photo © 2009 Tan-Anh-Khoa Pham | more info (via: Wylio)
I love working with Board members! There is something really special about a volunteer who tears up when you ask what inspires them about their work. Or a Board member who says that they have a moral duty to share their education model with others, if it is effective. And what about a Board chair who can be an ambassador, a door opener, cultivator, and ‘closer’?
All of these amazing individuals were in the room when I led a Board training session recently in Denver. This dedicated group came together to learn how they could be smarter fundraisers for this unique educational organization that champions the lives of babies, teen moms, and their families. The weather was 70 degrees, people were playing golf right outside the window and yet, for four hours on a Friday afternoon, these folks were fully engaged!
The topics we discussed ranged from “when you were asked for money, what worked?” to “what is your personal connection to the mission?” to, my favorite, creating a leadership brand statement. To do this, we first talked about the levels at which a nonprofit markets its brand. Remembering that the brand is the leadership, accomplishments, reputation, logo and visuals, it is important to ask ‘what are the values that are expressed in your brand and are you marketing these values?’
An organization is typically introduced to a community in phases. First: its broadest passion (safety, community, responsibility, etc.). Second: its core issues (human rights, housing, economic security, the environment, etc.) Third: its policies or legislation (the point at which most nonprofits market their message.) These could be Don’t Ask Don’t Tell, Fair Pay Act, No Child Left Behind, or TANF (Tax Assistance for Needy Families).
Most groups are always looking for ways to reach new audiences or get people engaged. Find folks and speak to them about the beliefs that underlie your shared attitudes and beliefs. Talking to someone about their core values gets them to open their hearts, inquire more about charitable work that they can relate to, and eventually open their wallets.
For this exercise, each Board member tried on a new way of introducing their role and the organization to the public. As we know, most folks always say, “I am a Board member of Florence Crittenton Services where we offer programs and schooling for teen moms.” There is nothing wrong with this but what about this sentence really lifts up my curiosity or opens my heart? There were 20 great responses all summarizing the work in a heartfelt and compelling way. My favorite combination of a couple of their leadership brand statements was “I am a champion for a pioneering organization that works to end the cycle of poverty in Denver by empowering and educating teen moms and their babies who lives are being dismissed by society.”
Feel free to try this exercise out with your staff or Board and see how they ‘come out’ as fundraisers and become empowered to be spokespeople and storytellers for the cause!
For additional resources on branding and use of social media check out Beth's Kanter's Blog, Big Duck, Non-Profit Marketing Guide and Non-Profit Marketing and Fundraising Zone.
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