Need your help!
Just posted on LinkedIn this new video of my audiobook recording.
If you’ve read my book and enjoyed it, please leave a quick 5-star rating on Amazon and Goodreads.
These 5-star ratings do wonders to keep the launch momentum going. And do wonders for our own nonprofit mission.
Thank you!
— Kevin
💪🏽💛
Three insights
1. Are you present or are you presenting?
PowerPoint is killing your fundraising.
When you present, you’re not present.
Think about it. ⤵
Pitch decks pull your eyes to the slides instead of the donor. You’re talking at not with them. Your brain locks onto what to say next vs. what’s being said. And while your attention is on the screen, theirs is drifting away.
On the other hand…
Real conversations and real relationships don’t happen in the glow of a screen. They happen when you shut the laptop and talk it through together.
(I never show our deck during meetings; I only email it afterwards.)
Yes, you still need a pitch deck.
And yes, “we will never be completely free of the presentation,” says Blair Enns. But “we must change the tone of these meetings and move from the presenter role to that of the expert practitioner.”
“This we do as a doctor or lawyer would, through conversation and collaboration and not through presentation.”
Let go of the PowerPoint crutch.
Be present, not presenting.
2. Kill your set-up verbs.
Quit softening your voice.
Claim your wins.
❌ You don’t work to improve learning outcomes
✅ You improve learning outcomes
❌ You don’t provide clean water solutions
✅ You clean water
❌ You don’t lobby to change policy
✅ You change policy
❌ And you don’t help save lives
✅ You save lives
Because set-up verbs add extra words.
They water down your fundraising.
And make your writing weak.
Yes, attribution is challenging (it takes a village!). But “impact isn’t about what we aim to do — it’s about what we do,” says Michael Kiragu.
So own your messaging.
One less word at a time.
3. Must-see nonprofit movies on Netflix.
It’s been a tough year for many.
But here’s hope:
13 inspirational nonprofit films on Netflix.
These movies can teach you a lot about storytelling for donor communications.
I felt the power of film when we worked with Justice Defenders on a mini-documentary for 60 Minutes. The result was 2,110% more annual online donations.
In just five weeks.
Fundraising is a story well told.
Watch and learn.
The weekly bonus
In my own book, I quote the fabulous Vu Le twice, reference a book he co-authored, then list him once as a preeminent thought leader. That’s because he is.
He and I finally had a chance to meet last week. And I shared some publishing learnings, as his first full solo book comes out in October.
Reimagining Nonprofits and Philanthropy: Unlocking the Full Potential of a Vital and Complex Sector
“This is a book I wish had been available when I was beginning my career,” he says. “It covers all the stuff I’ve ranted about for years, but now sounds more cohesive and coherent.”
“The title, I know, is usually not my feisty burn-it-down brand, but the publisher advised a simple, easy-to-understand title in order to broaden its reach, including college and grad school curricula.”
And I can attest, from first-hand experience, how much the pre-sales matter.
So let’s give it a boost.
One month away
Our next Fundable/Findable live training program starts a month from tomorrow: October 6. And the registration fee includes you and anyone from your team.
Your outcomes: you’ll operate with more clarity and confidence, internally. Plus you’ll use a louder, sharper voice externally. And in the long term, you’ll maximize your funding.
Reply or message me if you’re a grassroots or local leader who might need some financial assistance to attend.
P.S.
What your board sounds like, when they want to raise millions of dollars overnight without investing in brand first.