Imagine you’re at an important event. You happen to be wearing a campaign-themed enamel pin on your jacket lapel. Someone you are speaking with notices and asks you about it. This is an acorn.
An acorn is an invitation to talk about your campaign. It’s what we call a “tell-me-more moment”. It’s an entry point to a broader conversation about a fundraising campaign’s purpose, goals, and desired impact.
Conversation starters
Acorns can come in different forms. For example, with the University of Denver, we learned the Chancellor loves to wear Converse high-tops (aka Chucks). We thought it might be fun to design custom campaign-themed shoes for him. He loved them so much that he wore them to the campaign kick-off event. Anyone who asks about the shoes is opening a door to speak on behalf of the campaign.
Tell-me-more moments
In these moments, one might reach into their jacket pocket or pocketbook to share a campaign pocket guide — a business card-sized fold-out that includes campaign facts and FAQs. This is where the acorn begins to take root. Each is a step along the way to reveal more about campaign objectives.
A campaign pocket guide might lead to a request for more materials, an information session, or even a proposal with specific funding opportunities.
A campaign field guide is another way of showcasing the case for support including campaign purpose, goals, and ambition.
Acorn to oak
These tell-me-more moments are how tiny acorns become mighty oaks. Small conversational moments foster connections, nurture gifts, and create lasting impact.
Featured image composed with help from Adobe Firefly.
