If you had to give your organization a personality, what would it be? Are you bitter, caring or cool? Yesterday’s post on the Nonprofit Marketing Guide blog compares the experience of gift giving and receiving to organizations communicating with their audiences. Besides being a fun read, it hits home the message that when it comes to conversations with your donors and audiences, whether print, online or in person, it’s not about you. Watch for my January enewsletter on how to position your messages for better communications and relationships. Sign up to get it straight to your in box.

Some of the most effective newsletters I have seen are those that have the least amount of news. Whether the newsletter is intended for members, donors, clients or staff, the reason that some stand out is how far they go beyond facts and information.

Think of a daily newspaper. You want your newsletter to be more like the entertainment or business sections, which generally feature articles that explain an appealing topic from a more casual or personal objective. When you see an article that catches your eye, you read it, learn something new, and may be inspired to find out more. The news section, on the other hand, gives you factual, time-sensitive accounts of happenings. You may skim, read perhaps the first few paragraphs, or none at all. This could be because you’re not interested, you prefer to get your news from other sources or you’re aware of it already.

Which brings me to another very good reason to rethink how to approach your “news”letter. The time it takes to produce your publication means your news is old news before it gets to your reader. So save your “news” for email announcements, letters or other forms of communicating. The ideal solution is to have a brief print publication, with a focus on feature style articles, supplemented by a regular electronic newsletter that highlights news and events in a shorter format. The rule of thumb many follow, for a fundraising organization, is to send as many information vehicles out as appeals.

If you’re just beginning to develop a new publication, or have one that could use a little spice, the best way to make it work better is to bring your stories to life. Most of the time, all this takes is a new perspective. Write your articles as stories rather than facts. Show rather than tell. This will go a long way to making your publication something people look forward to reading.

The current Carnival of Nonprofit Consultants features posts on How to Reach Younger Generations. Hosted this week by Sam Davidson at CoolPeopleCare, it highlights recent commentary on how to involve and communicate with younger donors. Follow Sam’s link to his recent presentation to find some really practical advice on reaching this audience. The moral of the story is basic Communications 101 - know your audience!

Endorsing and promoting a code of professional conduct sends a valuable message to your staff, volunteers, donors and clients. To work most effectively, it has to be linked to your vision, and must clearly set out what the organization stands for and how staff and board members uphold it. One of my clients takes theirs a step further and asks each new person using their non-profit services to sign a code of conduct that will guide their consumer-service provider relationship. I think this is a brilliant, yet simple, method of demonstrating commitment and vision in action.

I have had the fortunate experience of working with many organizations who understood the value of corporate social responsibility and were able to connect the dots between employee and professional expectations, regulatory compliance, customer service, governance, transparency and community involvement. While the cynics out there can find fault with motivations, the fact of the matter is that many consumers do consider these factors when making decisions. Like your donors, consumers have power.

The Association of Fundraising Professionals recently updated their Code of Ethical Principles and Standards of Professional Practice to recognize the role of businesses, like mine, that support fundraising and the non-profit sector. As a member and a consultant, I am pleased to be able to say that I follow this internationally accepted standard. I especially like the introduction - and am looking forward to seeing the yet-to-be-released guidelines:

Members of AFP are motivated by an inner drive to improve the quality of life through the causes they serve. They serve the ideal of philanthropy, are committed to the preservation and enhancement of volunteerism; and hold stewardship of these concepts as the overriding direction of their professional life.

Like many painstakingly-created policies, the best communications opportunity lies in the explaining! You can build an entire communications plan around how to introduce your policy and where it could be emphasized and reinforced. After spending so much time on establishing it, take the time to properly introduce and continually bring it to life. Your efforts will pay off.

Do you think it’s guilt? Peer pressure? Compassion? Pride? Sorrow? Or is it because you were asked, you had some money available, and you philosophically and emotionally responded? The reasons are as individual as each of us but there are some ground rules worth remembering. As we enter the time of year when  many charities prepare their year-end appeals it’s a good time to get back to basics on motivating donors. What you have done the rest of the year to communicate with your donors goes a lot further to inspire giving than a few well-crafted appeal packages, so hopefully this is not one of the few times that you’ve connected with your donors this year. Direct response gurus can provide statistically proven tips and techniques that will help you take your direct mail to the next level in this science. But first and foremost, your message has to appeal and inspire and your goal is not the cheque but the relationship. Here are some interesting links that may help you with your brainstorming process. 

Alan Sharpe says There’s No Such Thing as a Fundraising Letter

Mal Warwick gives you 23 Reasons Why People Respond to Fundraising Appeals

Ken Burnett looks at the bigger picture in How to be 15 minutes ahead

Recently I was reminded of an important lesson in managing client relationships: when problems occur or mistakes are made, it’s not what happened that matters, it’s how you fix it. I experienced a highly frustrating problem with what I have taken to call my new "dumb" smart phone. After hours spent on the phone with technical support, frantic trips to the store where I bought it, and many stifled moments of aggression towards an inanimate object you’d think I’d cancel my contract and move on. Instead I have switched penalty-free to a different type of unit (love my Palm Treo 755p), I am singing the praises of the helpful staff who held my hand along the way and I would not hesitate to recommend the service provider to others.

