The importance of authenticity

I have been really fortunate to be going through leadership development coaching over the last few months, and in a recent session, I was given an exercise to help uncover what values were most important to me.  All the usual suspects were there, honesty, effectiveness, accuracy.  But as I worked through the exercise the value that came out on top of all others for me, was authenticity.

Authenticity... the quality of being authentic.  

Dictionary dot com defines authentic as not false or copied; genuine; real.

When I stop and think about it - it makes sense to me that authenticity would be at the top of my values list.  I do try (and admittedly sometimes fail) to live an authentic life.  To be true to who I am, to be transparent to those around me, and to be trustworthy.  I try to surround myself with authentic people and I expect my team and my colleagues to be authentic in the workplace and with our clients.

But in the last few weeks, I've become aware how easy it is to move away from authenticity in the work that we do.  Stories become a bit more dramatic in an attempt to create the friction we believe is needed to raise money.  We manage to ignore really beautiful, personal pieces that a person has created on their journey - wether that be a trip to the field, a battle with cancer, or the loss of a loved one - pieces that while perhaps not 'perfect' capture a moment in time - and instead design something that we think works better. We make a signatory, or a support person a bit more emotional, when in reality, they may be very rational, because we 'think' that will generate a better response.  I see it time and time again in the mail I open in my mailbox.

While none of these things are done to be untruthful, or misleading in anyway, they are missing authenticity... and in doing so, I think are missing the mark.

One of the best performing packs I ever worked on, and one of the packs I am most proud of having been a part of, was for a children's hospital in Sydney. The AMAZING staff in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit make a beautiful scrapbook for every child who is in their care for more than two weeks.  They include photographs, record milestones and have notes from the doctors and nurses who are caring for them.  These books are an incredible gift to the parents of these children and I know from having talked to several mum's of children who have been through this NICU how appreciated they are.  Two years ago we were privileged to tell the story of a little boy who had spent a few weeks in Hospital and  we knew there was no better way to tell his story but through the words and images of the people who were part of it.  Instead of recreating that booklet in InDesign, we did nothing but photocopy every single page of it, and reproduce it to send to High Value Donors.  Response rate from that segment doubled from the previous year and I am confident that piece had a lot to do with it.  

As you dive deep into your Christmas campaigns, be mindful of how authentic your copy and creative is, and keep your eyes open for those authentic pieces that already exist, and that tell a story better than you or I ever could.            

Donor Care Done Right

I have been fortunate enough to work in fundraising in Canada, the US and Australia.  The best thing about that is the fact I have had the opportunity to meet and to work with some incredibly smart, creative, passionate and inspirational people who are changing the world.  I was so excited to hear that an email one of them wrote to their Regular Givers this past February was highlighted in a post on 101 Fundraising today.  Below is this beautiful example of donor care, written by my friend Libby Lang at Unicef Australia.  We could all learn something from this one.

Subject line: “You’ve got a secret admirer.”

Living Below The Line

We live in a VERY rich world.  Yet, more than a billion people live in poverty. Our word is full of inequality, and children are suffering as a result.

Every day, around the world, more than a billion people live on less than $2.25 per day.  I have pledged to do feed myself on just $2.25 per day for five days in September to get a glimpse into what life is like for so many others. 

I'll be doing this in support of Oxfam New Zealand.  They are a global movement for change – a network that empowers individuals, communities and organisations to build a future free from the injustice of poverty. They work in the Pacific, Southeast Asia and Africa, providing practical support, skills and resources to help people work their way out of poverty.  I feel very lucky to work with the team at Oxfam NZ and to be a part they are doing to change the world.

I know these 5 days will be hard, and incredibly humbling.  But I also know that there are people cheering me on and supporting me in this venture will be powerfully motivating.  Please show your support by making a donation to Oxfam NZ on my fundraising page here.  I will keep you updated on my blog, and on twitter so you can see how I'm going, and what I am eating, and of course, hear inspiring stories of how YOU are helping to make a difference.

THANK YOU.

Reflections

Sometimes a story completely grabs you.  It takes you away from the every day - the deadlines, to-do lists, forecasts and briefs - and reminds you WHY you do all of this.

That happened to me today.  I read a story so captivating that I haven't been able to stop thinking about it.  So powerful that I sobbed at my desk.  So beautiful that feel honored to be able to share it with donors. 

Tonight, my thoughts are with Emma's family.  Seven months ago they lost their gorgeous little girl to cancer, and I can't even begin to imagine what they go through every day. In a few weeks I will share more about this amazing young girl, her three year battle with cancer, and her beautiful family who was by her side as she went through every horrible moment of treatment. But today, I was reminded not only how precious life is (I certainly cuddled my little girl longer, and tighter than usual) but of the privilege it is to be able to share stories of people.  That these individuals are willing to share with us their struggles, their darkest moments, their hopes and their fears puts a profound responsibility on us as fundraisers.  That they allow us to share their stories with beautiful donors is an incredible honour.  

