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Creating Newsletters Donors Actually Read
Research suggests the best way for nonprofits to stay closely connected to their donors – and to keep supporters interested in your organization’s mission – is to send a newsletter on a regular basis. Then again, one survey showed donors don’t read most newsletters. That’s likely because most newsletters are boring. Of course, it doesn’t have to be that way, as long as you avoid these six deadly sins that kill donor interest.
1. Failing the “you” test
Most fundraising newsletters take the approach of Toby Keith’s hit song: “I Wanna Talk About Me / Wanna talk about I / Wanna talk about number one / Oh my, me, mine.” While some of that is good, if all you’re doing is talking about “I” then your readers are tuning out. On the other hand, talking about “you” creates glue with your audience. It elevates their interest from “so what” to “so wonderful.”
Take a red pen and circle every “you” in your newsletter (and its cousins: yours, yourself, you’re). Your page should be filled with a sea of red. If it’s not, than consider rewriting in another voice.
Here’s is an example of how powerful changing the target from “we” to “you” can be, and how it captures the attention and emotion of your readers:
Before – “Instead of eating out, we choose to feed the hungry in our neighborhoods.”
After – “Feed the hungry in your neighborhoods or go out to eat again? It’s your choice.”
2. Lack of emotional triggers
Marketing experts believe seven emotions motivate people to respond to fundraising appeals: fear, guilt, greed, exclusivity, anger, salvation and flattery. While on the surface these may sound ‘negative,’ they unleash powerful opposite emotions: hope, love, faith, duty, compassion, caring, etc. By adjusting your style to stir a negative emotion, you’ll help readers attach to your cause and inspire them to right the wrong.
Here is an example of the technique in action:
2009 Hospice of the Rapidan Annual Fundraising Appeal
Smiles were rare and oh so precious in Giselle’s home as her illness progressed. That all this was happening during the holidays only made matters worse. Children should be smiling at Christmas, don’t you agree? When death intrudes, things that we normally take for granted can come to an abrupt halt, like gathering with family over a holiday meal, watching children tear paper off gifts or counting on your child’s next birthday.
Hospice of the Rapidan has been helping patients like little Giselle for over 25 years, and is one of only a few hospices in the area that care for terminally ill children. Giselle, her parents, and her brother and sister have very different needs – and it was important to address each of them.
Attending to Giselle’s pain and symptoms, and making sure her parents received some respite, allowed mom and dad to recharge their batteries and be better, more loving caregivers to their beloved daughter. At the same time, specially trained counselors spoke quietly and reassuringly with Giselle’s brother and sister who could not understand everything their parents were going through or even their own natural feelings.
With your help, Hospice of the Rapidan cares for entire families, not just patients.
3. Neither news, nor letter
Sending a newsletter creates a promise to your readers: that you’ll deliver something newsworthy and interesting to them. Your goal is to provide inspiration, create loyalty and motivate them to continue their monetary and time support.
The dominant stories should be about your organization’s vision, achievements, needs and – remember this one – stewardship with their funds (think: efficiency). Also, you’ll want to recognize and celebrate supporters’ contributions. The best thing you can do to create interest is to share stories that let donors know they’re changing the world through your dedication and commitment to fulfilling your mission.
Turn to the people in your organization who work in the trenches – those closest to the lives of the ones you touch – to find stories that contain the human drama your donors want to read about each issue. On the other hand, limit things like “From the desk of” your executive director, updates on staff changes and other non-emotional fillers. Ask yourself this simple phrase: “Who cares?” If the answer isn’t “donors” then you’re missing a great opportunity to connect.
4. Forgetting to make donors feel involved and thanked
Take every opportunity to fill donors with joy by letting them know: “Everything happens because of you.” There’s no need to hog the credit for your organization’s good works. Remember, it’s all about them – so share the accomplishments to keep them engaged.
5. Too many words / Too little time
Your writers may provide the greatest prose this side of Hemingway, but the likelihood is few of your donors actually read their articles. (Newspaper editors believe 80 percent of their audience only sees the headline.) Realize your readers mostly browse, skim, glance – and occasionally read a few paragraphs and captions.
German researcher Siegfried Vogele recognized the eye goes first to bigger, bolder and briefer… everything that isn’t filled with copy. So make sure you have: captivating headlines; sharp photos with excellent captions; clear charts and graphs; bullet lists; and ‘pull’ quotes. This isn’t to say the words aren’t important – you still have to have engaging writing and eliminate typos – just recognize your audience isn’t going to sit down and read your newsletter front to back.
Things to avoid: colored type; text over colored backgrounds; reverse type; and ‘sans serif’ type. Most newspapers, magazines and books use Times Roman, because your brain reacts five times quicker to that font than Arial and Helvetica. [Note: this isn’t true of computer monitors, which don’t display the fine strokes of serif type as well.]
6. Numbers galore
Statistics speak to the intellect; anecdotes speak to the heart. Focus on the heart. Trotting out a bunch of big numbers doesn’t wow your readers. It overwhelms them. Limit your stats to those that tie-in to your emotional appeal.
Here’s an example of a powerful use of statistics by Hospice of Chesapeake as part of a $5 million campaign:
Anne Arundel and Prince George’s counties are about to get much older. In the next decade, the 65+ population will explode, increasing by 25%, with no end in sight. Hospice urgently needs to add capacity.
Do you feel a sense of fear after reading those two sentences? Fear is an emotion that motivates people to act – and that’s the reason you’re writing your newsletter. Remember: “Heart first and the head will follow.”
Summary
• Share the credit for all your hard and successful work.
• Remember, reading is labor; reduce the labor for your readers.
• Honor the emotional reasons your donors came to you in the first place.
• Deliver the news… and answer this question with passion and proof: “What did you do with the money?”
• Don’t over-think. It’s far more important to get your newsletter out than to get it perfect.
• Write better headlines; they produce most of your revenue.
Good luck!
Arvind Gupta
President – GRC Direct
arvind@grcdirect.com
GRC Direct – Your Partners in Fundraising Success
GRC Direct helps you build more and better relationships with your donors - and helps you protect the ones you have – by developing personalized communications including direct mail and e-campaigns. Nonprofit organizations that use their database and personalized communications to connect with donors will continue to see success. Others will slide. Let GRC Direct provide you expertise in choosing targeted lists… and developing mail packages that get you the results you are looking for. Please email or call me at 866.648.0900 to inject energy into your next fundraising campaign.
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