We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. By continuing to use this site, you agree to our use of cookies in accordance with our Privacy Policy.
Privacy Overview
Login
Your Role
Challenges You Face
results
Learn
Resources
Company
Why you need to know the difference between your donor’s implicit vs. explicit needs
Too often fundraisers make assumptions about what donors want.
Usually, this is driven by top leaders or board members. They decide, for instance, that it would be great to close more retained life estate gifts. So they instruct their staff to go out there and market them.
Sure, that might have worked 25 years ago, before you had the technology to understand what each of your supporters was thinking. But that isn’t how it works today.
Now you can capture your donors’ verbatims and digital body language so you can understand what they want before you market somewhat random offers to them in spray and pray fashion.
Implicit vs. explicit needs.
Implicit needs are implied but not directly stated while explicit needs are directly stated, leaving no room for uncertainty.
Implicit needs tend to be more ambiguous such as, “I think underprivileged teens should have an opportunity to go to college.” Compare that with an explicit need such as, “I’d like to fund a dozen scholarships in an endowment.”
Wishes vs. desires.
Here’s another way to think about the difference: Implicit needs tend to be wishes while explicit needs are more like desires. From the fundraiser’s perspective, donor wishes are ok but donor desires are much better because desires can burn. Smart fundraisers cultivate supporter interests properly turning wishes into burning desires, compelling action.
Know the difference.
You need to know the difference between implicit and explicit needs so you spray and pray less and engage more. Spray and pray marketing annoys donors. Engagement provides value and helps them move forward in the decision-making process. If you focus on implicit needs, you’ll be making assumptions. If you focus on explicit needs you’ll be having conversations.
Need help capturing your supporters’ explicit needs?
You can learn how we can do it for you as we’ve done for so many others like you. Just schedule a time to chat.
Related Posts:
- 10 ways to deliver value to your major donors and planned giving prospects
- Engagement Fundraising in 7 simple bullet-points
- Why fundraisers must understand the 6 common elements of every donor’s hero story
- Podcast Episode – The Donor Rubik’s Cube
LIKE THIS BLOG POST? LEAVE YOUR COMMENTS BELOW AND/OR SHARE IT WITH YOUR PEERS!
Subscribe
Login
0 Comments
Get the book!
Feeling like your job is getting harder because donor expectations have changed and competition for the charitable dollar is growing?
Finding that the old orthodoxies and conventions espoused by so-called experts in online echo-chambers and at conferences don’t work anymore?
Want to help more people make impact by facilitating their acts of philanthropy but feel like too many obstacles keep getting in your way?
Then this book is for you.
Engagement Fundraising was developed from the perspective of a donor who discovered firsthand that the impersonal, spray-and-pray approaches of his beloved charity were not only offensive but also wasteful and ineffective. So he took action. And now, you can too.
Get smarter with the SmartIdeas blog
Subscribe to our blog today and get actionable fundraising ideas delivered straight to your inbox!