Emma's story touched me in more ways than I think I even realize, and she reminded me how very fortunate I am to have a career doing what I do.    

Donors are beautiful

In a busy world of pushing appeals out the door for a number of amazing organizations, I often loose sight of how wonderful the people are who are receiving the packs.  Today I was reminded of what beautiful, lovely people they are.  People who are interested in the work that the charity is doing.  People who are proud of the impact they are having.  People who are touched by the words in the letters that we send, and who are moved by the images of the people whose story we are sharing with them.

We have just mailed Cancer Council NSW's tax appeal, and were privileged to tell the story of a beautiful little girl named Emily, who was diagnosed with a rare form of kidney cancer just weeks before her first birthday. Emily's mum was kind enough to open up to us and allow us to share their difficult journey, the highs and the lows of the diagnosis, the treatment, the recovery and of course their hope for Emily's future.  You can read more about Emily's story, and make a gift to help Cancer Council NSW fund more research and treatments for children with cancer by visiting their website.

On the response form, we invited donors to send some words of encouragement to Emily and her family. Cancer Council NSW have started to receive the most beautiful messages from their supporters and I am thrilled that they shared some with us. Reading these messages made me smile, made me cry, and reminded me how lucky I am to do what I do. As a fundraiser, I get to connect with people every single day - to share stories with them - to inspire them - and to give them the chance to make a difference.  And these people are extraordinary people, who like me, believe our world can be better.

I know engagement devices are nothing new, but if you are not already doing them, start.  Not on every appeal, and only when its relevant, but not only will they increase response, they will give you something to smile about. 

Thoughts on Social Media and Fundraising from FIA Conference 2013

The use of social media in fundraising is a hot topic in the fundraising circuit these days, evidenced by the fact the social media sessions at the FIA conference a few weeks ago were packed full of fundraisers dying to know how they could turn facebook, twitter and instagram into revenue for their charity. 

Given that, I thought I'd share a few of the learnings that I picked up over those two days:

In Jill Ruche's session "How is Digital Different", she pointed out that the first thing that people look at on your facebook page is your profile picture, so it is paramount that this is compelling.  Her three keys to writing great facebook content were:

• identify who your audience is
• test the best time to post
• plan a communications schedule. don't just post content, be strategic about what you are sharing and when

In Benjamin Mangold's session "Remarketing with Google", he points out that Australia has very high mobile penetration.  For the first time, more money will be spent on digital than on TV this year.  In terms of advertisements, he cautioned that your landing page is even more critical to your success than the ads you create.  It is essential that we think about where we are sending people when they click through.

Finally, Kate vander Voort in her session "Using Social Media to Improve Fundraising Results" stressed that social media is not a silver bullet.  98% of non profit organizations with a facebook page did not raise a cent last year. She reminded us that when using facebook, you have to put your brand aside.  People using social media are longing for engagement.  They want to get behind you, but it is essential that you engage with them. You need to demonstrate what it is that you are doing and take them on a journey before you even think about asking. 

A few other social media thoughts and ideas...

1. When people take action (give a gift) on your website, prompt them to share their action via social media
2. Inspirational quotes get more shares than anything else on facebook
3. Use video - it is the most compelling way to tell a story and to motivate a gift
4. Likes are nice, but not really a relevant measure.  Don't just think about how you are going to get those likes, focus your attention on how you can turn those likes into action.

And something fun to emphasize that the last point, check out UNICEF Sweden's new TV spot "Likes Don't Save Lives".  It has proven to be very controversial in the fundraising sector - but I happen to like healthy controversy.

I love you.

Valentines day was just a few days ago and it got me thinking all about LOVE.

I have to say - I love donors.  They are LOVELY people who donate their hard earned money to charities they believe in. Hopefully charities they are passionate about.  It's an amazing thing when you think about it... most of them could probably find other things to do with that money quite easily, but instead, they are trusting someone else to use their money wisely to feed the hungry, clothe the poor, find a cure for cancer, take care of sick kids, protect our wildlife, conserve our land, or some other equally important cause.

I've been thinking a lot about how we thank donors for these gifts.  Do we just send them the obligatory, generic thank you note - like the one your mother used to make you send your grandmother at Christmas even though you didn't really want too - or do we really show them the love.

Lately I've seen a couple of really good demonstrations of love from charities to their donors.  The first is a video done by one of my favourite organizations, Charity Water.  It's impossible NOT to love everything they do.  They created this valentine for their donors - a powerful way to recognize their support. Check it out here.

