Helping Dream Centers Tell a Better Story

Dream Centers came to us with a short deadline and a website full of content to write. They had their StoryBrand Brandscript completed, but knew they were too close to their organization to write what needed to be written. In just 5 short days, we completed messaging for their entire website!

Here are 5 ways we helped Dream Centers improve their messaging:

Made the Donor the Hero
On their old website, Dream Centers walked through how they as an organization would help solve the problem of homelessness, but didn’t give donors a place in the story story. Although talking about the problem is necessary, they neglected to talk about the important role of donors/volunteers. As a result, visitors to the website didn’t feel excited or compelled to join the mission, but were left with questions of how their donations would help.

How do you speak about your organization? Are you the hero of your customer’s story or are you simply the guide allowing them to be the hero of their own story?

Dream Centers relies on donations, both financial and of time, in order to to take care of homeless women and children. Because of their need, it was important to show how a donor can join the story and be a ‘hero’ by taking action. Helping them understand their role in the transformation of women and children is crucial in inspiring action.

Established a Problem
Originally, Dream Centers website had no clear statement the why behind what they do. The only place to find this information was on their FAQ page. They had a lot of compelling information, but not in the places it needed to be to make an impact.

If a website visitor isn’t able to understand what problem you solve and how on your homepage they will leave your website and go to a competitor.

Attracting new donors and supporters was the goal, so we lead with explaining the problem  of homelessness among women and children in Colorado Springs paired with Dream Centers’ plan to address it. By clearly stating the problem, they are able to keep website visitors interested.

Called Visitors to Action
In the early stages of the Dream Centers website there were buttons for the visitor to donate or register to volunteer, but because there was no clear description for their purpose, website visitors didn’t really know what they were donating to or volunteering for.

Having a Direct CTA (Call to Action) on your website is crucial. You don't want the visitor to "browse your selection," you want them to "buy now." Vague CTAs don't result in action.

In the copy we crafted, we not only stated the problem, we made clear direct calls to action. Website visitors now have a few options to choose from when deciding how they want to engage with Dream Centers.

Showed How Dream Centers Can Help
At first website visitors would have to do some serious searching in order to find out what Dream Centers does and what sets them apart from other organizations.  Dream Centers not only addresses homelessness, they also address the physical, mental, and emotional scars from domestic abuse. Forcing website visitors to dig deep caused confusion about the good work they are doing. 

You know what you do as a company, but does the visitor? Make sure you provide a clear plan and path to engage with you. If they can’t find it easily, they will lose interest and leave.

We knew clarity had to be our main goal when writing copy for Dream Centers. We now have a clear plan for Dream Centers as well as each of their programs including their free clinic and shelter for women and children. Understanding how Dream Centers addresses the problems facing the homeless in Colorado Springs gives website visitors confidence in donating or volunteering.

Created a Transitional CTA
On their previous website, there weren’t any calls to action other than to donate or volunteer. We know having another way to engage with an organization is crucial to creating an ongoing relationship with website visitors.

A Transitional CTA is helpful for visitors who aren't ready to take action. It helps strengthen the relationship between the brand and the visitor and creates a warm lead for you to nurture.

Knowing there are a lot of misconceptions surrounding homelessness and poverty, we worked with Dream Centers to create a quiz that educates website visitors and helps to break many of those misconceptions. The quiz is an interactive way to educate websites visitor on the facts about homelessness in women and children but also calls the visitor to action after completing the quiz saying “You see the need. Now get involved. Donate today.” The goal is to make website visitors understand the true need and feel more compelled to get involved.

Creating clear yet compelling content for your website is hard. If you are like Dream Centers you want a trusted team to tell your story in the way your customers are tuned to hear. We’d love to help. Reach out today and schedule a meeting, and together we will bring clarity to your website.