Excerpted from my new book, The Money-Raising Nonprofit Brand: Motivating Donors to Give, Give Happily, and Keep on Giving.
Yesterday, we examined the importance of the fundraising icon. Today, we look at the characteristics of an effective one:
Your icon has a clear focal point
Like most works of visual art, a good fundraising icon is strongly composed and compels the eye into itself.
Your icon is a person
The heart of fundraising is people connecting with people. Donors touching those they help. A fundraising icon becomes the emotional stand-in for the person your donor helps or the difference she makes when she gives.
Your icon is focused on the face
The majority of effective fundraising icons are portraits of people. That includes animals.
Your icon is one person, not a group
Many faces together dilute the visual power of the face.
Your icon is a picture of unmet need
Most fundraising icons show the problem the donor wants to solve.
Your icon is a photo, not an illustration
Illustrations are not "real" -- and they can go terribly wrong. Ever since the invention of photography, people see photos as "real."
Look for your fundraising icon. It can power your fundraising to new levels.
The Money-Raising Nonprofit Brand is available at:
