How the Curse of Cats Improves Nonprofit Communications

You have undoubtedly heard the expression before.

"Curiosity killed the cat."

Now curiosity might be a bad omen for felines.

However, it is anything but that if you're a nonprofit seeking to create high engagement in your communications.  After all, you want to create curiosity about your organization with your prospective funders, partners and clients and then spark an interest to learn more.

It starts with a powerful headline or hook that makes the reader curious.  This applies to both your online and offline marketing communications.  

In fact, good copywriters revere that word curiosity  thanks to the classic teachings of legendary ad man John Caples. His four decades of work in the copywriting trenches, with clients from Fortune 500 to small mission driven organizations,  proved through tested advertising methods that there were only three approaches to writing attention-getting, engaging headlines:

1.     Self-Interest - piquing the interest  about how you as an individual can do something easier or better, e.g. How To Develop Work-Life Balance that Really Works

2.     News - provoking interest in something discovered, e.g.  - New study on Stress Reduction with Practical Tips

3.     Curiosity - generating an insatiable interest to know something, e.g. - How the Curse of Cats Creates Excitement

For us, we prefer the "curiosity" angle. The reason is simple: curiosity lurks deep inside every human being.

George Lowenstein, a professor of economics and psychology at Carnegie Melon University in Pittsburgh,  wrote about the “gap theory of curiosity”.     It is the innate human behavior triggered when people feel a gap exists between what they know and what they want to know.  In other words, they are curious and will be influenced  to take action (for example, read your post, share it with friends or subscribe to your blog).

Upworthy, a well-known content marketing company, takes the theory a step further and actually calls it the "curiosity gap." They use this strategy day-in and day-out as a foundation for the volume of content they craft and post.

It is summed up in one sentence: Simply write a headline that is tantalizing enough to get read to click through but does not give away the whole story.

The same thing applies to your nonprofit communications. In other words, arouse curiosity.

Here's a headline example:

“The 1 secret of delegation to create more time in your workday”

This headline points out the gap in our knowledge (we don’t know the secret that the headline references do we?). And it creates additional intrigue because who wouldn't want to know the secret to delegating effectively while saving time. 

So if your organization wants to break through the 362 ad messages and over 5,000 brand messages respected research giant Yankelovich says the average consumer gets exposed to daily, you need to do one thing.

Get your curiosity on.

It's definitely not in the best interest of cats. But it certainly works wonders if you want to engage your target audience.

~HCollaborative.com~

La Paz Pelicans: A Lesson for Nonprofits about Patience

It was a beautiful morning in La Paz. I walked along the beach as the fishermen arrived with their daily catch.  Standing sentinel were a group of pelicans still and patient. Quietly they waited for the fishermen to toss the fish remains  from a successful day in the Sea of Cortez.  Waiting, waiting, waiting they were poised to dive in for the rewards of their diligence.  Then a splash and suddenly an orchestra of wings, beaks, squawks--a flurry of activity that  prompted the fishermen to laugh.

 Yes, patience pays off.  The pelicans know this. Nature knows this.  Yet here we are, the world’s supreme species, and we struggle with such a simple concept.  And I’ll be the first to admit, that I am one of the worst when it comes to being patient at home and at work. Seems many of us are hardwired from youth to be productive, to set goals and move towards action. In the process, we have forgotten that patience and thoughtful waiting sometimes reaps the biggest rewards.

 Nonprofits create compelling mission statements eager to make things better. Dedicated, passionate, and yet perhaps impatient.  Changing health and social outcomes takes time.  I know I have been conditioned for immediate gratification and like many type “A” folks, I find myself getting frustrated when change doesn’t happen quick enough. I demand immediacy, rather than celebrating patience and an attitude of nurturing.

 A wise boss and colleague from many years back once pulled me aside, and shared some valuable wisdom. He said that we plant seeds, that need time to grow. Our job, he added, is simply to nurture them.

 So here’s an idea. Today, let's celebrate the virtue of patience. Let's slow down and feel comfortable with waiting--- just like the pelicans. Let’s be happy with the baby steps our nonprofit takes every day.   Here are 5 things I am going to try to exercise my patience.  See if they work for you.

 1. Walk and talk slower.  My high energy persona propels me to do everything fast. So I'm going to try to just physically slow my pace.

2. Set my larger goals not within a tightly defined time-frame, but consider them as a process over time---as a direction I am steadily moving toward.

3. Appreciate downtime. This is thinking, creative and regeneration time.

4. Understand the ebbs and flows that go along with the business of running a nonprofit. Working constantly in high energy "steroid-mode"   will create burnout.

5. Be kind to myself.  Yes, do the work to the best of your ability and complete assignments, but don't be so driven to achieve that your health suffers and you forget to treat yourself occasionally.

 Don't let patience become a lost virtue. Just think about the lesson that pelicans teach us. 

Why Your Donor Appeal Must Apply Fly Fishing Logic

I watched the fishermen casting for steelhead along the banks of the Sandy River.  The hooks on their rods featured a colorful array of eggs, lures and flies.

