During these times of constant change and all of us feeling unsettled, we recognize there are higher levels of fear and anxiety than ever before. We get it. And trust us when we say you’re not alone. We’re all navigating these waters (or shall we say tidal waves) together.
Even with the big picture concerns nonprofits are grappling with, one thing we’ve been asked quite a bit since the onset of the pandemic is, “How much communication is too much?”
We’ve heard it all.
Fear about communicating too often.
Fear about communicating the wrong way.
Fear about the complaints you might receive.
Fear about not having the same results and success as in the past.
Here’s what we think. Keep telling stories. And then do it more. More than whatever you are doing now.
Anyone who has tracked e-mail rates knows that an open rate of 30% is exceptional. What does that mean? It means that most people aren’t reading what we send (yes, our soul dies a little with that statement, too).
Many experts share that it’s difficult to make someone upset by sending more things, when they weren’t aware you were sending anything in the first place.
And sure, you might get a phone call asking why you’re wasting money on stamps from disgruntled people who want to be removed from your mailing list. But if no one is opting out, that’s a pretty good sign you aren’t communicating enough.
So our advice is pretty simple: communicate more. Think about what the desired outcome is of each communication you send. How do you want people to feel when they’re done with your communication, and what action do you want them to take?
Give people as many opportunities as possible to join your story and do good for themselves and their community, especially during these difficult times. People need hope now more than ever.
If you are looking for storytelling support for your organization, please contact us at [email protected], and we’ll explore how best we can assist you and your team.