Raise Your Voice

by Brian Sooy

  Donor engagement is a sophisticated phrase for what should be called relationship building. All marketing and communications are for donor engagement and relationship building. No matter how large or small your nonprofit’s staff or board is, every individual, every outreach activity and type of communication serves as a potential opportunity for relationship building.

  An intentionally designed process for expressing gratefulness in a meaningful way will enhance those relationships. Design it, build it into your day-to-day activity, and gratitude will become an irreplaceable part of your culture.

  Build trusting relationships. Connect your cause and your mission with your audience through design touch points, words, and experiences. Trust, engagement, and donations will follow.

  KEY INSIGHTS

  Be grateful, and acknowledge that the gift is as meaningful to your cause as it is to the donor. Focus on the donor experience to make the process as conversational and meaningful as possible. Keep it simple, and provide assurance that the transaction is safe and secure. Express gratitude for the contribution on screen, via email, and through a personal thank-you note in the mail. The true gift that is given is the supporter’s trust. Money, services, or time is an accompaniment to that gift.

  TWEET IT

  We are grateful, and recognize our supporters’ gifts are meaningful and make a difference. #beGrateful #causemanifesto

  Part Two: Chapter Nine

  There isn’t one particular activity any meaningful cause or organization can do to build trust. Trust is earned over time, on many levels – and it is nurtured whenever there is any kind of interaction between your cause and your audience.

  The trust building cycle is simple, and it looks like this. The purpose, character, and culture of your organization are critical connectors between the cause and your audience in the cycle.

  LEADERSHIP BUILDS TRUST

  Transparency is often cited as a factor in building trust. Declaring transparency as an operating practice or value makes for good accountability, because as soon as your character or culture shifts away from it, your audience will hold you accountable.

  If you declare a culture of transparency (in one voice), but act in a manner that is not transparent, the perceived character of your organization is that you are not transparent. What you have said does not match up with how you behave.

  We have all experienced claims of transparency that were found to be difficult to maintain – not only from a practical perspective, but also from a perceptual perspective. An organization cannot claim to be transparent and accountable, then act in a manner that is contrary to that assertion.

  Trust is earned when the audience experiences alignment between the culture, character, and voice of the organization. The trust relationship between the nonprofit that speaks for the cause and the donor or advocate is strengthened. This relationship has to be watched and maintained daily.

  CLARITY BUILDS TRUST

  Remember: You can’t read the label if you’re on the inside of the bottle. It’s not an original insight. It’s a good reminder that much of the way in which a cause is valued, and an organization is perceived, is entirely under the control of the audience.

  No matter how often an organization creates a communications plan, refines its messaging, or tells stories to advance its mission, there are outside influences that either affirm the character of the organization or tell a different story.

  Miscommunication can lead to diminished trust in the organization and the cause it represents. A decrease in funds raised and less volunteer involvement could certainly be a side effect of poor communications.

  Clarity – the principle of clear and focused communication – can only be achieved when an organization makes its communications choices from the perspective of mission-driven design. Its purpose, culture, character, and voice must be unified in support of the cause.

  What’s on the Label Should Reflect What’s in the Bottle

  Donors are increasingly taking a very close look at the organizations they support, starting from the personal/relational (who they know that’s involved), and moving to the impersonal/objective (independent reviews). An engagement or public affairs professional needs to be aware that donors view the organization from many different perspectives. A well-considered and executed communications plan will create coherence and continuity for all audiences.

  The label on your bottle – your web site, printed collateral, images, and the words that are used – creates the perception you desire. Each touch point should be current, relevant, and truthful.

  The Board of Directors Are the Primary Ambassadors

  Everybody on a board of directors should be a believer in the cause, demonstrating that belief through active involvement and financial commitment. Donors will ask if the board is 100% committed and if there is 100% support.

  Does your board of directors thoroughly understand the mission, and can they articulate it?

  Are they inspired, and do they wholly support the executive leadership through governance, oversight, and funding?

  Are they engaged, and is this evident in their ambassadorship of the organization?

  The Executive Leadership Must Be Available and Approachable

  Every organization needs a “face,” a leader that represents not only the organization, but who becomes the voice of the cause. Because of this   –  whether it’s the executive director, president, or board chair   –  one person will become closely associated with the cause over time.

