging photos to include in your annual report. Photos can tell a story in an instant. Choose photos of people participating in an activity, such as a tutor helping her student with her reading.


Use colorful charts or graphs to highlight your financials. This is a great way to keep it simple and easy to understand.

Sprinkle in quotes and short testimonials to help break up any text. 


Tell a story
You can tell a story with words, a photo, or video. Share a success story about a person you have helped. For example, Cara used to struggle with her reading, but now reads at her grade level after weekly tutoring sessions with Amy, one of our volunteer tutors.

Be conversational
Write in the second person and use a warm, friendly tone. Ditch the jargon and passive voice.

Use everyday language such as – With your help we found affordable housing for over 100 homeless families. Now they no longer have to live in a shelter, motel, or their cars, and have a place to call home.


Break from tradition
Traditionally annual reports have included an introduction from the executive director or board chair. I find these often drone on and don’t entice you to read more. If you do include an introduction, make it brief, friendly, jargon-free, and filled with gratitude towards your donors for their support in helping you reach your goals.

Annual reports usually contain a donor list, which have pros and cons. Some donors want public recognition, but these lists take up space and most people aren’t going to read them.

You’ll have to decide if it makes sense to include one in print. You may want to include a list of donors at a certain level in your annual report and all your donors on your website. Whatever you decide, be sure to thank all your donors in this section and double and triple check that their names are spelled correctly.

Annual reports can be time consuming. Don’t let your hard work go to waste. Create an annual report that will capture your donors’ attention right away and not bore them.

Photo by Dion Gillard via Flickr

Let’s Do a Better Job of Thanking Donors

Ann Green donor relations, fundraising, writing
Nonprofits invest a lot of time and energy in their annual appeal, but thanking donors seems like an afterthought.

You need to spend as much time thanking your donors as you do on your annual appeal letter.

I recently received a thank you letter that was a case study of what not to do. It was sent three months after I made the donation, it was addressed to Dear Friends, and it included vague, impersonal language like “X organization serves individuals who are often the most disinenfranchised members of their communities.”  Arrgh!

Here are some suggestions on how to do a better job of thanking your donors.

Thank your donors right away
Thank your donors within 48 hours.  It’s possible to do this, but you’ll need a commitment from your staff and board.  Here is more information.  3 Secrets to Getting Your Donor Thank You Out in 48 Hours 

One size doesn’t fit all
What type of relationship do you have with your donor?  Is she a new donor, repeat donor, volunteer, etc?  Acknowledge that when you thank her. A Fundraiser’s Guide to Effective Gift Acknowledgment
Make it personal
Let’s all take a vow to keep jargon and impersonal language out of our thank you letters.  Be conversational and friendly.  Let your donor know how much you appreciate him.

Show how your donor is helping you make a difference
Share a success story and show what her gift will fund.

Give your donors a call

Calling your donors to say thank you is an easy, yet effective way, to show appreciation.

This is a great job for your board. The executive director or other staff and volunteers can make calls, too. Make sure you find people who are comfortable making phone calls and don’t sound as if they are reading from a script. You want callers who are willing to engage in a conversation with donors.

Come up with script and a spreadsheet to record notes. You may want to conduct a little mini-orientation to get your callers pumped up and give them an opportunity to practice. Here is a sample script.


Hi, this is Susan Jones and I’m a board member at the Westside Community Food Pantry. I’m calling to thank you for your generous donation of $50. Thanks to you, we can provide a family with a week’s worth of groceries. This is great. We are seeing more people use our food pantry right now because of cuts to food stamp programs. We really appreciate your support.

It’s fine to leave a message, but be sure to provide a call back number in case the donor wants to talk with someone.

Not only is calling your donors an effective way to say thank you, it can help you keep your donors and raise more money in the future.