Some of the rods bobbed up and down on occasion. Others stayed quiet and unbending as the winter waters rushed by.

To me, the whole scene symbolized the essence of creating a successful nonprofit donor letter.

Simply put, it's all in the appeal.

When you think like your prospect, you hold the power to create the right attraction.

Back to the analogy here: why does a 27-pound steelhead salmon gravitate toward the gold flash of a lure versus the red and yellow tails of a fly?

This is something you or your writer needs to know before a Word doc ever gets opened to craft that fundraising letter.

Do research.  (And if you haven't done any recent focus groups with your donors, clients or partners, we can help with that.)

What matters to your existing donor base? Are there any specific examples? Inquire of your staff what they hear at your organization's events and gatherings.

Are there specific outcomes to talk about? Have you made significant social impact with data to back it up? Can you show your prospect what kind of return comes about from their giving?

To stay with this analogy, cast, cast and cast out again until something takes a good...strong...bite.

Undoubtedly, it's emotional, balanced with some logical.

That's what moves we humans to action.

As certain as the Sandy river flows day and night, every nonprofit has its own "unique" appeal.

When that appeal is found, it can be the Holy Grail for consistently funding your programs and services. When not, it can be as elusive as that 27-pounder that got away.

~HCollaborative.com~

Self-Kindness Critical For Non-Profits In 2016

In spite of the joy and celebration that holidays bring, they can also be demanding, exhausting, and take a lot out of us. Simply put they can be stressful. For nonprofit organizations, who are dedicated to making the holidays safe, secure and special for their clients, there may be extra worries that take a toll emotionally and physiologically.   Many nonprofit staff and volunteers are truly heros or angels, giving so much to help others during this season.  Yet kindness to others is not the whole answer.   We also need to practice self-kindness, and January is a great time of the year, as agencies launch new initiatives, to remember the value of self-compassion and make it a priority too.

Brain research has shown that being kind is good for the body.  David Hamilton, PhD, has written numerous articles about the “Helpers High”.  The mapping of brain patterns shows that when people give to others and are kind - showing empathy and compassion- the chemical Oxytocin is released.  It has been the called the chemical of emotional connection.  And studies show that people who release the most oxytocin are happier.  This hormone has also been shown to boost the immune system and enable people to manage stress better. And Hamilton’s research points out that kindness gives us healthier hearts and can even slow aging.

 Being kind to SELF is an extension of this process. Giving to self is interwoven with giving to others.  The reality is that the positive benefits to the body from giving to others, is negated by too much cortisol in the body.  And what produces cortisol--- STRESS! Lack of self-care and self -compassion that may look like burnout from providing for others, is one of the prime contributors to stress.    The key is more than   coping with stress by engaging in positive physical behaviors, such as exercise, massage, and healthy eating.  It also needs to include changing our internal self-talk, which inhibits self-compassion.  Thiscan sometimes be the hardest to change.

So in 2016 if you are in the nonprofit or cause -driven world that already gives so much to others, start giving back to yourself:

1.        Cut yourself some slack – don’t be a perfectionist.

2.       Focus of what you do well, and celebrate your strengths.

3.       Forgive yourself if and when  you make a mistake… these are just learning opportunities.  And if you screw up, apologies are ok.  You don’t always have to be right.

4.       Don’t compare yourself to others.  You have your own journey.

5.       Be patient with yourself, and don’t set expectations that are unreasonable.

6.       Remember your path may have detours.  It’s o.k. to veer, wander, stray.

7.       Don’t worry about the past or future… that is wasted time.  Rather feel proud of what you do each day.

8.       Slow down, smile, connecting with your feelings in a positive way. 

9.      Focus on the emotion of hope and gratitude when you are feeling down or depressed.

10.    Give yourself permission to enjoy the moment of spontaneity.  It’s not always about reaching a goal!

Harmer Collaborative has a wonderful workshop for your staff about Self-Kindness.  It includes an individual quiz that helps staff understand the degree of self-compassion they have.  And provides practical ways staff and volunteers can increase self-compassion… in order to give to others. Call Mary Anne at 503-708-9239 or email maryanne@hcollaborative.com  if you are interested.  It is a New Years gift they will thank you for.

NON-PROFITS : Do Your Mission & Vision Statements Reflect Who You Are Today?

 The identity of nonprofits change over time. This is the normal and positive evolution of a nonprofit organization. Your focus when you first launched your organization might have shifted after a couple of years. This could be due to several factors including:

• Programmatic grants you received
• Change in leadership or board
• Discovering new research
• Finding a solution to your original problem

We at H Collaborative have seen this shift first-hand when we engage with boards and staff of nonprofits who are our clients.  They have asked us to help finesse and reposition the organization’s mission and vision to align with current and future directions.  When revisiting mission and vision statements, we like what authors Stan Hutton and Frances Phillips, in their Nonprofit Kit for Dummies, recommend to organizations. Simply ask these 3 questions:

• Is the problem we set out to solve still they key problem?  Is there a more immediate need that we need to address?
• Should we make the mission and vision statements more specific, or should we broaden them?
• Are the statements flexible enough to allow the organization to change and grow?

