“If you can’t explain it simply, you don’t understand it well enough”. Albert Einstein
When it comes to the world of fundraising and cause-based marketing, truer words have never been spoken. We are so eager to share every aspect of our greater good, every impact big or small, every moment of an optimal persona for public consumption – we often end up saying nothing at all.
Curated relevance is the key to a non-profit or charity’s success. Branding and communication strategy entail much more than a catchy tagline, eye-catching logo, nano-influencers or a celebrity endorsed campaign. It’s about going deeper, trusting the ultimate goal, capturing the essence. It’s about knowing who you are, at every point along the way, and sharing that knowledge simply.
Storytellers and creative thought leaders endeavor to craft an engaging case for support. But most founders and advocates will tell you an effective impact statement comes down to the simple truth of purpose.
Crowd-sourcing vetted content for greater brand identity. Utilizing industry verticals with a continuous deployment of integrated marketing. Amplifying earned media with high competition keywords while being mobile optimized. Avoiding neutral voices while funnel tracking attributes. All well-founded strategies for organizations in need of elevating a company or cause profile. But all merely tools in the competitive landscape of securing funding for the fundamentals.
To go farther, you need to go deeper. You need to listen unapologetically to the simple truth of your values. Be present and confident enough to discard the motivations that don’t drive those values. Have the courage to own the answers. Declare the importance of that truth. Nurture it. Share it. Simply.
Without authenticity you are not ethical or effective in the cause for the greater good. Be grounded in the first person experience, a student of real world causality, fueled by expertise and driven by passion.
Let’s get to work and solve the problem. And then we’ll explain it simply.
Jennifer Jeynes B.A, M.A
Communications and Development Specialist