tips for producing great nonprofit donor stories
TRANSCRIPT
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TIME TO WRITE ANOTHER DONOR “PROFILE”?B E S T R AT E G I C , K E E P I T S H O R T A N D G E T TO T H E P O I N T !
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Your donor has a great charitable story to tell.
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It’s about why she cares - not about how your nonprofit serves its mission.
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Stick to the heart of the story, listen for a few great quotes and keep your story very brief.
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Your goal is to draw attention to key philanthropy messages and the all-important “call to action.”
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HeadlineSurprising headlinesdraw in your reader and promote your philanthropy message. (Tip: “Donor Story” isn’t a headline.)
Here are the important elements of a donor profile:
PhotoA high-quality, relevant photohelps tell your story!
QuoteQuotes are heartfelt commentsthat add meaning, color and context.
Call to ActionFeature a specific call to action.Consider using a question, which is more engaging.
*
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Who should you feature?
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Think donor first, story second.A p e r s o n m a y h a v e a g r e a t s t o r y b u t i f t h e y s a y “ j u s t d o n ’ t u s e m y n a m e ” o r a r e s h y a b o u t b e i n g p h o t o g r a p h e d - - m o v e o n .
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Who do you want to reach?
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Identify the type of supporter you’d like to reach and tailor the storyfor your “niche” audience.Y o u r s t o r y w o n ’ t a p p e a l t o e v e r y o n e - - a n d t h a t ’ s O K .
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Where will you feature the story?
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You’re probably working on a donor profile for your non-profit’s newsletter or website -- but don’t stop there...
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It’s perfect for social media, direct mail appeals or any-where you need engaging, authentic content.
Once you have a great donor story -- use it!
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Focus on the photo!
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Nonprofit donor stories are notorious for awkward or just plain bad photos.
The photograph is a crucial element of the donor feature -- not an afterthought.
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This can also be a wonderful way to steward you VIP.
Please hire a professional to photograph your donor.
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Simplify the approval process!
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The approval process can be the trickiest part of producing a donor feature.
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Your donor will probably ask to see the story before it goes public, so it’s import-
ant to set expectations early on.
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If possible, show them an example of a previous do-nor story and explain that
their story will be just as brief.
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When it comes to getting approval at work, if you keep your story SHORT,
there’s less copy to approve.
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Others will be less likely to tinker with your text if it’s mainly quotes and things
the donor said, because -- well, that’s what the donor said!
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Here are a fewDo’s & Dont’s...
Claire Meyerhoff has spent years interviewing, reporting & writing on deadline for top news organizations. She says there are many broad-cast news skills that translate into the nonprofit marketing & communictions world.
Claire MeyerhoffPresident
The Planned Giving Agency, LLC.
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Do feature your “everyday philanthropist”!
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A retired teacher or nurse is a good choice for a profile because they’re relatable.
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A wealthy donor may say “just don’t make me look rich.” Refer to them as a “retired
businessman” or don’t mention their occupation.
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Don’t gush about the person!
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You may be tempted to say glorious things, but referring to your
donor as a “community lead-er who sits on many boards,” sounds boastful.
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Most people are modest, so don’t create content your donor may be em-
barassed to share.
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Do listen closely & note the good stuff!
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When interviewing a donor, listen with your emotions.
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If the person says some-thing that makes you smile, laugh or moves you - that’s
probably a good quote.
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Whether you record the interview (always ask permission), or take
notes, make sure you write-up your notes and impressions im-mediately after.
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Ditch the jargon!
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Nonprofit writing is full of jargon like “capacity building” and “leveraging
stakeholders.”
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Even the word “youth” is or-ganization-speak. When was the last time you said “Wow,
there were alot of youths at that party.” Try “young people” instead.
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Write light, bright & tight!
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Your readers can tune out at any moment, so write in a one-on-one, engaging
and conversational style.
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Keep it short by losing flowery descriptions. Use single words instead
of phrases. “Ahead of sched-ule” is just a longer way of say-ing “early.”
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Ready to get started on your donor profile?
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w i l l h e l p y o u s t a r t o r g a n i z i n g d e t a i l s f o r y o u r n e x t d o n o r s t o r y p r o j e c t .
This donor story idea worksheet
<Print a worksheet to
get started
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Understaffed? No time?Hate to write?
You’ve come to the right place!
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You’ve come to the right place! The Planned Giving Agency’s p r o f e s s i o n a l w r i t e r s w i l l i n -t e r v i e w y o u r l o y a l d o n o r s & c r e a t e p r o f i l e s & s t o r i e s t h a t w i l l s t e w a r d y o u r V I P ’ s & s e r v e a s t h e d o n o r - c e n t r i c c o r n e r s t o n e o f y o u r m a r k e t i n g & c o m m u n i c a t i o n s .