The pandemic is changing everything.
And you know “waiting it out” isn’t the answer. So you are looking for ways to adapt.
You also know from both experience and instinct the more you communicate the more you raise. But you know just doing more of what you were doing isn’t the answer.
Here’s a Storytelling Platform you can use to provide a steady stream of short videos and brief “reads” that create an ongoing top-of-mind presence with donors. Each piece of brief content is part of a flow that cumulatively shows the impact of their philanthropy through stories primarily told to donors by donors.
For over twenty years donors have been saying, “The more you ask, the less I give.” Researcher Penelope Burk year-after-year has reported annual surveys showing over-solicitation and inadequate stewardship as why donors stop giving.
But, please note, the complaint is not over-communication. Quite the contrary. Listen to the voice of the donor:
“Make a clear connection between my giving and the value it brings to the cause” … “I want to fund real change” … “I do enjoy getting mail if it features case studies of how funds are used” … “Knowing the tangible benefit of my donation is very important to me.”
It seems simple. Ask less and steward more.
If only it were that easy.
Introducing Storytellers
People are busy. They want their information in small doses. Mobile is the primary way content is received and consumed. Storytellers is a platform designed for short-form content.
The Storytellers platform offers you an affordable way to provide a steady stream of short videos and brief “reads” that create an ongoing top-of-mind presence with donors. It is a way to capture, edit and present video—as part of a mix along with text, photography and graphics—that doesn’t require video crews or, for that matter, any video production capabilities on your part. Each piece of very brief content is part of a flow that cumulatively shows the impact of philanthropy through stories primarily told to donors by donors.
Here are the three keys to how this works:
- Remote Capture. Video crews are expensive. And the pandemic has made on-location shoots problematic. We’ve developed techniques and technology to remotely provide live direction and capture high quality video.
- Mobile Platform. The platform recognizes the realities of digital communication by integrating the advantages of a mobile app with the ubiquity of email. The platform is designed for short-form content on mobile devices. It tells stories through streams of segments providing multiple exposures to on-the-move audiences.
- Journalism. Donors and beneficiaries are the spokespeople rather than executive leaders. Stories are told from the donor point-of-view, primarily by donors. A key element in the Storytellers strategy is the absence of a marketing communications feel. Your donors will feel informed. The ask will be subtle and cumulative.
The benefits to the fundraising effort offered by this content creation and delivery platform would be compelling at any time. They are particularly relevant to the success of both direct response and major gift programs during these times of the COVID-19 pandemic, while providing an essential element of any capital or comprehensive campaign.
Here’s seven reasons you should keep reading:
- Increased reach. Storytellers can send to email addresses or to smartphone numbers to provide a more comprehensive reach. And, for those who wish to download a mobile app to gain anytime access to your content, the app can be found on both the Apple and Google app stores.
- More Exposure. Storytellers communicates through streams of segments providing multiple exposures to on-the-move audiences. The mobile platform carries previous posts with every post … once a donor opens one, the donor has the opportunity to “See More” by choosing from a menu of related posts after reading the article or watching the short video.
- Easy to use. Storytellers doesn’t require any time, attention, or resources from corporate IT (so long as we aren’t using it as a means of reaching employees). As an outsourced cloud-based service, it requires minimal time of your staff. The technology is compliant in every way. Data can pass to/from the platform freely (with or without an air gap).
- Donor Focused. Donors and beneficiaries are the spokespeople. Storytellers motivates giving by serving as a major recognition and stewardship vehicle. Stories are told from the donor point-of-view, primarily by donors. A key element in the storytelling strategy will be the absence of a “corporate communications” promotional feel. The style will be journalistic.
- Interactive and engaging. Storytellers encourages donor interactions with instant response capabilities, polls, and surveys via the mobile platform. Interactions build engagement. And engagement is essential to donor retention.
- Powerful segmentation. You can “send to all” or match specific content with the interests of specific audiences. Storytellers can be the principal vehicle for comprehensive campaign communications and instrumental in securing major gifts, while also supporting direct-response annual campaigns and securing online contributions.
- Turnkey or à la carte. We can do it all or we’re happy to integrate into your staff capabilities.
We’re living in a fast-paced age of change. And through a revolution in how people communicate and relate. No channel alone is enough anymore. Traditional media are losing their punch. Donor comments and research findings indicate print communication vehicles—annual reports, magazines and even newsletters—are going straight to the recycling bin. Websites are great but people first must be motivated to search them out. Video is becoming ubiquitous.
Fundraising and marketing differ in significant ways.
Fundraising communications focus on the donor and the ways the donor makes a difference—not on the organization. Fundraising communications honor and recognize the central importance of the donor and volunteer. Fundraising communications are emotional in nature, as are all great stories. Fundraising communications are free of statistics and institutional jargon. Fundraising communications seek feedback and involvement on the part of the donor in advancing the mission of the organization.
Storytellers builds relationships by continually interacting with donors and prospective donors, with a constant flow of information—all designed to tell a consistent story. The strategy is to solicit feedback while providing frequent, emotional, story-based portraits of your donors’ impact—informing, cultivating, and recognizing donors.
Ask for a free proposal
Give us 30 minutes (along with some data) and we’ll give you a proposal you will want to seriously consider.
Email us at jrechtien@mpicompanies.com or fill out the form below and we will be in touch.