Fabulous Case Statements - AFPSoAZ Your Case | Tom Ahern | 1 Fabulous Case Statements ... Jerry...

transcript

Making Your Case | Tom Ahern | www.aherncomm.com 1

Fabulous CaseStatements

Samples: www.aherncomm.com

Scientific fact:By tomorrow you will forget 80% of what you see and hear today.

By the next day you’ll be lucky if you recall one thing.

Keep the handout.

For many nonprofits, this is the entire case:

We do good work.We need/deserve

money.

An endowment sure would be sweet.

Here comes that mean, old deficit

again.

Let’s grow to twice our size. Who can we tap for cash?

Your job is to see your project through the eyes of the prospect.

Your new job title:Designated idiot.

A good start…

www.instituteforgiving.org

Just for capital campaigns? NO!“The Case Statement is just as important for ongoing, annual giving. Just as important for planned giving. And for corporate gifts. And foundation grants. If you are interested in raising funds, your institution needs a current Case Statement. Period!” -- Jerry Panas

www.comptonfundraising.co.uk

• Most multi-million dollar campaigns achieve 80% of their target from only 100-150 gifts.

Source: Compton, based on more than 1,000 capital campaigns

When do you need a case for support?

When you can talk about yourorganization’s good work for hours.

But you can’t talk about it persuasively to a prospect for just 60 seconds.

Writing a fabulous case is easy.

> You anticipate all the big questions a prospective donor might have about your project.

> You answer those questions.

> Then you make it a fast read with strong headlines, a maximum of emotion, and a minimum of vague, lofty language.

> And you put a cherry on top.

I.e., try to be interesting, intriguing, inspiring, life-changing … rather than boring. If they applaud, that’s a good sign.

Types of cases• Internal case (database)• General case for support• Campaign feasibility case (the question you’re asking: Is

there sufficient support?)• Campaign draft case (for the “quiet period;” often a Word

document; Jerry Panas likes to stamp his cases “draft” and request comments from top 100 prospects)

• Campaign public case (you’re telling the world)

• Day one: Assemble background materials.• Day two: Conduct interviews. • Day three: Skim the cream.• Day four: Write the internal case. (Organize

the cream so you have good answers to the three big questions.)

• Days five-seven: Write the external case.

Gather your pile of information

A.k.a, getting yourA.k.a, getting yourA.k.a, getting your………

• Every outbound communication

• News clippings• Relevant position papers• Descriptions of your

programs and services (brochures)

• Proof your programs are worth doing

• Proof your programs work• Overview of your

governance• Staffing• Financial information

• Your mission• Your vision• Your values• Your strategic plan (goals

and objectives)• Monetary goal and what

that $ buys• Data on those you serve• Trends• Info on emerging or

increasing needs• Organization’s history

To enrich your case, to substantiate your case, to put your case into its biggest (best) context …you’ll probably need to do secondary research over the Internet. And the more ambitious your goal, the more research you’ll probably do.

Steal as much as you can.

Search online for other orgs. making similar cases and

analyze what they did.

Section 1: The welcome message. 72 words long. It explains the campaign theme.

Section 2: The introduction. 6 paragraphs totaling 288 words. Specifies the need: $30 million for "a number of significant capital projects."

Section 3: The organization's history. 10 paragraphs totaling 500 words.

Section 4: The organization's philosophy. 144 words. Explains the organization's concept behind a wonderful nursing/retirement home.

Section 5: Why our mission matters today. Brings reader up to date on what the organization is doing now. The midsection: at 1,600 words, the longest, too.

Section 6: The vision. The chair talks briefly about the vision, in 500 words.

Section 7: The call to action. The foundation chairman calls for gifts. Section devotes 1,200 words to what will be built with the $30 million.

Section 8: A closing thank you. 250-word wrap up opens with quote from the foundation president stressing the members' proud legacy of caring for others. It pleads, "Won't you give?"

You will need to conduct “key informant” interviews, to fill in

blanks in your information.(“Tell me again: Why are we doing this?”)

Decide who those people are. Schedule the interviews.

Conduct your interviews (I do most of mine by phone).

Take notes.

Interviewed for $38 million,19 endowed chairs campaign

• President of the university• Dean of the faculty• 5 department heads• Head of advancement• Senior administration staff

…12 in one day

On the other hand, for a Jewish child and family service agency

on a tight budget…

• One phone call with the ED• Read a few newsletters -- but they

were very good newsletters

Typically a case means to bring something new into the world. It’s an act of imagination.The introductory question for the

endowed chairs campaign…

“What kind of person do you imagine sitting in that chair?”

The most important question in the interviewing universe…

You must probe. The real answers aren’t on the surface.

Poke through your massive pile of secondary research and interviews,

looking to cherry-pick the best stuff.

• You have 25 statistics? Pick ONE as the best … because it dramatically reveals something worth knowing.

• You have a dozen testimonials? Pick the juiciest … ones that make a point, that depict you as effective.

