NFPs should "invest" in communications!

An important message about the value of communications to NFPs. It's not a one-time thing.

Allison Carney

Communications Consultant

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Happily Ever After: Why Nonprofits Should Commit to Communications

Sep 16, 2015

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It has become common knowledge all nonprofits need to invest in communications. At the very minimum, they need to have a website and some messaging. Steps above that may include social media, traditional media relations, branding, e-mail marketing, and much more. But many of these investments are made as a big, one-time investment (i.e. “We need a new website” or “we need a social media strategy”). But the reality is that these investments mean nothing if not paired with ongoing funding.

Just like a realtor handing you the keys to your new house, your investment in communications doesn’t end when the site goes live or a strategy is handed to you by a consultant. For a house, you still need to clean the gutters, repaint the exterior, and pray that you don’t need to replace the roof anytime soon. And communications is no different.

One of the best examples of this is in a nonprofit’s website, partly because the rate of change in the web is so extraordinarily fast, but also because your nonprofit is also constantly creating new content, such as events, photos, donation appeals, etc. This content needs to be organized and shared. So even though your nonprofit is creating content, you need a way to organize it, turn it into stories, and communicate it creatively and concisely. And that takes commitment.

For example, if you are a nonprofit employee fighting for funds for your website, a commitment to communications means you need to include line items for maintenance and content creation. Your budget is only $10k? Then tell the person who is creating your site that $8k of that is for the website, and $1k is for maintenance for the next year. And then use the last $1k to make the copy and photos on your website as good as they can be.

One of my friends, Ernesto said it best:

 Communications is not a one-time fee. Communications is a commitment by your organization to tell your story well, which requires long-term funding and support from the entire organization. Only when you make that commitment, can your nonprofit and its communications live happily ever after.

3 ways causes & cause marketers must show impact

I am happy to share wise words from Katya Andresen. Although this advice may seem self-evident, too many NFPs - small and large - fail to follow it. 

Katya Andresen

 

October 17, 2012

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If you work for a cause - or are a cause marketer - you have two basic jobs to do with consumers.  The first is to connect them to your cause on an emotional level.  Then, once you have their attention, your second job is to assure them their support will make a difference.

In other words, it's not enough to say you do good.  You have to show it. And people have to feel it.

That doesn't mean consumers want a slew of detailed information about your theory of change or the minutia of your programs.  Very few do research on the causes they support.  They don't want facts and figures as much as some simple, clear proof that you will do what you say - and that someone's life will be better for those efforts.

So how do you show impact without overwhelming people with data?

Some new research holds some interesting insights into how to do just that.  More Money for More Good, a report by Hope Consulting and GuideStar, focuses on what makes a cause's claims of social change credible.  Here are my three recommendations based on the study.

1. Provide clear and simple information on how money will be used.  The more tangible, the better.  For example: "Buy this backpack and our company donates $1 for school supplies for kids who can't afford them."  There is a lot of research showing that specificity boosts giving and purchasing.  Vague statements don't work as well - and they fuel skepticism among consumers.

2. Show, don't just tell.  It's not enough to talk about the problem you're addressing - you need to make clear you have a compelling solution that is making positive change.  That means you need to show your impact vividly.  Tell stories, use images and draw on the power of video to bring to life the difference being made every day.

3. Choose your messengers wisely.  The best way to prove you have a positive impact is to get someone else to say it.  Endorsements, ratings, seals of approval and testimonials are great ways to build trust with consumers.

If you are trying to make the world a better place as a nonprofit - or as a company supporting good causes - keep these tips in mind.  Clear communication about your impact delights the people supporting you and inspires them to keep on giving in the future.

The Process of Landing the BIG Gift

A short article about the gift of $2.5 million by a Pennsylvania businessman to a regional environmental group included a description of how the gift came about.  In that are lessons on the process of securing a major gift that anyone can and should use successfully to secure those significant gifts needed to fund special projects.  Here is how it worked for this gift:

1)    The donor was already a regular contributor to the organization.  By regular evaluation of loyal donors, the staff was able to identify those donors who have the wherewithal to make a larger gift.

2)    Over a period of years, the donor was “cultivated.”  That means that the organization simply got to know him better.  Learned why he was a donor.  Invited him to special events that reflected his particular interests.  Made him an “insider.”  Sought his advice on issues and activities. 

3)    When the time and project were right, someone asked for the gift. 

This gift could not have been accomplished without the effort of getting to know why those who give to an organization do so.  It probably would not have happened if the donor had not been made to feel personally involved in the mission of the organization. 

What’s the message? Look over your donor lists. Find ways to get your donors – especially those who seem to have excellent financial means – personally involved. Philanthropy should make the donor as happy as the recipient.  Make sure that is the case when you seek the big gift.

