Your Next Campaign Might Have Already Happened
- Jul 28
- 4 min read
Last week.
Maybe three months ago.
Or it happened during a volunteer shift.
On a school bus.
Inside a classroom.
During a meal service.
Or while one of your staff members witnessed a moment that changed someone's life.
The campaign already happened.
As a fundraiser, the only question is: “Did anyone captured it?”
One thing I've learned after working alongside nonprofits is that organizations experience incredible stories every single day. Conversations happen with clients. Quiet victories are celebrated. Volunteers witness moments they'll never forget. Staff members see lives change in ways that perfectly capture why the mission matters.
Too often, those moments pass by undocumented. By the time campaign planning begins, the details have faded, the photos were never taken, and the quotes everyone wishes they had is already forgotten.
Allow me to make a silly (but helpful) comparison
Think about going to the movies. You expect a compelling story supported by scenes that keep you engaged from beginning to end. But if the story is confusing or the scenes don't connect, there is no chance you will recommend it to anyone. Or worse, you’ll tell your friends to avoid the film at all costs.
Donor communications tend to work the same way.
When someone donates, they've already expressed interest in your mission.
They’ve already bought the ticket and now they are expecting to see good come from their investment in your work. From that point forward, donors should reasonably expect to understand what their generosity is making possible.
Great storytelling is the only way to help them see and feel their impact.
Fast forward. It’s October.
Your first year-end appeal is due in three weeks.
The fundraising team is searching through old text messages from the CEO, shared drives, and email threads hoping someone has a usable photo from a recent program.
Someone remembers a participant who shared an incredible story, but no one can remember their name.
Marketing asks whether anyone documented last month's event.
The answer?
"We were so busy serving people that nobody took any photos."
Sound familiar?
We've seen some version of this happen more times than we can count.
Storytelling Belongs to the Entire Organization
The strongest fundraising stories rarely begin inside the development department.
Frontline program staff witness breakthroughs. Teachers celebrate milestones. Volunteers experience moments that remind them why they keep coming back.
Those experiences become the stories donors remember.
When only development and marketing are responsible for documenting the impact, most of the best moments are never being captured. When everyone understands they have a role in recognizing and preserving meaningful moments, the entire organization becomes better equipped to communicate its mission.
Storytelling is a habit that becomes part of the culture of your organization, not just something that the marketing team does.
Your visuals matter more than words
According to Campaign Monitor, emails that include video can increase click-through rates by as much as 65%. That doesn't mean every organization needs professionally produced videos. Often, a simple clip captured during a real program communicates authenticity far better than something highly polished.
The same is true for photography.
Authentic images consistently outperform stock photography because donors aren't looking for perfection.
They're looking for proof.
When those moments are documented throughout the year, writing an appeal becomes dramatically easier. The emotion and details are already there, so your team isn't trying to recreate the story from memory.
They're simply telling the story as it happened.
I believe in this so strongly that, each year, our company provides our clients one hour of pro-bono professional photography in an effort to make sure that they have at least one checkpoint in the year to prioritize their visual impact and communication.
Not only do these images greatly improve our ability to put together great fundraising materials, they also remind our nonprofit partners of the value of storytelling in their missions.
It’s a small gesture that creates big impact.
Build a Simple Story Collection System
The organizations that consistently produce compelling donor communications usually have a simple process for collecting stories long before they need them.
It doesn't have to be overly complicated.
Each month, spend a few minutes asking a few questions with your teams.
Story
Who experienced meaningful impact this month?
It’s key to look for authentic moments rather than perfect, neat success stories.
Visuals
Did anyone capture photos or short videos during programs, events, or volunteer activities?
If not, what opportunities are coming up next month that you can be ready for?
Context and Details
Record the details while they're still fresh. These details become invaluable months later.
Who was involved?
What happened?
Why did it matter?
Was there a memorable quote?
Who in the organization should you contact if there are questions about this story later?
Organize
Store everything in one shared location.
Tag stories by program, campaign, audience, or topic.
When campaign season arrives, your team should spend time choosing the best story, not searching for one.
Ethical Considerations
Stories deserve to be shared with care.
Obtain consent to share a program participant’s story. Take it a step further and allow them to review the final story prior to sending.
Respect privacy in the same way you would respect your own. Represent participants with the same dignity and respect you would want for your own family.
Document any media permissions.
I mention this because many organizations serving vulnerable populations often hesitate to document their work because of privacy concerns. Thoughtful policies make it possible to protect those you serve while still sharing authentic moments that help support and secure the future of your organization.
Before Your Next Campaign Begins
Take a few minutes with your team or board and ask four simple questions:
Who is helping capture stories throughout the organization?
Where are stories, photos, and videos stored?
Does every department understand its role in documenting impact?
Could your fundraising team begin writing tomorrow's appeal using the content already on hand?
The answers to these questions will tell you a lot about how prepared your organization is for the next campaign.
One story can go much further than you think!
Preparing stories throughout the year benefits far more than fundraising appeals.
The same story might appear in a stewardship email, an annual report, a grant proposal, a newsletter, a board presentation, your website, or a social media post.
One meaningful story can strengthen literally dozens of communications.
One authentic photograph can become an image donors remember for years.
Your best fundraising campaign begins when your mission is already unfolding!
Thank you for being here,
Austin Pierce
Founder & Principal Consultant, Hairpin
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