Do You Hear Us Now?

Do You Hear Us Now? Communications, Fundraising and Donors

March 7, 2006

By Donna M. Finley, CFRE

We've all seen the telecom ad campaign featuring a man with a cell phone against his ear stopping in various locations and asking the question, "Can you hear me now?" The purpose of the ad campaign? To differentiate the company from its competitors by showing potential customers that no matter where you are, you can receive a strong reliable signal, and complete your call.

It led me to wonder, how do nonprofit organizations differentiate themselves from their competitors and other nonprofit institutions with their "customers" -- their donors and friends? The issue is not so much the ways in which organizations are reaching out to constituents to "complete the connection," but whether or not they are reaching out in the ways constituents want them to reach out and with the messages they want to hear, because it all impacts fundraising and, ultimately, the success of any nonprofit organization.

Here are some guidelines to help you reach out to your constituents and prospects in the ways they want with messaging that will prompt them to respond with philanthropic support.

PLAN

Realize that a strategic fundraising plan needs a corresponding strategic communications plan. The two should be developed in concert and implemented in an integrated fashion. There should not be two communications efforts within an organization -- one to publicize programs/services and one to support the fundraising. More importantly, though, neither plan should be created in a vacuum. Nor should they be created without the benefit of external input. Taking the time up front to be inclusive and externally focused, and to plan well and thoughtfully will reap enormous benefits over the long term -- both in the positive reputation your organization will enjoy and in increased fundraising revenue.

UNCOVER

Either via surveys that can be disseminated electronically or through regular mail, random polling of top donors and prospects, focus groups and/or conversations held during discovery calls, you can identify what makes your organization unique in your constituents' minds -- what they want to hear about, when they want to hear it, how often and in what manner. You can also uncover the "big idea" that transcends what your organization does and inspires people to give to you -- if you ask the right questions.

At last count, 65 million Americans have registered for the "Do Not Call" list, explicitly telling direct marketers that they do not want to be communicated with by telephone. How many of your donors are on that list? What does that tell you about how they want your organization to communicate with them?

ADJUST

Step outside of your current communications practices to use the knowledge you gain from reaching out to your constituents to create a stronger communications foundation. Then alter messages or approaches appropriately to be more effective. In this way, you stand a better chance of reaching the right people with the right message at the right time in a way that will encourage them to fully embrace the message and act on it.

When you encounter complaints or resistance to what your organization is doing, take the time to respond in the context of this newfound knowledge. Rather than assuming it's an isolated incident, understand that where one or two people speak out, many more who concur may be silent. The silent ones simply walk away, and you might never know why.

EDUCATE AND INVOLVE

Educate your organizational colleagues to view communications as a vital and first step in the relationship process that leads to philanthropic gifts and financial sustainability. Involve staff in the communications department (for those lucky enough to have separate departments), in the specific academic, community, cultural, social service or healthcare programs/service areas, as well as senior staff and volunteer leadership by providing training about the key messages to share with others. It's in everyone's best interests and in the organization's interest as a whole to embrace a communications mindset and role from top to bottom, both internally and externally.

COMPLEMENT

Finally, look at communications from a much broader perspective. It's not simply written or electronic publications, verbal messages or media relations.

Communications:

• Involves customer service, beginning with the receptionist at the front door who answers the phone or greets the visitor -- often the first contact an individual will have with your organization;
• Includes the programs/functions area staff that interacts with volunteers;
• Involves the development staff that makes calls on potential or current donors;
• Includes what is written into case statements, what is told to media contacts, and how the stories of your successes and failures are shared;
• Is implicit in how you thank your donors, and when and how you tell them how their money is being used; and
• Is embedded in your annual reports and financial disclosures.

Most of all, communications is vital to the position you enjoy in your community because the majority of people who know about your organization only know you through what is spoken, what is read, what is viewed and what is heard.

The next time donors implicitly ask your organization, "Do you hear us now?" how will you and your organization respond?

Donna M. Finley, CFRE, is senior manager, Greater Washington, D.C., region, for Graham-Pelton Consulting Inc. Reach her at 202.756.2240 or dfinley@grahampelton.com.