{"id":13945,"date":"2019-06-20T09:00:31","date_gmt":"2019-06-20T13:00:31","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.qgiv.com\/blog\/?p=13945"},"modified":"2023-05-26T13:35:53","modified_gmt":"2023-05-26T17:35:53","slug":"dos-donts-copywriting-nonprofits","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.qgiv.com\/blog\/dos-donts-copywriting-nonprofits\/","title":{"rendered":"The Dos and Don\u2019ts of Copywriting for Nonprofits"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

When you hear the word \u201ccopywriting\u201d, do you think of clever campaigns churned out by people like Don Draper in fancy New York advertising agencies?<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

That world can sometimes feel as distant as the moon for nonprofits who are just scraping by \u2014 but you might have more in common with them than you think. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

That\u2019s because copywriting is more than just magazine ads or television commercials. Learning a few copy writing techniques can make a big difference when you\u2019re putting together web content, email campaigns, and other types of writing projects for your nonprofit. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

According to the National Center for Charitable Statistics, there are more than 1.5 million nonprofit organizations in the United States. <\/span>That means your prospects have lots of choices when it comes to charitable giving or membership opportunities, so you need to do everything you can to capture their attention and persuade them to join your cause. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Think of copywriting as persuasive writing, because creating effective copy is all about persuading your potential member, donor, or volunteer to take action \u2014 just like Don Draper would do when preparing an ad. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

However, copywriting isn\u2019t about manipulation or taking advantage of people. It\u2019s just a tool used for maximizing the donation amounts and volunteers you collect using your website, email list, or postal mail outreach.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Need some quick dos and don\u2019ts for more improving persuasive writing in your organization? <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Here\u2019s my list of guidelines for nonprofit copywriting. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n

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Nonprofit Copywriting DOs<\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Here are three things you should keep in mind when you\u2019re first starting to write a blog post, an email, or <\/span>a donation letter<\/span><\/a> \u2014 any piece of content that aims to persuade. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

1. DO create an emotional connection with your reader. <\/h3>\n\n\n\n

This is the #1 rule of copywriting for any business, and it absolutely applies to nonprofits, too.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Always ask yourself, \u201cWhat are my potential donors or volunteers thinking about right now? What can I do to create an emotional connection with them and give them what they need to make a decision?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Once you\u2019ve put yourself in your prospect\u2019s shoes, your job is to connect with that person.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

One way of creating an emotional connection with a reader is to describe the problem you\u2019re trying to solve with your nonprofit. Stories are a great way to connect with someone in this way.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Make your stories as personal and specific as possible, so the prospect can picture how they\u2019ll be helping if they give time and\/or money to your cause.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

If there are major objections or roadblocks that come up in your prospect\u2019s minds that stop them from donating or joining, address them too.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

When it doubt, always ask yourself, \u201cWhat would my potential donor or member think if they read this copy? Would he or she be excited, or turned off?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

2. DO create attention-getting headlines. <\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Boring headlines are the kiss of death for copywriting.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you can\u2019t convince a prospect to begin reading your landing page, website page, blog post, or email, you\u2019ve lost the battle before it\u2019s even begun.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

When you\u2019re surfing the web, pay attention to headlines on websites, blogs, and social media. What headlines get your attention and make you want to read further? Which ones make you want to click away? Notice what great headlines look like, and take notes.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

For your next copywriting project (whether it\u2019s a landing page, <\/span>event registration page<\/span><\/a>, sales page, or email message), take 10 minutes and write out 10 to 20 headlines for that copy.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Once you\u2019ve written out a bunch of possibilities, pick the best option. Don\u2019t get discouraged if some of your headlines aren\u2019t a good fit \u2013 there will be great possibilities on your list, too!<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The important part is getting practice writing out a bunch of headlines, to get your creative juices flowing.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

3. DO focus on being clear. <\/h3>\n\n\n\n

When it comes to nonprofit copywriting, it\u2019s more important to be clear than clever.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Your prospects should never have to pause and think to themselves, \u201cHuh? I\u2019m not sure what they\u2019re trying to say here\u2026\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

A confused person will never become a member or donate to your organization \u2013 but a clear, focused person will.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Instead of trying to be brainy or brilliant in your writing, focus on telling stories that connect, then clearly explaining what the prospect\u2019s next step should be (whether that\u2019s registering for an event, becoming a member, or signing up to become a volunteer).<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The clarity of your writing directly affects how much money and support you\u2019ll receive as a nonprofit, so always be as coherent as you can.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you\u2019re in doubt about whether or not your copywriting is clear, ask a friend outside your organization to read your copy and explain back to you exactly what she read. If she has questions or doesn\u2019t feel compelled to act, you need to revise your copy.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Nonprofit Copywriting DON\u2019Ts<\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

There are also a few things you should never do when creating nonprofit copy\u2026 if you want your reader to support you, that is. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

I\u2019ve outlined three of these rules below. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

1. DON\u2019T leave people hanging. <\/h3>\n\n\n\n

One of the biggest nonprofit copywriting mistakes is leaving people hanging at the end of a piece of copy.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Once someone has finished reading your email, blog post, etc, you should have given them a clear next step that they can follow. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Always include a strong call to action in your copywriting. A \u201ccall to action\u201d is simply a phrase or sentence that asks the prospect to take action.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you\u2019ve created a strong emotional connect with a prospect, it\u2019s okay to ask that person to take action at the end of your copy. It\u2019s expected.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

You could ask your prospect to do things like donate to your organization, fill out a form, or sign up for a free report.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Typical call to action phrases begin with verbs like:<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n