Seven Tips for Making Better Donor Thank You Calls
Donor Thank You Calls: Everything You Need To Know
Send a handwritten note

A few handwritten sentences on a nice card is going to make much more of an impact than a printed thank you letter. Think about creating a thank you card or postcard with an engaging photo on the front. 

Since you will only be able to write a few sentences – make them count. Use a warm, conversational tone. Try something like this.

Dear Lisa,

You’re amazing! Your generous contribution of $50 will help us meet our goal of expanding our tutoring program to serve more students.

Your support makes a difference. 85% of the students in our program are now reading at their grade level or above. 

This shouldn’t take you that much time and it is time well spent. You can put together a team of staff, board members, and other volunteers to write the notes. You could also have clients write notes. Make sure to find people with legible handwriting.

Sending a handwritten note shows your donor how much you appreciate them.

The Power of a Handwritten Note

Why Direct Mail – the more personal the better – Will Not Die

Just because your thank you letters are generated by a computer doesn’t mean they need to sound like one
If you can’t make calls or send a handwritten note to all your donors, send a heartfelt, personal printed letter, and include a short handwritten message.  Give it the human touch. 

Let your donors know you are saying thank you because you want to, not because you have to.  

Also, even though your online donors will receive an automatic thank you email, they should still get something in the mail or a phone call.

You can use the samples above for printed letters, as well.

When thanking your donors, remember to thank them right away, make it warm and personal, and show them how they are helping you make a difference.

More inspiration to help you thank your donors.

How “Wow!” Experiences Create Lifetime Donors

Beyond Formulas: Thanking Donors and Volunteers

Photo by Clever Cupcakes via Flickr

Annual Appeal Letter 101

Ann Green fundraising, writing


You want to create an annual appeal letter that captures your donors’ attention right away and convinces them to donate. Sounds simple, but it’s not. Here are some ways to ensure a successful letter.

First impressions count
First, you need to get your donor to open your letter. Give some thought to the outside envelope. You could include a teaser. 

You want to be both personal and professional. If hand addressing the envelopes is not feasible, make sure your mailing labels look clean, are typo-free, and aren’t crooked. Use stamps if you can.

Create an inviting piece of mail.

Start with a story
Start your letter with a compelling story. Focus on a person or family and not on your organization. 


Rosie’s Place, a nonprofit that helps poor and homeless women in Boston, recently sent an appeal letter in which a client told her story in the first person. That’s another option.

Your donors want to hear about the people they are helping.

Use a photo
Include an engaging color photo in your letter or on your pledge form. Photos can tell a story in an instant.

Here is more information on creating stories and photos.

Do You Have Good Stories To Tell?

You gotta ask
Ask for a donation at the beginning of the next paragraph (after the story).

Ask for a little more
Also, ask donors if they can give a little more this year.

Phrase your ask like this – We are so grateful for your previous gift of $50.  Could you help us out a little more this time with a gift of $75?

If you have been doing a good job of engaging your donors throughout the year, they shouldn’t mind if you ask for a larger gift.

BTW, including the amount of the donor’s previous gift is helpful since people often don’t remember what they gave before.  Be sure the information is correct so you avoid a mistake like this. Let’s Help A Nonprofit Radio Listener

It’s all about the donor
It’s not about your organization. Show how are you are making a difference and how much you appreciate your donor’s role in that.
Make your donor feel good about supporting your nonprofit.

What’s going on?
Highlight a few accomplishments from the year and show how you plan to continue your good work with your donor’s help.

Make it personal
Send separate letters to people who have donated before and thank them for supporting you. You can also tailor letters to other groups such as people on your mailing list who haven’t donated yet, event attendees, volunteers, and friends of board members. Remember, 


Your letter should have a personal salutation and not be addressed to Dear Friend.

Make it easy to give 
Include a return envelope with amounts to check off or an envelope and a pledge form. Show what each amount will fund. Here’s an example. About Countdown to Summer


In addition, include a link to a user-friendly donation page on your website. Even if donors receive a letter, they will often donate online.

Offer a monthly giving option
Monthly gifts can generate more revenue. Encourage your donors to give $10 or $20 a month. If they do, you are getting gifts over $100 each!

Make it easy to read
Use short paragraphs and bulleted lists. Use bold or color for key words, but keep it tasteful. Make it easy to read and scan. Use a simple font and keep in mind that 14 point is the new 12.

It’s fine to go over a page, especially if you are breaking up the text with a photo and short paragraphs. But don’t write a novel. You can also add a quote or short testimonial. These can be powerful and it helps break up the narrative.

Be conversational
Use a conversational tone and keep out terms like disenfranchised individuals and underserved communities. Use everyday language.


Refer to your reader as you and write as if you are talking to a friend. Keep it personal.

Too many editors spoil the appeal
Your entire staff shouldn’t need to be involved in creating the letter. Your best writer should craft it and then turn it over to your best editor. Whoever signs the letter (your Executive Director?) can take a quick look at it, but don’t go overboard. 

Not only does involving more people take extra time, it usually weakens the content. Keep it fresh.


All’s well that ends well
Repeat your ask at the end of the letter. Don’t forget to say please and thank you.

Add a PS
People often gravitate to the PS as they scan the letter. Here you could emphasize monthly giving or ask if their company provides matching gifts.


Get your pens out
Include a short handwritten note. Make it relevant to each donor, such as thanking her for a previous donation or letting him know it was nice to see him at a recent event.

Hand sign the letters in blue ink.

Are you ready?
Send out an annual appeal letter that will capture your donors’ attention and bring you the donations you need. Good luck!

Need some more inspiration? Read on.

[INFOGRAPHIC] How To Write An Annual Fundraising Appeal Letter
8 Tips for Writing a Fundraising Letter
How to Write a Fundraising Letter That Wins Back Lapsed Donors 
8 Steps to Writing Successful Fundraising Appeals
Photo by Lenore Edman via Flickr

Summer Project Time – Put Together a Collection of Stories and Photos

Ann Green Communications, donor relations, fundraising, marketing, writing
Another project you can do this summer is to gather stories and photos.  You’ll need them for your annual appeal, and can also use them in an annual report, on your website, and in your newsletters.

You want to have a collection of engaging stories and photos to use throughout the year. 

Show don’t tell
Many nonprofits try to explain their “programs and services” by using abstract and impersonal language. Tell a story instead. A story can show how your organization is making a difference in a concrete and personal way. Stories are a great way to introduce your organization to potential donors and show current donors the impact of their support.

Don’t just say you have opened a clinic in an underserved community.  Share Mary’s story.  Mary, a 68-year-old woman with diabetes, used to have to take two busses to see the doctor. Now she can visit the new clinic that’s a five minute walk from her house.  Include some quotes from Mary, or better yet have her tell a story in the first person.

Imagine you are a donor.  Wouldn’t you rather read a story than a bunch of facts and statistics?

Read on for more information to help you tell your stories.

You Have 6 Nonprofit Story Types to Tell (Part One)

5 Steps to Collecting Stories Now for Year-End Fundraising

Do You Have Good Stories To Tell?

Why Telling One Person’s Story Moves Your Constituents to Action

Tell a visual story
You’ve probably heard the expression a picture is worth a 1000 words.  Yes, it’s a cliché, but it’s relevant in this day of information overload.  Your donors don’t have a lot of time to read your messages, but you can capture their attention in an instant with a great photo. Engage Prospects With Visual Content 

Use photos that show your work in action – photos that tell a story. I love this photo from the Fresh Air Fund.  It really caught my attention the first time I saw it. FreshAirFundPrintPSA-Fundraising-BigSplashes.
Here is more information to help you create and use photos.
5 Ways To Make Your Visual Content More Stunning

How Nonprofits Can Use Images and Video to Engage: A Case Study 
Work with your program staff
If you are making a difference, then you have good stories to tell.  Most likely you’ll need to work with your program staff to gather stories and photos.  They will either provide you with stories or give you access to clients that you can interview or photograph.  They’ll also help you get any permissions, if you want to talk with or photograph children.

If any of your clients are reluctant to share their stories, remember you can change their names to protect their privacy.

You do need to respect the program staff’s time and not approach them at the last minute because you need a story for your annual appeal.

Successful nonprofit organizations have good staff relationships where everyone works together for the people you serve.  Don’t get territorial and create silos. 

Here is more information on how you can all work together to share your stories.  Let’s Work Together – The Importance of a Good Relationship with the Program Department
Being organized pays off
I recommend gathering stories and photos at least once or twice year.  It’s okay to use the same photos and stories in different materials.  Often a familiar photograph can help with your brand identity.

By having this collection of stories and photos, you can easily find one for your annual appeal, thank you letters, or newsletters.

Photo by UNE Photos via Flickr

Do You Really Talk Like That?

Ann Green Communications, donor relations, fundraising, marketing, writing
Imagine that you are donor and you receive a newsletter from a nonprofit organization that you support.  As you read it, you come across phrases like generate social capital and culture-focused projects.  Does it make you want to read more, or put it aside and go on to your next piece of mail?

One of the keys to good writing is to be conversational.  Many nonprofit communications (newsletters, fundraising letters, etc) are not conversational and tend to be impersonal and abstract.

Don’t worry. it’s easy to fix this.  Here are a few ways to make your writing more conversational.

Write in the second person
Refer to your reader as you and your organization as we.  Since you want to be donor-focused, use you more than we.

Write as if you are talking to a friend. You may want to create donor personas to help you with that. How to Develop Donor Personas for Your Nonprofit

Ditch the jargon
Most industries have some type of insider language.  I think people like to use it because it makes them feel like they are “in the know.”

The problem is when this language starts creeping into your fundraising letters and newsletter articles.  Terms like capacity building and direct service don’t mean anything to most of your donors. Personally, I’d like to see nonprofit folks stop using jargon so much among themselves.

I found the examples cited above in a nonprofit newsletter I recently received.  I’m not sure what this organization is trying to convey when they say generate social capital. Are they talking about economic benefits or community building?

Donors want specific examples of how you are making a difference by helping homeless families find affordable housing or showing how your tutoring program boosts kids’ reading skills.

The culture-focused project referred to students creating a flag from their “country of origin.”  Why not tell a story about Sarah and Maria’s experience working on this project and include some quotes from the girls?

If you are not sure you are using jargon, this might help. Jargon Finder 

Don’t use the passive voice 
I’m not a fan of the passive voice. It weakens your writing, and if you use it in a conversation, you sound pretentious.

Instead of saying 200,000 meals were served at the Riverside Community Food Bank, say thanks to you (remember your donor) we served 200,000 meals….. 

Use strong, active verbs and limit passive verbs (is, was) as much as possible.

Back to school
Many major newspapers write at a sixth to eighth grade level  and so should you.  This is not dumbing down; you are making your stories easy to read and understand.  When you use big words, you are confusing and alienating your readers.

The Flesch Kinkaid tool in the review section of Word can be helpful.  It gives you readability statistics, number of passive sentences, and grade level.

Make this a priority
Your writing needs to be conversational so you can create clear and engaging messages.

You might want to read your letter/article out loud, or have someone outside your organization look at it.  I don’t always like to recommend multiple editors, and perhaps this is one of the reasons for flat writing, but what may be clear to you might not make sense to others.

Keep all this is mind as you start to craft your fall annual appeal letters and thank you letters. 

Your donors are busy and receive messages from a variety of sources besides yours.  Make your letter, email message, or social media post something they will take the time to read. 

Read below for more information to help you make your writing clear and specific.
Instead of Help, Support, Resources and Services
Crafting Fundraising Letters: What To Say Instead of “Programs and Services”

Time To Thank Your Donors

Ann Green Communications, donor relations, fundraising, writing
Do you remember the commercial from years back where the Dunkin Donuts baker would rise each morning and declare?  “Time to make the donuts.”  Time to make the Donuts  Well, it’s time for you to thank your donors.
Of course, it’s always time to thank your donors, and you should be showing gratitude on a regular basis, not just after you have received a gift.  But take it up a notch and do something really special this month.
You may be thinking, why now?  It’s not Thanksgiving, the holidays, or Valentine’s Day.  Precisely.  Your donors probably won’t be expecting anything and should be pleasantly surprised. Send something early in the summer before your donors start to go on vacation.
Keep in mind that if your donors don’t feel appreciated, they may not donate again.
Here are a few things to help get you started and some different ways to thank your donors.
Create a good photo
The first thing you should do is find or take some great photos.  Maybe one where you get people together to hold a thank you sign.  Here are a few examples.  The first one is actually a video, but you can do the same thing with a photo.

Create a “Thank You” video 
HOW DO I THANK THEE, STAFF AND VOLUNTEERS? LET ME COUNT THE WAYS…
You could also show your work in action.  Whatever you decide, be sure it’s engaging.  
Make a list of accomplishments
Choose a few accomplishments you have achieved so far this year and share those with your donors.  Remember to focus on how your donor is helping you make a difference for the people you serve.
Send a thank you card
Take that great photo and use it to create a note card or postcard.  It’s a good idea to invest in one of these, so you can have them on hand to send to volunteers and board members, as well as donors.  If cost is an issue, you could get a print shop to do it pro bono or find a corporate sponsor.  You could also just buy some thank you cards, but something that references your organization would be better.
Thank you cards are small, so you only need a few sentences.  Get a group together to write them – staff, board members, volunteers, even clients (if feasible).  Here’s a great suggestion of throwing a card shower. MANY, MANY, MANY THANKS 
Think about investing in note cards or a postcard.  Handwritten notes make a difference.
Email works, too
In addition to thank you notes, you can send out an email thank you.  You may also choose email if mailing cards is too hard to pull off.
Just because you are sending email,doesn’t mean you should skimp on quality.  Use an engaging photo and share some of those accomplishments.  Write a really heartfelt message and make it look nice.
Create a video
It’s so much easier to make videos now.  Think about creating a special thank you video.  The example I included above features different people connected with the organization saying thank you. This link includes a few more examples.  Our Favorite Nonprofit Thank You Videos 

Your video doesn’t need to be long, either.  A minute or less is perfect. 
You can use this video in an email message, in social media, and on your website.
These are just a few suggestions of ways to thank your donors right now.  Keep thanking them all year round, too.  Thank Your Donors All Year Round 

How are you thanking your donors?

Conquering Your Communication Challenges – Getting People To Respond To Your Messages

Ann Green Communications, fundraising, marketing, writing
Over the last few weeks, I’ve been writing about different ways to conquer some of your communication challenges.  Another challenge that nonprofit organizations face is that people aren’t responding to their messages.
 
There can be a number of reasons for this.  Perhaps it is one of the following.
 
Your content isn’t strong enough
In my last post I wrote about creating engaging content, which is most often success stories where you show your donor how they are helping you make a difference.
 
Let’s use a fundraising letter as an example.  Some of the key components should include a story, an ask, thanking donors for their past gift, how their money will be spent, what you have accomplished, and what you plan to do in the future.
 
When creating content, remember the four C’s – clear, concise, conversational, and compelling. The 4 Cs of Writing Good Content
 
Besides being well written, your messages need to be easy to read and navigate.  Use short paragraphs with lots of white space and at least a 12-point font.  If your email message or web page is a cluttered mess with tiny type, your supporters are less likely to read it.
 
Here is more on creating good content.
 
