EP #158: Telling Your Impact Story with Don Tolep
Everything has a brand these days. We all have websites and social media profiles and if your business or non-profit doesn’t have one, you’re in trouble.
Your digital real estate is your “elevator pitch”. You have to be able to tell people your story quickly and succinctly. Don Tolep has been advising charitable organizations and businesses for years on their brand stories. He’s an expert in connecting an organization’s efforts with the benefits to the donor. In this episode, you’ll learn how a well-displayed brand will help you build relationships, attract loyal supporters, and increase your impact.
What You'll Learn In Today's Episode:
How storytelling is a passion of Don’s
How Don became a charitable giving specialist
The challenge that is non-profit work
About the importance of an elevator pitch
What is WIIFM
About the importance of how you make people feel
Why asking is so important and underutilized
Why getting involved in events is important
What is a gifting menu
About the role of technology in giving
About giving activation
A story where Don’s mind was blown related to people’s giving
How COVID affected the non-profit world
About Don’s girlfriend’s project to help people be more giving
About Don’s mental illness project, Tranquility Drive
About Don’s thoughts on mental health and sharing your feelings
About Only Good Karma (OGK)
Ideas Worth Sharing:
“Sometimes, you gotta know when to pull back.” - Don Tolep
“People would tell me that I’m the Michael Scott of leadership.” - Don Tolep
“They think the world cares.” - Don Tolep talking about people’s mindset related to their cause
“How are you leaving people feeling?” - Don Tolep
“Why are you so uncomfortable to ask your neighbor for a gift?” - Don Tolep
“I can’t remember what I had for breakfast and you’re able to hundreds of episodes.” - Don Tolep
“Stop looking at your phone. Stop thinking about where you’re going next.” - Don Tolep
“We came up with a gifting menu.” - Don Tolep
“I want to take the sting out of the gift.” - Don Tolep
“Just because it’s easy to click the button doesn’t mean they’re doing it.” - Don Tolep
“There is more competition than there ever has been before.” - Don Tolep
“You can’t do the 1990s form of fundraising.” - Don Tolep
“That doesn’t make that person philanthropic. That just makes them have deeper pockets.” - Don Tolep
“How do we get a society to realize that it’s better to give than to receive?” - Don Tolep
“I don’t blame the receiver. I blame the giver.” - Don Tolep talking about wealth inheritors and their benefactors
“I have met people with very small incomes, very low-income families that are some of the biggest givers and they’re the happiest people.” - Don Tolep
“You don’t need a lot of money to be happy.” - Don Tolep
“The government has great stuff out there but people aren’t using it.” - Don Tolep
“Dig for your gold until you get to your five “why”s and you’re off to the races.” - Don Tolep
“He told me I have a face for radio.” - Bob DePasquale quoting his grad school professor
“These are sales techniques but not in a ‘salesy' way.” - Bob DePasquale
