Category Archives: Copywriting

Are you listing all the benefits you offer? (Part 1)

[Dalya’s Note: This is an excerpt from my award-winning book Writing to Make a Difference: 25 Powerful Techniques to Boost Your Community Impact.]

You probably have noticed that most people who get involved with community-benefit organizations like yours are not looking only for a material benefit to themselves. Sure, they may be interested in the tangible things you can offer them. And they obviously value the work you do in your community. But they are also interested in the psychological and emotional benefits they can gain because of the nature of your work.

This fact defines socially responsible organizations, and you should take it seriously. It can help position your work in the forefront of your readers’ minds.

Your organization’s vision and mission will point you toward uncovering the many unique benefits you offer your clients and customers. For more about how to use your mission in that way, see Chapter 11, “Spotlight your mission repeatedly.”

To start you down this path, I have listed some sample types of benefits, both tangible and psychological/emotional, that your organization may offer to different constituencies. In the list below, I have divided constituents into two categories, but they may overlap at your organization. The asterisks denote benefits that appear in both categories. See how many apply to your work or to any particular aspect of it. Of course, your particular organization will offer many others.

Tangible Benefits

A convenient opportunity, despite their hectic lives, to make a difference in their community

A chance to serve as a community resource—to share their good fortune or give something back in a way that matters to them

Small gifts or subscriptions

Special recognition for their involvement or accomplishment

Tax deduction or rebate

Access to unique expertise that addresses a key problem in a socially responsible manner

Environmental sustainability

Interactions with other people with whom they share values, beliefs, concerns, and struggles

New skills and/or understanding

Preparation for the future

Improved health and well-being

Risk or cost reduction

Safety for family, friends, or community

Time savings

Psychological/Emotional Benefits

A sense that they are part of a winning team that is making the world a better place

Feelings of being kind, generous, trustworthy, helpful, important, conscious, and contributing citizens

Improved morale, excitement, or inspiration

The knowledge that they are doing their part to solve a problem that directly or indirectly affects them

The knowledge that they are empowering themselves and others to make their own decisions

Increased confidence

Feelings of personal dignity

Keep these factors in mind when you are trying to understand your readers (that is, “get inside their heads”). If your written pieces acknowledge and support these needs in your readers, you will be on the way to instilling a sense of your organization as an important part of their lives. You can do that by naming these benefits whenever they come up, or at least implying their presence.

Examples

1) A wealthy donor is interested in contributing financially to his community on a global level, but is unclear about how to go about it. Let’s say that your organization is involved in international work focusing on women and girls, and you want to reach out to this reader. How would you do it?

In a letter to him, you would touch on the benefits—both tangible and psychological or emotional—that he would receive from investing in you and your partners overseas. Depending on what you know about the person, you may mention things like:

Your organization hopes to offer him the opportunity to make a difference in the lives of women and girls around the world by partnering with the experts on your team
Your organization has a great track record of success stories
His generosity now is a way for him to “give something back” and “do his part” by empowering others and helping prepare them to join our global community
By joining your circle of donors, he will be able to meet regularly with others who share his commitment
Your organization is a registered nonprofit and all gifts are tax-deductible

2) Your organization’s products—t-shirts made of organic cotton and sewn in factories certified to be sweatshop-free—display award-winning local artwork that is silk-screened by a union shop using soy-based inks. Your prices are competitive with other high-quality t-shirts that sport none of these special features.

I am sure you can name several of this product’s many benefits for the individual consumer, the community, and the environment!

(See Part 2 of this article: HERE)

4 Must-Have Messages – Part 2

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[Dalya’s Note: This blog post was originally published 5/14/13 by Nancy Schwartz, Strategist-Speaker-Consultant GettingAttention.org. Nancy Schwartz (nancy at nancyschwartz.com) helps nonprofits succeed through effective marketing. For more guidance like this, subscribe to her e-update. Today we pick up where Nancy left off in Part 1.]

3. Key Messages or Talking Points

Value

Succinctly elaborate on your positioning statement and provide the necessary proof required for validation, while enabling you to tailor your messaging to specific groups within your network.

Definition

A set of four to six key messages that build on the information conveyed in your positioning statement and respond to most common questions asked by your current and prospective network.

Most talking points should run no more than two sentences. Develop a set at the organizational level first; and follow (if needed) with sets for specific target audiences, programs and/or campaigns.

Be prepared with supporting points (a.k.a. proof points) for each talking point.

How to Use

Use in both written and verbal conversation.
However, talking points do not represent the exact words that must be used (especially in conversation), but rather convey the essential ideas to be conveyed. They can be customized for greater impact–to the specific interchange, the interests of the person you’re speaking with or emailing, and/or the topic of conversation.

Examples

Note proof points associated with the talking points in some of these examples.

Advancing Equality
Beverage Container Recycling
Walk to School

4. Elevator Pitch Catch

From the moment the first elevator sped upwards in 1853, people have been polishing their elevator pitches. The idea was that if the big prospect ever strode into your elevator, you’d be able to dazzlingly explain your organization and your role there by the time you reached your floor.

But that traditional elevator pitch is dead! Here’s why, and guidance on how to persuade people to give, volunteer and support your cause today:

1) Today, we work constantly to move people, not just the prospect and not just in the elevator. We’re working to persuade fans, colleagues, our children and friends—who are all overwhelmed by media and messages—all the time. It’s a tough sell.

2) Your conversational partner—or child, program participant, colleague or board member—doesn’t care what you want. She cares mainly about her own needs, wants, passions, habits and dreams, and those of her near and dear.

It’s not selfish, it’s human. We have to filter somehow.

If your pitch relates, great. If not, nada. And the only way to find that match—if there is one—is to a) get attention, b) learn about what’s important to your partner.

Value

Enables you to listen and learn from any social contact (not just those that take place in an elevator). If there’s interest in your issue and/or org, you can turn it into a “first step” conversion opportunity (asking for more information, scheduling a call, etc.) in 60 seconds or less.

Definition

A conversation customized to the interests of the person you’re talking with, the context of your conversation and the first-step “ask” you’ll be making and/or other factors. Takes no more than 60 seconds to deliver; 30 seconds is ideal.

These are the four steps to get there. Start with step one and end with step four, but the order of steps two and three can vary:

The lead-in. This is where you introduce yourself and your role in your organization to set up the conversation. It’s intended to spark the interest of the person you’re speaking with.
The question. This is the hook, an open-ended conversation that allows you to assess the interest level of your conversational partner. Remember to pause after you ask, to wait for an answer.
The differentiator. Proceed here only if you get interest in response to your question. Your differentiator identifies your organization as providing a unique resource valued by the person you’re speaking with (build from what you’ve heard), one that deserves immediate attention.
The first-step call to action. This is the request to schedule a follow-up call to discuss the matter further, make an online contribution or participate in a meeting on the issue, thereby making the conversion. Make it specific, clear and doable (e.g. don’t ask too much, especially in an initial conversation).

NOTE: It’s vital that the “pitcher” is adept at following the lead of his conversational partner to make the most of the short period he has. Role playing is a proven way to build this skill.

Examples

Hi, I’m Mora Lopez. I’m a senior at Santa Fe High School and a volunteer with Open Door. We host workshops at our school so that adults can learn English. We’re the only free adult ESL class in town.

Do you know that out of the 30 million adults who are below basic reading and writing levels, almost 40% are Hispanic? PAUSE, continue only if there’s clear interest.

Our participants report back that learning English has made a remarkable difference in their lives, both professionally and personally, and we want to grow the number of students we can handle.

Would you like to share your email address? That way we can keep you posted on the program as it continues to grow.

Now It’s Your Turn—Next Steps

Your next step is to inventory your organization’s current message platform against this checklist:

What elements are in place as defined above (or near enough)?
For those that are in place, were they created based on the four “must-dos” outlined at the beginning of this article?
- If yes, you have some of the four cornerstones already in place.
- If no, you’ll need to start at the very beginning, with your positioning statement.
For those cornerstones you need to revise, or create for the first time:
- Start with clarifying your communications goals.
- Identify those you need to engage to meet those goal, and get to know them.
- Start shaping your cornerstones based on this framework.

What’s holding you back from effective messages?

4 Must-Have Messages – Part 1

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The 4 Cornerstones of Your Nonprofit Message Platform

Creating engaging messages requires a minor (if any) financial investment and a moderate investment of time, and offers tremendous returns. I hear from so many of you who believe in the power of messages, but just don’t know where to start. In response to your requests, here’s an updated guide to crafting the four cornerstones of your organization’s messages—your message platform.

4 Must-Dos Before You Shape Your Message Platform

Take these four steps to ensure relevancy, the essence of messages that connect.