Need a short one to two hour consultation?  Ask me about rates for both telephone and in-person consults.  Or sponsor ABCs of Fund Raising!  Contact me for a quote to bring a half-day or full-day seminar to your community. 

Fund Raising – It’s Easy!

 Are you a fundraiser?  Do you help with fund raising events?  Are your children members of any clubs or organizations?  Are you?  Almost everyone is a fundraiser in some fashion.  And most everyone will tell you they hate to have to raise money.  I used to say that myself! 

“Asking someone for money?  Are you kidding?  I’d rather have a root canal!”  When I had to sell Girl Scout cookies as a kid, my dad used to help by taking my many unsold boxes to his place of work and selling them to his colleagues.  Sound familiar?

So why are we all so afraid of what is really an easy thing to do?  Fund raising is easy!  Fund raising is nothing more than asking for help and support.  And any not-for-profit organization has, by law, a worthwhile mission that deserves support.  Right?  When we think about it, how could anyone refuse any appeal for help?

If that’s the case, why do we have to be asking for money all the time?  Don’t we all know we should just send money to all the charitable organizations in our community?  Well, fact of the matter is, we don’t.  We wait to be asked.  And that’s where knowing the ins and outs of fund raising techniques is so important.

If you – or the clubs and organizations you care about – are having a hard time securing the dollars you need, consider the following:

·         Are you asking for money?

·         Are you asking the right people?

·         Are you asking the right way?

·         Do you know how to prioritize your time and resources?

·         Are you using a variety of fund raising techniques?

Some familiarity with a few of the basics of fund raising will help you decide what type of fund raising you can undertake, and get better results from your efforts.  The various techniques for raising money include annual appeals, person-to-person asks for major gifts, foundation grants, corporate and business support, special events, and planned gifts.  Even if you are simply a volunteer who shows up to help when asked, familiarity with these techniques will help you better understand what the organization you care about is trying to accomplish and how.  Who knows, you might even begin to think that fund raising is fun instead of scary!

                Go ahead.  Be brave.  Help raise some money for a worthy cause.  You can do it.  It’s easy!

Need a short one to two hour consultation?  We offer both telephone and in-person consults at very reasonable rates.  Or sponsor ABCs of Fund Raising!  Contact me for a quote to bring a half-day or full-day seminar to your community. 

The Little Old Ladies in Sneakers, And Other Surprise Donors

when Joan Kroc left an extraordinary bequest of over $1.5 billion to the Salvation Army a few years ago, I was reminded of so many stories I’ve heard over the years about even more surprising gifts from less likely prospects.

In her way, Mrs. Kroc was a surprise donor – despite her great wealth – because of her gender.  While her husband was still living, she was frequently overlooked by charities because she was a woman and was treated as a mere conduit to her husband.  Woe to those charities – and there were a few – that made that mistake with her!  However, she was known to be very rich, and to be philanthropic.

It’s the “little old ladies in sneakers” that we need to pay attention to.  Like the housekeeper who left a $250,000 bequest to a college in Mississippi.  Who knew?  Well, even if no one knew, she was obviously treated kindly and with respect by university staff, and that paid off!

Many people who live an obviously affluent life style may not have much left over for charity after all the bills are paid.  But some people, like a couple I once worked with, hold the greatest potential for bequests and other planned gifts.  They were retired schoolteachers who lived modestly, passing under the radar of any fundraiser.  Yet, because they had benefitted from the generosity of others when they were children, they had a desire to give back.  And their frugal lifestyle made it possible for them to arrange to give my community foundation a cash bequest of over $300,000, and as well as a life estate gift of their home which had an appraised value in excess of $250,000.

Then there was the retired doctor who lived with his wife in a modest apartment near his office, and who gave a small college a gift of over $1 million – the largest gift from a single donor in the school’s history.  He was not an alumnus of that college.  Yet, because the college development office recognized the signs of a good prospect, and cultivated a relationship, he chose the school over his own alma mater and the hospital where he had spent his career. 

What are the signs of a potential large donor?

1.    Does your prospect seem to live exceptionally modestly and/or frugally relative to his/her career?

2.    Does your prospect have children who are already very successful?  One $100,000 gift of stock from a retired schoolteacher was made at the urging of his successful son.  Philanthropy is fun, and this son wanted his father to enjoy the results his gift made possible.

3.    Does your prospect seem to welcome your visits and enjoy activities to which he/she is invited?  This is a sign he/she is lonely and welcomes friendship.

4.    Does your prospect exhibit a real love for your cause?  Like the university housekeeper, he/she deserves your attention.

