December 18, 2014

10 Ways To Spread ‘Good Cheer’ Through Your Nonprofit’s Year-End Communications

You don’t want to be Scrooge, but what with the release of the US Senate torture report, recent news around the police shootings of Mike Brown and Eric Garner, and more, it’s hard for some nonprofits to be merry this season. Plus, no matter your cause, your nonprofit is likely very busy, even overwhelmed with the final fundraising push for the year. So how can your organization keep it upbeat at this time of the year?

First things first: discard any plastic smiles. If a jolly message feels inappropriate for your work, you don’t have to grin and bear it. Being honest and authentic in your communications rather than simulating positivity will do far more to earn/maintain your constituents’ trust in who you are as an organization and what you stand for.
But even if this is a dismal time of year, you can rally your supporters. Instead of forcing a message of cheer, you can instead focus your messaging on hope, or on the need to come together, or on how even an occasional “win” can create change.
Inject humor: No matter how tough, tiring, uninspiring or even discouraging your work might sometimes feel, I bet you – and your supporters – can use a smile. Share a silly video, or use an edgy meme, or even send photos of your staff looking grumpy, cranky, or out of sorts… and say why. Gently, poke fun at yourselves. Note: jokes are tricky. You can offend a lot of people with humor, so use with caution.
Bix was having a great day. Just not her hair.
Remind people that you are people: Show your supporters that even though you’re taking on challenging causes, your organization is made up of real, live, human beings. (Who occasionally have bad hair days. Oops. See photo of yours truly.) It doesn’t have to be an extra-upbeat message, but bringing in the human touch can add a note of cheer.
Appreciation with a twist. Yes, of course you thank your supporters (and will be doing a lot of thanking come Jan 1.) But why not thank someone unexpected? Or in an unexpected way? What if you showcase a staff or board member (or several staff) with a quick photo and a short, personal note from the executive director saying why s/he likes working with them? Or perhaps the staff sends a shout-out to the kind mailperson – sure, your supporters may never have heard of the mailperson, but they’ll appreciate your organization’s appreciation.
Go for gold, AKA nostalgia: Remember when? There’s a reason why #TBT ThrowbackThursday photos are the Internet’s greatest sensation (according to somebody, I know not whom.) Remind your constituents of the early days of your organization, times that you did succeed against odds, or were much smaller, scrappier, and less-resourced!
Be an interrupter: Amid all your carefully crafted messaging around fundraising, advocacy, and more, throw in a tweet, post, photo or even an email that’s not asking for anything, or making a point, beyond saying, “Hi!” or “You’re awesome.”
Selfie: Here’s an easy way to rustle up some cheer: Have a staff member or whoever is appropriate take a bunch of selfies throughout the day, and share the story of “a day in the life of…” an attorney demanding justice, a social worker resolving a crisis, a social media manager at her computer all day long, or whatever it is you do. Don’t forget to include some of those behind the scene moments, like getting your coffee fix on.
Make a list. Yes, everyone’s making his or her 2014 greatest hits or worst news. But could your list consists of small moments that have given you (or your organization) a smile? Or a sense of accomplishment. Or a sense of a shared journey.
Bring back smiles. Not the fake kind. But sometimes a great smile from a genuine place of happiness can say it all. Like the image below does.