Don’t you just love that feeling when you’re in the right place at the right time?
I had the pleasure of meeting John Lepp and Jen Love – the creative minds behind Agents of Good – at the Nonprofit Storytelling Conference back in November.
I knew right away that their insights could be huge for the HeartSpark community, so I dove headfirst into John Lepp’s book Creative Deviations over the holiday break.
Here’s one of the key ideas I think you should know about ASAP.
In Deviation 3 “Storytelling is Dead” (yes, that’s the chapter title!) John defines the role stories should play in direct response. He introduces a concept originally coined by Ken Burnett in Relationship Fundraising called the URG, or Unique Reason to Give. In business, it’s called the Unique Selling Proposition (USP). In the Storybrand framework, your Philosophical Problem. And, I can’t stop thinking about it. Your URG is at the center of your founding story. It’s the ultimate reason your organization exists. It unlocks the values you share with your donors. And it’s the summary donors tell themselves about your story and mission. In John’s words, “Donors give, not because they are educated by you or convinced by you, but because they are inspired and they share the same beliefs and values as you.” Needless to say, if you’re looking for ways to level up your direct response strategy in 2024, order Creative Deviations now! Even though John and I disagree on the importance of brand guidelines, this book is a gold mine of inspiration and direct response best practices.
So how do you get your nonprofit back to the beginning and find that URG?
Here is a simple exercise to get you started:
- 24-48 hours before your nonprofit was founded, something happened to make you (or your founder) angry, scared, surprised, or sad.
- What was “just plain wrong” with that situation?
- Typically these statements use “should” or “ought to” to talk about what was just plain wrong with that situation. For example, “Everyone should have access to healthy meals.” or “Girls ought to be able to pursue STEM careers.”
- How were you (or your founder) uniquely equipped to solve that problem?
Together, your answers to these questions form your Unique Reason to Give.
To support a mission someone cares about (eradicating hunger, animal welfare, developing young minds, etc.): why should they give to your nonprofit – and why right now?
A well-crafted “unique reason to give” isn’t cute or quippy – it’s clear. And that clarity of why and how you solve a problem is what attracts a dedicated group of passionate supporters.
Your URG motivates people to recognize their own values in your organization and offer their support, whether through volunteering, donating, or sharing the mission.
Monthly donors are the perfect way to put your URG in action, and there’s a group of experts ready to help you do it right!
Led by Dana Snyder, the Monthly Giving Mastermind is a 3-month program that helps you create and launch your monthly giving program.
Dana’s put together 3 different packages you can choose from, but I’ll be your dedicated website designer helping to name your program and create a beautiful landing page that will make your URG shine.
Related Resources
For more insights on building a strong nonprofit brand and understanding the essentials, explore these articles:
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