In This Issue:

• "You WERE there!" Forrest Gump & Donor Love in 2022
• Rethinking the Basics
• Certificate in Fundraising Copywriting starts soon!
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Wednesday, January 12, 2022

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Hi there!

Don't you just love movies that speak to you in new ways every time you watch them?

For me, Forrest Gump is one of those films.

Brett and I have probably watched the Tom Hanks classic at least a dozen times now -- but it's not done with us yet.

Because: like a box of chocolates...

...or a brand new year...

...you never know what you're gonna get!

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"You WERE there!" Forrest Gump & Donor Love in 2022

As a donor, I sometimes daydream about the charities I support and wonder what it would be like to be there to see my gifts at work...

…to see a child as she wakes up from a sight-saving surgery...

…to see the faces of a family when they receive a starter flock of chickens that mean healthy nutrition and dependable income...

…to be in the room when lawmakers read the case studies and research they’ve been needing in order to advance a piece of social justice legislation...

It was with all this in mind that I was talking to Brett about how to do fundraising writing that transports donors: how to show them, really show them, the difference they make.

And then Brett thought of a scene from Forrest Gump.

For me, it’s a “WOW!”

If you want to feel all the feels, watch the clip until the 2-minute mark, when Jenny says, “I love you, Forrest.”
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(I’ll just wait right here until you wipe the tears away.😭)
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Jenny, perhaps feeling afraid because she knows she will soon die, asks Forrest if he was scared in Vietnam.

Forrest becomes thoughtful. As he reflects on his life, he paints word pictures for Jenny. These words bring to life all the beauty Forrest experienced both in the war and in his everyday life.

Quietly, Jenny replies, “I wish I could have been there with you.”

(And, here's the part that really gets me...)

Forrest pauses, looks Jenny in the eye, and answers, “You were.”

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(Oh, my heart!)

(Cue the tissues!)

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Finally, Jenny says, “I love you, Forrest.”

These are the words that Forrest has been waiting all his life to hear. It took Jenny this long to utter them because she’s been haunted by the terrible trauma she suffered as a girl.

Now, at last, Jenny understands love … and that its power is like magic. She really was there with Forrest all along. His love transported her.

And then she dies – her life is complete.

(Not because of Forrest: because of love.)

So, how does this relate to donor stewardship?

Donors need to know their impact. They often feel disconnected from the good work that they help to make real. It’s our job to connect them to this.

We need to make our donors understand that THEY WERE there.

How?

By painting word pictures suffused with true love for our donors. This love will transport and transform them.

And it’s true: they really are there with us all along – they just need to know it.

We need to tell our donors this, again and again, from our hearts. ❤️

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Rethinking the Basics

Brett here:

As you may know, I recently left my teaching and writing career to join Julie at Fundraising Writing. I'm thrilled to be here!

Today I'd like to share with you something I learned from teaching that I think might be helpful for your fundraising.

Picture 25 twelve-year-olds entering a classroom.

They're full of life.

Full of hormones.

Full of... just about everything! 😂

As a teacher, I hated barking at my students. After a few years of starting each class with, "Okay, sit down, please!" I decided to try something different.

I replaced my barking/yelling/shouting/chiding/griping with something I called Seat Attack.

Seat Attack was one of several ongoing competitions I created by rethinking the basics.

How it worked:

I timed how long it took all of the students to enter the classroom and be seated. I recorded the times in a chart on the white board.

At the end of the week, whichever class had the best time won a reward...

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What might rethinking the basics look like in fundraising?

I actually saw an example of this the other day. It was from Moceanic fundraising expert Sean Triner.

Julie had sent Sean an email. Because he was on holiday, she got an out-of-office reply.

But it was no basic reply. It included valuable fundraising info that amounted to a mini-training. Julie could skip it if she wanted. But she was already there.

So, she learned something and left feeling valued by Sean.

What a bonus -- talk about rethinking the basics!!

Now, how might you do the same?

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Online Boot Camp — How to Write Fundraising Copy that Makes More Money

Julie back again:

Learning opportunities like this won't come around often in 2022!

A few spots are still available for the Certificate in Fundraising Copywriting from the Institute for Sustainable Philanthropy.

The latest Philanthropic Psychology research shows that caring for donors in a certain way can DOUBLE GIVING.

This course shows you HOW. I'll be on the tutor team led by Prof. Jen Shang. I hope to see you in the discussion forums!

​If you'd like to join a select group of fundraisers who will forever change the way that fundraising is practiced, check out the certificate course.

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Thanks for being a subscriber to the Fundraising Writing newsletter!

Gotta run -- a box of chocolates is calling my name! 😋

I'll see you in your inbox soon.

All my best,
Julie

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Julie Cooper
Fundraising Copywriter & Communications Strategist
​FundraisingWriting.com

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PS: Need help with your donor communications in 2022? I can assist you with planning, writing, coaching, and training. I've left some space for you on my calendar. Please book a free call. Let's chat! 💬

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