The truly hard part?
Doing stuff differently.
1
Investment #1
Stop talking about yourself
2
“If we show them how great
we are, they’ll support us.”
Wrong.
3
“Corporate” communications
and “donor” communications
are 180° different.
And they do not produce
the same results.
4
“We are
great!”
“We are
great!”
“We are
great!”
“We are
great!”
5
Corporate communications are about how
great the organization is. Favorite pronoun:
we
6
7
Donor communications are about how great
the donor is. Favorite pronoun:
you
8
Thanks to you and other generous
donors like you...
9
13 strongest words in English
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Discovery
Results
Proven
New
Safety
You
Health
•
•
•
•
•
•
Early
Money
Save
Guarantee
Love
Free
Source: Jerry Huntsinger
10
Don’t lose this easy battle.
“We” vs. “You”
11
ABOUT US
ABOUT US
ABOUT US
ABOUT US
ABOUT US
ABOUT US
ABOUT US
ABOUT US
ABOUT US
ABOUT US
ABOUT US
ABOUT US
ABOUT US
ABOUT US
ABOUT US
12
Email subject line: You are amazing
Dear Tom,
Because of you, we reached our Summer Match Campaign
fundraising goal. Thank you!
Source: Environmental Defense Fund, August 2009
13
How much is a
personal pronoun
actually worth?
14
15
CORPORATE communications
DONOR communications
16
FAILS
$4,470 in gifts
PASSES
$49,600 in gifts
17
Donor-NEGLIGENT:
“We did this. We did
that. We were amazing.
Oh, by the way, thanks.”
18
19
20
Donor-CENTRIC:
“With your help, all
these amazing things
happened. And without
your help, they won’t.”
21
Hello, I'm Ken Hackett, president of Catholic
Relief Services. Welcome to our 2009 interactive
annual report.
The generosity of you, our donors, is one of
Catholic Relief Services greatest blessings. Your
support gives us the resources we need to bring
innovative solutions to tough humanitarian
problems. Your compassion transforms lives.
22
23
24
25
Investment #2
Surprise me
26
13 strongest words in English
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Discovery
Results
Proven
New
Safety
You
Health
•
•
•
•
•
•
Early
Money
Save
Guarantee
Love
Free
Source: Jerry Huntsinger
27
“Do I surprise my
readers … or bore
them?”
28
29
30
31
Corollary: You will
never BORE anyone
into being interested.
32
Neuroscience says…
“Coming across new information
triggers a chemical reaction that makes
us feel good, which in turns causes us to
seek out even more of it.”
Source: Wall Street Journal article by Lee Gomes, on USC neuroscientist, Dr.
Irving Biederman; published March 12, 2008
33
Anything
Will Grab My Attention
(including the word “new”)
34
35
XYZ Organization
123XYZ
Sweeping
Street
Organization
Your
town,
CT 01234
123
Sweeping
Street
XYZ Organization
Your
town,
CT 01234
123
Sweeping
Street
XYZ Organization
Your
town,
CT 01234
123
Sweeping
Street
XYZ Organization
Your
town,
CT 01234
123
Sweeping
Street
XYZ Organization
Ms. Jane Smith
Your
town,
CT 01234
123
Sweeping
Street
XYZ Organization
567Ms.
Main
Jane
Street
Smith
Your
town,
CT 01234
123
Sweeping
Street
XYZ
Organization
Your
567
town,
Ms.
Main
Jane
CT
Street
Smith
01234
Your
town,
CT 01234
123
Sweeping
Street
XYZ
Organization
Your
567
town,
Ms.
Main
Jane
CT
Street
Smith
01234
Your
town,
CT 01234
123
Sweeping
Street
XYZ
Organization
Your
567
town,
Ms.
Main
Jane
CT
Street
Smith
01234
Your
town,
CT 01234
123
Sweeping
Street
XYZ
Organization
Your
567
town,
Ms.
Main
Jane
CT
Street
Smith
01234
Your
town,
CT 01234
123
Sweeping
Street
XYZ
Organization
Your
567
town,
Ms.
Main
Jane
CT
Street
Smith
01234
Your
town,
CT 01234
123
Sweeping
Street
XYZ
Organization
Your
567
town,
Ms.
Main
Jane
CT
Street
Smith
01234
Your
town,
CT 01234
123
Sweeping
Street
XYZ
Organization
Your
567
town,
Ms.
Main
Jane
CT
Street
Smith
01234
Your
town,
CT 01234
123
Sweeping
Street
XYZ
Organization
Your
567
town,
Ms.
Main
Jane
CT
Street
Smith
01234
Your
town,
CT 01234
123
Sweeping
Street
XYZ
Organization
Your
567
town,
Ms.
Main
Jane
CT
Street
Smith
01234
Your
town,
CT 01234
123
Sweeping
Street
XYZ
Organization
Your
567
town,
Ms.
Main
Jane
CT
Street
Smith
01234
Your
town,
CT 01234
123
Sweeping
Street
XYZ
Organization
Your
567
town,
Ms.
Main
Jane
CT
Street
Smith
01234
Your
town,
CT 01234
123
Sweeping
Street
XYZ
Organization
Your
567
town,
Ms.
Main
Jane
CT
Street
Smith
01234
Your
town,
CT 01234
123
Sweeping
Street
XYZ
Organization
Your
567
town,
Ms.
Main
Jane
CT
Street
Smith
01234
Your
town,
CT 01234
123
Sweeping
Street
XYZ
Organization
Your
567
town,
Ms.
Main
Jane
CT
Street
Smith
01234
Your
town,
CT 01234
123
Sweeping
Street
Your
567
town,
Ms.
Main
Jane
CT
Street
Smith
01234
Your town, CT 01234
Your
567town,
Ms.
Main
Jane
CT
Street
Smith
01234
Your
567town,
Ms.
Main
Jane
CT
Street
Smith
01234
Your
567town,
Ms.
Main
Jane
CT
Street
Smith
01234
Your
567town,
Ms.
Main
Jane
CT
Street
Smith
01234
Your
567town,
MainCT
Street
01234
Your town, CT 01234
36
37
38
39
Dear Jane Sample,
Our doctors call it "Day Zero.”
It’s the day you come back from the dead.
40
Inside this envelope ...
one of Pittsburgh’s darkest secrets
41
Also “new-ish”
Words like secret, hidden, hints, tips,
update, private, confidential, mystery,
discover, unveil, expose, reveal, divulge.
Phrases like "Did you know?", "Myths
and Facts," "Frequently Asked
Questions," "Heard on the Blog."
42
43
44
My
free
how-to
e-newsletter…
www.aherncomm.com
© 2011 Tom Ahern | www.aherncomm.com
45