I have long advocated that one way to make your newsletter and other nonprofit marketing materials more interesting is to share your opinions, not just objective reporting on your work and your issues. Jeff at Donor Power Blog says this is a good idea in fundraising too.
Why? Because opinions tend to be more entertaining, though-provoking, and emotion-grabbing than straight reporting. It’s why talk radio and blogs have boomed. In this age of information overload, we are all looking for a few voices we can trust to help us sort through the noise.
As a nonprofit leader, you are in a great position to establish yourself as one of those voices. Go out on a limb and you may lose a few supporters, but you’ll endear yourself to many, many more of the people who really matter to your organization long-term.
Here are a few ways you can inject your opinions into your communications pieces:
– If you have a “from the director” column in your newsletter, use it to share how you feel about legislation, changes in your field, or what’s happening in your community. Don’t be meek or equivocal — clearly state how you feel and what you believe.
– Be clear about what “change” means on your issue. All nonprofits are working to bring about some kind of change in the world. What’s wrong with the way things are now? What’s right? How do you want things to be? Why is it so important that your organization succeed? Answer these questions with conviction.
– Makes sure that the quotes you include in your press releases express your confident opinions on issues and don’t simply restate facts. Talk about what the facts mean.
