Building a Fabulous Case for Support Berkshire Taconic Community Foundation

Transcription

1 Building a Fabulous Case for Support Berkshire Taconic Community Foundation June 2017 Tom Ahern 2017 Tom Ahern 1

2 2017 Tom Ahern 2

3 Why us? 1 What are we doing that s so uniquely wonderful that the world should want more of it and support our plans? 2017 Tom Ahern 3

4 So, what do you folks do? We re a little, mission-driven place that wants to be recognized for providing the best care for the poorest people. Susan Kelly, president Charles Drew U. of Medicine and Science, Tom Ahern 4

5 So, what do you folks do? 2017 Tom AHERN 5

6 So, what do you folks do? 2017 Tom AHERN 6

7 1 and Why us? What are we doing that s so uniquely wonderful that the world should want more of it support our new plans? 2017 Tom Ahern 7

8 2017 Tom Ahern Writer: Maggie Cohn, designer: Andrea Hopkins 8

9 Dramatize your solution using before/after stories 2017 Tom Ahern 9

10 2017 Tom Ahern Writer: Maggie Cohn, designer: Andrea Hopkins 10

11 [BEFORE] Fixing a single gene gave bubble boy back the immune system he d lacked at birth, [AFTER] allowing him within a year to function normally in a dirty world Tom AHERN 11

12 Little stories are easy to remember... When she entered our 3rd grade, she couldn t spell cat. At the end of the year, she could spell Tchaikovsky Tom Ahern 12

13 Insiders suffer from the curse of knowledge. Grant language is different than normalpeople language Tom Ahern 13

14 JARGON KILLS 18 bits of jargon to eschew 1. Capacity 2. Empower 3. Enhance 4. Indigenous 5. Partnership 6. Development 7. Systemic 8. Community 9. Innovation 10. Superlative 11. Outcomes 12. Support 13. Sustainable 14. Resources 15. Dignity 16. Facilitate 17. Diversity 18. Fostering Source: Katya Andresen, Nonprofit Marketing Blog, Network for Good 2017 Tom Ahern 14

15 JARGON KILLS 18 bits of jargon to eschew 1. Capacity 2. Empower 3. Enhance 4. Indigenous 5. Partnership 6. Development 7. Systemic 8. Community 9. empathy! Innovation So what? Jargon prevents 10. Superlative 11. Outcomes 12. Support 13. Sustainable 14. Resources 15. Dignity 16. Facilitate 17. Diversity 18. Fostering Food-insecure? At-risk kid? Insider, abstract, DOA language... Source: Katya Andresen, Nonprofit Marketing Blog, Network for Good 2017 Tom Ahern 15

16 You re trying to grow new eyes. Not easy Tom Ahern 16

17 How committees write... University Medicine is leading the biomedical revolution by defining and developing the next generation of care that is proactive, predictive, and precise. We will achieve the best health outcomes for every individual by bridging the gap between basic and clinical research and by transforming patient care through new and compassionate delivery models. University is one of the only places in the world where this vision of Ultimate Health can be attained, and paramount to this vision are investments in new scientific paradigms and in the emerging leaders who will pioneer these changes in medicine and health. This campaign will catalyze the resources of University to solve major issues in children s health. And when healthy children become healthy adults, our community is stronger and healthier. Grade level: 12 (nothing higher) / Reading ease: 32 out of 100 Optimal grade level: 9 or lower / Reading ease: 55 or higher Case for Support Tom Ahern 17

18 How committees write... University Medicine is leading the biomedical revolution by jargon and jargon the next generation of care that is jargon, jargon, and jargon. We will achieve the best health jargon for every individual by jargon between jargon and jargon research and by jargon patient care through new and compassionate jargon. University is one of the only places in the world where this vision of jargon can be attained, and pompous to this vision are pompous in new scientific jargon and in the emerging leaders who will pioneer these changes in medicine and health. This campaign will jargon of University to solve major issues in children s health. And when healthy children become healthy adults, our community is stronger and healthier. Grade level: 12 (nothing higher) / Reading ease: 32 out of 100 Optimal grade level: 9 or lower / Reading ease: 55 or higher Case for Support Tom Ahern 18

19 All fundraising copy should sound like someone talking. -- George Smith, Tiny Essentials of Writing for Fundraising 2017 Tom Ahern 19

20 2017 Tom Ahern 20

21 Ugly works. Tacky works. Corny, embarrassing, and messy all work. In print, or in digital. Source: Jeff Brooks, Future Fundraising Now, Tom Ahern 21

22 50,000 words of supporting info became 2,500 word case document became weeks of heated debate became Academic excellence? I m for that! 2017 Tom Ahern 22

23 Is 22 pages enough? 2017 Tom Ahern 23

24 If you can t explain it in 50 words, you won t explain it in 500 either Tom Ahern 24

25 30 words 2017 Tom Ahern 25

26 Two words 2017 Tom Ahern 26

27 Clean water 2017 Tom Ahern 27

28 Patient satisfaction 2017 Tom Ahern 28

29 End AIDS 2017 Tom Ahern 29

30 Will you help it fly? 2017 Tom Ahern 30

31 STATS vs. STORIES 2017 Tom Ahern 31

32 Statistics: human beings with the tears dried off... Source: Dr. Paul Slovic, April Tom Ahern 32

33 Source: Dan Ariely, Duke U., Tom Ahern 33

34 YOU try it. TWO words. U have a minute Tom AHERN 34

35 2 Why now? What s the big hurry? What changed? Why is this URGENT? 2017 Tom Ahern 35