Build your message team of colleagues, leadership, volunteers and supporters. You’ll want their insights to shape your messages, their relationships to test them and access to their networks by training them as fantastic messengers down the line.
Clarify your top one to three marketing goals—how will you use marketing to reach your organizational goals, and the actions you want folks to take to get you there.
Identify who is most likely to act and/or has the greatest influence (your target audiences; no more than three groups).
Get to know what’s important to your audiences (wants, values and preferences) so you can articulate what’s in it for them and ensure no barriers stand in your way to engaging them, and learn how best to reach them.

The 4 Cornerstones of a Relevant Nonprofit Message Platform

Now you’re ready to draft, or refine, your organization’s messages. These four components are the cornerstones of your organization’s message platform.

Be aware that although these elements are presented in a linear manner here, the message development process is cyclical. For example, what you learn in building out your key messages and related support points may highlight an element that needs to be incorporated into your positioning statement. Design your timeline, and roles and responsibilities, for this process with that in mind.

1. Tagline

Value

Extends your organization’s name to convey its unique impact or value with personality, passion and commitment, while delivering a memorable and repeatable message to your network.

Definition

Running no more than eight words, the tagline is your organization’s single most used message.

An effective tagline provides enough insight to generate interest and motivate your reader/listener to ask a question, without providing too much information so that she thinks she knows everything she needs to and doesn’t want to read more or continue the conversation.

How to Use

Exactly as written in print, online and verbal communications, including business cards and email signatures.

Examples

Organization: Community Food & Justice Coalition
Tagline: Food for People, Not for Profit

Organization: Maryland SPCA
Tagline: Feel the Warmth of a Cold Nose

2. Positioning Statement

Value

Connects your organization with those you want to engage by 1) linking it with what’s important to them; and 2) differentiating it from others competing for their attention, time and dollars.

Definition

A one to three sentence statement that positions your organization most effectively in the environment in which you work. It conveys the intersection of what your organization does well, what it does better and differently than any other organization (uniqueness), and what your network cares about.

Key components of your positioning statement are:

What you do.
For whom (whom do you serve).
What’s different about the way you do your work.
Impact you make (something tangible, like a stat, is compelling here, see example below).
Unique benefit derived from your programs, services and/or products.

Most, importantly, this is not your mission statement. Your mission statement is internally oriented and serves as your organizational road map. Your positioning statement connects your mission with what’s vital to your network, so must be externally oriented.

How to Use

Exactly as written in all print and online communications (with the exception of the occasional narrowly-focused flyer or mini-site).

Examples

The Environmental Health Coalition (EHC) builds grassroots campaigns to combat the unjust consequences of toxic pollution, discriminatory land use, and unsustainable energy policies. Through leader development, organizing and advocacy, EHC improves the health of children, families, neighborhoods and the natural environment in the San Diego/Tijuana region.
The Rural Women’s Health Project (RWHP) designs and delivers health education training and materials to help rural women and their families strengthen their understanding of critical health and family issues. By blending innovative techniques with a collaborative approach, RWHP has built a record of success in improving the health and well-being of the communities they serve.

(See Part 2 of this article: HERE)

Start with your features, but move right to benefits

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[Dalya’s Note: This is an excerpt from my award-winning book Writing to Make a Difference: 25 Powerful Techniques to Boost Your Community Impact.]

Consider the features of your work: the components or characteristics of the actual services or products your organization offers. The details of your features often include answers to questions your most interested readers might ask. Examples might be technical specifications or information on exactly how you carry out your programs.

Benefits, on the other hand, are the tangible and intangible outcomes you are striving for: the great results and powerful impact that your stakeholders will get from working with you.

Example

An organization runs a homeless shelter for families. It offers warm beds, restrooms, and other facilities. It also hires child care workers and counselors, uses volunteers, operates a soup kitchen, and offers services to help residents find more permanent housing or jobs.

Those are all features of the organization’s work.

The benefits are the positive effects that those things have on the shelter residents and the community at-large. Here we are talking about the difference the organization makes in addressing the problems associated with homelessness, both short- and long-term.

Some of those benefits may be:

Increased stability and nutrition in the lives of the homeless families
Increased employment among homeless parents
Fewer families living in cars or on the streets
Less desperation, which often leads to crime, drug abuse, and other social ills
The sense of being a community that cares for all of its citizens

Here are three related questions that can help you identify the benefits of your work:

1) Ask yourself: What does your service or product mean for your reader and/or community—personally, professionally, financially, physically, logistically, spiritually, and/or emotionally?

