SECURING DONATIONS SECURING DONATIONS nonprofit.212mediastudios.com - PDF document

NON-PROFIT PRESENTATION TIPS FOR NON-PROFIT PRESENTATION TIPS FOR SECURING DONATIONS SECURING DONATIONS nonprofit.212mediastudios.com | 574.269.0720 | info@212mediastudios.com

Having an efgective communication strategy is the fjrst step for your non-profjt’s success—but it must go beyond newsletters and emails. You need to interact with your donors at all touchpoints. One of the most common opportunities to interact with potential supporters is through in-person presentations at events or meetings. If you cannot efgectively catch attention, communicate your story, and motivate your audience to action, you will miss out on critical fundraising potential. If you want to inspire your listeners, you must know what will resonate with them. Ultimately, your goal is to win long-term support from people who buy into your mission—not people who ofger money to get you to stop talking. To present your organization efgectively, you should start with your elevator pitch. THE ELEVATOR PITCH It is easy to describe all the ways your non-profjt is impacting lives, but it is diffjcult to whittle all those details down into a story your listeners actually want to hear. Your elevator pitch is an approximately two-minute summary of your organization’s mission and impact. This summary will help you identify the most valuable pieces of your story, so you can motivate your audience to get involved in your work. Your elevator pitch is segmented into three parts: the hook, the body, and the wrap-up: The Hook This is the introduction you’ll use to capture your audience’s attention. Explain who you are and the mission of your organization. You do not need to get into all your services yet—simply summarize your work in about 10-15 seconds. It is a good idea to have a few hooks that you can rotate depending on the situation; use information that is most captivating to your audience. Many non-profjt speakers fall into the trap of sharing as many statistics as possible. When your audience starts to hear numbers instead of stories, they immediately zone out and may not be attentive to the rest of your presentation. Plan a hook that will spark interest. For example, start with a phrase like, “20 years ago, a young girl named Sara changed my life.” Non-Profit Presentation Tips for Securing Donations | nonprofit.212mediastudios .com 2

The Body The body of your elevator pitch is the most intensive part—but it is still only 30-60 seconds long. Remember, you only have about two minutes to capture attention. This is where you describe your impact. Tell your audience about one person who has been afgected by your organization. This will communicate the importance of what you do and demonstrate the need for your work in the community. The Wrap-Up Spend about 15-20 seconds concluding your elevator pitch with a specifjc ask. It might be as simple as “Will you sign up to volunteer at our upcoming fundraiser?” Or it can bigger, depending on your relationship with the audience. Your ask will shape your entire pitch, so as you’re working toward the wrap-up, consider which details are most compelling. KNOWING YOUR AUDIENCE The presentation you give will depend on who is listening. Are you talking to a group of affmuent business owners to ask them for matching donations, or are you hosting an informational meeting to tell community members how they can get involved? No two situations are alike, which is why you should shape your presentation around the details that will be most compelling to your audience. Design your presentation to build a relationship from the start. Meeting your audience where they are will probably require some background research, and that will help you enter your meeting with confjdence. Before your presentation, fjnd out what your audience’s interests are, why they’re giving you the opportunity to speak, and what they want from your presentation. Then, tailor your pitch to their interests and desires. As you share about your organization, ask them questions to encourage them to get more invested in your presentation. Non-Profjt Presentation Tips for Securing Donations | nonprofit.212mediastudios .com 3

You also might get to know your audience a little better as your meeting continues. For instance, if they share why they’ve decided to attend the meeting, you can pull information and opportunities that they’ll fjnd valuable. Remember: You know more than you think you do, so don’t be afraid to share it. You should have a solid outline for your presentation, but it is also okay to add information if it will be particularly motivational for your listeners. ORIGINALITY MATTERS As you prepare for conversations with potential donors, it might seem easier to simply reuse the same presentation you’ve given hundreds of times before—but this could cost you donors. You have a variety of services and programs, which means there are several reasons people might invest in your organization. Creating an original presentation that serves specifjc needs is more important than you might realize. Don’t use a cookie-cutter presentation. Incorporate something that surprises potential donors or prompts them to get involved. Consider a few of these efgective appeals: • Share a client testimonial that evidences the tangible difgerence you’re making in the community. Fifty percent of people say a good story is what holds their attention during a presentation. • Include a powerful statistic that sheds light on local needs. • Show pictures of people you’ve helped while telling their stories. • Present a visual aid that supports a main point. Visual aids drive engagement and interest. The more physical examples you have, the better— especially because people remember 80% of what they see and only 20% of what they read, which means the text on your PowerPoint slide will be quickly forgotten. Pictures or interactive examples will draw attention. Non-Profit Presentation Tips for Securing Donations | nonprofit.212mediastudios .com 4

POWERPOINT BEST PRACTICES PowerPoint is standard for presentations—but it can also overwhelm your audience if you use this tool incorrectly. As you prepare for your meeting, follow PowerPoint best practices that will keep your audience engaged: Be Consistent You might envision a decorative, fun, exciting PowerPoint presentation, but too much visual stimulation will distract your audience. Instead, incorporate a few design elements consistently throughout the entire slide deck, such as images and borders. Make sure all your headers and text are in the same place on each slide. Don’t Overload Text The text on each slide should be more of a visual cue for you than an information dump for your audience. Listeners will rely on you to give them an accurate summary of your services and needs. Forcing them to read text is a surefjre way to get them to disengage, so instead of putting the bulk of your presentation in your PowerPoint, make the bulk of your presentation engaging by implementing visual aids and dialoguing with your audience. Limit Animations and Transitions The creative features on PowerPoint do not all have to be included in your presentation. Go for sleek and professional. Avoid over-the-top animations and transitions. Incorporate Sections for Questions Depending on the length of your presentation, you may need to stop in the middle of it to answer questions from your audience. Build these slides into your presentation as a reminder to stop and include your audience in conversation. You don’t want them to feel as if you’re talking at them; you want them to get invested in your cause. Incorporating a bufger slide will show them you’re willing to answer their questions and tailor this presentation to them. Non-Profit Presentation Tips for Securing Donations | nonprofit.212mediastudios .com 5

SUPPLEMENTAL MATERIALS Every time you give a presentation, you should leave your audience with a way to get involved with your mission. Bring brochures, business cards, and donation forms to each presentation. You don’t want them to leave without having access to your organization. When you’ve fjnished your presentation, ofger an immediate call to donate. The need in the community is most evident and compelling right after your presentation has fjnished, which means you must provide an opportunity for your audience to give immediately, without having to jump through hoops and complete unnecessary steps. MAKING THE ASK Your ask is the most crucial part of your presentation. Everything you’ve shown and explained should culminate in an action step for your audience. If you’ve done your research, you’ll know your audience well enough to understand how they want to get involved. Make sure your ask adheres to their expectations. If you request something unreasonable, you won’t get successful engagement. Instead, highlight the opportunities that will interest this audience most—whether it’s a volunteer opportunity, monthly sponsorship, or one-time donation toward a project. Your supplemental materials come in handy here, too, because you can provide donation forms on the spot, allowing your audience to commit before they even walk out the door. COSTLY MISTAKES You are a visual representation of your organization’s mission and brand. People are watching you to determine whether or not they want to support you—which is why you cannot afgord to make costly mistakes in your presentation. If you seem uninterested, unprofessional, or uninformed, you will damage both your credibility and your non-profjt’s. As you prepare for your next presentation, avoid these common errors: Non-Profjt Presentation Tips for Securing Donations | nonprofit.212mediastudios .com 6