Are you hiding your message from your donors?
In today’s environment, it is more critical than ever to have your communications be as crisp and targeted as possible. In his article, The Dance of the Four Veils, Tom Ahern describes the hinderances to communications. I would add a fourth veil: that of poor design, a factor which is often overlooked by nonprofits.
Poor design hinders your communication in many ways. When your reader doesn’t know what to look at first on your website or newsletter, or can’t focus on your message because of the distracting formatting, you are doing a dis-service your communications.
A strong design will lead lead your reader through your message in the sequence you want, including getting the full emotional impact from well-selected images, to understanding the impact, through your writing, to connecting with your brand, through your colors and overall attitude conveyed.
Don’t let design be the overlooked element that hinders readers from connecting with your cause
Veil Number One: Avoiding Conflict at All Costs
Veil Number Two: A Tendency toward Weak, Bland Language Rather Than Bold, Vivid Words
Veil Number Three: Faint Appreciation for the Emotional Basis of Human Response
Veil Number Four: Relying on Jargon
The Dance of the Four Veils
http://www.nonprofitquarterly.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1410:the-dance-of-the-four-veils&catid=150:from-the-archives
In today’s environment, it is more critical than ever to have your communications be as crisp and targeted as possible. In his article, The Dance of the Four Veils, Tom Ahern describes four hinderances to communications. I would add a fifth veil: that of poor design, a factor which is often overlooked by nonprofits.
Poor design hinders your communication in many ways. When your reader doesn’t know what to look at first on your website or newsletter, or can’t focus on your message because of the distracting formatting, you are doing a disservice to you reader and your communications.
A strong design will lead lead your reader through your message in the sequence you want, including getting the full emotional impact from well-selected images, as well as understanding the impact of your organization. Design also helps people connect with your brand, through your colors and overall attitude conveyed which brings long term value.
WAKE UP CALL: Don’t let design be the overlooked element that hinders readers from connecting with your cause.
For the full article, read The Dance of the Four Veils