  The most visible and public leader establishes credibility for donors, becoming a trusted representative of the cause   –  one to whom a donor will pledge their loyalty through time and giving.

  Volunteer Experiences Will Reflect the Culture, the Quality of Communications, and the Value Placed on Their Service

  Volunteers not only perceive an organization from an outside perspective; but, because of the nature of what they do, they also often form perceptions based on their volunteer experience. It’s critical that the external behavior and character of an organization reflect a volunteer’s internal experience.

  Volunteers help advance the cause, and are part of the narrative of the organization. They are ambassadors for the cause, and contributors to the mission.

  How the organization communicates with volunteers indicates the level of respect it has for individuals who donate their time.

  A volunteer’s activities are as much about the cause as they are about how serving makes the volunteer feel.

  A volunteer believes their contribution is meaningful and adds value to their life.

  Each interaction an advocate, volunteer, donor, or community member has with the organization will create a first or ongoing perception. There must be continuity of voice and experience – from the board, executive leadership, and staff to all communications and volunteer interaction. The message, articulated through stories that inform and inspire, must be clear and compelling, creating credibility and the desire to believe in and love the organization. This process has one objective: to build trust.

  KEY INSIGHTS

  One thing will never change: Trust must be earned. It cannot be bought or created. Nurture a culture of trust, and character will follow. Declare a culture of transparency – in one voice – and act in a manner that is consistent with that declaration.

  TWEET IT

  We will be accountable and transparent, in a manner consistent with our values, character, and culture. #beTrustworthy #causemanifesto

  Part Two: Chapter Ten

  Listening to the vice president of an economic development nonprofit, I heard the comment: “We’re a nonprofit. We’re boring.”

  That perspective isn’t very inspiring, is it?

  From his perspective inside the organization, the mission seemed boring. From outside, the perception could be that their activities are helping regional companies grow their businesses, expand their markets, and create new jobs. Their purpose is helpin
g the private sector to create jobs and make the region stronger as a whole.

  I don’t see that as boring. A nonprofit doesn’t have to be boring. The perspective of purpose and mission is a choice, and the perspective has to be positive.

  Boring is when a person tells you the same story they told you the last time you met. Boring is activity that doesn’t engage the interest of the participant. Boring is a story that doesn’t combine both information and inspiration into a positive message of change and transformation.

  Who likes hanging around with a person who is boring, cynical, negative, or a pessimist? By now you’ve started thinking about the personality of your organization – the attributes that capture its purpose, culture, and character. Is the tone of voice of your communications positive?

  Remember when we discussed the organization’s voice:

  What is your organization’s voice?

  Does your organization speak effectively for the cause?

  Do your communications, activities, and interactions express the culture and character?

  Do all communications consistently speak with one voice?

  What is the tone of the communications?

  When design conveys hope it challenges the listener to action.

  Words are powerful. Images are powerful. Words and images combined with beautiful typography are even more powerful. When design enhances the stories the narrative is powerful, it inspires hope, and it challenges the listener to action.

  The tone and language that a nonprofit uses to express itself on behalf of the cause are as much a part of design as are the images and typography.

  I’ve listened to how many nonprofits share their stories, communicate their mission, and tell their story to their audiences. Those who speak with one voice, with carefully chosen visual and verbal language, create positive perceptions.

  POSITIVE PERCEPTIONS

  Over the last 30 years, I’ve observed the way an organization communicates is a reflection of its internal culture and values. At all levels, character and culture attributes are expressed through behaviors and language, and experienced through design and communications touch points.

  This is consistently true for all types of entities: philanthropies, associations, social services, higher education, economic development, environmental – even churches.

  Being positive is about more than design and communications. Being positive greatly impacts the goal of engagement, directly impacts the experience one has with an organization, and ultimately impacts an individual’s perception of the cause.

  Think about a cause you support. How would you describe its voice, its style of expression, and the tone of its communications? Consider this list of adjectives:

  Dynamic

  Encouraging

  Optimistic

  Visionary

  Focused

  Which of us wouldn’t want to support a cause with those qualities?

  But what if the list is slightly different:

  Driven

  Demanding

  Critical

  Single-minded

  Ambiguous

  These attributes can leave either positive or negative impressions, in particular when it comes to being positive.

  Staff, volunteers, donors, and advocates want an experience that is positive for them. Being positive means bringing fulfillment and meaning to these individuals as they participate in the cause.

