What should non emergency charities do in an emergency?

The answer to this is pretty simple. Continue doing what you were already doing.

The tragic events of the past 24 hours in Haiti are exactly that. Tragic. And unthinkable what the people there are going through. My heart goes out to those who are suffering as a result.

But it doesn't stop the quest to find a cure for breast cancer, nor help that sick puppy being abused and in need of attention.

If we look back to emergencies over the last decade, the Tsunami, 9/11 to name just a couple. The organization’s who suffered are the ones who did.... nothing. That is, scaled back on fundraising.

Don't commit fundraising suicide. Check out this article with some more evidence from the Tsunami experience and why you should solider on as normal.

Jonathon

PS Hats off to the disaster relief organization’s who had emergency appeals out within 24 hours, particularly the American Red Cross who had an email in my inbox just 6 hours after the earthquake hit.

Why, how and now

I read with interest Mark Phillips thoughts today on an oft misunderstood area of fundraising: the single minded proposition.

I touched on this, although not as articulately as Mark, a few weeks back when talking about the eight ways to to get more by getting it monthly.

It's an area that is easy to undersell and equally difficult to get right.

If you're trying to convince someone to leave you a bequest, commence a monthly gift or even give you $20, you need to get across why they should do it, show them how they can help you and convince them why they must do it now, (as opposed to tomorrow or next week).

Pretty simple stuff, in theory anyway.

As direct response fundraisers we're pretty good at telling people the how: using call to actions, deadlines, response vehicles.

Likewise, the now: using human stories to show real impact, talking about genuine impact and demonstrating need.

But what about the why?

I love the way Mark simplifies the importance of the proposition, saying "Your proposition should focus on a nugget of information that has the power to make someone stop and think".

When convincing someone why they should do what you've asked them to do, remember the following:

- Scale it down. Tell me about one child in need of help, one sick puppy. The enormity of helping thousands is overwhelming.

- Focus on benefits, not features. A feature is a factual representation about a product, or service that you're offering. But features aren't what entice donors to give, their time, money or effort. That's where benefits come in. A benefit answers the question, what's in it for me? Like, "you're helping to insure yourself, and those you love..."

- Ensure you've 'nailed' the why before you move onto the how, and now. Particularly when it comes to planned giving/bequests, the weight is often stacked in the wrong favor. Convince someone why, then go on to tell them how and why now.

- Give it life. That one child you're referencing has a name. "... will help children, like little Ian".

One more time: tell me why, show me how and explain to me why it's so critical, right now.

Jonathon

Help me keep in touch with you

After 18 months of blogging I finally discovered Feedburner. It allows you to get emails as soon I post a blog.

I'd love it if you entered your email address in the box to the right of this post. Will take out about 30 seconds and save you having to remember to always click here to see if I've posted a new blog.

I'll keep in touch regularly, around once or twice a week. Rarely more than that, rarely less. Except for next week when I'll be sitting on a beach.

Thanks for visiting my blog.

Jonathon

Don't "just do what you did in 2009"

I was just looking over some of my previous 94 blogs from 2009, and whilst surprised at how many times I can rant in a calendar year also managed to stumble across something that whilst posted in January is worth rehashing, on how tradition can be destructive.

I think that's a poignant note to leave 2009 with.

When you return to work in 2010, look back on the year gone with a view to taking the good with you into next year and leaving behind the bad or indifferent.

But a word of warning, don't adopt the attitude that 2010 will look a lot like last year with some small nuances - and expect the rest to take care of itself.

Do what's right, what needs to be done and what's going to help you help more benefactors. It's easy to simply rollout past activity, but remember that tradition can be destructive.

With that, happy New Year and here's to a prosperous 2010.

I'll be back blogging on the 11th of January after a week on the beach in Mexico.

Jonathon