Newsletter: How to Partner with a Pro Sports Teams 🏒; How to Use Case Studies in Your Selling ✍️ ; Greenpeace Newsjacks Cousin Greg from HBO's ‘Succession’

I just finished an article in the New York Times about a man who wrote a book on his experience reading 27,000 Marvel Comics. According to the author, the secret formula for a successful superhero comic book is:

Monsters👹 ➕ Romance❤️ ➕ Superheroes🦸🏻‍♀️ ➕ Topicality⏰

I've been thinking that this formula also works well for nonprofit storytelling. Let me explain.

Monsters. The monster for your nonprofit is the problem you are trying to solve. This might be hunger, illiteracy, cancer, voting rights, plastics in the ocean, etc. Whenever you tell the story of your organization, you have to identify and describe the monster you are trying to defeat. Remember, this monster is no pushover. It's powerful, evil, and very tricky! Make sure your audience knows that.

Romance. Most superhero comics have a love interest. For Spider Man it's Mary Jane Watson. The romance between these two makes Spidey vulnerable because the monster is always threatening the couple...and the beloved doesn't have the superhero's powers. The "romance" for a nonprofit is your ❤️ for the people (or thing) you are trying to help. For example, if your nonprofit is battling the monster of hunger, it just isn't you and the monster duking it out. Every day people are impacted by your struggle and can get hurt if the nonprofit isn't smart, brave, strong, and vigilant. Nonprofits need to talk about the loved ones they are trying to protect and how the monster is a constant, deadly threat.

Superheroes. The superheroes battling the monster are you and your supporters. They should be the star of the story. The superheroes who are battling the monsters and saving those you love are brave, smart, talented, extraordinary, awe-inspiring, and a bit mysterious! Give your donors the cape they deserve.

Topicality. Just like a good comic book, a nonprofit's storytelling is relevant to readers. For example, if your nonprofit is fighting the monster of illiteracy your storytelling would highlight the difficulty of battling this villain when the pandemic is forcing kids to learn at home instead of at school.

When you are communicating about your nonprofit, talk about the monsters, romance, superheroes and topicality of your issue. You can address them one at a time or all it once. And remember, most comic books leave end with a cliffhanger. What will happen next!?

Let supporters know that the monster is always looming and is sure to rear its ugly head again. But the monster will never, ever win because the superheroes will always be there to fight it!

✍️ Partnership Notes

1. I often get questions about how to work with sports teams. The key is to tap the team's assets. Here's a good example from a partnership between the Detroit Red Wings and the American Cancer Society. Here's another good example.

2. A hybrid event hosted by Coors Light raised money for Wildland Firefighter Foundation and launched a new line of cause-merchandise that dropped earlier this month. “We know that it resonates really well with a younger demographic..."

3. How to effectively use case studies in your selling [2-Minute Video]. "We have this case study from an organization like yours..." Case Study Service

4. Check out how the nonprofit OutTeach is using webinars to educate and recruit corporate partners. If you ever need an interesting, knowledgeable host for your partnership webinar, I'm your guy! I throw in the Boston accent for free.

🤑 Marketing Your Cause

1. Nice piece of newsjacking here from Greenpeace. But you'll only understand it if you are a fan of the HBO drama Succession.

2. Have you been trying to understand Non-Fungible Tokens (NFT)? Here's a good explanation of what NFTs are and their potential. Brands are already using them to raise money for causes, including on Giving Tuesday.

3. Five ways to boost your email open rate. #1: Have an emoji identity. The Morning Brew uses a "☕" in all their subject lines. You might have noticed I use "😈️😇" in my subject line on Wednesdays (although I use a different emoji when I resend my newsletter on Fridays). By the way, 😈 = Selfish, 😇 = Giving. What's your emoji identity?

😎 Cool Jobs in Cause

1. Manager, Corporate & Foundation Partnerships, The Mission Continues, Remote

Do you have a partnership position you are trying to fill? Hit reply and share the job posting with me! I'm happy to post it here for FREE.

🧠🍌 Brain Food

1. Opinion: Social purpose could spell death for brands. "'Buy this brand because it will help children in Africa’. If all brands do that it’s very boring and not creative. It’s not branding,”

2. Watch an ad, make a donation. Good-Loop claims it's raised more than $3.5 million for charities like the National Park Foundation and Ronald McDonald House.

3. Great news! The super-rich are very, very unhappy. 🙌