[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.]

People are reading your material because they feel that your organization’s core beliefs and aims are aligned with theirs. Your job is to consistently show them that they are right. Connecting with your readers on this plane—appealing to both their hearts and their heads—gets the best results.

Ask yourself: What is the very soul of your message?

Your organization’s mission embodies its passion, sincerity and spirit. It energizes your brand and should shine through in every piece of writing you create. You are conveying not only literal subject matter, but also your organization’s attitude and stance. By the words and methods you choose, you are saying a lot about who you are and why you do what you do.

EXAMPLE:

Say you are writing a brochure that explains the importance of a specific aspect of your work. Your organization promotes child health and safety, and your brochure will explain why and how lead paint should be removed from homes with young children. You understand the urgency, you are clear on what needs to be done, and you want to motivate parents to protect their children from the toxin.

The brochure you write will advance your organization’s brand in that it will reflect:

(1)   Your knowledge about the issue and how to handle it

(2)   Your caring attitude about the pressing nature of the issue

(3)   Your interest in making homes safer for youngsters

(4)   Your unique ability to help parents in your community take positive action

People who read your brochure and can identify with your basic messages will then want to engage with you. And you’re ready to partner with them.