When I started putting together my book, my coach asked me to summarize my book in 8 words. It was an amazing exercise. He challenged me to come up with 25 8-word phrases. I ended up with closer to 50.
This exercise forced me to create clarity in what I was trying to accomplish. If I said 8-words, would they portray what I was trying to say or would they only have meaning to me. For instance, “Helping people have a plan for their career”. What people? What career?
Then we wordsmith it, “Help Fundraisers have a plan for their success!” What success? We keep working it until we arrive at, “Help fundraisers plan for individual and organization success!”
It’s clear, concise and gives enough information that you may want to ask for more or step away. This focus on 8 words works and helps to bring focus and clarity
I have stolen this concept and make it a regular part of my grant training. Think of how many times we are asked for a project name and struggle, or try to cut and paste from one application to another without paying attention to the funding priorities of the organization.
As people passionate about our organizations and their mission, we often can’t get out of our own way. There are so many great things that our organization does. So many amazing stories to tell. So many details to share. However, our funders are not interested in all of the details, stories or programs just the one that aligns with their funding priorities.
The phrase, “Help Fundraisers prepare for individual and organization success!” is not everything my book is about, but it is one concept I want to communicate. Other phrases would involve strategy, training, storytelling. That is why we write multiple 8-word phrases. They will connect with people differently, but just as concisely.
You are not trying to write everything about your organization in 8 words, just one aspect. When I first did this for my book, my coach told me to come up with 25. I thought it was impossible. Then he told me to pay attention to how one word can change the meaning of a sentence. [did you notice the one word difference between ¶3 and ¶7?]Then he told me to do this for each anticipated chapter and asked for 12 more. I was able to do 30 more.
Once I started thinking about what I wanted my book to accomplish and how I wanted my book to be perceived, it became easier. I paid more attention to my words. Then we went through the over 50 eight-word phrases and tossed about every one-in-four because they were nice thoughts, but really were not what my book needed to be. Also because the phrase meant something to me, it would mean nothing to anyone else.
YOU can use this in preparing for grants, updating mission statements, conducting planning sessions. These phrases can be strung together to explain your organization and individual impact or goals. More importantly, they become talking points. IMAGINE you have a great grant opportunity, but they have some very specific funding opportunities. Can you write an 8-word phrase that matches your organization’s mission with the funding priorities? If it takes much more than 8 words to “marry” your mission and the funding priority, then maybe this is not a great funding opportunity for your organization. In the alternative, having a succinct phrase that connects your program and the funder will demonstrate to the funder your compatibility.
ANOTHER EXERCISE: I encourage you to conduct this exercise at your next board or staff meeting. Give everyone 10 minutes to come up with as many 8 word phrases as they can (at least 5). Then take 10 minutes to workshop them and see how many the group can develop to adequately communicate with others (outside your group) about your organization. Then save them.
These 8 word phrases can be memorized and owned by the leadership as a way to engage other about the organization. They may be the inspiration for your next campaign, event, or grant application.
