You Need a Compelling Legacy Proposition

Enough with boring legacy propositions!

Your legacy proposition is, simply, the story of your organization's vision:

• What was the need you were founded to address?

• Progress you've made

• What is your vision of impact over the next 30 years?

• What impact will legacy gifts have?

• What happens if you DON’T get those gifts?

• How does the organization’s story interact with the donor’s story?

A good legacy proposition is (thanks for Richard Radcliffe for these):

• Fundable

• Urgent/necessary

• Credible

• Tangible

• Inspirational

• Achievable

It’s not:

• Impossible to reasonably achieve in the next few decades

• Generic

• Technical

Too many legacy propositions are lacking detail, need, depth. “For future generations” is the single most trite and overused phrase in legacy marketing. What does that even mean??

Jen Shang has identified some ways in which current asks vs future asks are different:

Current needs: how the charity is currently fulfilling needs. Future: how achievement of the mission will impact society. Her education example contrasts current ask (funding a faculty position, updating computer facilities) vs ask for the future (enhanced life opportunities from greater educational access, broader societal impact, benefit to wider community).

When creating your position, avoid fuzzy language– “legacy” means different things to different people: Don’t say “create your legacy” without “with a gift in your will.” Keep your focus on deferred gifts, not asset/complex gifts. Be excited and joyful about legacy gifts and the impact they will have!

It’s important to keep in mind that no matter how much your donors love you, you need to be clear:

1. Why you NEED this gift. Donors include many fewer organizations in their plans than they support during their lifetimes. They don’t just include the organizations that “most reflect their values” – they include the organizations that need them the most (as well as trust the most). Be specific! What is funded by gifts in wills? What won’t be funded if you don’t get those gifts? What is at risk? What more can you do with more gifts in wills.

2. Why there is no conflict with family needs. When you inadvertently set up a perceived conflict between needs of family and the ask from charity = no plan. As children get older and perceived needs decrease, there's a higher likelihood that donor can think about charity. But it’s not just children/grandchildren – people define their circle of family in much broader ways. Don’t assume that because someone doesn’t have kids that they don’t have people they care for who will come first in their plan. This is why I love the "99% for those you care for and 1% for charity" message. It's been successfully tested in the UK and we're testing it here - and receiving uniformly positive feedback from donors, including those who would not previously consider a gift to charity in their will.

3. How simple it can be. Inspire donors and remind them to include you when they make/update their plans. Let them know that it doesn't have to be complicated. Provide your tax ID number! Don’t try to engage in estate planning. The majority of your older donors have wills - and as they get older, the number increases. Talk less about the financial/tax benefits to the donor, and more about what their gift will accomplish.

Start creating your own proposition:

Collect feedback from donors, staff, volunteers, other stakeholders. It’s not about what YOU think is the most compelling proposition– it’s what they find compelling. Looks for ways to test your message and creative. We do this in a number of ways!

It's not a foundation proposal. You should be able to create an effective legacy proposition in less than a page. Remember, you want to include:

• Your core values – how have they been consistent through your history?

• Speak to the relationship the donor has with you.

• Share your future vision – specifically and with urgency. Why are gifts in wills necessary to achieve this vision?

• Let the donors know why they can trust you to see this vision through.

• Use your donor’s own words…stories matter.

I love this quote:

“Asking people to think about causes they feel passionate about makes them reflect on their life stories. It is highly emotive territory. To think about causes I am passionate about evokes strong memories – of a premature baby being cared for in hospital, of a well-loved family pet, of a friend faced with a life changing diagnosis, of losing a loved one someone suddenly and unexpectedly. These are things I place a huge value on. And each situation has a charity I will associate it with. So by reminding me about these causes when I am making my will, I will open my heart and open my wallet.” - Legacy Voice UK

Connect your creative to your proposition:

A picture is truly worth a thousand words. Donors hate stock images, images that are posed/too professional and images of “old people” rather than the folks benefiting from your organization’s work. I've seen the same free stock images of attractive older people on a zillion planned giving pages, the cover of my retirement plan prospectus, and on financial services marketing materials. And your donors have seen those images too. They want to see pictures that represent the fulfillment of your legacy proposition.

Also....branding is not always your friend. Donors regularly comment negatively on design that is confusing and hard to read. There’s no point creating a great proposition if your design obscures it!

The photo above is of Zuri, a patient at CHOP, from the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia legacy brochure we created. We tell her story in the brochure and other collateral. We chose that picture because it almost jumps off the page with possibility. That sweet face - I'd give anything to help her have a wonderful future! Wouldn't you?

More to come on this subject….