Copywriting

At the heart of every nonprofit’s ability to engage donors and create movements is its ability to tell a compelling story — but not just any story. The further we progress in the information age, the savvier donors become, and the greater the “return” they expect to see on their charitable investments. More and more, it’s become essential for nonprofits to identify, articulate and most importantly, market the impact they make with their programs.

Here are five nonprofits successfully telling their stories through content to help inspire you to tell your own nonprofit's story.

Young donors want to know where their money is going and what their gifts will accomplish. Those are two of the key lessons from young donors interviewed in videos produced by Achieve, a fundraising consulting firm that in July released its annual Millennial Impact Report.

Storytelling is a nonprofit’s lifeline to raising funds, cultivating new supporters and maintaining stewardship with existing donors. Your story is your business. Your business is your organization. Your organization depends on your story. It goes full circle. Well-crafted stories for the nonprofit world generally show (or exemplify) how a societal problem was resolved. Here’s the story …

A lot of people in our sector wax lyrical about being donor-focused/donor-centered/(insert some other supporter centric jargon). Don’t get me wrong. For many, or even a lot of you, your supporters are literally the lifeblood of your organization. They keep your doors open, the lights on, mouths fed. I get that. But you don’t exist for your supporters. They (and you) are the conduit to making amazing things happen. For your beneficiaries.

You just have to accept the fact that some donors pay undue attention to overhead costs. Don't even try to change their minds. You won't be able to. On the other hand, you also have to understand that it's unrealistic to be expected to pursue your mission without ever spending any money. It takes an investment to make an impact. So focus on the impact. Donors will be far less likely to worry about overhead costs if your nonprofit is generating amazing results and if you're communicating those results robustly to your donors.

Here are some ways to reach the demanding new donors of our time — don't worry, it's nothing you don't already know.

It is up to nonprofits to encourage donors to look beyond the "overhead ratio" measurement to see the true impact of an organization. Here are four ways nonprofits can talk about their impact, beyond “the overhead ratio”: 1. Educate your donors. 2. Build trust. 3. Be transparent. 4. Have conversations.

In order to continue making a positive impact within communities, both donors and nonprofits need to look beyond “the overhead ratio” when considering the effect of the initiatives championed by nonprofits.

You’ve probably heard this before. But my mailbox says too many writers are not taking it seriously. You want to get read? Keep your writing simple. I’m talking fourth to sixth grade level simple. Writing at a higher grade level doesn’t make your writing more impressive. It makes your writing less likely to be read.

No matter how bad (or good) your writing is today, it’s possible to improve it overnight. Here are seven quick “tricks” that can improve the very next piece you write. 1. Know your reader. 2. Know your objective. 3. Use short words. 4. Use short sentences. 5. Use short paragraphs. 6. Use active language. 7. Write recklessly, and rewrite ruthlessly.

"For the most part, educating donors is a futile and money-wasting exercise. Not only does it squander resources and opportunities — but it nearly always fails to educate." Those were the words from Jeff Brooks in his September 2008 Easier Said Than Done column, "The Futility of Educating Donors."