Here comes my occasional “Do’s vs. Don’ts” feature, where I with you something arriving in my box that seems a good ‘teaching opportunity.’ Today we’re going to review an on renewal appeal strategy. It arrived as an e. There’s (1) a subject , (2) a preview pane, (3) the e itself, and (4) what…
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Does your nonprofit promote stock gifts? You should!
A groundbreaking study by Dr. Russell James J.D., Ph.D., CFP®, professor in the Department of Personal Financial Planning at Texas Tech University, found nonprofits that consistently received gifts of appreciated stocks grew their contributions six times faster than those receiving only cash.
This is HUGE.
If you learn to ask for gifts from appreciated assets you’ll get more generous gifts. The study shows:
The most productive strategy is simply to accept gifts of stock.
But it’s up to you to offer up this giving framework to your supporters.
Otherwise, they’re apt not to see this as an opportunity.
And speaking of ‘framing,’ this can establish a persuasive reference point for would-be donors. Researchers have found people don’t treat all their money as if they have one big pool of it.
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Gratitude. Thankfulness. Appreciation. The feels both you and a donor feel whenever someone contemplates, or gives, a gift to your organization. Acknowledgement. Recognition. These are the underlying secrets known by successful fundraisers worth their salt. At base, they’re about the obligation philanthropy facilitators carry to show supporters how much their support means. Sounds simple. And…
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In an issue of her Loyalty Letter, Lisa Sargent recently noted:
“I just wrapped up supporter survey season in my little copywriting studio. And every year, the most powerful answers come from one simple question:
“WHY DO YOU GIVE?”
The responses stop me in my tracks every time. I smile. I cry. I sigh. My coffee turns tepid in its insulated mug. And I remember why we’re here.”
It’s a really good idea to stop and pause, every now and then, to think about why people give to you.
In fact, you might want to do your own survey. Or you can ask people to answer this on your appeal remit piece or donation landing page. Because once you understand your donors’ motivations, you can tap into them when crafting supporter communications.
I’ve grouped some of the answers Lisa shared (in quotations). They jumped out at me because they’re emblematic of the pillar fundamentals of a successful fundraising program. People don’t just give because you ask them for money. Sure, they must be asked. But, that alone is insufficient to inspire philanthropy. There’s another, deeper reason people give.
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Does proving your point persuade your nonprofit donor?
It turns out not so much.
At least, not unless your donor is already pretty much won over.
Proof (“just the facts, m’am”), absent persuasion (“once upon a time”), won’t get you far.
In “How to Project Manage Your Nonprofit Story,” I delved into the concept of story vs. data in creating compelling nonprofit marketing and fundraising copy. Stories almost always win out, because human beings are wired for stories.
In this way, people are emotionally moved. They shed a tear… get a lump in their throats… find themsselves chuckling, smiling or even beaming with a flicker, or a flame, of recognition, appreciation or gratitude. They are taken out of their everyday lives, and moved someplace else where theyre offered a new perspective.
From this shared perspective, people can choose to act. To become part of the story, in a positive way.
To make a difference. To bring joy to sadness… hope to despair… healing to hurt. To bring the happy ending they wish to see.
Alas, when I review nonprofit appeals, the lion’s share do a poor job of making the story the star.
Sure, you may be raising money with your fact-stuffed appeal. But I’ll bet dollars to donuts you could raise a lot more by channeling the persuasive power of a compelling narrative. So, today I want to delve a bit deeper into why stories beat data.
If you’re familiar with Robert Cialdini, you’ll know about the six key principles of influence and persuasion that help people to act in the face of uncertainty. And we’re all in that state of uncertainty when we receive a fundraising appeal, right? If you look closely, you’ll see these principles are story-based:
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The job of the smart fundraiser is inspiring passionate philanthropy to make people’s lives better. I know you’re smart, because you’re reading this article! But none of us is born with a fundraising gene. And no one ever really teaches us how to write a smart fundraising appeal. We from our predecessors. Or maybe read…
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Every fundraiser knows the tension: You want to lead with a story that stirs hearts. Your CFO wants broad messaging that raises money for the whole organization. They’re not wrong—unrestricted funding is essential. But broad, abstract appeals rarely move donors to act. Most people give to something they care about deeply. A moment. A face.…
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Assuming people don’t want to be asked to make a philanthropic gift is one of the biggest misconceptions of what constitutes being donor-centered.
Or even kind, thoughtful and respectful.
Alas, when you spend all your time on cultivation, assuming folks don’t need a direct ask and will simply give spontaneously as a result of being passively asked, or even outright wooed, everyone loses.
Why?
FIRST: Donors want to be asked because they’re starved for the love that comes from voluntary giving and receiving.
Donors have love to give, but don’t always have an object towards which to direct their affection.
SECOND: Donors need to be asked because when they’re not, they don’t know how much you need their help.
Consequently, giving feels a bit like a crap shoot. Empty, not meaningful. Donors want you to honestly tell them when and how and how much to give, so investing their money fills them with confidence it will be appreciated and do the most good.
Don’t make donors guess whether you truly find them worthy of loving you.
One of my favorite songs is from the Jefferson Airplane:
When the truth is found to be lies
And all the joy within you dies
Don’t you want somebody to love
Don’t you need somebody to love
Wouldn’t you love somebody to love
You better find somebody to love
What are you, and all these people, doing with the gift of life?
Sure, everyone is busy, busy, busy.
But is all that busy-ness making folks happy?
Are people stopping to really think about what makes their lives meaningful?
Sometimes, yes.
Often, not so much.
You can help would-be donors stop and smell (and enjoy) the roses, so to speak.
In 1984 Robert Cialdini wrote a groundbreaking bo, Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion, outlining principles of influence that affect human behaviors. Today these principles have been well documented. Trail-blazing research added by behavioral scientists like Daniel Kahneman and Amos Tversky supports and expands on Cialdini’s principles. No matter how much technology advances, the triggers behind human behavior and…
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Use of Donor Advised Funds (DAFs) as a way for individuals to make charitable contributions continues to rise and grants from DAFs are becoming a growing source of income for charities of all shapes and sizes. An ever-broader group of donors are embracing them to approach philanthropy in the thoughtful, strategic way once reserved only…
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