Enhancing Communication Strategies for Habitat for Humanity’s Campaign Success
In this guide, we explore effective communication strategies tailored for Habitat for Humanity. Discover methods to identify and overcome challenges in outreach, and learn how to tell compelling stories that resonate with potential donors and volunteers. By assembling strong case statements, utilizing consistent messaging across platforms, and engaging diverse resources, your organization can significantly boost its reputation and effectiveness. Embrace these tools to forge deeper connections and inspire actionable support for your mission, ensuring a positive impact on communities.
Enhancing Communication Strategies for Habitat for Humanity’s Campaign Success
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Presentation Transcript
Habitat for Humanity David Bohan Jackie Cavnar
If I only had a….. • What are your greatest communications challenges? • What are your greatest communications successes? • What do you think better communications will help you accomplish?
Tools for a great campaign • Resources from national organization • Resources from state organization • Resources from local organization
Why do you tie them together • Consistency is key • Strengthen the brand • Reputation management • Donor experience • Volunteer experience • Homeowner experience
Telling the story A good case statement will answer five basic questions. • What is the need? • What evidence is there that this is a pressing need? • How is your organization uniquely qualified to tackle this need? • What will be the benefits of your action? • What are the negative consequences if you fail?
Telling the story • Begin by assembling an internal case. • Gather all the data you can find as to why someone should give to your organization. • Find specific details, facts and figures that not only support the need for what you do, but also demonstrate how it is working. • Pull financial records to demonstrate your solvency.
Telling the story • Pull background material—everything from your mission statement to press clippings to past annual fund letters. • Gather testimonials from people you have helped and statistics about the demographic you serve. • Interview donors and find out what compelled them to give. • Collect any information you can find that will paint a picture of the future without your solution.
Telling the story Be sure to stay away from • Using too much technical jargon • Overwhelming the reader with too much information • Writing a case that is void of emotion
Telling the story • Case statement • Habitat exists because…. • Your support enables us to…. • In the past year, we have accomplished…. • Without your support we would….
Tools to help you succeed • Facebook – Habitat stories in a blog; repurpose stories for local newspapers • Contribute stories to an editor to post on website and other social media • More consistency on local websites • State Facebook page is all board and donor entries – need more stories • Habitat for Tennessee You Tube channel
Tools to help you succeed • Email volunteers and donors with a hyperlink to like us on Facebook • Ask volunteers and donors to blog about Habitat on their own websites • Ask homeowners to write stories for blog • Do a 10 or 20 year retrospective blog
At every build • Dedicated photographer • Dedicated blogger • Dedicated social media contact
Dream big • Connect with Care-A-Vanners and Tennessee State Parks • Increase donors by X percent • Increase volunteers by X percent • Work with a college sociology class to write case studies about the homeowners or Habitat’s impact on the community
Questions Thank you