What Does Your United Way Sound Like?
Have you ever heard of psychoacoustics? Don’t feel bad if you haven’t, I hadn’t heard of it either until I recently read an article about it. According to the Merriam-Webster Dictionary, psychoacoustics is a branch of science dealing with the perception of sound, the sensations produced by sounds, and the problems of communication.
Ker-Chunk
There are a lot of applications for psychoacoustics, but for illustrative purposes, let’s look at how the automobile industry uses psychoacoustics. When you think of a car, what sound does a car make that allows you to assess it’s safety, quality, and value?
Automobile manufacturers have spent a lot of time and effort researching the answer to this question and while you might have thought it was the engine, it is actually the sound of the door closing.
Think about it, the sound a car door makes subconsciously suggests to you the safety, quality, and value of the car. If you close the door and the sound is tinny, then you are likely to perceive the car to be cheap and not well constructed. But if the door closes with a satisfying “ker-chunk” you are more inclined to feel the car is higher quality, safer, and more luxurious.
If you want to learn more about car doors and psychoacoustics, check out this article.
Cacophony
What sound does your United Way make? If your United Way is like most United Ways, it makes a lot of sounds. Many of those sounds are probably related to raising money, such as announcing your campaign goal, campaign presentations in workplaces, campaign celebrations, as well as your special fundraising events. Then there are sounds related to allocations such as talking about your partner agencies and funded programs, as well as sharing information about fundraisers and events held by your partner agencies. There may also be sounds related to asking people to join your Day of Caring or other volunteering opportunities, as well as asking people to join your affinity groups. You may even have sounds related to some of your own initiatives such as Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library, 2-1-1, VITA, and the like.
Compared to an automobile, I would suggest United Ways make a cacophony of sound – perhaps too many sounds.
The question becomes “What sound or sounds should your United Way make?”
Sounds You Should Make
Automobile manufacturers have realized the importance of getting the sound of the door closing right. Do they spend as much time fine-tuning the sound of the horn – probably not.
Not all of the sounds a United Way makes are equally important to donors. Based on our years of research with local United Way donors, the sounds a donor needs to hear are: The issue your United Way is addressing, such as poverty, kindergarten readiness, or homelessness, The actions their contribution supports, such as Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library or VITA, and how many lives are changed/stories about lives that have been changed by giving to United Way. Issue focused United Ways do this everyday.
Sound Advice
When thinking about the sounds your United Way makes, keep these tips in mind:
Too many sounds are overwhelming. Fewer sounds, repeated often, will make it easier for people to understand what your United Way does. Not everything your United Way does needs to have its own sound.
Consistent sounds are also important. Your car door makes the same sound every time it closes. All of your sounds should be consistent whether they come from your president/CEO, staff, board members, employee campaign coordinators, or volunteers.
You can substitute “message” for “sound.” Whether you audibly tell someone this information, or you communicate through email, social media, and printed materials, you need to carefully consider what sounds/messages will make your donors feel your United Way is impactful.
