Your donors are busy. They're tired. At the end of a long day, the last thing they want is to sit down and listen to you jabber on and on about yourself.
Think about it. Have you ever been to a party where some guy tries too hard to be interesting, and so he goes on and on and on (and on) about himself? In all likelihood you aren't stuck there, drink in hand, thinking, gee, I really want to learn more about this wonderful, self-centered bloak.
In contrast, think about the life of the party in the other corner, where you look longingly to the group gathered around the hilarious woman in red. She's telling a fabulous story about an adventure she was on and the people she met along the way. Everyone is yuckin' it up and having a great time.
You want to be the woman in red. Not the self-centered bloak. Here are a few ideas on how to do it:
- Find an inspiring story from the past week and post it on your homepage. This doesn't have to be earth-shattering. Just a nice story that reminded you that you're so lucky to get to change the world through your nonprofit.
- Send a postcard. Include a beautiful photograph on the front and some brief copy on the back. It can say "I want to tell you all about Samantha, an amazing woman who came to us for help. Visit us online to learn how you helped change her life: www.yourorganization.org/samantha."
- Tell stories through video. And then share them online through your web site, YouTube, Tangle, Vimeo, Twitter, Facebook, etc.
- Send a letter. Instead of begging for money for 2 pages, tell a great story that will inspire your supporters. Remind them that their gifts are the answers to stories like this.
- Tell a story in your monthly thank you letter. Instead of the dry, "Thank you for your gift of $20. Love, Us," include a story that shows why the gift matters.
You can tell stories of need or stories of fulfillment (there's a time and place for both). But by all means, tell stories. Remember: woman in red, not self-centered bloak.
At Turnbull Marketing Group, we love a good story. Share yours with us. At a loss for words? We can help.
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