Who Believes in You?

Michael Margolis recently wrote an article for Fundraising Success magazine challenging fundraising professionals to thoughtfully focus on several major questions and how we frame our story around those questions.   Story telling is as old as the Scriptures.  In the Scriptures every story has a purpose which often calls us to an action.  

Michael Margolis believes our story must do the same. Here are the three questions he posed and some brief comments.

Do I belong here?

From the donor’s perspective does your mission fit with the values and goals he or she considers essential?  The key message here is you must know how to tell your story so increased numbers of donors will not only believe in your cause but choose to see your charity as fulfilling this basic need.  You must also be able to focus on parts of your story that will connect to a specific donor during a personal visit or when writing that special letter.

What do you stand for?

In hearing your story the donor does not just want to know numbers and statistics.  He or she wants to know you have the same core values.  There must be an emotional pull to your story.  Donors want the charity they associate with to be memorable as a ministry they passionately feel makes a difference in the world.

Most important, are you for real?

There are many charities.  Donors are asking, “Are you worthy?” You must tell your story in such as a way to convince others of how you stand out from other charities in what you do, how you are perceived as being trustworthy, what are your outcome measures and how can you show proof of these measures.  You must tell a story that inspires donors to join you. 

Story telling is a powerful way to communicate your case for support when it is done well with much thought focused on the donor, not on your organization.  To download a copy of an e-book by Michael Margolis entitled Believe Me go to http://www.getstoried.com