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How to Get More Donations

by Joel Rishel | Apr 7, 2023 | Fundraising

I can’t prove this, but I have a hunch that many nonprofits and faith-based organizations could do more good if they had more donations. And so they go about the business of raising funds, although they would much rather get busy fulfilling their mission. They view the task of fundraising as a sort of necessary evil, separate from, and perhaps sometimes even in opposition to, their core purpose of existence.

Sound familiar?

I propose that you will get more donations if you merge the two in a bold and chaotic convergence of business and mission.

Imagine yourself as a start-up nonprofit creating your services and configuring your website. You are very cognizant of the mission, and it is carefully woven into the fabric of your products and the verbiage of your vision and values statements. But when it comes to fundraising, you step outside of yourself in a courageous effort to know your audience, to think like they think, to feel like they feel, and to motivate them to give.

Fundraising advice and strategies are often approached from the perspective of the potential donor, and appropriately so. You need to go where the donors are, understand and speak their language, perhaps even step out of your comfort zone a little. You need to consider the “pain points” of your audience and find ways to persuade them that you have something of value to offer them. You need to grasp and respond to cultural changes and adapt your methodologies accordingly. You need to have awareness of the psychological factors that motivate people to donate—status of wealth, desire for well-being, and the sense of community—and you need to speak to these core emotions.

But it is possible to focus so much on knowing your audience that you forget yourself.

Whether you are directing a large organization or volunteering for a small nonprofit, you are personally involved for a reason. That reason is your heartbeat. And when your audience hears your heartbeat, they will donate.

Share stories that highlight your mission. Don’t just communicate what your organization is doing; articulate why you’re doing it. Tell your personal story.

The key to good marketing always starts with clarity. Too many companies make the mistake of trying to spread their net wide and be all things to all people, without first drilling down deep and being clear on who they are. The results can be disastrous.

How can you get more donations? Of course, you must know your audience. But start by knowing yourself. Make sure you are crystal clear on your mission and can communicate your passion. Let that bleed out in every email, every ad, every newsletter.

People give to a vision, not to a campaign.

If you would like to gain clarity on your brand identity and mission, Infinity Concepts has a Catalyst 360 workshop designed to assist. Let our team of fundraising experts help you clarify your core DNA and articulate your passion.

Joel Rishel

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