I worry when fundraising leaders confuse activity with advancement.
Too often I hear that staff are celebrated for how many calls were made, how many visits were completed, how many solicitations were presented.
But none of that matters if those ‘activities’ don’t support true advancement, helping supporters move themselves forward to enhance their identity.
Those actions are organization-centric and shortsighted, not donor-driven.
I think they’re tracked to reassure leaders and board members that staff are ‘doing something’, even if that something has little to do with actually helping supporters develop their gifts and advance forward.
What I have found matters much more, instead, is strategic activity.
This involves intentional, value-oriented actions designed to help donors reflect on their motivations, lean in to see if you are worthy of their trust and confidence, and make progress toward the achievement of an enhanced identity.
In the end, your donors want to realize the best versions of themselves. They want to become the people they aspire to be… through sharing.
Strategic thinking drives strategic activity that supports the desire among your supporters to become their best selves. It adds intentionality to your work. It ensures that your actions are aligned with where each supporter is and what they need next.
Strategic thinking helps you avoid skipping steps or moving too fast.
After all, major gift fundraising is like a courtship. You can’t rush the process. Leaning in for a kiss too soon will deplete trust.
You want to deliver value in line with where each supporter is in their consideration continuum so your efforts resonate and feel organic, not pressed.
Every strategic action you take—whether it’s an outreach message, a cultivation offer, an invitation to meet, or a proposal—must be rooted in strategic value delivery.
To become more strategic, ask yourself:
- Why this person?
- Why now?
- What specific value will they gain from an engagement offer?
- How can you clearly communicate that value in a way that resonates with where they are in their journey?
- And most importantly, what measurable outcome will indicate that they’ve moved closer to making a giving decision?
What you’re looking for is advancement. To find it, ask yourself: Are my strategic actions helping my supporters move themselves forward in their consideration continuum?
When you stop focusing so much on chasing activity to satisfy your organization’s needs and start placing more emphasis on delivering value to satisfy your donor’s… that’s what it means to be donor-driven.
That’s how you find resonance that ensures success.
What do you think?
What’s the difference between activity and strategic activity?
Related Resources:
- Why what you do is called ADVANCEMENT
- 5 Steps to Take As You Prepare For Outreach to Major Giving Prospects
- The 4 Habits You Need to Develop for Productive Major Donor Outreach
- How to Determine Which Prospects Are Prioritized for Outreach
