Do you “have to” fundraise? Or do you “get to” fundraise? And is there really a difference?
I would argue, yes.
There’s an important distinction between things you HAVE to do and those you GET to do. Fundraising and giving are two of those things where people straddle that line — but shouldn’t.
Do You “Have To” Fundraise?
People who feel they “have to” fundraise generally don’t do a good job. It’s something they dread.
I spend a lot of time teaching board and staff members to think about fundraising positively, rather than negatively.
There’s a lot of negative connotations surrounding fundraising, including things like:
- twisting arms
- begging
- and yes — guilting someone into giving
Of course, someone who is guilted into a gift isn’t likely to give again next year. It probably wasn’t a positive experience and might even be downright negative.
Your Attitude Matters
Do you think we will raise more or less this year than last year? That was a question I was asked on this week’s Toolkit Talk.
- If you think you’ll raise less, you probably will. It becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy.
- If you believe you won’t (or can’t) raise much money, your behavior will reflect that belief and you’ll be less likely to pick up the phone and call donors.
- However, if you believe you can raise a lot of money, you’ll do what it takes to make that happen.
That’s a long-winded way of getting to the point of today’s post:
Does it really matter why people give?
If they give out of guilt, does it really matter? After all, as long as they’re giving to your cause, who cares why?
The answer is very clear — you should care!
Case in Point: #GuiltingTuesday
For this year’s #GivingTuesday (more like #GuiltingTuesday), I received a slew of emails that tried to get me to give out of guilt.
Example #1: We’re coming up short
One subject line read: “We’re coming up short”.
This one made me sad. The email went on and on about how they weren’t raising enough money. But it didn’t tell me anything about what they did or who they served.
Should I give out of guilt? If I did, it would be one-time-only giving — simply because they were coming up short. Then again, if I bail you out this time, will I have to to give again next month or next year?
Not surprisingly, I didn’t make a gift.
Example #2: We need X to meet our goal
The next guilt-ridden email subject line read: “We need 12 more members to meet our goal”.
Is that supposed to inspire me to become a member? Do I even want to be a member? Certainly not because YOU need more members. What’s that got to do with me and how my interests intersect with your cause?
Once again, this email was written from the perspective of the organization’s needs rather than the needs of the community they serve… you know… the actual reason I’m motivated to give.
Transactional vs. Relational Fundraising
The goal of fundraising should be to build relationships. I’m sure you’ve heard that before. When people give out of guilt or obligation, there’s no connection… no commitment.
Transactional fundraising puts your organization on the tiresome hamster wheel of fundraising, where donors are leaving as fast (or faster) than you’re acquiring them.
On the other hand, when you build real relationships with people and they give from a place of love and joy, they will give again (…and again …and again).
As you head into year-end fundraising, think about the donors with whom you have relationships. How will you inspire them to give rather than sending them on a guilt trip?
A guilt trip is the last thing anyone needs in 2020.
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