Communicate!

You’re sending a message to your nonprofit audience in every email, every social media post, every newsletter article you write. But is it a message they want to hear?

If you know your audience, you can tell there are some topics they’ll always be interested in, no matter what season it is or what else is going on in the world. We call those evergreen topics. It’s good to have a well of those you can dip into at any time. Posting them is a service to your audience, and it does well by your nonprofit, too, because it keeps your donors and potential donors interested.

There are also some topics that matter at a particular time and not so much at others. We’ll call them seasonal topics. Ideally, you’d like your message to stand out in your audience’s mind. Well, what’s a better way to make sure they do pay attention than to write about something that’s top of mind for them already, right at that moment?

Mother’s Day Messages

This coming Sunday is Mother’s Day. It’s a time of celebration for some, and a bittersweet time for others, depending on their relationship to their own mothers and (perhaps) to their children if they’ve raised any. One thing it is for everybody, though, is virtually inescapable: it’s mentioned in all the media.

How did nonprofits tailor their messages to Mother’s Day last year?

Example 1: It’s in their name

MADRE, an international women’s human rights organization and feminist fund, had an easy connection to the day. Their organization’s name means “mother,” in Spanish.

MADRE made good use of Mother’s Day by 1) sending my wife an email that said:

Dear Rona, Happy Mother’s Day! Today we celebrate all who care for families and lift communities in joy.Make sure you’re honoring the MADREs in your life.It’s not too late to send someone special a thoughtful Mother’s Day e-card!​In celebration,Yifat Susskind Executive Director

and 2) by putting a pop-up on their website that says, “Honor mothers everywhere. For Mother’s Day, you can send an e-card with your gift to support feminist initiatives around the world. Give Today.”

These messages hit the spot. They might not make a difference if MADRE weren’t routinely great at telling stories that move the hearts of their audiences. Within a stream of donor communications, however, the Mother’s Day messages grab readers’ attention and call on them to act.

Example 2: From one mother to another

re:Power took a different approach. Formerly Wellstone Action, this organization works to “build a future of inclusive politics where decisions about our communities are made by our communities at all levels.” In other words: run for office, mama!

For Mother’s Day, ED Karundi Williams laid out how being a mother and being and activist go together. In a long, thoughtful email, she shared these reflections:

Becoming a mother required me to establish some boundaries, out of a sense of responsibility to my daughter and her needs.

At the same time, motherhood clarified my life’s work. It sharpened my focus and reignited my passion for this important work. 

Clearly, re:Power looked at where it was in relation to its audience and saw Mother’s Day as the right time to deepen and personalize that relationship. The message is consistent with what they would say every day of the year, but it’s couched in language that resonates with readers on Mother’s Day.

Example 3: Mothers are stronger than borders

RAICES provides free and low-cost legal services to underserved immigrant children, families, and refugees, especially at the Mexico-Texas border. They do not have “mother” in their name, like MADRE. Their mission is a hard sell to people in the U.S. who are skeptical about allowing more immigrants to enter the country. So, how did they use Mother’s Day to win their audience over?

 

 

They focused on mothers’ love for their children as a reason why immigrants come to the U.S.

“Mothers provide a deep love — a type of love that borders can’t contain.

This Mother’s Day, let’s celebrate the immigrant mothers and parents who will do whatever it takes to give their children a safer and brighter life.”

RAICES presented the children in the photo as a bunch of flowers, a typical gift for Mother’s Day. Both the photo and the language of the email they sent me put all the emphasis on family, on love, and on hope. The most hardened anti-immigration advocate might be moved–let alone the people on the RAICES mailing list, who already care about the future of immigrants and their children.

Mother’s Day comes and goes, but what’s the next date that your audience will be thinking about? Is it the date of George Floyd’s death? Memorial Day? Shavuot? The end of the school year? What message can you send them that they will pay attention to, and will it make them feel close to your organization, and give?

A guest post by Doug Scott of Tectonic Video

Nonprofits rely on donations from supporters to fund their missions and make a positive impact on their communities. However, with so many organizations competing for attention and resources, it can be difficult to stand out and connect with potential donors. That’s where video comes into play.

Nonprofit video storytelling can help you create a compelling narrative that engages viewers and inspires them to take action. In this guide, we’ll discuss four effective ways to engage donors with nonprofit video stories.

Ready to inspire support for your cause? Let’s get started!

1. Film for each stage of the donor journey

One useful strategy for attracting prospective donors and building stronger relationships with current supporters is to tailor your nonprofit videos to the donor journey. The donor journey, also known as the donor pipeline, refers to the steps that a person takes to become an official donor for your cause. The more familiar you are with a donor’s journey through your organization, the better you can appeal to their interests and solicit their support.

