Terry Barber, "chief inspirator" at Grizzard Communications, recently offered some critical advice in Forbes.com to business readers.
His article was called Your Business Can inspire People the Way Nonprofits Do.
It’s not often you see consultants telling businesses to model themselves after nonprofits. In this case, he’s dead right.
Here are the four key nonprofit principles he urges businesses to embrace:
- To inspire the consumer, you must help him believe in something he once thought was impossible. Most institutions think incrementally. If you can only describe your company’s dreams and ambitions in the context of a percentage of growth, you will inspire no one.
- To inspire the consumer, you must show genuine appreciation for her business..
- To inspire the consumer, you must help him see that he is a part of a community of world changers. One of the most powerful fundraising terms is the word "join."
- To inspire the consumer, you must convey how you are making the world a better place.
Good business advice. Read the whole piece … Terry well-illustrates his case with good examples.
But it makes you wonder … how good are nonprofits, really, at inspiring their supporters?
Donor retention rates are falling, just like donor acquisition rates. Could it be that we’re somehow failing to inspire? Have we lost the touch?
Tom
This article was posted in: charities, communications, Don't Miss these Posts, donor retention, fundraising, loyalty.
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I offer two scenarios for why the non-profit sector might be failing to inspire donors. 1. As fundraisers, we rely too often on raising money in opposition to a perceived enemy (the other political party, government, other non-profits) rather than for the possibilities we are creating for the world – one of full equality, health, compassion, and empowerment for all people. And, 2. We tend to forget that our intention is to be working ourselves out of business.