What’s the ask?

I’m a sucker for a good story.

Yesterday, despite a library book I hadn’t even started, I went to the bookstore and came home with four more novels. Lately, I’ve needed some good space opera to take me far away from our current reality.

And it’s that “take me away” part that’s key for me. It may not be for you. Maybe you love biographies and what they can teach you. Or what I think of as “work books” – the wealth of great learning in our field that’s out there. Or maybe you’d rather dive into some other type of fiction.

Whatever your preference, I hope reading is for you the pleasure it is for me.

And if it’s good stories you’re drawn to, that wouldn’t be a surprise. Because we humans have turned to stories forever. They teach us. They entertain us. They show us how to be human.

The role stories play in our lives is why a plain proposition won’t raise as much money as one wrapped in a story. You can lay it out plainly: “We need another $98,000 by May to continue feeding all the people turning to us now.”

Or you can use a story to reach beyond the reader’s brain and into their heart.

However…

A good story is also not enough by itself.

I will often interview people who are willing to share their stories with my clients. And I will sit, totally drawn in, as they tell me about something important – often, something that was hard for them – about their life.

Fortunately, I’m a happy listener. I know enough to shut up and focus on the person I’m interviewing.

But once the interview is done, I have a hard question to ask myself before I write a word.

What is the ask?

A compelling personal story isn’t, by itself, enough. Unless it leads directly to the reason for the appeal, it’s just a compelling story.

Your ask is what you need to turn that story into action. And it will work so much better if the story and action are bound together.

What’s the ask?

You might find that scribbled on the printed copy of one of my recent interviews. It’s a reminder that as I write, what I write needs to be pointed toward that ask.

Otherwise, it’s a story. But it’s not a story doing the work it needs to do. And that’s not fair to the organization or to the person who generously shared their personal tale.

So what makes a good ask?

• Tied to the story

• Plain, simple, and as specific as you can make it

• Flexible

• Urgent

Tied to the story

If your story is about a freezing puppy who was found and brought to your shelter, don’t ask for cat toys. Ask for money to buy blankets for all the animals that come to you during the cold months.

Plain and simple

This isn’t the time for a long explanation of why you need the money. Keep it simple. I know it’s not always simple. And what you’d love is unrestricted funding. But you can still tie that to the story. It might be as simple as telling donors that any money raised beyond the current, desperate need for blankets will be used to help all the animals.

Keeping a simple image of the need in the donor’s mind will help them feel their way to a gift. Generalities aren’t nearly as effective. They want to know: what exactly will my gift do?

Flexible

You can focus the story on a particular need, and then expand the needs in the pack. A lift with a “shopping list” of needs attached to specific amounts can work wonders.

Urgent

Most of all, make sure you’re clear about the urgency of the request. If there’s time, your appeal may be easy to set aside for later. If it’s urgent, your donor is more likely to act.

So, for instance, our puppy from above is more likely to need warmth during the coldest months of the year. So send that appeal in winter – or as winter is approaching. And let your reader feel the cold.

A great story plus a specific, urgent need

That’s your recipe for success. So maybe do as I do, and write yourself a note on every interview: