We live in a world of information overload and the average human attention span is just 8 seconds. With this statistic in mind, I have listed 3 ways you can maximize those 8 seconds while still providing the right amount of information to your donors.
1. Less is more.
Create communications that are clear, engaging and show real life impact. Drip feed this information throughout the year in bite size pieces. Many people scan read. When crafting communication pay attention to your opening paragraph. Capture their attention. Make good use of bullet points, headlines and white space.
2. Become a storyteller.
According to Nonprofit Tech for Good, of social media users who support nonprofits online, 56% said that compelling storytelling is what motivated them to take action in the first place. Charity Water uses Instagram to tell the stories of families who have been given access to clean drinking water. The Denver Rescue Mission uses their website to showcase inspirational stories. Hope International uses a blog to communicate stories of life impact.
3. Collect and share data.
Determine what data you should be collecting at your organization to measure mission fulfillment. Share that data using infographics. Infographics help you cut to the chase. The colors, icons, and general organization of an infographic draws the eye and keeps a person’s attention. Here’s a blog from Classy with 10 great samples to give you ideas. You don’t need to be a graphic designer or pay a lot to create a nice visual. Canva provides a free platform to create infographics and other designs using a variety of templates.
While there is a place for white papers and reports, the majority of our general donor communication should be simple and sweet!