The Art of Educating Your Donors
Looking back at my in-house fundraising career, albeit a little rusty, I know more about issues ranging from the wage gap for Hispanic/Latino communities, the real price of poverty and what an intervention for families with children 0-5 can make, and childhood cancers and how they impact a family going from two full-time jobs down to one than I ever imagined needing to know.
When you are in your nonprofit day in and day out, you might forget that you are an expert in your subject matter. But you are. Whether you rescue dogs, build homes, or help people get back to work - you know so much!
This Spring, you may be gearing up for a campaign or maybe you are even planning a gala - perhaps in person for the first time in many months (how exciting!). As you plan your lead up content, I want you to think about the art of educating your donors.
One of the mistakes I see nonprofits make is that when it comes time to ask for money, they try to ask, inspire, AND educate - all at the same time. It’s too much! Unfortunately, when that happens - it feels like a water hose of information - so much to take in and none of it gets caught.
That’s why, in The Wave Method, it’s important to educate as part of your lead up strategy.
Wondering how you do that? Here are 5 ways to educate your donors:
Share “Did you know?” information
“Did you know?” information gives you an opportunity to share something the reader may or may not already know. You could do it in a story…
“Did you know when Sarah came to (insert organization name) she was just about to graduate high school when and unexpected CT scan result flipped her entire world upside down.”
Or, you could share some data…
“Did you know that 38% of single parents living in Atlanta are living below the poverty line? That means that a MAJORITY of their income goes to rent and childcare, leaving very little left for groceries and additional household necessities.”
2. Talk about stats and data
I very much encourage my clients and students to use stats and numbers throughout their storytelling because it helps focus the information.
Different people take in information differently and although storytelling remains the most effective - numbers help validate the story by providing credibility and context too.
Take this example:
“Martha has seen a huge transformation in her life since completing the ManifestWorks program. She now earns a living wage and is able to afford things like a reliable car, tutoring for her kids and they are even taking their first trip to Hawaii this Spring!”
Compared to…
“Martha went from earning $142 per week to now over $1,782 per week. That means that in just one year of graduating from the ManifestWorks program, Martha is in a career where she earns over $90,000 annually. That’s 33% more than the median household income in Los Angeles! This career transformation has allowed Martha to afford things like a reliable car, tutoring for her kids and the ability to take their first trip to Hawaii this Spring!”
3. Tell a multi-part story
As mentioned above, stories can be some of the most powerful ways to educate an audience. Humans of New York does this beautifully and truthfully, I don’t know why more nonprofit organizations don’t adopt this style. Talk about creating a loyal following!
I see too many organizations trying to cram every little thing into ONE email or ONE social post. Why?
In a 2015 study performed by Microsoft, it was discovered that the human attention span has dropped to just 8 seconds. Just 8! That means short, digestible stories pack more of a punch than you realize. By telling a multi-part story (Humans of NY drops one per hour, each hour, until the story is told) - you have people turning on notification, becoming invested in the story, and coming back for more.
4. Case Study
When was the last time you shared how your program created impact for someone in real life? Case studies are an excellent way to educate your audience on the step-by-step process you use to solve your big problem.
People LOVE a good pull-back-the-curtain moment and unlike a story of transformation - a case study shares more of the nitty gritty that some people enjoy.
Annual reports can be a wonderful tool to showcase case studies, but you can also write a blog post or even just a social post using a real-life example.
5. Testimonial
Last but not least are testimonials - one of the best ways to build up that know, like and trust factor. You can share testimonials featuring the people you serve, but you can also share testimonials from volunteers, board members, advisors, program partners and even staff members.
Consider the following prompts when gathering testimonials:
“What is one thing that only (insert organization name) can do?”
“What makes (insert organization name) unique and special?”
“Was there anyone at (insert organization name) that made your experience extra positive?”
The beauty of educating your donors in the lead up phase means that by the time you go in to make the ask - your audience is already informed about all the good you do in the world. It makes the ask a no brainer.
How do you like to educate your donors?