Another organization I support is Operation Smile here in Australia.  I have to say, as a monthly donor, they not only make me feel loved, they make me feel like a valuable part of their work. Every month they send me my tax receipt - in a handwritten card.  Yes, a handwritten card, every month. They are signed by Norma... I'm not sure what her role is there... she could be a fundraising manager, a monthly giving program manager or a volunteer.  It doesn't really matter. All that matters is she is a real person who is taking the time to write me a letter.  The cards are short - they always thank me for my continued support and they always tell me about a recent medical mission they have taken or one they are about to take and they always make me feel like I am a part of it.  I look forward to hearing from them every month and even though they have yet to ask, these cards make me want to give more.

These are not the only examples of good donor care I have received.  Just recently Wesley Mission Brisbane sent me a personal Christmas card which went up on the wall with the ones we received from friends and family.  But these extraordinary examples of donor care are hard to come by - and I'm not sure why.  Please, please, please find a way to show your donors how much you love them.  This may differ for your $5 donors to your major donors to your monthly givers.  But for some reason these people have entrusted you with their gift and its so important to recognize that.

And perhaps - if we spent a bit more time really engaging our supporters, we could spend a bit less time searching for so many new ones.

In Defense of Premiums

This is my third attempt at writing this post this week. Every time I try I end up getting a bit lost in my thoughts and therefore my words. I guess that's because the topic is so controversial, and my head and my heart don't always align on this one.

I was listening to a podcast from a session given by a fundraiser I know and respect on the weekend (yes, I'm slightly ashamed to admit it, but I am that person...the one who downloads sessions from conferences I didn't attend and listens to them in my free time). She was speaking about acquisition and said 'A lot of charities that don't have an offer have to use premiums.' My stomach turned when I heard it. A thought shared by so many in our sector. But it troubled me because I work with so many amazing charities...ones with very real and very tangible offers that are easy to understand and that are inspiring to donors...and I send premiums on their behalf.

Today when I received my daily email from The Agitator that was all about premiums and linked to an article by Kevin Sherman suggesting that premiums are like crack-cocaine that feeling came rushing back. It's not a feeling of anger - believe me, I get it. I don't love the notion of premiums or the thought that we are 'guilting' people into making a gift. And the argument they offer makes so much sense. But I don't believe the issue of premiums has been presented in its entirety.

As I mentioned, I send premiums on behalf of a number of charities here in Australia. And I have to say we are seeing some amazing results. At the moment, premium response rates in Australia are extraordinary, and these mailings are generating a LOT of income. Even with the higher costs, some charities are breaking even or netting income on their mailings. If you've ever done acquisition you know that's incredible. I can't argue the fact that average gifts are lower...they are. And we expect that. But the good donors...the ones that may have also given to a non-premium appeal are still responding, and premium mailings are still generating gifts of $1,000 and higher. The difference is they are also bringing in many more small gifts which are helping to cover the costs of those mailings. And many of these new recruits do go on to give second gifts to future non-premium appeals.

Will this continue? I don't know. But for the time being it is providing a valuable income stream, allowing charities to increase their net income and do more good. And believe me, we are continuing to dig deep into the data and to watch the behaviour of these donors.

Coffee and inspiration

It's been a long time - two and a half years in fact - since I last wrote on this blog. And a LOT has happened in my life. I've become a mum, to a beautiful little girl who is the love of my life. She and I have moved around the world and for almost two years have called Sydney Australia home. I've continued working with Pareto and had the opportunity to partner with some amazing charities in Australia, New Zealand and even Hong Kong. Life has been good to me, and I am so grateful.

Lately though, I realize I've lost some of my fire. The chaos of life, a heavy workload and the changes in the definition of roles have taken a toll on me and lately I realize i have allowed myself to become a project manager, instead of a fundraiser. Project management is a very important part of what I do, but it isn't what gets me out of bed in the morning. It doesn't excite me or challenge me. It should be a function of my role, rather than the definition of my role.

I had coffee with a dear friend on the weekend and as we talked about the charities we were privileged to work with, ideas we had to help grow their causes and the amazing work we could partner with them in doing I felt like a spark went off and the fire was ignited again. I love what I do. Really love it. I get to make a difference in the world every day. That is an amazing opportunity but also a big responsibility. I am a fundraiser. And I have so much to learn. And I can't wait to learn it. I've decided to start writing again as a place to think out loud, to share ideas and hopefully, to engage in conversation with other fundraisers...with you.

I'm so thankful for my friends, colleagues and partners who inspire me everyday and I hope I can share with you some of that inspiration.