creative case statements

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Creative Case Statements:

Tell Your Story Effectively

Griet Dehandschutter

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Today’s Speaker

Griet DehandschutterPrincipal,

Dehandschutter & Associates Hosting:

Sam Frank, Synthesis PartnershipAssisting with chat questions: April Hunt, Nonprofit Webinars

Creative Case Statements:

Tell Your Story Effectively

Griet Dehandschutter, Principal

Dehandschutter & Associates, Acton, MA

E: griet@dehandschutter.com

www.dehandschutter.com

Nonprofitwebinars, June 8, 2011

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Agenda

• Philanthropic fundamentals

• The key ingredients for a compelling story

• The value of the drafting process

• Inspiring your leadership to share your story

• Adapting your case

• Now what?

• A real case: the power of images

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Philanthropy is …

connecting with your DONOR’s dreams

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Key principle: people give to people!

Build meaningful and value-based relationships

Connect mind & soul

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Why do people give?

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Why?

• Why did you join your organization?

• Why are you engaged as a Board member?

• Why are your volunteers involved?

• Why would major donors give?

• Why did you choose to be involved?

The key question of motivation needs to be

addressed throughout your organization!

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Any questions?

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Your case statement

1. Who are you?

2. What do you want it for?

3. How much do you want?

4. Why should I give?

5. Why now?

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Is your case compelling?

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The power of storytelling

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Tell it from the donor’s perspective…

Tom Ahern, Seeing through a Donor’s Eyes,

Emerson & Church Publishers, 2009

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Are your key messages a SUCCESS?

Simple

Unexpected

Concrete

Credible

Emotional

Story-containing

Simple

Source: Bernard Ross, The Management Centre, UK

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Do you bring a sense of urgency?

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Any questions?

The value of the drafting process

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Commit

• Agree on process

• Decide who to involve

• Recruit volunteer leadership

Gather

• Facts & figures, stories, images

• Trim to distill key messages

• Choose a flexible format

Test

• Internally & externally

• Adjust

• Train leaders & staff to use the case to tell your story

Use

• Externally, as door opener or focused conversation starter with critical few

• Internally, strive for consistency in messaging

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It all starts with your leadership team

Adapting your case

• One case, but multiple statements for different purposes

• Different donor prospects (I, F, C) => Different needs

• Choose a flexible format

• Ensure that the design reinforces your branding

• The production does not need to be expensive

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Now what?

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Presenting your case

Sell

Need

Our Goal

Pressure

Persuasion

Pitfalls Right Approach

Listen

Opportunity

Donor’s aspiration,

hopes, dreams

Engagement

Inspiration

Source: Janet B. Cady, Children’s Hospital Trust

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Focus on cultivating the “critical few”

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Giving increases with involvement

Source: The Tarnside Curve of Involvement

The Osborne Group

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How to reach us?

Griet Dehandschutter, Principal

Dehandschutter & Associates

102 Davis Road, Acton, MA 01720 USA

E: griet@dehandschutter.com

T: + 1(978) 835.3480; F: +1(978) 378.4073

www.dehandschutter.com

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Embark with confidence!

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