To ensure that your content is relevant and personalized to each donor’s level of engagement, film your video stories with the following stages of the donor journey in mind:

• Awareness Stage: In the awareness stage, your nonprofit’s goal should be to raise brand awareness and attract new potential donors. Create videos that introduce your mission, values, and services.
• Interest Stage: During the interest stage, you want to engage potential donors and encourage them to learn more about your organization. Provide in-depth information about your services through behind-the-scenes looks and interviews with staff or volunteers.
• Consideration Stage: In the consideration stage, nonprofits work to convert potential donors into actual donors. Highlight the impact of your programs and services, making sure to include success stories from people who have benefited from your services. You should also explain how donor contributions make a difference in the community.
• Action Stage: The action stage occurs when a donor makes a contribution in support of your cause. During this stage, remember to thank donors for their gifts and showcase the direct impact of their support. These videos should also include calls-to-action that encourage donors to deepen their involvement with your organization, such as by volunteering or attending events.

Track donor behavior at each of these stages to gain insights into which types of content or messaging resonate most with your audience and adjust your communication strategies accordingly for future engagement efforts.

2. Follow a narrative storytelling structure

Most written stories take readers on a journey from beginning to middle to end, providing them with memorable and intriguing experiences along the way. Your video stories should do the same.

To tell a compelling video story that engages and creates an emotional connection with viewers, follow a narrative storytelling structure that includes these elements:

• Introduction: The first scene of your video should hook viewers and entice them to stick around for the rest of your story. To do so, introduce a compelling main character that has a strong connection to your organization, such as a beneficiary, donor, or staff member.
• Conflict: Introduce a conflict or challenge that the main character is facing. This could be a personal struggle or a larger social issue that your nonprofit is working to address, such as world hunger.
• Rising Action: Add momentum by showing how the main character is attempting to overcome the conflict.
• Resolution: Show how the main character overcomes the conflict or challenge with the help of your nonprofit’s programs or services. For instance, if your character is suffering from food insecurity, demonstrate how your nonprofit’s food delivery program provides them with nutritious meals.
• Conclusion: Wrap up with a conclusion that ties everything together and leaves a lasting impression on the viewer. This could involve underlining the importance of your nonprofit’s mission and encouraging viewers to get involved to help drive your impact.

Keep in mind that this storytelling structure can and should be adjusted to align with your specific video storytelling needs. For instance, if you’re filming a fundraising video, you might choose to introduce your campaign in the opening scene, rather than introducing a main character.

3. Prioritize high-quality video production

NXUnite defines nonprofit video production as a multi-step process that includes planning, scripting, filming, editing, and publishing video content. While it’s possible to oversee this process yourself, a video story that is filmed, edited, and produced by nonprofit video professionals is more likely to achieve your desired outcome.

Nonprofit video production companies are dedicated to helping mission-driven organizations create high-quality content that engages donors. They can provide your organization with:

• High-quality video content that effectively communicates your mission.
• Assistance with developing ideas, scripting, filming, and post-production.
• Access to professional-grade equipment and editing software for  creating more polished and engaging video content.
• Collaboration with a team of experienced video professionals who have knowledge of the latest video production trends.

As professionals bring your video story to life and oversee each of these complex steps, they free up time for other important initiatives, allowing you to focus on driving positive change in the community.

4. Adopt a multichannel marketing strategy

Once your video is scripted, filmed, and edited, it’s time to share it with donors. Tectonic Video’s guide to video marketing recommends publishing your video stories on Vimeo or Youtube, as these platforms have built-in tools for tracking engagement. Then, share the link across multiple marketing channels like:

• Social Media: Share your nonprofit’s videos on social media platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and LinkedIn. Use hashtags and tags to increase visibility and encourage sharing.
• Email Campaigns: Include videos in your email outreach, making sure to add a compelling subject line and preview image to encourage donors to click on the video.
• Website: Embed your nonprofit’s videos across your website’s homepage, donation page, or program pages. This provides an engaging way for donors to learn more about your nonprofit’s work and can help you remain relevant online.
• Events: Screen your video stories at events, such as fundraisers, galas, or community gatherings, to showcase your impact and inspire attendees to contribute to your cause.

By adopting a multichannel marketing strategy, you increase your chances of reaching donors on their preferred platforms and inspiring them to act.

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Author: Doug Scott

Doug is the Founder & CEO of Tectonic Video. He has more than 20 years of nonprofit communications experience as a filmmaker, communications director, chief marketing officer and leader of two creative agencies for nonprofits. Doug is a global citizen having traveled to more than 50 countries. He earned his B.A. in Strategic Communications from DePaul University, and he’s a frequent guest lecturer at Stanford University on topics related to nonprofit storytelling and storytelling ethics.