Hack No. 1: Easy hacks for creating memorable Gift in Wills communications
— Written by Miriam Raphael, Head of Copy
During my time at Marlin, I’ve worked on plenty of Gift in Will (GIW) programs as a copywriter and I feel this is some of the most special work we create – it speaks from a place of deep relevance for the charity and the person considering leaving a gift in their Will.
In this series, I share what I’ve learnt about developing Gift In Will creative and offer some tips that you can incorporate into your own communications.
HACK 1: SPEAK THE RIGHT LANGUAGE TO YOUR GIFT IN WILLS SUPPORTERS
When you’re writing to your donors about leaving a gift in their Will, you can never be too profound.
Your GIW audience are generally people who are very comfortable in the latter stage of their life. They’ve got everything they need – home, family, friendships – a sense of security.
So, what is the one thing that we can give them that they want most at that stage in their life?
It’s meaning. It’s a sense of purpose.
It’s a sense that their life mattered and the causes that they care about most, are the ones that they can actually take care of when it comes to the choice to leave a gift in their Will.
And I believe that requires an acknowledgement of profundity.
The profundity of the decision. That their values will continue, even though they have passed away.
A true sense of profundity, demands sincerity.
So that’s why we always say: reflect the profundity of the decision that you’re seeking.
Best way to do this is to make sure your copy is compelling and emotive! All profundity comes from a deep sense of emotion.
The second thing that really works when it comes to language is values based messaging. Talk authentically about what’s important to your audience, based on the values that they hold.
Keep your message simple.
Logic – facts and figures – plays a supporting role in GIW communications. This doesn’t mean dumbing things down. It means appealing to fundamental values, morals and concerns.
This is an example of some GIW work we did for Amnesty International Australia in 2020.
Amnesty International Australia acquisition poster, 2020
We knew that Amnesty supporters were already committed to the fight for human rights. They are active participants in the present – and this creative is all about making that participation last.
We wanted to recognise their passion, engage their need to see change in the world, and speak directly to their hopes for the future.
Keep following this series on GIW creative. Coming up next: People can be inspired by the simplest things
