In many sectors, investors are primarily drawn in by one thing — the promise of a great ROI. The non-profit sector is an entirely different beast. People who donate money aren’t expecting a monetary return on investment. Instead, they come away with the knowledge that they’ve helped make the world a better place.
But how are donors drawn in in the first place? It all starts with emotion. Would-be donors are often intrigued by personal stories about how the non-profit has been an asset to the community. They want to be a part of it, so they donate.
The more donations a non-profit gets, the more it’s able to do in the community, and the cycle continues.
Emotional Branding: A Key to Success
If donations are the engine that keeps a non-profit running, emotional appeals (more accurately called “emotional branding” in this context) are the keys in the ignition.
Successful emotional branding is more complicated than it sounds, but it’s essential for any non-profit striving for excellence. Here are a few emotional branding strategies and how they help non-profits reach their potential.
Personalizing the Cause
Imagine you run a non-profit that helps women in shelters find housing. You want to draft an email to encourage further donations. Which of these strategies do you think will have a greater impact on your audience?
- Including a spreadsheet in the email showing how many women have been helped in the past year
- A personal story from Alice, one of the women who is now employed and living independently thanks to your organization
Most people will be drawn in by the second strategy. When they see the direct impact a donation can have on another person, they’ll be inspired to donate.
Engaging Donors Over the Long Term
When you consistently engage donors (and other people who might be interested in the work you’re doing), you help make sure they don’t forget about your mission. Part of a great emotional branding strategy is maintaining a content calendar of blog posts, social media posts, etc.
The Importance of Trust and Transparency
Great nonprofits kindle a spirit of empathy in donors. And often, when they see their donations going to good use, one-time donors become regular donors.
In a perfect world, every non-profit would use donated funds exactly as they said they would. However, with the prevalence of scams that attempt to capitalize on donors’ spirit of empathy and goodwill, some people are understandably hesitant to donate.
This is where truly excellent non-profits set themselves apart. The best non-profits want their donors to see exactly how their funds are being used, so they have no qualms with publishing budgets or otherwise being transparent about how they allocate funds.
There’s another way great non-profits can distinguish themselves, too — bringing in a third party to do a non-profit audit. This kind of audit helps you make sure your organization’s spending is in line with its 501(c)(3) status.
It’s clearly a useful tool for managers of non-profits, but the non-profit audit has another advantage — it proves to your donors that you aren’t simply taking advantage of their empathy. With this kind of reassurance, donors are more likely to give without hesitation.
Need California Non-Profit Audit Services?
When you hire a third-party audit service, you’re showing your donors they can be confident their money is going to the right place. At Ernst Wintter & Associates LLP, we’re familiar with the financial and regulatory landscape surrounding California non-profits. If you’re looking for thorough, accurate California non-profit audit services, get in touch with us today!