A great fundraising offer does good things for donors
In commercial advertising, copywriters are reminded to “sell the sizzle, not just the steak” — that is, focus on the benefits of your product, not just its features. That’s good advice in fundraising too. Don’t just ask donors to give to make program activities happen — no matter how good those things are. Tell them […]
In commercial advertising, copywriters are reminded to “sell the sizzle, not just the steak” — that is, focus on the benefits of your product, not just its features.
That’s good advice in fundraising too. Don’t just ask donors to give to make program activities happen — no matter how good those things are. Tell them about the benefits to themselves too.
Some think fundraisers have nothing to sell but a tax deduction and a bit of “warm glow.” Boy, are they missing the boat!
Giving is packed with benefits for givers. A rich fundraising offer reminds donors of some of those benefits. It raises the value of supporting the cause beyond its merit for improving the world.
Don’t miss an opportunity to remind them of the good things that will come back to them as a result of their gift. Things like:
- Your gift will make our community a better place. (Or our state, nation, world — it depends on your cause.) Be specific about how they make the community better. Maybe your social service agency will decrease poverty, which will improve the economy and quality of life for everyone. Maybe the community will be more beautiful, more livable, more prestigious, more fun.
- Help conquer the disease before it strikes you. This is a motivation for a lot of health charity giving. It may or may not be true — or believable — in your case, so be careful how you make it.
- Your support will assure that you get something you value. This is the cornerstone benefit of most arts and public broadcast fundraising.
- Improve the reputation of your school, which improves your own
reputation.
There are also the general benefits of giving. They can apply to any offer, any time. Look for ways to include some of these in your fundraising:
- Giving is obedient to your faith. (Don’t worry, it’s obedient to all of them.)
- Giving will make you feel good about yourself.
- Giving is tax deductible.
Selling benefits is almost the sole function of commercial marketing. It’s often forgotten in fundraising — a lost art that we should be a lot better at.
Excerpted from The Money-Raising Nonprofit Brand: Motivating Donors to Give, Give Happily, and Keep on Giving by Jeff Brooks
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