Do you know what the first rule is of getting what you want? Ask. Yes, that’s it. We have been intrigued over the years at how often nonprofits simply forget to ask for a donation. By the same token, prior to the recent election, many candidates whom we know, some very well, never asked directly for our vote. Whether it’s fundraising, political campaigning, or selling a product or service, you must connect with your potential donors, voters, or consumers and ask them to do what you want them to. The PR key is asking the right people in a gracious and effective way, at the right time.

As for the right people, begin with your closest allies, from family members and friends to vendors, colleagues, associates – anyone you rub elbows with on a regular basis. Don’t assume that because you’re close to them, they will act on this relationship without your prompting them. Then, make sure your message is clear, brief and delivered politely in a way that your audience can receive it, whether that’s in-person, by email, by mail, by phone, or a combination thereof. Make your request in time for your audience to act but not too far in advance, lest they forget.

If you were planning a party, you would send invitations, and if no one RSVP’d, you would follow up. Otherwise, you might end up at your event by yourself. Likewise, if you want a vote, donation or some kind of help, ask and secure the commitment or at the very least find out why your audience is apathetic or not going to help you. Only with that feedback can you tweak your message or your goal and move forward successfully. Ask, and there’s a good chance that you’ll receive.

To help you save some time, we’ve created fact sheet templates for a variety of industries and topics.  Each fact sheet template is $20 or you can buy all seven for $100.  The templates are chock-full of valuable tips and are already formatted. We tell you exactly what information to write and where to put it.  The fact sheet templates we created for you include:

Crisis Fact Sheet

Event Fact Sheet

Nonprofit Fact Sheet

Political Candidate Fact Sheet

Product or Service Fact Sheet

Restaurant Fact Sheet

Retail Fact Sheet

Remember that your PR fact sheet condenses the most pertinent information about your company, products, and/or services into one page.  The fact sheet includes at-a-glance information for readers broken up by categories, such as contact information, company history, vision, mission, purpose, future, etc. This makes it an invaluable springboard for all of your other communication materials and collaterals.

If you’re going to develop some fact sheets, check out our other fact sheet posts from How to Write a Fact Sheet to the Top 3 Rules for a Powerful Fact Sheet and more.  If you’re going to get more specific, there’s no need to start from scratch. Purchase our topic- and industry-specific fact sheet templates, and customize them for your business.  With our pre-set format and valuable tips for your industry or topic, you’ll be on your way in no time.

Are you abiding by the first rule of fundraising?  Do you have faith that when times seem the worst they can be the best?  Are you remembering oft forgotten target publics?  What improvements can be made in your organization’s PR?   Is there a business or entity that you can inspire to care more about your organization?

Check out FMPR’s Top 5 PR Articles for Nonprofits below and see how you can apply our advice and observations to your nonprofit business:

1. Rule #1: Ask
2. When the ‘Iniki Effect’ is a Good Thing
3. The Passion of the Faith-Based Public
4. PR in Your Own Back Yard
5. PR Cares