It Ain’t Natural
You are reaching out to the wrong audience
Maybe not the “wrong” audience, but a weaker one.  Your current donors are more likely to give to your annual appeal than other supporters, such as email list subscribers.  You also probably won’t have as much success with event attendees or mailing to a cold list.
 
If you are holding an event, you should get a better response if you post an announcement on your Facebook page as opposed to the events calendar in your local paper.  Get social on social media and take it a step further.  Ask your followers to spread the word about your event, as well as help you recruit volunteers and even raise money.
 
You may also be using the wrong channels.  Perhaps your donors don’t use Twitter very often.
 
This is why you need to know your audience.  If you have limited resources, which is the case for many nonprofits, don’t spend a lot of time and energy reaching out to a weak audience.
 
Once is not enough
Maybe you do have strong messages and you are reaching out to a good audience, but your supporters still aren’t responding.  Well, these folks are busy and are barraged with messages from a variety of sources.  That’s why you need to send your message again (and again).
 
You should never send out one fundraising letter and sit around and wait for the money to flow in, because it will come in as a trickle.  Remind your donors via email, social media, your website, phone, and maybe even another letter.  The same goes for promoting events.
 
Keep track of your response rate, because if it’s not as strong as you would like it to be, you can often fix it.
 
Here are some other reasons why your messages may not be getting a response.  You should be able to avoid the first one if you reach out to the right audience.

 

Why Your Fundraising Copy Isn’t Fundraising
How do you get people to respond to your messages?

Conquering Your Communication Challenges – Creating Engaging Content

Ann Green Communications, donor relations, marketing, writing

Over the last couple of weeks, I’ve been writing about how to conquer some of your communication challenges.  Another challenge many nonprofit organizations face is coming up with engaging content on a regular basis.

Do you find yourself saying any of the following?

We’re having trouble getting organized
Your biggest ally here is an editorial calendar.  How to Create an Editorial Calendar You can do one for the year, but also break it down into smaller components. This doesn’t need to take a lot of time, and it’s a huge time-saver overall. Each month figure out what you will include in your newsletter. Every week decide how you are going to connect with your supporters. Spend 15-20 minutes a day looking for content you can share on social media. 

Your editorial calendar will include time-sensitive content, such as events or that April is national volunteer month, as well as evergreen content – stories you can use at any time.  

We don’t know what to write about
Your content should focus on how you are making a difference for the people/community you serve.  You have good stories to tell.  Work with your program staff to create a story bank to use for your annual appeal, website, newsletter, etc.  You can also include profiles of clients, donors, board members, volunteers, and staff.   

Don’t forget to thank your donors in your newsletter and other updates.  Avoid stories that are more focused on your organization, such as obtaining new computers for your staff, unless you can tie that back to your mission.

Here is more information on creating stories.

How Story Trumps Description
Do You Have Good Stories To Tell?
Use measurement and analytics to see what types of content hit home with your supporters.  Most likely it will be success stories that emphasize how they are helping you make a difference.

We don’t a lot of time to do this
I covered time constraints in my last post, and this is a challenge for many organizations. 

Nonprofits do need to communicate often with their supporters.  Try to reach out once a week.  If that’s impossible, aim for every other week.  It’s not as daunting as you may think. Planning and strategy always helps.

Some consistency is good for your newsletter.  Use a template that you can fill in each month. Maybe you will always include a success story or a profile. Also, keep in mind that your newsletter only needs a few articles.

Your supporters are busy and will appreciate short messages. In addition to your monthly newsletter, you can reach out with a brief update, advocacy alert, or one-question survey.  Another way to connect is to share the outcome of your advocacy alert or the results from your survey.

Use the same content in different channels.  For example include links to your newsletter, as well as updates, advocacy alerts, and surveys on Facebook and Twitter.

Another good way to engage is to post a photo of your program in action on social media.  A great photo can tell a story in an instant. 
Don’t Just Post Photos. Post Stories!
I hope this helps you conquer the some of the challenges of creating engaging content.  How do you handle this challenge?