Copy Clinic Being more creative in your communications Stephen Pidgeon

Some contact details… Email me: stephenpidgeon @ gmail.com Website: www stephenpidgeon.co.uk Rarely, I tweet: @ stephenpidge Published last Spring

Today Plus FOUR exercises The art of finding connection Common barriers Connecting properly – the notion of a ‘concept’ Creativity in your own, and when you judge others’ writing – a check list for you Plus FOUR exercises

My learning… Connect with people BEFORE you ask

Connect first, then ask… You don’t need a ‘thing’ You simply need to catch your audience… Emotionally!

Why? ‘The essential difference between emotion and reason is that emotion leads to action and reason leads to conclusions’ Donald Calne, Consultant Neurologist University of British Columbia

6 common barriers to connection… Talking about yourselves – count the We’s

6 common barriers to connection… Talking about yourselves – count the We’s Talking about your services

6 common barriers to connection… Talking about yourselves – count the We’s Talking about your services Getting in the way

6 common barriers to connection… Talking about yourselves – count the We’s Talking about your services Getting in the way …trouble is, you work for the charity you think it’s a lot more important than it is

6 common barriers to connection… Talking about yourselves – count the We’s Talking about your services Getting in the way A sure indication is the phrase… ‘Please give us a donation and we will…’

6 common barriers to connection… Talking about yourselves – count the We’s Talking about your services Getting in the way A sure indication is the phrase… ‘Please give us a donation and we will…’ Another…. ‘Please give to our Annual Appeal’

6 common barriers to connection… Talking about yourselves – count the We’s Talking about your services Getting in the way Poor choice of signatory

6 common barriers to connection… Talking about yourselves – count the We’s Talking about your services Getting in the way Poor choice of signatory Just telling a story

Telling stories is difficult… We ignore hundreds of stories every day …because we are not ‘connected’ with them Engaging people with a written story is INCREDIBLY difficult Writing an engaging story when ten people have to approve the copy… …is IMPOSSIBLE!

6 common barriers to connection… Talking about yourselves – count the We’s Talking about your services Getting in the way Poor choice of signatory Just telling a story

Today The art of finding connection Common barriers Connecting properly – the notion of a ‘concept’ Creativity in your own, and when you judge others’ writing

Connecting properly… You need a CONCEPT You need to know your audience You need an idea David Ogilvy said you needed a ‘Big Idea’ You need a CONCEPT Two skills for catching ‘concepts’; thinking sideways, not straight spotting interesting snippets

Concepts CONNECT with donors Connecting properly… You need to know your audience You need an idea David Ogilvy said you needed a ‘Big Idea’ You need a CONCEPT Concepts CONNECT with donors

Public Broadcasting (PBS) in the US…

Two skills to find a concept… Thinking sideways not straight Spotting interesting snippets

You’re looking for ‘snippets’ Exercise 1 You are meeting the father of the pair in this Coastguard case List the questions you want to ask him (and his wife!) You’re looking for ‘snippets’

You’re looking for ‘snippets’ Exercise 2 You are meeting the UK Children Social Worker who wrote the appeal List the questions you need answers to You’re looking for ‘snippets’

Snippets… Come from conversations with people in the thick of it; staff, volunteers or beneficiaries Come from pics, well-chosen or created They always involve people Their job is to ‘connect’ with the donor Snippets can become concepts, on which to hang the appeal

Today The art of finding connection Common barriers Connecting properly – the notion of a ‘concept’ Creativity in your own, and when you judge others’ writing

A golden guide – is all this clear… What’s the problem? Why should I (the donor) care about it? What is this charity doing about the problem? What can I do as a donor? Why do I need to give now? What happens if I don’t give? What is their proof of success?

A golden guide – is all this clear… What’s the problem? Why should I (the donor) care about it? What is this charity doing about the problem? What can I do as a donor? Why do I need to give now? What happens if I don’t give? What is their proof of success? Exercise 3

Exercise 4 A cancer charity in Northern Ireland

Today The art of finding connection Common barriers Connecting properly – the notion of a ‘concept’ Creativity in your own, and when you judge others’ writing

Some contact details… Email me: stephenpidgeon @ gmail.com Website: www stephenpidgeon.co.uk Rarely, I tweet: @ stephenpidge Available: Amazon or www. dsc.org.uk/lov