As we see it, a vision statement is your organization's calling card.  It is your key differentiator.  It is your value proposition with the community.  As you develop strategies, apply for grants and pursue your goals, you must always ask yourself if what you're doing fits within your vision.

Your vision statement describes the overall destiny of your organization looking into the future, while the mission statement outlines the present plan to realize the vision.  Your vision statement is "future-focused" and is your core narrative, while your mission statement is "present-focused" and outlines the current directions and what you do.

 Well-crafted mission and vision statements are powerful communications tools. They inspire people to engage with your organization. They create an emotional hook that makes people want to care and support the organization. They act as a compass to follow to meet current and future goals for your nonprofit.

 So back to the original question posed in this post? Do your Mission & Vision Statements reflect who you are today?  Are they current? By applying what we just discussed, you will have a good idea if perhaps it is time to revisit them. If you're not sure, we are more than happy to help you with a visioning session.

Nature + Mindfulness: An Antidote For Stress In The Non-Profit World

You have heard me say it before in other blogs… Nature teaches, Nature calms, Nature soothes the soul, etcetera, etcetera.   And I’m going to say it again, because it’s true… when you immerse yourself in nature, TIME STOPS!

And isn’t this the key to mindfullness, the “hot” new philosophy that preaches living in the moment to minimize stress.  Even police departments are teaching this technique to their officers.  But, trying to not worry about the past, what I should have done or trying not to worry about the future is dang hard. Mindfullness is challenging for even when you focus ---those pesky thoughts percolate up.

This past summer, I went camping at a primitive and remote site, off a dirt road that ran parallel to a beautiful coastal river.  We noticed a small opening in the underbrush and pulled over. We broke through the foliage and followed the overgrown path and were delighted to find ourselves in a little oasis. A hidden campground, fire pit included.  

It was a magical place with space for the tent under trees with delicate webs of moss.  A secret place with the river just 100 yards away singing a melody that would put us to sleep at night.  We set up camp, pulled out our camp chairs and sat quietly among the trees.   The miracle was not that we discovered this enchanted spot, but that for three days my brain stopped its daily litany of worries, concerns, and issues to be resolved. I listened, explored, hiked and laughed in the moment of the experience, within the green and lush carpet of nature.  Three days of mindfullness with nary a thought of work, the kids, the future.  I was on pause, allowing myself to smell, touch, see and hear the deep and forgotten songs that filled my mind, leaving no room for worry or stress

Nature made mindfullness easy. I was able to shut off the clatter of my brain, and absorb nature, leaving no room for disruptive thoughts.  I cherished this feeling, tucked it into my memory and returned home, tranquil, slower in pace and refreshed… without stress. 

Project Management is Helped by Watching the Flow of Water

Quick...who sings “Sitting Onthe Dock of the Bay”? If you guessed Otis Redding, you’re right. I loved this song growing up.  My Dad used to play it on an LP record, and I could sing along with him—and with Mr. Redding—at a young age.  The classic tune describes the peaceful power of reflection that occurs at the water’s edge as one sits and watches waves go by and tides roll away.

Last week I took a walk at lunch, and went down to the “dock of the river” at Cathedral Park along the Willamette. I spent some time quietly watching the water go by. At first my mind was scattered, frenetic even, busy thinking about the excitement and chaos of a growing agency and what we need to do next as more clients came on.  

Soon the water put me in my place! Its flow, so present and continuous, is grounding. Unencumbered, undeterred, the water keeps moving—oblivious to boulders that impede. The never-ending journey is a universal message that makes everything else seem small.

And thus the lesson for me, which I’m happy to share with you: busy minds that plan incessantly, and focus only on the minutia, may be missing the totality of the journey.

It’s the end game that matters most. From my strategic planning days, I know that we often reach our goal by following baby steps. The challenge we need to be wary of, especially when things feel sluggish or stopped completely, is that if we get too locked into the details, we’ll forget about the direction we’re going. 

True, rivers can and will meander. Likewise, things will slow down for us. But like the river, we need to stay connected to our destination as we execute on our project plans.

Here are some worksite ideas inspired by Otis Redding, the river’s flow, and my own moment of sittin’ on the dock:

1. Take a walk to a local body of water, then just sit and watch. Consider the water’s flow within the context of a current project or situation.
2. Notice any boulders or barriers you encounter at work. Explore how you can “flow “ around them without feeling stopped, just like the water. Consider also how the tides come and go, and invariably roll away.
3. Keep the destination in mind, and don’t overwork tasks. Make sure the project’s momentum keeps pulling you towards the end goal.

As an extra treat, take three minutes out of your day and enjoy a little Otis.

Thank you Erin Koehler, master illustrator with DOJO AGency.