tips for producing great nonprofit donor stories
TRANSCRIPT
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 !
Your donor has a great charitable story to tell.
It’s about why she cares - not about how your nonprofit serves its mission.
Stick to the heart of the story, listen for a few great quotes and keep your story very brief.
Your goal is to draw attention to key philanthropy messages and the all-important “call to action.”
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.
*
Who should you feature?
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 .
Who do you want to reach?
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 .
Where will you feature the story?
You’re probably working on a donor profile for your non-profit’s newsletter or website -- but don’t stop there...
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!
Focus on the photo!
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.
This can also be a wonderful way to steward you VIP.
Please hire a professional to photograph your donor.
Simplify the approval process!
The approval process can be the trickiest part of producing a donor feature.
Your donor will probably ask to see the story before it goes public, so it’s import-
ant to set expectations early on.
If possible, show them an example of a previous do-nor story and explain that
their story will be just as brief.
When it comes to getting approval at work, if you keep your story SHORT,
there’s less copy to approve.
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!
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.
Do feature your “everyday philanthropist”!
A retired teacher or nurse is a good choice for a profile because they’re relatable.
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.
Don’t gush about the person!
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.
Most people are modest, so don’t create content your donor may be em-
barassed to share.
Do listen closely & note the good stuff!
When interviewing a donor, listen with your emotions.
If the person says some-thing that makes you smile, laugh or moves you - that’s
probably a good quote.
Whether you record the interview (always ask permission), or take
notes, make sure you write-up your notes and impressions im-mediately after.
Ditch the jargon!
Nonprofit writing is full of jargon like “capacity building” and “leveraging
stakeholders.”
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.
Write light, bright & tight!
Your readers can tune out at any moment, so write in a one-on-one, engaging
and conversational style.
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.”
Ready to get started on your donor profile?
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
Understaffed? No time?Hate to write?
You’ve come to the right place!
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 .
