Blog

By Ben Keating 

Digital Project Manager, BBS & Associates 

You know your current campaign is worthy.  

 It presents a great need … and an even greater opportunity to effect change. It fits within the boundaries of your mission and exemplifies the difference you and your donors are making in the world. 

 There’s only one problem: DISTRACTION … 

• Political disagreement dominates the airwaves. 
• Natural disasters strike without warning. 
• Violence and war burst into the news. 

 And your ministry’s plans for a powerful fundraising campaign get rattled by the headlines of the moment.   

 The economy, the latest scandal, tragedies, politics — There’s no end to the distractions. 

  So what to do? How do you capture the attention of your “crowd” — and even add new names to your faithful list?  

 How do you draw attention to your fundraising campaign in a distracted world? 

 Here are a few key tactics: 

• Develop attention-grabbing headlines and subject lines every time — to make sure your email communications, social media posts, and more are noticed. Strong headlines and subject lines “cut through the clutter” as you fight for people’s attention and time.
• Keep your main point the main point. Clear, focused messaging is more important than flowery graphics or flowery words. Get to the point right away — before the reader decides to move on.   
• Be timely. Your donor’s newsfeed moves fast. You’ve got to move fast, too. If a disaster just happened, craft your message as a solution to the problem. Let the donor know what kind of difference her participation will make. 
• Use stories. Show your donor her impact by using stories of hope. Don’t draw them out — be quick and to the point: Here’s what happened, and here’s how your giving turned things around. 
• Stand firm on the impact your organization is making. No matter what’s going on in the world, your ministry’s mission and vision remain the same — your work is critically important, no matter what.
• Increase your frequency. One or two emails a month aren’t going to cut it in this high-volume communication world. Add more impact-story emails to demonstrate the good work your ministry is doing. 
• Remind the donor that she’s a crucial part of your mission. She is “making it happen”; she is the reason lives are being impacted, homes changed, policies enacted, children fed, babies saved, etc. 
• Be sure to remind your donors about the JOY of giving. Share why your campaign is important, what problem is being solved … and how your ministry can solve it, with her help. (In an email, address this quickly!) 

At BBS & Associates, we’ve got your back! We can help you develop winning, attention-grabbing communications to set your campaigns apart in a distracted world.  

Let’s talk about it. Please contact Ben Keating via bkeating@servantheart.com or 330-576-1153.