Short & simple.

Complicated problems with complicated solutions don’t require complicated communications

Portrait of Kevin Brown, Co-founder & CEO of Mighty Ally

KEVIN L. BROWN

Donors don’t want more words. Or longer fundraising communications.

“No one likes their time wasted,” says investor Morgan Housel. “It’s a universal annoyance.”

This is exactly why donors don’t read what you write. They skim and scan; and science proves it.

Even with a $4 billion annual budget, the United Nations can’t get people to read their reports — according to their own UN report. If the UN struggles to be read, you can imagine the challenge for small nonprofits.

“The problem isn’t intelligence, it’s communication,” says Ann-Murray Brown.

So get to the point to get the donor.

What does this look like in practice? Here are nine quick tips.

Write at an 8th-grade level.

Delete half, delete again.

Open with the outcome.

Use bullets, not blocks.

Make sentences short.

Say it once, not twice.

Bold key messages.

Be clear, not clever.

Cut all the jargon.

“People are tempted to tell you everything, with perfect accuracy, right up front, when they should be giving you just enough info to be useful, then a little more, then a little more.”

MADE TO STICK

Simple is proven.

It’s not just theory — research shows the business case for simplicity. The Global Brand Simplicity Index found the following:

Simplicity earns a premium: 64% of people are willing to pay more for simpler experiences.
Simplicity builds loyalty: 61% of people are more likely to recommend a brand because it’s simple.
Simplicity inspires: 62% of employees at simple companies are brand champions vs. only 20% of employees at complex companies.

Powerful stuff.

And here are three proven examples of messaging simplicity:

Martin Luther King Jr.’s I Have a Dream speech was shorter than a TED Talk. But it’s one of the most memorable in history.

The UN’s Universal Declaration of Human Rights enshrines the freedoms of all human beings worldwide. Yet each declaration averages just 45 words.

Ernest Hemingway was once challenged to write a story in just six words, or so the legend goes. He penned: “For sale: baby shoes, never worn.”

Don’t get me wrong. Simple actually isn’t easy. It takes talent and skill to make things simple. Still, the effort is worth it. Why? Because “simplicity is the ultimate sophistication,” said Leonardo da Vinci.

There’s no denying the facts: complexity confuses, simplicity converts, and a simple story secures stronger support.

“No weapons are more potent than brevity and simplicity.”

KATHERINE CECIL THURSTON

But wait, you argue.

It’s interesting. I often write about sensitive topics, like injustices in philanthropy.

Surprisingly, however, my advice about brevity stirs some people even more. As if some of us believe our subject matter is too complicated to be simplified.

“I can hear you thinking… our stakeholders expect academic rigor, we might get criticized for oversimplifying,” Ann-Murray Brown continues. “However, you’ll definitely get ignored for overcomplicated. Pick your poison.”

Spot on.

And here’s a final reminder from the book Smart Brevity:

“We’re not arguing that there’s no time for indulging in words… We’re also not saying to write short for short’s sake — you bring more soul and salience to your writing by being direct, helpful and time-saving. Don’t omit important facts or nuance, oversimplify or dumb down.”

Short does not mean shallow. And simple doesn’t mean simple-minded.

Your donors fund purpose, not paragraphs.

Value, not volume.

“The old notion that brevity is the essence of wit has succumbed to the modern idea that tedium is the essence of quality.”

RUSSELL BAKER