The science of YOU!
Regular readers of charity fundraising appeals will be used to seeing the word ‘YOU’ in big print – probably on an envelope, and certainly in the first few pieces of headline copy. It’s standard practice. But did you ever stop to ask yourself why? I did, and I was surprised by what I found. For three little letters, this small word packs a mighty punch. In fact, there are those who believe ‘YOU’ to be one of the most powerful words in the English language. True story. Here’s why:
The technical bit
Personal pronouns are small words that make a big difference. Giving writers some much-needed versatility and economy, we use pronouns when we want to ‘sub-in’ the proper name of a person. Generally, they’re written in one of three ways:
- The first person pronoun = the speaker (I, we)
- The second person pronoun = the person being spoken to (you)
- The third person pronoun = the person being spoken of (he, she, it).
So what?! I hear you cry. It might all sound a bit technical, but it’s important to understand these distinctions. As it turns out, we don’t just use YOU (the second person pronoun) because it sounds good. There’s method in the madness and actual validation behind this particular choice of words.
It’s time to get personal
Did you know your brain lights up when it hears your name? We love it! So you can imagine the appeal of a fundraising campaign or letter that addresses an individual directly. The problem is that outside of direct mail and email, such a high level of personalisation is not always possible, or practical – especially when talking to a wider, more generic audience (e.g. through social media). So what do we do? We talk to YOU instead.
This does several things:
- Makes it personal and tells the reader who the intended recipient is – them!
- Establishes a relationship been messenger and receiver.
- Allows to you address readers directly and talk to them one-on-one.
- Appeals to a reader’s sense of self and directs their attention inward.
- Implicates the reader and enhances their involvement.
(Thanks for the insight, The Modern Nonprofit)
Not bad for a three letter word, is it? Tested across social media platforms, the second person pronoun was found to inspire greater levels of customer involvement, with readers more likely to promote the brand and share content. They also developed a more favourable brand attitude. Of course, this applies to a commercial context - but there is no reason why charities can’t learn the same lesson.
What can YOU do?
Perhaps we’re preaching to the choir. Maybe you already use the word YOU in all your charity comms. Either way, it’s worth running a check. The team at Key Splash Creative promote the 80/20 rule – that 80% of your copy should use the second person pronoun (leaving 20% for the first). It sounds extreme, but it’s an interesting measure. Look through your last direct mail appeal, blog, or the last week of your social media content. How many times do you use the word ‘you’? If it’s only a fraction of the time, chances are you’re being too internally focused. Embrace the science of YOU and bring donors back into the fold.