Example

The Health Trust, which oversaw and partially supported the School Health Clinics of Santa Clara County, worked with me several years ago to document their benefits to the community. That language then served them for years in all kinds of successful documents. This is some of the text, focusing on economic benefits:

The School Health Clinics play a critical role in support of the educational process. They prepare children and families to be informed health care consumers and encourage self-responsible behaviors. The Clinics represent wise investments, as they lead to a healthy community and a healthy future workforce.

Each clinic visit will save the community from $160 to $2,000 in physician or emergency room costs.

School-based health care gives working parents a health care choice that allows them to access health care for their children, thus reducing costly disruption, distraction, and absence from their workplace.

Companies have better informed employees who are likely to make wise health care and lifestyle choices for themselves and their families. And healthy employees with fewer health risks give employers a negotiating advantage with health insurers. Thus, corporate financing of school-based health care can be part of a company’s community development and philanthropic strategy to benefit many constituencies.

(Website: Health Trust)

2) Ask yourself: What will happen as a result of the particular features you offer? And how does that satisfy the needs and desires of your readers?

Example

An organization that provides massage therapy to cancer survivors might say:

Your compassionate investment of $100 will buy a new clinic massage table (feature), enabling our volunteer therapists to provide 50 additional revitalizing, healing massages per week to cancer survivors like Jose (client benefit). You will be helping your friends and neighbors enjoy happier, healthier, more productive, and (as suggested by recent medical studies) longer lives (social benefit).

3) Ask yourself: For each feature you offer, ask “So what?” How does that lead to something better for my reader and/or the community?

Example

Our company exterminates termites and other pests from your home or office with natural orange peel oil.

Feature	Benefit
Proven effective within 24 hours	It will decisively solve your termite problem quickly.
Nontoxic and natural	It is better for your health with no side effects for adults or children.
Fume-free	You can use your home right afterward, with no waiting.
Plant-based	It is not dependent on petroleum.
Guaranteed to keep your home or office pest-free for at least 12 months	Saves you the expense and hassle of re-exterminating.
Consistent with overall green lifestyle	You will do your part for the planet.

The Question They’re All Asking

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[Dalya’s Note: This is an excerpt from my award-winning book Writing to Make a Difference: 25 Powerful Techniques to Boost Your Community Impact.]

Do you know the big question on the mind of every reader of your organization’s material? It’s this: “What’s in it for me?”

As far as your readers are concerned, it’s all about the benefits you can offer them. You want to emphasize how your organization’s product or service improves the lives of your constituents and their communities.

We tend to focus on all of the wonderful features of the services and products we offer. But if you try to see things from your readers’ perspective, you will notice that they are most interested in buying or supporting benefits that address their specific needs and values.

For this reason, writing about benefits that matter to your readers is absolutely crucial in any kind of marketing or fundraising piece. I am talking about everything from a personal letter requesting financial support, to a general flyer about a service you offer, to a special report about your industry, to a website article.

Don’t just concentrate on what specific things your organization does or makes, or how. Those are the various features of your work. While those are interesting and necessary to discuss, I suggest you emphasize what difference your organization makes—how your services benefit the users, your supporters, and/or the community at-large.

Ask Yourself: How will your service or product improve the lives of your readers and their community, in the short and the long term?

Did you notice how I said both your readers and their community? That is because we work in the public interest sector and not the conventional business world. Our stakeholders want to find ways to benefit both themselves and the world around them. So we might want to edit their big question to now read: “What’s in it for me and us?”

Simply put, your job is to refine your text (your “copy”) so that it makes your readers feel good about the benefits you are offering. You want them to feel so good that they are willing to take a chance on you with their time, money, energy, or other resources.

Your writing has to persuade them that your product or service will help them achieve their goals, benefiting them and their community.

Personally speaking

This “feel-good” imperative reminds me of the old toothpaste commercials that implied that you would find love and romance if only you brushed with their minty fresh taste. Or of today’s cell phone ads suggesting that their products will win you lots of new friends and dates. While this is a blatant use of persuasive power, we can use that power in the public interest too.

You can, over time, compile especially effective phrases, paragraphs, and statements to recycle in your materials. But, of course, you will have to tweak everything to make sure it uses language that speaks most persuasively to your specific intended audience.