Pay attention to the less than obvious prospects, cultivate them, and – perhaps – you’ll be the next recipient of that large bequest from the surprise donor.  Don’t judge a person’s worth by his or her appearance. 

Need a short one to two hour consultation?  We offer both telephone and in-person consults at very reasonable rates.  Or sponsor ABCs of Fund Raising!  Contact me for a quote to bring a half-day or full-day seminar to your community. 

Is Public Relations Part of your Fund Raising Strategy?

We put together a fund raising master plan that includes annual appeals, major donor cultivation, special events, etc.  But one thing too many small organizations omit is a public relations strategy!

Oh sure, you get someone to take a photo of the special event committee planning your special event.  But do you routinely issue press releases – not only about what you’re doing and new personnel and/or board members, but also about issues of the day that impact your particular mission? 

The better known you are and the better your image is, the more likely you are to obtain gifts from individuals you’ve never even heard.  The Boston Foundation many years ago received a multi-million dollar bequest from an anonymous source who had been impressed with the organization’s mission and activities.  That’s a public relations payoff!

Here are a few tips:

• Make a plan.  Set a goal.  Perhaps your mission is to find something newsworthy to issue a press release about every week.  Don’t overlook what to you might seem mundane.  Nothing is too minor!
• Build your media list.  It should consist of the e-mail addresses of editors and reporters who cover your category.  Don’t know who to send to?  Call and ask! 
• Don’t omit the broadcast media.  I once had a local television reporter call and ask to use my organization for a feature story.  She had heard about us from the press releases we regularly sent to her station – even though she had never used any of the stories we had sent.
• Just as with prospective donors – cultivate those reporters who routinely cover your category.  Get to know them.  Ask them what kinds of stories they look for.
• When something related to your mission makes national news, issue a release with a local connection.  Local media love to localize a national story.  Plus, you’re positioning yourself as an expert in your field.
• Include your donors on your media list.  They should know what you are telling the public.  Remember, this is e-mail and thus costs nothing extra to use a bigger list.

Your media strategy is vital to the overall success of your fund raising.  Don’t neglect it.

Need a short one to two hour consultation?  We offer both telephone and in-person consults at very reasonable rates.  Or sponsor ABCs of Fund Raising!  Contact me for a quote to bring a half-day or full-day seminar to your community. 

Don’t Cross the Line from Persistent to Pesky!

What is the difference between persistent and pesky fund raising?  One can successfully encourage donors to give and keep on giving while the other can have just the opposite effect.   

I believe in frequent contact and repeated requests for donations from current donors.  Your best potential for new funds comes from current donors because these people have already demonstrated interest in and support of your mission, and they are more likely to be responsive to requests for additional funds.  This is especially true when these requests are for special projects outside your normal operating expenses.  So, if you are holding a special event or conducting a capital campaign or looking for those extra dollars to meet a budget shortfall, be sure to include you regular donors on your prospect lists. 

Further, when asking for annual renewals, be prepared to send at least three reminders to most regular donors.  This allows for the fact that people who fully intend to renew their support will not forget.  As you know, sometimes those renewal reminders get misplaced.  Follow-up reminders do not offend and are actually appreciated – especially if they are worded appropriately.  Your second and third reminders might lead off with something like, “We hope you haven’t forgotten us…”  This lets the recipients know that you’re just issuing a friendly reminder.

There are, however, organizations that go too far.  Instead of persistent, they are pesky.  I gave to one such organization once, and have never given again, even though I believe in the organization’s mission.  They’ve become pesky.  For example:

• I receive some e-mail almost daily from this group.  In addition to clogging my in-box, it always asks for more money.  If you are going to send regular e-mails to your donors, space them appropriately and make them informational, not simply requests for extra gifts. 

• Before my first year was even up I received a renewal contact via telephone.  If you use telephone solicitation for renewals, at least give the mail/e-mail route a chance and save the telephone contact after all previous mail contacts have been exhausted. 

And make sure your telephone solicitors are trained to say something that demonstrates this is the last resort.  It might begin with something like, “I’m sorry to bother you this way.  We have sent you several reminders about renewing your support, and I just wanted to follow up in case those reminders had gotten lost.  I can take your renewal right now if it will save you time and trouble…”

If your fund raising crosses the line between persistent and pesky you risk losing more than you gain.  Evaluate your processes, your scripts, and your techniques.  If you’re not asking often enough, step up the process.  And if you’re being a pest, tone down the contacts.  

Need a short one to two hour consultation?  We offer both telephone and in-person consults at very reasonable rates.  Or sponsor ABCs of Fund Raising!  Contact me at klima@faroenterprises.com for a quote to bring a half-day or full-day seminar to your community.