• What’s new?• What’s unique?• What’s dramatic?• What sums it up in a nutshell?

Sort your luscious tidbits intocategories and create your

“internal case”

An “internal case” is a database YOU use. It is NOT for public consumption. Refer to it when

you need to write letters, feasibility cases, draft cases, grant proposals, brochures,

pitches, editorials, PowerPoints, newsletter articles, and such.

Why us?Why now?Why you?

Why us?What are we doing that’s so

uniquely wonderful that the world should want more of it and support

our new plans?

Why now?What’s the big hurry? What

changed? Why is this crucial now?

Why you?“You” is the donor. Why are donors

critical to your vision? Have you made them the heroes? What are

your emotional triggers?

Make your donor the real

hero of the story…

And shift the burden for achieving success

to their shoulders

Example internal case bullets, for a free clinic…

• Why us?• Want to see what the best health care in the U.S. really looks like? Come inside

our doors and see what health care could be like if insurance money weren’t involved. You’ll be amazed.

• Why now?• We have the doctors. What we don't have right now is enough examining rooms.

We need to expand immediately. We have a waiting list of uninsured, hurting people who really can’t wait much longer.

• Why you? Some emotional triggers…• (Fear and hope) We have one answer to what’s broken in the American health

care system.• (Anger and action) We believe that no one should have to die just because

they’re poor and uninsured. If you agree, join us in this opportunity to heal hurt and save lives.

And now wise words from Dale Carnegie…

“You’ll have more fun and success when you stop trying to get what you want…” (a

donation) “…and start helping other people get what they want.” (I.e., a feeling of having accomplished something because they made a gift to your organization.) You end up in the

same place (with money), but the two viewpoints are completely different.

Donor-OPTIONAL:“We did this. We did

that. We were amazing. Oh, by the way, thanks.”

Donor-CENTRIC:“With your help, all these amazing things

happened. And without your help, they won’t.”

A case is about your organization movingfrom A to B. So…

What’s your B?

About now a themebecomes handy.

It’s time to Google.

[…the simple…]

Campaign OregonCampaign for PurdueCampaign ArizonaCentennial Campaign (Cal Poly, Carnegie Mellon, etc.)

[…looking toward the future…]

Thinking the World of Our Future (U. Saskatchewan)Extend the View: Shape Tomorrow Today (Prairie View A&M University)Campaign for Delaware: Positioning the College for the FutureShine Forever: The Campaign for Lehigh (named for their rallying cry)A Grand Destiny: The Penn State Campaign

[…highlighting "giving back" by alumni…]

"Generations" Campaign (Notre Dame)Campaign North Texas: An Act of LeadershipThe Miami University Campaign: For Love and Honor ("…for those who love and honor Miami…," has its own website: www.forloveandhonor.org)

[…pursuing excellence…]

A New Vision of Excellence: The Campaign for Central Michigan UniversityInvesting in Excellence Campaign (University of the Pacific)Distinction: The Campaign for Wyoming's UniversityTransforming Bright Minds: The University of Richmond Campaign

Writing…Reducing your case to 1,500-4,500 well-selected words.

Another amazing book…www.whitelionpress.com

All fundraising copy should sound like someone talking.

-- George Smith, Tiny Essentials of Writing for Fundraising

People don’t talk like thisXYZ University's strategic plan is designed to amplify the university's academic excellence. The result of a 13-month planning effort, the plan identifies strategies to enhance the university’s work for students on three fronts:

• Reinterpreting the liberal arts skills of communication and critical thinking to take into account 21st-century challenges and opportunities

• Multiplying connections between students and faculty members by building on the faculty’s record of original research and creativity

• Building on XYZ University’s strong sense of community, locally and globally

Within a decade, if all goes according to plan, XYZ University will emerge as the top school in its class, leaving behind our ‘peer schools’ of today. Admittedly, the plan is ambitious. And it won’t be cheap: excellence in education at this level never is. But we will get there, thanks to your vision, your commitment, and your help.

Don’t be afraid to address your prospect directly in simple language…

The cherry on top is the delight: exciting, tantalizing, surprising.

Corollary: You will never BORE anyone into being interested.

You’re telling a story.

A story has a beginning, middle, and end.

Beginning: Problem/solution (a.k.a., the dream)

Middle: Supporting evidence (proof you know what you’re doing; this often turns into the equivalent of your capabilities brochure)

End: Call to action (a.k.a., shifting responsibility to the donors’ shoulders)

Start with the problem

Confront it with your solution

Start by making your point. In the first sentence or headline if

at all possible.

Don’t write toward your point: it’s a delay of game.

Jerry Panas tip.

Make it bigger than you.

"I'm relieved. I came here thinking the ship had gone on her last journey," said Richard Doughty, chief executive of the Cutty Sark Trust.

