Solving the US Water Problem with Grassroots Marketing with DigDeep’s George McGraw

Reading Time: 4 minutes

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2.2 million Americans are without sinks, bathtubs, toilets, and water – something that feels so hard to fathom in 2023. The even crazier thing? Every year, we’re adding more to that number. George McGraw is the founder and CEO behind a beautiful mission and brand for DigDeep, an organization who brings clean, running water to hundreds of American families.

George shares the storytelling strategies that have brought to light this significant problem, the work he’s done with the Navajo Nation, and a fun challenge you can try that will change the way you think about water forever. He also shares more about the intricacies of his digital-first team, the qualifications he looked for, and the lessons he learned along the way. Enjoy!

P.S. I have a pretty big, audacious goal to reach 100 reviews by the end of March. If you can take 30 seconds to write a sentence or two about the show and what it’s meant to you, it would mean the absolute world to me in celebration of this super special milestone. Leave a review here!

Sneak Peek:

In This Episode:

• The storytelling approach George and his team use that has significantly boosted awareness and contributed to fundraising efforts
• How alchemy, magic, and asking tough questions created a powerful culture throughout the DigDeep organization
• Why it’s so important to be in control of your marketing message to avoid alienating allies (and why you need a press kit!)
• The hard lessons George learned after working on several promotional campaigns, including one for St Michaels Association for Special Education that didn’t go quite as planned
• Inside the 4Liters challenge, a continuous effort which challenges Americans to live in “water poverty” for one day

George’s Ask

DigDeep is hiring for several exciting positions within their organization, including a Communications Director.

George says, “we need some incredible talent focused on creating a cohesive, powerful message across all of our platforms and audiences. We’re looking for a creative that can both lead content production and get involved in the messaging and the storytelling, but can also maybe do some of that work themselves. Maybe they have a background in graphic design or advertising or video production. So it’s a little bit of a unicorn!”

If this sounds like you or someone you know, click here to learn more about open roles at DigDeep.

Notable Quotes from George

“We don’t call ourselves a charity. What we do is charitable work. Every person – certainly every American that we interact with, has a human right to the basic things they need to live and live with dignity. And in this country, hot and cold running water in your home and in your school and in your community is one of those things. And so what we do isn’t just “nice” because it helps people get something, it’s correcting an injustice.”

“If the problem has been that those folks have lacked agency and visibility, that they weren’t being involved in decision making, if they weren’t being funded, that they weren’t being seen, then why not kill two birds with one stone? Empower them to tell their own stories in ways that feel additive (not extractive), and empowering and authentic and personal and beautiful. And use that not only to raise money, which is super important, because that powers everything, but also to boost awareness of the problem and the solutions that are really capable of ending it.”

Resources & Links

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Learn more about George and his mission at DigDeep and connect with him on LinkedIn. You can also check out the work they’ve done with the Navajo Water Project and St Michaels Association for Special Education. 

Try the 4Liters challenge to see what it’s like to live in water poverty for a day.

George recommends we follow @bimbofairy on Instagram, a humorous meme account that’s not safe for work!

What if you could grow your email list with passionate supporters ready to rally behind your mission? My bestselling course, Grow Your Supporter List, is on sale for 20% off, just for podcast listeners. Enter code PODCAST at checkout and learn how to launch two social media ad lead generation campaigns in an hour! This offer is valid through April 30, 2023.

Want to make Missions to Movements even better? Take a screenshot of this episode and share it on Instagram. Be sure to tag @positivequation so I can connect with you. 

Episode Partners:

Feathr is trusted by nonprofits of all shapes and wing-spans — including Hiway 80, who used Feathr to launch new retargeting ads and email campaigns. The result? They reached 36,000 new people and brought in $13,000 in donations, 300% more than their original goal! Don’t rely on magic to hit your goals next year. Use Feathr to elevate your digital marketing campaigns and grow impact in 2023. Click here to learn more.

Ready to level up your storytelling and learn from the best in the sector? Join me in San Diego at the Nonprofit Storytelling Conference November 2-4! Click HERE to get FREE access to my 2022 Session: Social Media Ad Strategies – Which One Works For You? (never before released!) + 10 BONUS videos + $600 OFF your ticket if you purchase by March 31st.