Aryeh Zev Narrow, a Spring Valley, NY communications consultant, helps non-profits create powerful marketing and fundraising messages. You can learn more about non-profit marketing and fundraising messages on Aryeh Zev’s blog: The Spark.
In today’s competitive fundraising climate, there’s more and more talk about “donor-centric” fundraising. Rightly so; far from just another buzzword, “donor-centricity” is a whole new take on fundraising. And it belongs at the heart of all your fundraising messages.
So, what’s “donor-centric” fundraising all about?
Today’s donor is besieged with fundraising requests. More than ever before, the donor is in control… and he is very, very savvy. The winners today in the fundraising world are the organizations that make the deepest connection with the donor. That means rebuilding all your fundraising communications around the donor’s interests.
Out:
We’re so great! Look what we did last year!
In:
You really made a difference! Look what your donation did last year!
This mindset may elude you. After all, you’re the one in the trenches. You see the need first hand, and you craft the strategies to address it. You’re rightly proud of your accomplishments, and you’re eager to accomplish more.
But, you must get out of the mindset of talking about yourself. Resist the temptation to present supporters with a laundry list of your programs, activities or “accomplishments.”
The donor is the hero now.
Your accomplishments are the donor’s accomplishments.
Your impact is the donor’s impact.
The operative word (or at least attitude) in donor-centric communications is YOU. As you develop your organization’s powerful, new fundraising message, start with YOU:
you enabled…
you helped…
you sponsored…
and end with YOU:
…and you can keep this vital program alive.
Picture via opensourceway
