Copywriting Lessons from the Church
These funny headlines will make you laugh. And get inspired. Enjoy.
What We’re Up To These Days
Some people in our industry have made planned giving so moribund that they can put a cat on speed to sleep. Vendors included.
The Vanilla Zone. Are You In It?
What’s the most popular food served at conferences? You guessed it. Chicken. What’s the most popular flavor of ice cream? If you said “vanilla,” kudos again. Don’t get me wrong. There’s nothing wrong with chicken or vanilla. Although I do like both, I’m more of a seafood and habanero lover (yes, there’s even a habanero ice cream — it’s pretty good actually). But here’s the thing: Both of those options sum up what’s wrong with the nonprofit world. We’re plain. Boring. In the vanilla zone. And non-confrontational when need be. Our organizations all seem to blend together — only we can see what differentiates ourselves from our peers. Vanilla zone marketing abounds, because they’re afraid to be edgy. And that means to our audience, we all look homogeneous. Bland. Blah. Banal. Dull as dishwater. How do you ever expect to raise any real money that way? Until we make it very clear what we stand for; what sets us apart; our organizations are going to blend in with the rest of the world. Have you ever noticed that the leaders in any industry have enemies? You hear about them (the enemies) all the time. But guess what? The industry leaders’ companies earn a lot of money. And those leaders also have friends and plenty of supporters, too. That’s the part you do not hear about — because the enemies are the emotional ones who scream and shout to get themselves heard. Look around you — who is a leader? Look at comedians and politicians. Look at business owners. Look at musicians, writers, and actors. Who is “making it” and who is not? You’ll find the successful ones stand for something. They pick their battles. Unless you are loved and hated at the same time, you — and your organization — are going to be a nobody. OK … I really do not mean “hated.” But at least learn to stand out, to avoid vanilla marketing so you don’t look like a macaroni-and-cheese, everyday lunchbox meal, or perhaps a dishwasher. Learn to differentiate yourself, and your organization — otherwise, you’re going to blend into the wallpaper. And if you do not differentiate yourself, do not complain. Learn to live on what you’re making and how you’re living. Because in the vanilla zone, you’re never going to do any better.
Focus on Consistency
Random acts of kindness? Pfui. How about consistent acts of kindness. Same goes for marketing… and that’s why many nonprofits fail because a little bit of this and a little bit of that …
Street Smart Marketing?
You do not need a Ph.D. All you need is Street Smarts. Look at what John Ready did at Valley Gives Back.
Do Planned Giving Newsletters Work?
I just love Tom Ahern’s sarcastic line: “Oh, goody! Look what’s come in the mail, honey. It’s the latest issue of our death brochure. Round up the kids!”
The Goldilocks Rule
Nonprofit board members who serve on their investment advisory committees have a dual fiduciary role to perform: 1) They must protect the intent of the donor and the long-term viability of their organization; and 2) They have to manage endowment assets to provide a reasonable amount of income to support the causes that the funds are earmarked for.
Estate Planning for Women
Women hold a large percentage of this nation’s wealth, yet most don’t have an estate plan. Show those who care about your mission the value of estate planning, and they’ll be encouraged to include a charitable gift to you. Simple … donor and attorney friendly … and to the point.
Yes, Virginia, you DO need a planned giving website
I saw a blog post penned by another planned giving vendor. Its sole purpose: To trash the idea that fundraisers need a planned giving website. Very interesting …
Simple Planned Gifts to Market This Year
Did you know that more than 90% of planned gifts are beneficiary designations? And by simply promoting beneficiary designations to your prospects, your organization will see its endowment grow by leaps and bounds. [Here’s a handy Beneficiary Designations Gift Planning Toolkit you can use.] Why? What makes this particular planned gift so attractive? It’s the simplicity. Giving a beneficiary designation is literally as easy as filling out a form. The form names the individuals and charities you want to support, and specifies the percentage of the assets you want each beneficiary to receive. They are very simple to give, easy to arrange, and usually do not require an attorney. So what’s the easiest way to market them? By mailing at least 4 postcards on beneficiary designations to your donors and prospects this year. Do not try to get creative with award-winning designs. Just concentrate on getting the word out. It doesn’t get any easier than that. Beneficiary designations can take multiple shapes, including: Cash Appreciated Securities/Investments Fund Accounts United States Savings Bonds Bank Accounts Jointly Held Accounts Life Insurance IRAs/Retirement Accounts CDs Any person who cares about your mission — rich or poor, educated or not — can easily make these kinds of gifts. And it won’t have any impact on their day-to-day cash flow! That’s why we like to call them “gifts anyone can make” or “gifts for the rest of us.” Again… By simply marketing Beneficiary Designations, you will see both your organization’s endowment and your career grow. With no fuss, no muss, and without any hassle! It’s the most ridiculously easy and blazingly fast way for you to get the word out to prospects about the easiest, most popular planned gifts. And they’re the easiest gifts for your organization to accept. By the way, before haphazardly developing any planned giving marketing tools, you should begin with a 12-Month Marketing Plan. This will be your road map to success. You should also learn how your basic planned gifts work (no matter what anyone says, you do not need to be a lawyer or an accountant). Read about gift planning vehicles. Categories: Giving, Planned Giving Marketing, Marketing Planned Giving
