keep and inspire your donors with stories
TRANSCRIPT
Keep and Inspire Your Donors With Stories
12/11/14 1pm Eastern
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Before We Get Started3
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3
MY STORY President of TheStorytellingNonprofit.com Co-‐Founder of Stewardship School Has raised $10 million and counBng Speaker: AssociaBon of Fundraising Professionals, AssociaBon of Donor RelaBons Professionals, Council for Advancement and Support of EducaBon, Net Squared and BBCON Clients: A Rocha Canada, Wagner Hills Farm Society, Hope for the NaBons, Union Gospel Mission, Cancer Care ConnecBon, BC Children’s Hospital FoundaBon
AGENDA
• Why stewardship matters
• Good versus great donor stewardship
• 3 tactics for using stories
• Tips for telling great stories
• Answers to your questions
DISCUSSION
What’s your role at your non-profit?
Is donor retention at problem for your organization?
DONOR RETENTION
“The sector average for donor retention is 41% and the average for donor attrition is 59%
FINDING SOLUTIONS
Demonstrates impact + accountability
Practice of gratitude
Shows donors that you care
WAVAW 2010 – 2011 Fiscal Year Revenue $41,000 2013 – 2014 Fiscal Year Revenue $181,000 How? Monthly thank-a-thons Handwritten notes More touch points without an ask
They focused on taking care of their donors!
NASHVILLE RESCUE MISSION
NASHVILLE RESCUE MISSION
GOOD STEWARDSHIP
The Organization Thanks a donor
Acknowledges their giving
Explains what kind of impact the gift had
GREAT STEWARDSHIP
The Organization Makes donors feel something
Lets donors know that you care about them
Has a personality
The donor is the hero
HOW DO STORIES FIT IN TO ALL OF THIS?
WHAT IS STORYTELLING
Storytelling is the process of combining facts and narrative in order to communicate a message and an
emotion to a target audience.
WHY STORIES
Creates context for your audience
Emotionally connect donors to their impact
GOOD STORIES
Has a hero
Incorporates visual aspects
Talks about a conflict, which is ultimately solved
GREAT STORIES
The donor is the hero
Takes the audience into account
Ends with a vision and call to action
TIPS FOR THANK YOU LETTERS
Be as donor-centric as possible Use different perspectives to say thank you and to tell the story Tell a shorten version of the story Demonstrate a bigger vision to keep donors engaged
TIPS FOR NEWSLETTERS
Send newsletters regularly Tell a more in-depth story, if space allows for it Incorporate pictures or tell donors where they can view digital versions of the story Remind donors of the bigger picture
TIPS FOR EMAIL
Keep is short and sweet Create a great subject line that conveys gratitude Use email as a tool to drive traffic to other digital content Make sure the content highlights impact
DISCUSSION
What’s one idea that you want to try?
Questions?
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