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37 2017 Tom Ahern 37

38 2017 Tom Ahern 38

39 2 Why now? What s the big hurry? What changed? Why is this URGENT? 2017 Tom Ahern 39

40 2017 Tom AHERN 40

41 $50 million raised 2017 Tom AHERN 41

42 Client: PPSNE, designer: Andrea Hopkins 2017 Tom AHERN 42

43 You re at A. What s your B? 2017 Tom AHERN 43

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45 A campaign case talks about the vision, the destination, where you want to go next and soon Tom Ahern 45

46 Make it bigger Tom AHERN 46

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48 B 2017 Tom Ahern 48

49 Can Community Colleges Save the Economy? Time magazine, Tom Ahern 49

50 2017 Tom Ahern 50

51 39% of community college students graduate on average, eventually At Bow Valley College, the graduation rate is 77% or better 2017 Tom Ahern 51

52 Impact 2017 Tom AHERN 52

53 B This campaign is reaching goal way ahead of expectations 2017 Tom AHERN 53

54 B 2017 Tom Ahern 54

55 2017 Tom Ahern 55 B

56 My dream is that 50 years from now, the childhood diseases that cause so much anguish will have disappeared. B LUCILE SALTER PACKARD, the hospital s founding benefactor

57 Designer: Andrea Hopkins, The Case Writers 2017 Tom AHERN 57

58 What s your B? One minute Tom AHERN 58

59 3 Why you, the donor, might care? 2017 Tom Ahern 59

60 Success comes backwards 2017 Tom Ahern 60

61 3 Why you, the donor, might care? 2017 Tom Ahern 61

62 How most nonprofits talk Donor-NEGLIGENT: We did this. We did that. We were amazing. Oh, by the way, thanks Tom AHERN 62

63 This way raises more money faster Donor-CENTRIC: With your help, all these amazing things happened. And without your help, they won t Tom AHERN 63

64 Mom was wrong. Research shows that even when people perceive that flattery is insincere, that flattery can still leave a lasting and positive impression of the flatterer Tom AHERN 64

65 Our doors opened in By 2016, thanks to donors like you, Packard Children s ranked among America s Top 10 children s hospitals.

66 Corporate communications are about how great the organization is. Favorite pronoun: we 2017 Tom AHERN 66

67 2017 Tom AHERN 67

68 Donor communications are about how great the donor is. Favorite pronoun: you 2017 Tom AHERN 68

69 Thanks to you and other generous donors like you, we turned Tom AHERN 69

70 The story s about the donor...every time someone donates to a good cause, they're buying a story, a story that's worth more than the amount they donated. It might be the story of doing the right thing, or fitting in, or pleasing a friend or honoring a memory, but the story has value. For many, it's the story of what it means to be part of a community. Source: Seth Godin Tom Ahern 70

71 Give me a story to tell I save a polar bear every month! I sent thousands of dollars worth of medicine to sick people! I m a decent person. I m following the Scriptures Tom Ahern Source: Jeff Brooks and Mark Phillips 71

72 Make your donor the real hero of the story And shift the burden for achieving success to their shoulders 2017 Tom Ahern 72

73 2017 Tom Ahern 73

74 the key motivator for giving is not need, but opportunity. A.k.a., offer and proposition Tom Ahern 74

75 The Golden Mantra of marketing The right offer in front of the right person at the right time Tom Ahern 75

76 2017 Tom Ahern 76

77 ASK me to listen Tom Ahern 77

78 2017 Tom Ahern 78

79 SHOW me the worthy goal Tom Ahern 79

80 GIVE me a big job! 2017 Tom Ahern 80

81 Tom Ahern is one of the country s most sought-after creators of fundraising messages. The New York Times, Nov K+ new donors 2017 Tom Ahern 81

82 Flesch-Kincaid: 5 th grade level Flesch reading ease: 82 < Why YOU? < Why NOW? < Why US? 2017 Tom Ahern 82

83 The following letter was written by a volunteer with zero experience. It raised $55,926 for a small-town library Tom Ahern 83

84 2017 Tom Ahern 84

85 1 and Why us? What are we doing that s so uniquely wonderful that the world should want more of it support our new plans? 2017 Tom Ahern 85

86 Why us? Why us? Why us? 2017 Tom Ahern 86

87 Why us? Why us? Why us? 2017 Tom Ahern 87

88 2 Why now? What s the big hurry? What changed? Why is this URGENT? 2017 Tom Ahern 88

89 Why now? Why now? Why now? 2017 Tom Ahern 89

90 Why now? Why now? 2017 Tom Ahern 90

91 3 Why you, the donor, might care? 2017 Tom Ahern 91

92 Why donor cares? I m needed. Why donor cares? I m needed Tom Ahern 92

93 Why donor cares? I m needed. Why donor cares? I m needed. Why donor cares? It s mine. Why donor cares? I can honor someone. Greed Tom Ahern 93

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95 You re in my home, brain and face: Why are you here? Bad guest or good? 2017 Tom Ahern 95

96 To make ME Proud of myself! feel good!!! Pleased! Wanted! Happy! Surprised! Important! Needed! Entertained! 2017 Tom Ahern 96

97 My free I subscribe! how-to e-newsletter Tom Ahern 97