  Optimism is a better motivator than pessimism. Internally and externally, stakeholders will respond to positive messages with a positive response. A positive experience leads to deeper motivation and more engagement.

  Being positive affects everyone’s perceptions. Volunteer experiences and donor expectations are directly impacted by the positive and welcoming tone of all design and communications.

  After all, the role of good design is to understand and communicate what your audience is listening for, not what you think they need to hear.

  WHAT IS A POSITIVE EXPERIENCE LIKE?

  After many years of serving and observing, it’s clear there are four areas where organizations frustrate their volunteers.

  Communications: Poor communications is at the core of many frustrations. It may seem basic, but if you clearly communicate who, what, when, where, and why to everybody involved – including the volunteers, audience, organizers, and casual observers – everybody will be on the same page. If you leave any questions unanswered, then response will be negative. If you’re not clear, or omit critical information, you will frustrate them.

  Expectations: What’s my role? What’s your role? Who’s in charge? What are my responsibilities? Who’s on the team? What are the expectations of those participating in the event in which I’m volunteering? What will I be doing today? Don’t be ambiguous with any of these details. Volunteers need to know what is expected of them, so they can serve with their gifts and be effective.

  Organization: A volunteer’s time is valuable, so don’t waste it. You’ll find each individual has a specific set of gifts or talents and an interest in serving, so please be prepared when they show up to serve. Don’t make them wait while you prepare your presentation, organize materials, or simply get your act together.

  Gift making: Donors want to know their gift has meaning and makes an impact. Tell them how, make it possible for them to share, and don’t make them guess what the impact is.

  It’s important not to frustrate volunteers or supporters. They want to serve with their gifts, not get frustrated. They want to be motivated, not demotivated. They want to serve with joy, and receive meaning from their service. It’s one responsibility of leadership to help make that happen.

  A bit of behavioral psychology and profiling may be in order, to understand what motivates (and demotivates) key volunteer leaders. Short of that, making expectations of their roles clear, and then equipping and empowering individuals to serve, can make up for behavior analysis. If an individual is capable of leading, empower and support them in that leadership role.

  Share your performance expectations, and give volunteer leaders the authority to execute their responsibilities and the communication resources they need to succeed. Effective communications will improve everybody’s experience.

  Organizational communication isn’t always clear – even with web sites, texts, email, and phones. As a business professional, I would never consider conducting business with clients by text, yet it seems to be an acceptable way to conduct relationships with volunteer leaders. Leadership by texting is highly ineffective.

  Nonprofit leaders can’t be completely aware of what’s happening at the volunteer level unless they are in continuous dialog with observers and participants in volunteering. Too often, valid observations from volunteers are perceived as complaints; suggestions that a business organization would consider for continuous improvement are perceived as annoyances. There is little room for true innovation, because the “best practices” of other organizations – that may or may not be applicable to your organization’s particular circumstances – are used as the model for innovation and change.

  Focus on the relationships and management will be easier. Relationships are what create loyal followers and affinity for the cause. Create fewer distractions and provide more focus. Volunteers show up to serve; it’s your responsibility to make certain they are equipped and have a positive experience.

  CREATING POSITIVE COMMUNICATIONS AND A POSITIVE CULTURE

  It’s not as difficult as you might think to be positive with your words. Start with your outcomes, your successes, and positive impact, and work backwards from there.

  List five areas in which you’re having a positive impact:

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  List five successes your nonprofit has experienced in the last 12 months:

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  List five positiv
e outcomes from your programs within the last 12 months:

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  List five positive words you can use in your communication planning that will help you convey the positive impact and perceptions that you want your audience to share:

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  EXPERIENCE NEEDS TO BE POSITIVE

  Any nonprofit must balance its desire to achieve its mission and fulfill the cause with two objectives. First, every organization needs to ensure its volunteers have a superb volunteer experience. Second, donors need to feel as if their gifts and contributions are valued and acknowledged. The cause and your mission will move forward more effectively when volunteers and donors feel appreciated. Think of them as participants and partners – respect their time and value their contributions. If you don’t, they will find an organization that does appreciate them.

  Does your organization have a designated donor relations and volunteer relations coordinator? Should it? Of course, it depends on the size of your organization, the number of volunteers it works with, and the relationship it has with its donors.