Taking the time to look at how you’re communicating, how your messaging works and seeing what is most effective can often lead to higher numbers of donors. Brad Fair may be fluent in numbers as Donor Relations Support and Database Manager for the Mennonite Central Committee, but he has also seen what stories will affect people the most and how that leads to those higher numbers. He talks about the cultural change they are experiencing as the donor relations, communications and programming work together to build strategic planning. He and Beth also discuss the importance of communication and marketing–though he says the word “marketing” may be a problem and he explains why. They talk about the numbers behind communicating to a chapter of a national organization and how to cater to diverse array of messages for a broad audience.
They discuss:
- How do you identify what stories will stick with people and lead to high donor numbers and which ones won’t?
- What are the steps to changing the dynamic of your organization’s marketing and communications?
- How can you organize your communications to satisfy the diversity of messages that need to go out?
- What are the biggest differences in marketing strategies for a local organization and a national organization?
- How valuable is taking the time to really look through the way your messaging works?
- Why can marketing be considered a “bad word”?
Resources:
- Mennonite Central Committee (US): http://mcc.org
- DonorPerfect Social Network Fundraising: http://www.donorperfect.com/fundraising-software/online-social-network-fundraising.asp
- Nonprofit Toolkit: #GivingTuesday 7-Day Social Media Countdown
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