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Challenge: Describe Your Capital Campaign in Just Six Words

By Amy Eisenstein

Challenge: Describe Your Capital Campaign in Just Six Words

Ernest Hemingway started a trend of six-word stories with these riveting words:

For sale: baby shoes, never worn.

Stories told in just six words can be a powerful tool for your campaign. When you choose the right words, you can move donors with powerful, compelling soundbites.

What’s a Six-Word Story? Here, COVID Provides an Example

Today’s post was inspired by an article in this week’s NY Times, called The Pandemic in Six-Word Memoirs.

Some of my favorites from the Times article include:

Every day’s a bad hair day.

— Leigh Giza

Can’t smell the campfire on Zoom.

— Melanie Abrams

Eighth hour of YouTube. Send Help!

— Leela Chandra

Slowly turning into a technological potato.

— Jad Ammar

Cleaned Lysol container with Lysol wipe.

— Alex Wasser

And from my daughter:

Eager to go back to school.

— Zoe (age 13)

Why Just Six Words?

Every campaign needs a short story or a tagline, if you prefer. The idea is that in one, short statement, you can communicate the reason for your campaign.

Your six-word story goes at the top of a webpage, campaign brochure, video, and other campaign materials to communicate clearly, quickly, and concisely what your campaign is about.

But why so few words?

  • People are busy
  • Their time is precious
  • They can only digest so much while being bombarded with so much other information

In these Twitter / Instagram days, we’re accustomed to getting information in bite-sized bits. Today, brevity reigns supreme.

How to Create a Six-Word Story for Your Campaign

Creating a six-word story is a great opportunity to engage your board members. You can do this in person or via Zoom in three simple steps.

  1. First, ask board members to come up with a list of words which describe your campaign and your organization. Have them write their list individually and then share a few words from each list with the larger group to make one long list.
  2. Next, break them into small groups of 2-4 people. (Try using the breakout function in Zoom if you’re meeting virtually.) Give them 8 minutes to come up with as many six-word stories about your organization and about your campaign as possible.
  3. Lastly, ask them to share their favorites with the larger group. Then decide which six-word stories resonate the most.

The Six-Word Story Campaign Challenge

So I’d like to challenge you and your board members to come up with one or more six-word stories to describe your campaign.

Your six-word story should evoke emotion, and if possible, paint a picture in the mind of your donors. Why should they care about your campaign?

Six-Word Story Examples

Save a dog; she’ll rescue you.

Finding a cure for my mom.

Feed the hungry, nourish a soul.

New school buildings help students soar.

Performing arts — more than a play.

After school programs keep kids safe.

YMCA: Healthy Mind, Body, and Soul.

Scholarships provide hope for future generations.

Remember — your goal is to get to the heart of what your donors need to know in one short statement. And, if possible, tease a compelling reason to learn more.

It’s Your Turn!  Share a Six-Word Story Below

Share a six-word story about your campaign in the comments below. I can’t wait to see what you come up with!

Filed Under: Covid-19 Crisis, General Campaign, Pre-Campaign

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Susan Allen says

    September 15, 2020 at 2:25 pm

    Educating Women WILL Change the World!

    Reply
    • Susan Allen says

      September 15, 2020 at 2:27 pm

      Wesleyan College is THE FIRST college chartered to grant degrees to women. We are proud of our legacy and should we thank you for focusing us on this 6-word exercise to tell our story.

      Reply
    • Dakota Crow says

      October 8, 2020 at 2:49 pm

      Boys & Girls Club Muskegon ClubHouse Campaign: Every Kid Deserves A Clubhouse

      Reply
  2. Tom Martin says

    September 15, 2020 at 2:42 pm

    Here for you. Today. Tomorrow. Always

    Reply
  3. Alba Austin says

    September 30, 2020 at 2:16 pm

    Literacy Changes Lives-Make A Difference

    Reply
  4. Katia Barsse-Blom says

    September 30, 2020 at 2:20 pm

    Because every life is beautiful and worth fighting for

    More than six words but tells the story.

    Reply
  5. Melissa English says

    September 30, 2020 at 2:43 pm

    Ohio Citizen Action. Together we win.

    Reply
  6. Stephen Heaven says

    September 30, 2020 at 2:48 pm

    Off the top of my head…

    Free wet nose with every adoption

    Reply
  7. Mary Lynch says

    September 30, 2020 at 3:04 pm

    Helping Hugs: Meeting needs with love.

    Helping Hugs Inc. is an all-volunteer nonprofit organization of St. William Catholic Church. We are twinned with St. Joseph Catholic Church (and its 10 chapels) through the Parish Twinning Program of the Americas.

    Reply
    • Mary says

      September 30, 2020 at 3:36 pm

      Meeting Haitian’s needs with Christian love.
      Showing love for those in need.

      Reply
    • Amy Eisenstein says

      September 30, 2020 at 3:51 pm

      Yes! Love it. I know exactly what you do and what I should do!

      Reply
    • Amy O'Sullivan says

      September 30, 2020 at 3:59 pm

      I work at an all girls high school, and I LOVE your 6 word story!

      Reply
    • Zawedde says

      September 30, 2020 at 4:05 pm

      Empower women ,girls for better health.

      Reply
      • Zawedde says

        September 30, 2020 at 4:09 pm

        Stop CoVId 19 by practicing
        exercise

        Reply
  8. Dan says

    September 30, 2020 at 3:11 pm

    Cant Teach Kids to Paint, When Hungry

    Reply
  9. Susan Todaro says

    September 30, 2020 at 4:38 pm

    Understanding Differences. Expanding Opportunities.

    Reply
  10. Barb Young says

    September 30, 2020 at 4:58 pm

    Food is a basic human right.

    Reply
  11. Susan Loucks says

    September 30, 2020 at 5:30 pm

    Aging Independently: Younger friends with cars

    Reply
  12. Janice Fonda says

    September 30, 2020 at 11:14 pm

    “Helping the young so they can grow old.”

    Campaign for mental health facility for children and adolescents.

    Reply
  13. Kristin Liphart says

    October 2, 2020 at 9:11 pm

    Hungry to learn during the pandemic

    Reply
  14. Staci says

    November 10, 2020 at 10:05 pm

    To Be Demolished: Historic Movie Theatre

    Reply

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