However, "this will have resulted in millions and millions of pounds of damage. This is a ship that belongs to the world, and we're going to need financial help," said Doughty.May 21, 2007, the day the clipper ship, Cutty Sark, burned

AIDA story formula:

~ Grab ATTENTION~~ Add INTEREST~~~ Stir DESIRE~~~~ Call to ACTION

Grab ATTENTION

Add INTEREST

Add INTERESTCases often contain a “capabilities brochure” that BRIEFLY describes programs. Explain WHY you do things, not HOW you do things. Stay tight. Less is usually more.

Add INTEREST … here, by answering authentic questions

Add INTEREST

Stir DESIRE

Call to ACTION

Stir DESIRE

Be succinct.

Over-writing wastes everyone’s time: the reader’s, the volunteer solicitor’s, yours.

You should be able to skim a case, as you would a

newspaper, and get the key points, without reading ANY

of the long text.That’s reader convenient.

For a $20 million hospital campaign that went over-goal

I like to write all my headlines first. Usually while listening to dramatic movie soundtracks.

Gladiator has been especially profitable.

For an agency made necessary by drug and alcohol abuse, teen pregnancy, child depression, youth unemployment, truancy and dropping out, family violence, runaways, homelessness, and petty crime … we're remarkably happy.

Must be all the changes we see in the people we help.

What we offer families in the Northwest Corner: Free, convenient counseling when things threaten to get out of control

Housatonic Youth Service Bureau is not just about kids in trouble. It's also about building stronger, more successful kids and families.

And you're the hero. So much happens because of your generosity.

Now you're invited to change more lives

I. Why a child's failure in the classroom matters -- to the adult that child will become, and to you

II. How do we achieve what we achieve? VIPS uses the oldest technique in the book: one-on-one attention.

III. Don't let our name fool you. VIPS desperately needs your charity to survive, thrive and try new things.

IV. Answers to a couple of common questions…

V. A few selected stats for your final consideration.

The brain…

Howard Luck Gossage“The fact of the matter is that nobody reads ads. People read

what interests them; and sometimes it’s an ad.”

And sometimes it’s a piece of your direct mail, a headline in

your newsletter, etc.

What interests donors?1. Accomplishments

(What did you do with my money?)2. Vision

(What could you do with my money?)3. Recognition

(Did my support matter? Am I important?)4. Efficiency

(Can I trust you with my money?)

This headline reports on an activity. Insiders understand why it matters. Donors don’t.

These are NOT accomplishments … in the donor’s eyes. Why do they matter?

Neurobiology says…

“Our brains notice and respond to what is new. Not what is interestingly new or significant, but new in any way at all.”

Source: Sean Kernan

You can think of your case statement as a series of “ah-ha’s”. Surprises keep people interested

and talkative.

Know theemotional triggers.

Use them everywhere.You have 135 to choose from.

Neurobiology says…

“…even with what we believe are logical decisions, the very point of choice is arguably always based on emotion.”

Dr. Antonio Damasio, researcher

Most prospects will never see your project the way you see it.

You have your reasons for wanting their gifts. They have

their reasons for giving.

Yours are rational.Theirs are emotional.

Since they’re writing the checks, their reasons matter

more than your reasons.

Direct mail’s 7 favorite triggers• Anger ("This is wrong! Do something!")• Exclusivity ("Me? You want me to join your circle of

friends?")• Fear ("This scares me. Is the problem hopeless?")• Flattery ("You're absolutely right. I am one in a

thousand.")• Greed ("You want to give me something? Bring it on!")• Guilt ("Wish I hadn't done that. Want to feel better.")• Salvation ("There's hope for me.")

Mal Warwick’s 5 positive triggers• Hope• Love• Compassion• Duty• Faith

Flattery, Exclusivity

You are hereby invited [flattery] to become a

Member [exclusivity] of the Kennedy Center

at a full 20% discount [greed]

and gain the special privilege [exclusivity] to

purchase advance tickets before the general public [greed]

to the finest Kennedy Center presentations. [exclusivity]

Greed: “Exceptionally great…again”

Hope and Salvation

Hope and greed?

Hint: The guy in the photo’s at the Nobel Prize level

What are your“emotional twinsets”?

What PROBLEM are you (or your project) the SOLUTION to?

Between “fear” and “hope” a check gets

written.

Greed and hope

A time-honored twinset sequence…

• Brew emotional unease with negative emotions.

• Relieve that unease with positive emotions.

• Ask the donor for help.

{ negative } These are dark days nationally in the struggle to keep theology out of women's health care. { positive } But here, in our state, we continue to win our battles, day after day (those picketers never quit), year after year (certain legislators never quit), thanks to your continued support. { ask } Now we need you more than ever.

{ negative } Competition for the leading minds of our time has never been fiercer. Comparable schools have hundreds of endowed chairs, attracting top scholars and ambitious students who want to study under them. We're vulnerable. We have just 15 endowed chairs right now. { positive } But within two years, I promise you, we can change all that { ask } …if you're ready to reach for the stars.

You made it. Thanks for the loan of your brains.

Fabulous Case Statements - AFPSoAZ Your Case | Tom Ahern | 1 Fabulous Case Statements ... Jerry...

Documents