So frustrating, right? When you’ve done a great job of creating materials, formulating calls to action and asking half the world, yet few people end up making a donation.
Certainly every campaign is different, but one thing we’ve noticed is that some mistakes are more common than others. For example, presenting a lot of information from the point of view of the organization and doing little to arouse emotions around the project. Or explaining in detail the activities that you will carry out without explaining why they are important and what the long-term positive impact will be.
In short, what you need to do is inspire people more; inspire an emotion and move them to action. How? Here are three practical ways to elevate your communication and achieve a greater response.
- Make sure you are communicating the “what for” of the project, not just the “what”. What do we mean? People react better when they know what the final impact of the project will be: it is important to inspire them with stories of impact and transformed lives, not just share a list of activities that you want to carry out.
- Share the projects’ worth from the point of view of people being benefitted, not from the voice of the organization. Remember that “people give to people, not to organizations”. The best way to help people feel empathy and create a connection with the cause is when you put aside the institutional voice and start creating messages from the voice of the people who participate in the project. You can share a story, including their testimonials or short quotes. That window into your world, seen from their perspective, is what will really inspire people to contribute.
- Check if your messages communicate the urgency of the situation. Crowdfunding campaigns have a different logic than other fundraising campaigns. Crowdfunding is made to raise a specific amount for something that must be done in the short term. Don’t forget to clearly communicate why it’s important to do this project NOW and why it can’t wait.
