“It's not necessarily frequency. It's getting in front of them with the right message that tells them your story, but in a way that resonates with them.”
 — Nick Ellinger, DonorVoice

The Intersection of Development and Communications with Nick Ellinger

Session 162

Some organizations suffer from failure to see things as the donors themselves see it, notes Nick Ellinger. Nick, vice president of marketing strategy for DonorVoice, joins in to talk about how to create a connection between development and communications, and why communications in nonprofits is often one-sided. He explains how you can get real, substantive feedback from donors — and then how to actually use it. Where can you improve in your messaging so donors feel a personal connection? He shares some key advice, such as be careful what you ask as well as how you ask.

He and Beth discuss:

  • Why do people start to get involved with an organization? What makes them stop?
  • How to avoid “acronym-itis”
  • Why he believes “pyramid schemes are lies”
  • Why tailoring your communication is worth the effort
  • How to collect valuable data on your audience
  • What questions to ask to get substantive feedback from your audience
Resources:

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