You may begin to wonder what this has to do with donor relations and internal communications. It has everything to do with it. The point of my anecdote is that memory of detail may be short, but you will always remember how someone made you feel. Here’s what was done right:

• I was not talked down to
• Each person I spoke to actively listened and responded like a real person, as opposed to someone reading a script out of a manual
• I did not have to repeat my tale of woe every time I was passed to someone else
• My calls were returned promptly
• I was appreciated and thanked for my patronage, over and over
• I felt each person I spoke to sincerely cared about resolving my problem and wanted to help me get the most out of my service

If you find yourself in a situation where you have made a mistake with a donor, colleague or staff member, move quickly to resolving the problem without belaboring the issue. Admitting the mistake is the first, but not the only step. Most reasonable people accept mistakes occur, after all, we’re only human. The important thing is listening, acknowledging and addressing the root of the problem. If you can sincerely respond, this will be remembered long after the nitty gritty of the problem is forgotten.

In the marketing world the saying goes it takes an average of seven contacts before a consumer takes action and is ready to buy, not dissimilar from the cultivation numbers in fundraising (another parallel between the business of selling and the softer selling in the non-profit world). This doesn’t necessarily mean you need to do more, you may just need to do better with less. Here are seven suggestions on making the most of what you have.

1. Email works - If you’re not using an e-newsletter or other email tool to cultivate donors and communicate with your members, you should be. Read more at Despite newer technologies, email is number one.  There is a place for both online communications and print materials. Use your e-newsletter and email list to communicate time sensitive information, to let supporters know a direct mail appeal is coming, and to reinforce the messages in your other materials, for example, content on your website, testimonial stories in your current print newsletter, etc.
2. Website - The website is the place to highlight current campaigns, post inspiring stories, encourage online donations and give readers the self-serve option to choose the information they want. Use your website to feature current articles in your print newsletter or annual report and to expand upon stories in your direct mail piece. Add a sign up box to collect email addresses for your e-newsletter. Sign up forms should be prominently on your website, reinforced in all of your print materials, and collected anywhere you are recording data, e.g. membership renewals, program enrolment etc.
3. Direct mail works - And studies show it works better if you mention your direct mail appeal in your email communication beforehand.
4. Information materials - Admittedly most budgets don’t allow to reprint or update all materials every time a new campaign or initiative is launched. One way around this is to start with a standard format and look that can be carried through all materials. This way, adding a one page or simple folded panel doesn’t need to break the bank.
5. Business card and email signature - The business card and your email signature are communications tools. Make sure your website address and one sentence or less appeal is on yours. If you have an e-newsletter, put the link of your sign up form into your email signature.
6. Stationery - Although not the most glamorous, your letterhead, envelopes, receipts and other stationery items may be seen more often than any other material you produce. Make sure yours are current, include your pertinent coordinates and website, and look similar to your other materials. Add your current campaign theme or other tag.
7. Personal stories work - Gather the wonderful testimonials and personal stories collected from staff and board members. Use them on your website, in your print newsletter, in direct mail, in your brochures, in your annual report and speaking presentations, and in your e-newsletters.

And last but not least, promote your promotions internally. Even in the smallest of organizations, staff who aren’t directly involved in communications or fundraising may not be aware of the current materials and messages. Post them, circulate them, ask for feedback on them. The more people who can explain and advance the cause of your organization, in a consistent voice, the stronger you will be.

Borrow a page from the retail industry. If you really want to view your organization from a donor’s eyes, be one. I call with a general inquiry, join or donate to an organization and sign up on the mailing list when I do a communications audit for an organization. There’s no more basic and telling way to check out the donor experience and see how close or far you are from living up to your mission and values statement in your day-to-day operations. You may also find some missed opportunities and mixed messages in your materials and interactions along the way.

The event schedule is starting up again. Are you ready? Events are a great way to raise your organization’s profile and the energy and interest of your donors and associates. They are also labour intensive and a drain on precious staff and volunteer resources. By the time the event comes, you may be tempted to turn on your auto pilot, hide in the corner looking busy, or sip a few glasses of wine before you get the courage to try your Elaine from Seinfeld dance impression.

Please don’t. Here are some tips on how to make the most of your event:

View the event as an opportunity to forge connections. Assign a team of people who will be responsible for this.

Review the attendance list beforehand and get to know as much as you can about the people attending, particularly your prospects and special guests. For example, profession, involvement with your and other organizations, interests.

Assign a host for each of your important prospects. The host’s role is to greet the guest at the door, ensure they are comfortable, and make introductions. Look comfortable doing this: standing in a long line at the door is intimidating for guests as they arrive.

During the event, your goal is not to probe and pester, it is to make them feel welcome, and to introduce them to other donors, board members and staff who share their interests. Do not shadow them, introduce them and move on. Check in again later.

There is no such thing as a free lunch. No matter how wonderful the buffet looks, remember you are there to work and this is not the time for you and your coworkers to catch up over dinner and drinks. You can do that later.

