What Makes You Stand Out?

What is it about your organization that sets it apart from all the others? How can you show donors and potential donors that you are unique — even irreplaceable because you are doing something that no one else is doing? If you can’t show why you are different from everyone else, you’re going to have a hard time proving that someone should donate to you instead of another organization that does what seems to be the same thing.

Create content that people will fall in love with
When was the last time someone “fell in love” with your direct-mail letter, email blast, Facebook post or newsletter copy? As Gray says, “Figure out what inspires your customers and what gets them excited, and then create a content marketing strategy around that.”

It’s always tempting to rely on the same schedule year after year — you know, “If it’s February, it must be our annual appeal for canned goods.” Instead, find out what your donors are passionate about. Sure, from time to time you may have to cover a topic that is not as beloved (politics and all that), but strive to strip away the copy that weighs it down and package it to be as loveable as possible.

Think of each communication as food; can you arrange it on the plate to make it more appetizing? It may still be cauliflower, but it’s presented in a way that makes it almost as appetizing as crème brulée.

Be a brand purist
Once again, quoting Gray, “I am always excited when I see the charity: water name in my inbox because I know the email will be a joy to look at and fun to read.”

Does that describe your fundraising messages?

Are you working with your copywriters and designers to make sure everything that has your organization’s name on it reflects the qualities you want your brand to reflect? Or are you settling for “good enough” just to get the job done? A few ways to make sure you aren’t forced to settle is to be clear about what you want to accomplish, allow time for creativity to percolate and allow enough time to make changes if need be.