What’s Your Problem?
An eye-opening experience for you to try with your staff and board
Nonprofit leader, are you sure your ideal audience understands what you do?
That they understand your mission and the impact they have on it by supporting you?
It's really important that they do—because no one buys into a solution until they're clear on the problem.
For example, let’s talk toilets.
Ours had been taunting us for months.
Kinda, sorta flushing, but not really broken, so we put up with it.
We finally called a plumber who insisted our water levels were off and said we had to replace the whole valve to solve it.
I told him I didn't think that was it, but he replaced it anyway and…the toilet went right on doing it’s kinda sorta thing, and we flushed $185 down the toilet (clearly not this toilet, though, that wouldn't have worked anyway).
So we hired a second plumber.
This one identified the actual problem, adjusted something, and fixed it in three minutes.
Whether it’s fixing a toilet or rallying support for your cause, you can’t reach a solution until you understand the problem.
Your audience doesn’t understand the problem you solve like you do.
And when they’re not clear on the problem, they’re much less likely to invest in the solution.
They know you feed hungry families, but don’t grasp the impact on a kid’s school day when they haven’t had breakfast.
They know you support women with breast cancer, but, don’t understand what it means to juggle family and work responsibilities while going through chemo.
This is why every messaging guide I write begins with identifying the problem you solve and how you solve it.
Because without it, you're putting yourself at a disadvantage every time you try to connect with potential supporters.
An Eye-Opening Exercise
Ask your staff and board two questions:
1. What problem do we solve?
2. How do we solve it?
Have each person answer privately.
How aligned are the answers? Do they match yours?
If your own staff and board don’t understand what you do and explain it in the terms you want, how likely is it that outsiders will?
Your ability to attract donors, partners, participants, and volunteers all hinges on their understanding of the problem you solve.
Because clarity creates connection.
PS: I’ve never been more grateful for a toilet that flushes the first time. It really is the little things.
After a decade as an in-house nonprofit marketer, Jordana Merkin founded Voice for Good to bring her insider knowledge and outsider perspective to help growing nonprofits like yours clarify their messaging to raise awareness and funds for their missions.
Her work with nonprofits includes messaging guides, communication strategy, and copywriting. (Learn more here!)
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