In a previous post, we talked about how to set campaign objectives through the SMART framework. Objectives are the first component of campaign strategy; they describe the intended result or outcome of an effort.
After setting online fundraising campaign objectives, how do we communicate them effectively? How do we connect people to the goals? How do we cultivate passionate advocates? How do we make the objectives tangible?
We do this by humanizing our campaign objectives. Humanizing means to encompass the social, cultural, and personal experiences of being human. In other words, have your campaign objectives capture the warmth and fullness of life. Your objectives should be marked by these three qualities:
- Simplicity – Keep objectives simple and clear to make it easier to understand
- Evocativeness – Bring strong images, memories, or feelings to mind make the objective tangible and sticky
- Empathy – Help people identify and sympathize with the objective, making it easier to connect with
Humanizing is best illustrated in a few before and after examples:
- Before: Fund the vocation-based job training program
- After: Help the homeless build a new American dream
- Before: Build a safe house to provide after-care services to the survivors of sex-trafficking
- After: Build a safe home for the survivors of sex-trafficking
- Before: Raise funds for the Save-Our-Parks Program
- After: Provide a clean and safe place for our kids to play
photo by: https://www.flickr.com/photos/flysi/183272970
