As fundraisers, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed. Making our fundraising efforts about ourselves (rather than our donors) is a temptation every fundraiser faces, especially when we’re in the midst of a busy season.
However, one of the most important things we can to do is to train our brains to always think about making your donor the hero. Creating donor-centric communication is essential for fundraising success, especially when it comes to soliciting major gifts.
How to Make Your Major Donors Feel Like Heroes
So how do you make your fundraising communication about your donors in a way that makes them feel like heroes? In the midst of juggling everything we’re doing to raise money I invite you to take a moment to get clarity around what inspires donors to give:
- You have to understand your donor’s interests. You must know what donors are passionate about. Giving is about the giver, not about the organization or the cause. The organization is the conduit through which donors live their interests and aspirations. You should know your major donors’ passions and interests – if you don’t, ask them! This is a critical step in portfolio assessment which allows you to determine how to best focus your energy on donors who want to have a deeper relationship with you and maximize your major gift giving.
- Remember that donors want to feel like their gift can make a difference. Let’s assume you’ve taken that step and know what they care about. The next step is to show how their gift can make a tangible difference connected to their interests through your organization. Describing a litany of needs on behalf of your organization or the unquenchable challenges of population you serve can make a donor can feel overwhelmed. They can feel like their gift won’t matter or worse, like the problem may not be solvable.
- Give them a bold, creative, clear cut solution to an issue they care about and detail the positive outcomes of the change they will bring about. It’s easier to wrap your hands around a dream with a clear solution. A laundry list of needs can feel defeating and overwhelming very quickly. Did you notice I said the change they will bring about? Major gifts and planned gifts are about making your dream their dream. It is not about you or your needs. It’s about them – your job is to help them do good.
Learn How to Make Any Appeal Irresistibly Donor-centric
Want to learn even more about how you can improve fundraising results by making your donors feel like heroes? If so, you won’t want to miss our free webinar replay “Loverizing” Your Donors with special guest Tom Ahern.
What are some other ways you try to make your major donors feel like heroes?