You may have heard that the reason why people give is because they were asked.
For many years, this saying has motivated fundraisers to get out there and “make the ask.” And, to a certain extent, they are right. Calls to action are essential for marketing effectiveness. After all, if you don’t ask, you won’t get.
But this is NOT REALLY the reason why people give. Rather, people give because it makes them feel good.
Instead of only reminding ourselves to “make the ask”, we need to remind ourselves to help donors feel good. Tweet this! In fact, if you make donors feel good, you might not have to ask so much because the law of reciprocity will take effect and they’ll give more on their own.
Engagement fundraising is all about helping supporters feel good by providing them with valuable experiences that deliver information, education, benefit-oriented offers, involvement, notoriety and (most importantly) a warm glow.
So, before you set out to ask for a gift, remember that you first have to make sure you understand what will make your supporter feel good. Do that and you may not have to “make the ask” after all.
Get my donor offer value checklist!
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Yep, it’s gotta be “win win”…. and you need to understand what THEY want to win!! good post, Gret!