Storytelling lies at the heart of every successful annual fund or capital campaign. Everyone wants to hear how the school changed the lives of its students and their families, coupled with an inspirational call-to-action to help the school continue to bring its mission to more people. Getting those stories, though, can sometimes feel like panning for gold—lots of work for a single nugget you can use—but it doesn’t have to be that way.
This month, we’ve got three questions to ask your school’s key stakeholders to find those shining stories.
“Why did you pick our school?”
Stories follow a natural progression—a beginning, middle, and end—and your allies’ stories will always begin with how they first came to your school. How did they hear about your program? What impressed them during the admission process? And the most important question: Why did they pick your school over any other?
The last answer shows how your school is distinct from any other and (usually) echoes back to your mission. The emphasis on how the mission attracted the family keeps your messaging focused on the important aspects of your school, and what future donors can expect to sponsor with their gifts.
“Why do you stay with our school?”
Every day a student attends your school, that family renews its decision to choose your school over any other. Understanding what attracted a family and keeps them returning to your school is critical for the success of your donor story.
Why? Well, people might believe that your school puts on a “veneer” of mission-appropriate programming during the admission process to attract prospects. But a school that not only attracts but keeps a family returning, day after day and year after year? That family sees something special in your school that they couldn’t get anywhere else.
It’s the “proof in the pudding” that your school not only promises to follow its mission—it lives and successfully fulfills that mission for its students every day. Donors will understand that gifts to an institution like this won’t be wasted.
“Why do you love giving to our school?”
This last question is a tough one, but it’s the clincher to your donor story. This dramatic ending and call-to-action transitions your potential donors from awe and appreciation of your school’s accomplishments, to a desire to support a program that creates results like the ones just described.
Stakeholders interviewed for such stories should be fully aware of the impact their previous gifts have made. Such awareness requires ongoing communication from the Development Office to its donor-constituents. They should feel that giving to the school has truly made an impact in some way.
To get these sorts of inspirational answers, you might rephrase this question to something like, “How have your previous gifts to the school impacted students?” or “What have your gifts allowed the school to accomplish?”
Crafting excellent stories to share with potential donors during your annual fund or capital campaigns fundamentally touch those who hear them while inspiring listeners to action. Ask these three questions while you’re searching for authentic stories to tell. We guarantee you’ll get the base materials you need for your next story-laden campaign.
Additional ISM resources:
The Source for Development Directors Vol. 12 No. 1 What Motivates Donors to Give
The Source for Development Directors Vol. 0 No. 1 Annual Fund Appeal Letters: Make Them Great
The Source for Development Directors Vol. 10 No. 8 Let Your Students Tell the Story to Inspire Donors
Additional ISM resources for Gold Consortium members:
I&P Vol. 31 No. 16 The Development Quartet: The Core Leadership Team of the Comprehensive Development Model
I&P Vol. 38 No. 1 Assessing Your School's Internal Marketing in Light of the Student Experience Survey
