When was the last time you said “pretty please?” and got a “well, alright”? Right. You were, like, five years old and asking grandma for a second cookie.
Getting people to notice your organization is a lot tougher than getting grandma to agree to more dessert. These days, stimulus overload is the norm. You’re up against fierce competition for your people’s attention, people like donors, volunteers, advocates and fans. To get their attention (and keep it), your appeals and pitches need to be more sophisticated. Notice I didn’t say complicated. Leonardo da Vinci said “simplicity is the ultimate sophistication”.
All of this to say: asking your supporters to take action requires some planning if you’re going to successfully get their attention. John Haydon gives us some great advice on creating compelling calls-to-action. Making it personal, telling stories and offering opportunities to share are some of my faves.