Seth Godin recently sat down for an interview about fundraising. At Donor By Design, we’ve always enjoyed Seth’s writing and applied many of his thoughts to our work,* but it was extra special to have him turn his attention to one of our favorite subjects.
One of his main points in the interview was that donors are less motivated by data, or even by personal testimonials, than we might think. What really influences a donor?
Their vision of themselves.
I’m the kind of person who cares about the climate.
We are staunch supporters of our church.
My family has volunteered for this nonprofit’s event every summer.
As a survivor, I’m committed to helping others in the same situation.
While a donor may not think it quite so literally, it still influences their decision.
Do alumni give to their university because the school has needs or because being an alum – and a successful, generous alum – is part of their identity?
Do you tithe, give sporadically, or give at all to your church or synagogue? If so, how does that decision reflect your personal understanding of what it means to exhibit your faith?
Why does one donor give to the United Way and another give directly to a homeless person? Both are motivated to help, but they give in a different way because it says, at least in part, something about how they think of themselves and the world.
What does this mean for you as a nonprofit leader?
Foundations are great at this. In their commission statement, they’re clear about what kind of “person” they are, who they will support, and why. Individual donors can be harder to read.
The next time a prospective donor doesn’t give to your campaign as you’d hoped, consider that they may not think of themselves as the kind of person who supports your kind of project or cause or mission. You might be able to change that, but it will require you to ask differently, not to simply ask more.
*Want to read some of our other blogs on Seth’s work? Check out: Here to There and Flying Lessons