The other day I read the following on www.futurefundraisingnow.com and thought it worth sharing as it applies to our letters, emails, on air appeals, and face to face communication.
4 Game-Changing hints for Powerful Fundraising
- Remember to talk to your donors, NOT at them. It’s easy to think that if you just inform your donors about your past success, your excellent strategies, your talented staff, and your financial stewardship, donors will be bowled over and they’ll give. In your mind that should work, but it doesn’t. Donors don’t give because you’re awesome. They give because they want to change the world. That means you have to approach them on their terms. Keep it simple, emotional, and make your point with stories, not facts.
- Ask donors to change the world, NOT to help you change the world. In the donor’s world, they are changing the world through you. This might surprize you but they aren’t giving to support your goals. They’re giving to meet their own goals. Your job is to show how their goals and yours align.
- Show what the donor’s gift will accomplish in the future, NOT what others’ gifts (or even theirs) accomplished in the past. Donors give to make something happen. Not to pat you on the head for what you’ve already done. The time to tell donors about accomplishments is after they’ve given. Then they can share in the celebration of success.
- Give a reason to give now, NOT whenever for whatever. In fundraising, “give some time” translates into “don’t bother to give.” Always have a reason to donate now. Even an arbitrary deadline is better than no urgency at all.
