Thursday February 5- Make em smile

Hi !

Elbridge Gerry: What’s cookin this week 

In this week’s enews…

• Too much doom and gloom

• How to make supporters smile 

• Great nonprofit idea

• Great post: Retention mistakes to avoid

• Learn how to create a fundraising strategy

• This week’s poll: Who’s the worst?

For the first time since I started publishing the enews, no one emailed with a solution to the Triple E (enews easter egg) from two weeks ago. Wondering if I made it too hard…

Gloom and doom. It seems that’s what we’re being fed everywhere- social media, the news, conversations with friends.

It’s a big problem for nonprofits who are trying to cut thru that noise and get people’s attention. And then when we actually do capture their attention, what do they read, hear and see? Is it more doom and gloom or hope and happiness?

In today’s enews I wanna tackle the issue of what we share with our audience and how it’s ok to make them smile.

Seriously. It’s ok. Let’s dive into it.

Dan Quayle: Turning it all off

I have friends who have simply stopped watching the news. They rarely check social media. It’s too much.

I’m not going to get into politics but I can understand people who are sick of all the doom and gloom in the news. That’s both domestic and international. They need a break.

For some that break is watching something fun on Netflix. For others it’s getting out and walking or doing yoga. For others, it’s taking up a new hobby.

Dear reader, you might be one of the people I just described. But know who else is? People in your nonprofit’s audience.

When someone new subscribes to my enews, I will check out the organization they work for. It is AMAZING for me to see the UNBELIEVABLE work you are doing 24/7/365!

But what are your readers seeing? Is the vast majority of communications with them doom and gloom? Are you always kvetching about how you need money because of X and if you don’t reach your internal goals bad thing Y will happen?

Disease. Homelessness. Poverty. Lack of food. Conservation. Animals. Disabilities. Domestic violence.

The issues we are all working on are critical, ones that literally save lives. And a lot of the content we share via various channels is serious- because we’re dealing with topics that are serious!

But how do readers view it? They have so much doom and gloom around them and then their favorite nonprofit shares with them… more doom and gloom? It can be very overwhelming for some.

There is a solution (see next section) but before I get to it I wanna be clear: Yes, you HAVE to share what’s going on. Yes, you have to be UPFRONT and CLEAR about the problem being faced. Yes, you MUST tell readers the situation on the ground.

But you also MUST make readers smile. Make them feel good. Make them enjoy receiving communications from you.

A lot of that can come from gratitude comms, sharing impact (stories, data, quotes) and telling people how they’re making their community a better place for everyone.

But I think there’s more to be done.

If you’ve been here long enough, you know that I’m a big fan of making your audience smile, laugh, enjoy. Especially now, this is what’s needed.

Hannibal Hamlin: Make em feel good!

I wanna share with you two examples of what I’m talking about. And I’ll use two Friday emails to demonstrate.

Every Friday Orbis sends me a Feel Good Friday email. Here’s a recent one:

Every Friday they make a point of making people feel good! They have an image, short impact content. And if you read the content you’ll notice how it’s all about YOU- the donor.

Think about the effect of these types of communications on their audience. People feel good about the gift they gave. They see and read the impact.

“Look at the good I did!”

Less than 30 seconds and you’ve got people smiling. If I had to guess, I’d bet these Friday emails are opened more than their other emails. These stand out in people’s inboxes- especially since they put #FeelGoodFriday in every Friday email subject line- and people WANT to open and read.

All because the organization invested a little in making people feel good.

I have used this example from Roots Ethiopia before but I’m gonna do it again because I like what they send out each Friday.

A picture that captures my attention. A little bit about what’s going on. Me seeing what a gift to the organization brings about.

Open. Look. Read. Smile.

An impact report isn’t the only place to make people feel good and smile. Do that year round! Do it via email, text, social media posts, direct mail, website, blog, video.

With all the bad going on out there, it doesn’t take much to get people to smile. We all want POSITIVE news, content that causes us to remember that not only are we good people but collectively we can do such wonderful things for those who need it most.

Consider how your organization can make people smile, enjoy what they’re seeing and reading, feel good about what’s going on in their community.

It’s a major contrast to everything being thrown at them. And yes, they WANT the good news! Provide it for them.

I am looking for more examples of nonprofits who regularly make their supporters and audience feel good. Is your organization doing this? Please reply to this email and send me examples. I’d love to see them!

Calvin Coolidge: Learn from the good

In this section I’ll share with you something good being done by a nonprofit that you can learn from.

One of the most stress inducing days of the year was when I had to bring in my car for its annual test. Would it pass?

Comparable to that was the day I brought in the car for its annual check up. How many problems will they find and how much will it cost?

Fact is owning a car is expensive. Which is why Lift Garage in Minneapolis provides an important service for those who really need it.

The Lift Garage is an affordable, nonprofit auto repair service for all Minnesotans who meet the 150% Federal Poverty Guideline. They provide low-cost car repair, free pre-purchase inspections and honest advice to support the community on the road to more secure lives.

What a fantastic idea!!!

An unexpected car repair can break the bank for many people and families. Lift provides them with very affordable payment for labor and people receive discounts for parts.

I honestly have not seen this elsewhere. The idea of a nonprofit operating a car repair shop never occurred to me until I saw this article and video about Lift. Good on them!!!

Lyndon Johnson: A little of this and that

In this section I’m going to share with you great content I’ve picked out that you can learn from.

1. 8 donor retention mistakes to avoid. MUST READ!!! (Nonprofit Pro)

2. 4 easy ways to optimize your website (Wired Impact)

3. The 7 reasons why people give (and how to speak to each one) (Nonprofit Fundraising)

4. The benefits of direct mail (Eventgroove)

5. 26 free webinars in February for you to attend and learn from (Wild Apricot)

Thomas Jefferson: Join the Nonprofit Fundraising Conference!

Are you ready to fully fund your mission? Make it easy for donors to invest in meaningful ways?

If you want your organization’s fundraising to make a leap this year, I highly suggest you check out and register for the Nonprofit Fundraising Conference.

Learn how to identify, cultivate and engage with supporters. Get the resources you need to boost retention and giving to your organization. Learn how to create a strategy you can implement.

Three experienced fundraisers sharing their expertise and knowledge over seven sessions aimed at providing you with the tools to fundraise effectively. Check out the agenda and reserve your seat today!

🎶 This week I listened to Lyin’ Eyes by the Eagles on an endless loop. I know they have a gajillion great songs. Lyin’ Eyes is my favorite.

I’ll be back in your inbox next Thursday. Have a great weekend!

P.S. I’m not surprised by the answer. At all.