Look the part. You want to represent your organization in as positive and professional a light as possible. Avoid the bar, eat sparingly, mind your manners and carry dental floss and a Tide to Go stain pen.

After the event, ideally the same day, regroup and make note of any new information gathered and any new contacts gained. Ensure this is added to your database. It surprises me how much of this information can be forgotten and lost.

Take the time to celebrate your success - after it’s over. Some of the best team-building occurs on a high from an event well done. Have a special lunch the next day.

Follow up soon after the event if anyone expressed interest in volunteering or getting involved with something specific. Strike while the iron is hot!

Ensure your contact list is up to date and the past attendees are the first invited next time around.

If you’re looking for a way to engage your audiences, reach thousands of people, promote your vision in an interactive way, and do so quickly and inexpensively, the blog is an incredibly powerful communications tool. Non-profit organizations and individuals are beginning to use them for mission driven and philanthropic pursuits.

Sara Harley of The Barking Biscuit and three entrepreneurial friends in Ontario joined talent and forces to form the PAWS for Charity project to raise money for the Canadian Cancer Society. Their blog launched earlier this year complements promotions in their own businesses (check out the Pink Ribbon Chilly Dog Sweater from Chilly Dog shown here as an example). Like many who blog, Sara had no prior experience and underestimated the reach it would have. The last 100 visitors to the site were from North America, UK, Europe and as far away as the United Arab Emirates. The success of the blog prompted her to start one for her own business.

As more and more people link to their site, news of their efforts has spread. The project was recently highlighted in the grassroots Women Can Do Anything blog, another testament to using technology to unite people of common interests. The WCDA motto of Dream. Believe. Achieve. is a great motto for us all.

Let me confess, I hardly knew what a blog was until I discovered some I liked last year. Generally I avoid technology whenever possible. My VCR would blink 12 if I didn’t have a more vigilant spouse. However I soon became convinced by others’ experiences. Being a communicator, I am curious by nature, and also looking for new alternatives. If you’re wondering what blogs can do and aren’t sure of the advantages, consider these benefits:

• they can bring your organization’s brand and mission to life in a more intimate and interactive way
• they allow the personality of the writer to shine through in a way your other materials can’t
• they can be created and managed at low cost and don’t require a lot of technical knowledge
• they are immediate - you can write and post your article in minutes
• they allow you to interact with readers, and your network grows exponentially
• they can be integrated with and complement your existing website or other materials
• they allow you to reach hundreds and thousands of people on an ongoing basis!

Interview with Red River College President Jeff Zabudsky

  Jeff Zabudsky started his own blog shortly after becoming president of Red River College in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. As a former journalist, and president of a college known for its applied technology and communications programs, using the power of the web was a good fit for Jeff as well as the college. Jeff posted this week’s blog, and conducted this interview while travelling on vacation. Here’s what Jeff had to say:

What’s the biggest advantage to blogging?

One of the biggest advantages for me has been my use of the blog as a knowledge management tool. Once I post a story it is readily available online for me to go back to if I need a statistic, remember a name, etc. This has been tremendously useful for me when I need to write, for instance, a report to my Board of Governors about my activities or prepare other types of documents. Of course, the ability to access the blog from anywhere is also incredibly convenient.

What was your objective in starting the blog?

As a president, I have made it a priority to create as many opportunities to communicate with staff and students as possible. I thought the blog was just another great way to create a line of communication. Also, I think it’s just a great way to celebrate success in our college and to commend people for their efforts.

What prior experience did you have in blogging?

I had no specific previous experience directly with blogging but my previous career was as a broadcast journalist and I was also involved with Web-based distance education so those two things made it natural for me to consider blogging.

What feedback have you had?

It now seems to be growing as more people find the blog. The feedback I have received from staff has been very positive. You’ll notice the comments function on the blog has seen limited activity but there is some.

Do you track your traffic?

Yes, I do track traffic regularly. As you might expect, most of the hits come from the college - but I do receive visits from places throughout Manitoba and other parts of the world. I’m receiving about 50 unique visits a day. At one point my blog was listed in a President’s who Blog story (see July 1, 2007 entry) and as a result my hits were in the hundreds per day for a few days from all over the world.

Do you promote your blog in your email signature, business cards etc.?

Yes, I promote the blog in my email signature and in my next printing of my business card I will include the link.

Would you recommend it to other educational institutions and non-profits?

I would definitely recommend it to others. You don’t understand how powerful it can be until you start to use it. Others will discover opportunities in the blog that might be unique to their organization.

Are you inspired yet?

The possibilities are endless, and exciting. Here are some potential uses:

• communicating activity on a special initiative or project like a relocation, strategic plan or reorganization
• positioning a fundraising campaign chair and leadership in the community
• reporting on campaign progress and thanking your donors
• giving donors another opportunity to connect with you - invite them to post on what giving to your organization means to them
• noting achievements of your organization, staff, and volunteers
• supporting advocacy and government relations activities

If you read any great blogs let me know. Happy Labour Day!