Fundraising Copywriter George Crankovic

Tag: digital-marketing

  • How to harness the power of good to make your fundraising appeals better

    Many nonprofits aren’t giving donors what they want.

    And then those same nonprofits wonder why donors aren’t giving them what THEY want – donations.

    Donors want a whole range of things in exchange for their gifts. One of those things surely is the intangible benefit of thinking of oneself as a good person.

    And why not? Why shouldn’t donors think of themselves this way? Donors ARE good people for giving.

    But many nonprofits fail to tap into this in their fundraising appeals. Maybe they think it’s too sentimental or too melodramatic. Nonsense.

    You want to connect with your donors on a practical level (I’m sending food for starving people), but you also want to connect with donors on an emotional level (I’m doing something good that I can be proud of, something that shows I’m a good person.).

    So how do you communicate this important intangible benefit to donors?

    There’s the tried-and-true donor appreciation certificate with the donor’s name on it, saying how wonderful they are. That says, “you’re a good person for giving.”

    There are special awards, like a Good Neighbor Award, that send the good-person message.

    There are impact reports saying, “you made this good work possible,” which the donor understands as “I’m a good person for doing this.”

    There are memberships in giving groups, like president’s clubs, where donors can see themselves as good people in the company of other good people

    There’s messaging. You can suggest, you can imply, you can even come right out and say, “You’re a good person!” in donor communications.

    There are many more ways to convey to donors that they’re good people. And when you give donors what they want, they’re more likely to return the favor. See the whole story at https://tinyurl.com/28e4pkjp

  • Your donors need to feel like they belong

    Fundraising appeals often fail to convey a sense of belonging to donors. That’s too bad. It means nonprofits are missing out on a major reason why donors give.

    Donors want to feel like they belong. They want to feel like they’re part of the team.

    In fact, it’s essential for revenue and retention. But how do you square donors’ need for belonging with the fact that giving is often a solitary activity?

    Think of it. A donor gets an appeal in her mailbox or email inbox. She opens it, glances through it, and decides whether to write a check or give online. Not a lot of shared experience in that.

    For most donors, your fundraising appeals are the only thing they’ll ever see of your nonprofit.

    Some donors will attend your events. Some will take the tour. But most won’t. But that doesn’t mean your donors shouldn’t feel like they’re insiders. Because they certainly are.

    One way to bring donors inside the tent is the messaging in your appeals. You can say, for example, “You’re one of us. You see someone on the street picking in a trash can, and your heart goes out to that person. You want to help. You believe what we believe — that no one should have to live on the streets.” Messaging like this conveys community and shared values.

    Other ways to create a sense of belonging? There are membership cards, bumper stickers, window clings, refrigerator magnets, and more. They’re all ways for donors to feel part of the in-group.

    There’s your sustainer program. Belonging is one of the benefits of monthly giving, president’s clubs, and other giving groups.

    There are the stories you tell. You can include not only the donor and the beneficiary but also staff, the volunteers, the case manager and others where appropriate. Why not have a group photo with the beneficiary and staff to show the donor they’re not alone but part of the group?

    There’s inside information. This could be an impact report, a financial report, an annual report, a memo from the executive director, a message from somebody in the field and so on. Lots of possibilities here. They make your donors feel like they’re in on the action.

    There are donor testimonials. Why-I-give statements tell donors there are other supporters like them.

    There are surveys. Asking donors for feedback is often effective, since we all love giving our opinions. But don’t stop there. Report the results (maybe in your newsletter), so donors can see what other donors think. 

    There’s more in the full article at https://tinyurl.com/28ws2hy5. Fulfilling the need for belonging is a vital way for nonprofits to connect with donors. And a vital way to be donor centric in your fundraising, with the increases in revenue and retention that come with it.