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Use Pronouns to Maintain a Marketplace Perspective

David Goettler  March 22 2012 05:11:54 PM

When trying to explain the marketplace perspective and its application to fund-raising, we’re sometimes challenged by those who believe that the high-minded pursuit of philanthropy should not be mixed with the “crass” business of marketing.

For some, marketing is little more than a euphemism for selling, and its practice threatens to cheapen and commercialize the development process.  The critics of nonprofit marketing are right to remind us that in the world of philanthropy, we are not selling toothpaste.  But that’s precisely why the marketplace perspective is the right approach and mindset for those of us engaged in major gift fund-raising.

Too many organizations still believe that the more they emphasize their institution’s needs - and the more they talk about it - the stronger their appeal for funds will be, and the more money they will raise.  This overemphasis on the organization’s needs ignores some basic concepts of effective marketing.  When employed, these concepts can significantly advance your fund-raising results.  

Adopting the marketplace perspective describes the process of marketing.  Effective marketing is the cerebral process of listening to your donor
constituents, and working to identify their perspective - their wants, and even their needs.  This is contrasted by the more overt activity of solicitation.

Over the years, one of the strategies our firm has used to help clients adopt and maintain a marketplace perspective is to vigilantly change the organization’s use of pronouns.  Yes, pronouns!  By changing the pronouns that an organization uses in its communications, “we” is no longer used to define the organization, rather “we” is used to present the needs and aspirations of the community and collectively of the organization’s donors.

Adopting the “marketplace perspective” is a conscious mind-set and a continuous operating philosophy that requires listening to your constituency and seeking more and more intelligence about the philanthropic needs of your donors.  A philosophy that must be maintained to realize an organization’s full fund-raising potential.

Marketing is a much broader concept and process than the isolated tactic of solicitation.  It is a dynamic that focuses on the donor and the potential donor rather than a gift to the organization.  While soliciting a gift revolves around the needs and interests of the nonprofit organization, marketing revolves around the donor and their unique perspective of both the community and your nonprofit.  Successfully marketing your nonprofit institution requires a focus on the whole process of meeting and satisfying the needs of the donor and the community.

Fund-raising counsel can significantly help organizations identify the  perspectives and needs of their constituencies.  Campaign planning
studies, external assessments, research in advance of strategic planning and other approaches are often used to identify and maintain a marketplace perspective.

As a firm, we have the knowledge and expertise to identify when an organization needs to change the way they communicate and interact with their constituents.  And, sometimes repositioning an organization’s  internal focus can be quickly accomplished by changing their pronouns.

How are you communicating?  Do you use pronouns that originate from the perspective of the marketplace?  When you identify the marketplace perspective, you will realize that you are not raising funds — you are inviting investment in causes and projects that many donors are predisposed to support.  You’re not making a “pitch,” but looking for common ground and enlisting champions.  Executed corrrectly, good marketing is
successful fund raising.
Comments

1David Goettler  3/23/2012 7:39:56 AM  Use Pronouns to Maintain a Marketplace Perspective

It's good to know we're not alone in the fight for better pronoun use: Here's a blog post from Karen Zapp on this same topic:

What SINGLE change can improve any fundraising appeal?

FEBRUARY 22, 2012

If you’ve read my blog or newsletter for long, then you know I’m a stickler for reader-centric copy. I’m talking about copy centered on your donors, members, and advocates.

And the easiest way to get one giant step close to reader-centric copy is to make this single change to your acquisition or renewal appeal: Change the word “we” to “you.”

I know. That’s nothing new. But self-centered copy still prevails. For example:

We sent 220 volunteers to Joplin to help them rebuild. Ten families are now living in their homes again. This is just one example of what Acme Charity has done in this past year.

Here’s how it could be rewritten by essentially substituting “you” for “we”:

You helped send 220 volunteers to Joplin. Ten homes were rebuilt and families are living in their homes again. This is just one example of what Acme Charity has done in this past year.

Granted, the copy could still be made a lot more reader-centric. Yet that single edit will take it one giant leap forward toward a more donor-centric appeal. You’ll be much close to a letter, email or web copy that will resonate with your readers.

What’s more, this seemingly simple change boosts response over and over again.

Here’s a bonus for you. After you replace the “we” word with “you,” check how often you use the name of your organization to take the credit. This is the same example from above after we changed “we” to “you.”

You helped send 220 volunteers to Joplin. Ten homes were rebuilt and families are living in their homes again. This is just one example of what Acme Charity has done in this past year.

Now let’s take it one step farther and change the last sentence. Again, put the reader in the spotlight instead of your charity or association.

You helped send 220 volunteers to Joplin. Ten homes were rebuilt and families are living in their homes again. Your past gifts to Acme Charity are a big reason these families are no longer living in shelters.

Want more donors and members to respond to your appeals? Follow the examples above. Make those simple edits and you will be writing appeals that are more reader-centric.