Increasing Trust In A Distrustful World

Melissa Rancour

In January, I was excited to get my annual giving statements from the social good organizations my family supports. I was planning to see a list of accomplishments and how those accomplishments furthered each group’s mission—as well as thanks for being a loyal donor.

Sadly, my excitement turned to disappointment when many of the statements included just a list of my giving. One didn’t even say “thank you.” They really missed an opportunity to show me the value of my giving and encourage me to continue support.However, one of the smallest organizations did an amazing job at showing how my giving progressed their mission—through stories, photos, statistics, and charts.

Now, when I check my email or the mailbox, that organization’s letters are the first ones I read because I know they’ll make me feel good about giving. The organization also has a consistent brand that helps me feel comfortable giving, and that brand is my visual indicator that these communications are important. Plus, when I see their logo or name out in the world, it helps me to connect my giving with what they’re doing. Their brand is evident in every communication and prevalent throughout our community. The community knows the good this organization is doing because the organization has built awareness and trust by tying their brand and impact together.

This tie-in of impact and brand has also confirmed our family’s support of the organization. Those organizations who didn’t do a good job showing impact and appreciation fell to the bottom of our support list. In a world with a decreasing number of donor households, don’t let your organization fall to the bottom of your supporters’ donation lists. You NEED their donations and support more now than ever.
So, what is brand and impact—really? Brand is our promise to customers, and our impact is the proof in the pudding.  

Brand includes our mission, vision, core values, colors, style, and more. Impact is the progress we’ve made toward our mission and vision—think output, outcomes, and goals.  Notice that I said our and we instead of your. Supporters need to look at your organization as a part of their own personal missions and impact.

Does your organization have a strong brand and impact? Do your supporters and prospective supporters know your brand and impact? Blackbaud University wants to help you in these areas—and more—in our workshops. Strengthen your brand in the OBP: Marketing—Brand course and make your impact more impactful in the OBP: Fundraising—Impact course.

Remember to join the brand and impact discussions.

 

Danny Levy

This is so true. I've been sharing this exact information, especially around our brand/logo - as we merging with our Community Foundation, and proposing to change how we raise funds and more importantly give away $'s for mission impact programs. It has not been easy, as a lot of lay leaders want to start fresh with new name, new logo.  I've tried to paint the picture, that the most important thing going forward is how we share/tell our story, who we help, and to not focus on the 'new' everything.  The current logo has such recognition, it can stay the same, should spend more time on how we are going to tell our story going forward.  Thanks for the reminders.

Tina Betlejewski

Every point of contact with donors is important. . . and an opportunity to say thank you. 

Lisa Krause

Nice reminder!

Gwen Williams

I'm glad you posted this.  Every communication makes an impact!

Beth Gibney

This is a great read.  Thanks for sharing!  I'm definitely keeping an eye on those workshops to guide us in our annual impact report.