Lend a Helping Hand Communication Tips

Lend a Helping Hand

Communication Suggestions for Campaign Coordinators & Solicitors

UTAH STATE EMPLOYEES’

CHARITABLE FUND Lend a helping hand

Check out the website: usecf.utah.gov

As a USECF Campaign Coordinator or Solicitor, you can share a great message with your fellow employees Each October, state employees have the chance to donate to one or several non-profit agencies through payroll deduction or one-time contribution. State employees donated over $350 thousand last year to help improve quality of life for people in our state, nation and world. Effectively communicating how, why and when to donate, lets you play an important part in the annual tradition of giving. This booklet has some best-practice communication tips to help you plan for a successful campaign at your agency.

Thanks for taking on the assignment of USECF Campaign Coordinator or Solicitor, and lending a helping hand!

Please send any tips you’d like to share to chiggins@utah.gov

UTAH STATE EMP Check out the website: usecf.utah.gov

Get some help

CHARITABLE Some Utah government agencies are small with one or two offices, but more commonly, agencies are large with hundreds of employees in offices throughout the state.

Enlisting helpers gives you an extra set of hands to hang posters or hand out flyers, and an extra person to answer questions or encourage employees to donate.

Find out about the campaign and the USECF Fund

Lend a helping When you’re the coordinator for your agency, questions will come your way! You can be prepared to with answers by reading through the USECF website. See a list of frequently asked questions in the Current Campaign section.

Set a goal, make a plan Set a donation goal to exceed the number of people who donate. Be careful not to emphasize a donation amount; each employee should decide for themselves the amount that’s appropriate. The best strategy in the long run is increasing the number of participants, regardless of the amount donated, since employees tend to donate year after year. Many employees increase their donation amount in subsequent years when they find out how easy it is to donate, and how good they feel when they contribute to a great charity.

Once you’ve got your helpers in place, meet in person or teleconference to plan the general communication strategy for the campaign. Aim to communicate with employees using a combination of methods, like email, presentations, posters or fliers; what you use depends on what works at your agency. Contact employees in your agency regularly during the campaign; once a week is a good rule of thumb.

Write up your plan, including dates and assignments, and send the plan to all involved so everyone is on the same page.

Some features of your plan could include: • Placing posters in high traffic areas • Placing visual reminders at a stopping point, like a reception desk • Sending an introductory email or a reminder from a senior leader • Visiting staff meetings to talk about the drive • Including reminders in newsletters or announcements • Hold an event, like an open house, to showcase the drive. Invite charities to display how their organization lends a helping hand!

F A L L sweaters. scarves. boots. pumpkin spice lattes. hot apple cider.

GIVING. carmel apples.

falling leaves. pumpkin patches. football.

Fall means so many wonderful things, lets make sure that giving is the most important.

October 1st - 2014 31st, 2015 October

Sign up online -

www.usecf.state.ut.us

For more information, contact your department coordinator

T As you grow older,

you will discover that you have two hands, one for helping yourself, • the other for helping

•

others.

-Audrey Hepburn

Lend a helping hand

Your donation can help agencies care for the environment, feed families, mentor young people, teach children to read, provide homes for pets, and support other important services.

So please, give what you can and lend a helping hand.

2014 October 1st -October 31st, 2015

GIVE THROUGH PAYROLL DEDUCTION OR ONE-TIME DONATION

www.usecf.state.ut.us

Create useful, engaging content Posters, fliers and email attachments with useful information can help encourage employees to decide donate. Here are some ideas for providing useful content: • Emphasize the time range employees can donate • Always include the website URL so people can find the site easily • Always include your contact information for people who have questions • Use website content to generate two or three key messages, then stress messages throughout the campaign on posters, fliers, in email, etc.

• PDF the list of charities and codes and send in an email attachment • Communicate the value of donating in terms of helping others • Use the “Lend a helping hand” logo, available on the website Jessee Hill, 2014 Campaign Coordinator at UDOT, created colorful posters with the “Lend a Helping Hand logo, the USECF website, date range of the campaign. An Audry Hepburn quote invites state employees to help others. Jessee also placed fliers and suckers tagged with a reminder to donate at reception desks.

SAMPLE EMAIL

Dear Fellow Employees, I’d like to encourage your participation in the Charitable Fund Campaign this month. One of the most compelling qualities I have experienced in this organization is the overwhelming generosity of the people who work here.

Please join with me to translate that generosity to the Charitable Fund Campaign.

UTAH STATE EMPL

Target each audience group

State employees are generally accustomed to getting information via email, but your agency may have work groups with different communication needs. Identify those groups and design a strategy, like attending staff meetings, making phone calls, or visiting satellite offices. For new employees, consider using face-to face contact so you can answer questions.

In recent years, participation in the drive by department employees has seen a steady climb; last year, over 18 percent of our employees donated. Let’s bump that percentage up again this year!

CHARITABLE F

Choose a champion

Employees pay attention to messages from department senior leaders. A sincerely worded email from a senior leader or other widely known person in your department can make the campaign seem real and important to potential donors.

As I looked over the options for charitable donations, it is really easy to connect with many of the organizations and causes. Even just $5-$10 per month from all of us would make a huge difference to the worthwhile charities available through this campaign, and the feeling of being part of a worthy cause is invaluable.

Thank you for opening up your hearts and showing that our department is the most giving organization in the state. Here’s the link to donate online: www.usecf.state.ut.us Your Department Director

Lend a helping

Send updates Agency coordinators have access to the donation totals at their agency.

Sending out periodic updates to show where your agency stands may inspire or remind others to participate.

LOYEES’

Sometimes employees tune out updates or reminders that are too frequent. You be the judge about what will work best at your agency.

Don’t change what works Each agency is different, and there’s no one right way to handle a campaign. If you’ve run the campaign at your agency for many years, don’t change what works. If you just got the assignment, check with others at your agency to see what has worked.

FUND Say thanks

Remind employees that their contribution is greatly appreciated by non-profit agencies by always saying thank you. Remember to thank employees in each communication, whether it be email or in person.

At the end of the campaign, thank employees for their participation by sending an email or hanging ‘thank you’ posters in your building.

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UTAH STATE EMPLOYEES’ CHARITABLE

FUND Lend a helping hand

The “Lend a helping hand” logo is available in different colors, versions, and file types on the USECF website:

usecf.utah.gov

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