What inspires donors to give to a cause?

I often consider myself a storyteller rather than a fundraiser. When I share authentic stories of impact, then donors typically follow. They see themselves in the impact story and how they can make a difference. Our work is in direct service to families with a child battling cancer, so the story is typically moving and tangible.

Authentic stories that showcase individuals as empowered agents of change honor their dignity and resilience, creating a balanced narrative. Adding testimonials enhances authenticity and credibility, making the cause tangible and compelling. Emotional, cognitive, and social factors influence donors. Weaving elements of hope and resilience into the narrative highlights the strength of those affected, motivating donors and instilling hope in the positive change their contributions can bring. Crafting a narrative that celebrates positive transformation and builds trust deepens the emotional connection to the cause, creating a personal and impactful connection that encourages giving by appealing directly to the heart.

This is such a key component of successful fundraising. Focus on the real impact rather than the dollars needed. It’s the causes, the people, the challenges and solutions you represent that should sit front and center. By telling compelling stories you provide a real showcase of why your cause is meaningful to bring about a better world for those you serve. By focusing on true examples, you position the donor to place themselves in a mindset of how they can make a difference for the type of situation you describe. Rather than broad and unspecific, you’re providing acute and tangible. This is key to imagining participation and ultimately committing.

A good story teller tells a good story. A great and most effective storyteller lets you see yourself in the story. The more a donor can see herself in your story, the more compelling the case will be.

Telling a story is good, but it's not enough. Ever watch a TV show and wonder what the point is? What's the "why"? The "why" is your mission. Specific. Measurable. Attainable. Realistic. Time Bound. (SMART GOAL) Storytelling brings your mission to life and if the mission is "SMART".. they'll never forget your "why".

A great training program I went through called this the “cool kids” factor. I’ve also heard that “winners like to support winners”. Providing a case for how others have supported your cause can reduce hesitancy as the potential donor sees themselves as part of a bigger picture. It let’s then know at least two things: one - they aren’t alone in caring about this purpose for their philanthropy, with their funding contributing to something larger than a single person’s effort. But also TWO - that you as the fundraiser are seasoned in this work you’re doing. This isn’t your first rodeo, and you’ve seen and done things that give you the experience to be able to guide and advise their choices. This helps build the trust and allay uncertainty

Behavioral economics refers to this concept as Leveraging Social Influence. It underscores how individuals look to others for guidance, especially in uncertain situations. By sharing stories of impact from existing donors, organizations can demonstrate tangible outcomes of contributions, fostering a sense of community and shared purpose. Highlighting the diversity of the donor base broadens appeal, showing support transcends societal segments. Employing visual symbols like wristbands and organizing community events, such as Giving Day, taps into the human desire for belonging and validation. These strategies raise awareness and funds and reinforce the importance of every contribution in driving collective action and achieving common goals.

In one of the organizations I worked with, they commissioned an independent Social Return on Investment study from a university evaluation and statistics project. Being able to cite that study showing a $4 social benefit for every $1.25 invested was golden.

From the many years of offering social change amongst projects, i have allowed the program/project beneficairies to tell their own story as opposed to narrating what they are saying. This continually makes them own the achievements they could have attained in the journey they could have taken. Such stories told by the very persons who registered impactful change will later on inspire others that could be in similar states of life.

Incentives are key in motivating donors, and tailoring them to align with individual values and interests can significantly enhance their impact. Behavioral economics supports this through tailored incentives, suggesting that personalized rewards are more effective. A tiered incentive system leverages the goal gradient hypothesis, where motivation increases as donors approach the next level of recognition or reward, encouraging repeat donations and fostering a sense of progress. In addition to intrinsic incentives like communicating the impact of donations, extrinsic incentives such as public recognition through a website or newsletter can appeal to donors' desire for social status and acknowledgment, further motivating them to contribute.

I've never found cookie cutter incentive programs work well. I create them only for 2 reasons 1) as benchmarks 2) to get Board Members off my back who think that posting incentives work or are hallmarks of an organized development strategy. What has worked for me is looking at particular marketing/pr needs of a donor and figuring out ways to help them with those goals.

Leveraging the DiSC framework with triggers can enhance fundraising effectiveness. For donors with a high dominance (D) style, use direct triggers that emphasize impact and urgency. For those with a high Influence (I) style, create emotional triggers highlighting community benefits. For Steadiness (S) style donors, use supportive triggers emphasizing long-term benefits. For Conscientiousness (C) style donors, provide factual triggers underlining transparency. By tailoring triggers to match DiSC styles, organizations can create personalized appeals that resonate with the diverse motivations of their donor base, leading to more effective and impactful fundraising campaigns.

Is it just me or do you also get the relentless robo-texts and voicemails from politicians? Apart from being super annoying but also effective, I think there is a lot we can learn from your favorite (or not favorite) politician. I have yet to receive an ask from a politician without a dramatic compelling event. What's the story? Who or what is the villain? How much time do we have? What happens if the clock strikes midnight and I don't act? Drive a sense of urgency. Get your supporters to be part of the story. Start the count down. Watch the $ roll in.

I agree with this hundred percent, the trigger is created by showing the point of no option or best alternative. It better to organise your fundraising to the way that the donor feel has no alternative and if there is one yours is the best. Do this by connecting both internal and external triggers

If your target donor is "everyone", what you're actually admitting is that it's "no one". Who are your top 20 donors? 10 who give the most and 10 who give most often. Have you interviewed them? No, seriously.. like out of a detective show. Have you learned everything you can? Where they're from? What they've done? Why the give? What do they want? I bet your next donor looks a lot like your current one. The question is are you open enough to get feedback on the good, bad, and ugly to narrow your focus... and in doing so, widen your vision to grow your base.

Sharing of feedback is another way to appreciate your donors efforts in offering grants to your projects. This also is another way that you will go on to maintain communication between the grantee and the granter as opposed to waiting on that time when you may need to submit your reports or wait on for the next call for grants or funding. It is also another way to motivate proceedings during project delivery.

Donors feel more valued and continue support after seeing tangible results from donations. Feedback loops greatly enhance donor engagement. Loops foster a sense of connection and involvement by creating dynamic interactions where donors see the direct results of their gifts, encouraging a more interactive and responsive relationship. Leveraging technology further elevates feedback mechanisms. Digital platforms and social media provide real-time updates and interactive experiences, such as personalized video messages, virtual tours of projects, or live Q&A sessions, making feedback more immediate and engaging. Incorporating feedback loops and technology deepens donor engagement, making interactions more meaningful and motivating.

Feedback ist extrem wichtig. Spendende m?chten über Projekte, die sie unterstützen, auf dem Laufenden gehalten werden. Sie wollen wissen, was mit ihrer finanziellen Hilfe erreicht werden kann. Und je besser die unterstützende Seite über den Verlauf informiert ist, desto gr??er die Chance, ein Projekt gemeinsam zum Erfolg zu führen. Denn diejenigen, die wir um Hilfe bitten, sind oft Fachleute in ihrem Bereich. Wenn es mal nicht so gut l?uft und Organisationen vor einer besonders gro?en Herausforderung stehen, k?nnen sie oft mit einem Rat helfen. Wenn Hilfe Suchende dann das Feedback ernst nehmen, sehen Spendende, dass das Projektteam in der Lage ist, zu lernen und nicht nur das Geld m?chte. So entstehen langfristige Beziehungen.

Donor retention begins and ends with relationships. Once someone has decided to invest in your cause, they've opened the door to a conversation. They've welcomed you to create a meaningful connection between the donor, the cause, and the organization. There's no one way to do this. It can be as simple as picking up the phone to call a new donor and thank them or as complex as engagement-based automated marketing campaigns. How you foster the relationship will vary drastically from organization to organization. But the fundamental need for relationships is universal.

This came up this week in an organization I am working with. We are in the middle of a funding diversification project. We've increased grants, are starting to work on individuals but they want to fast-track into corporate sponsorship before they have agreed on incentives and retention strategies. Until you have the stewardship piece in place, you are better to stay with lower maintenance funding sources.

Langfristige Beziehungen sind sehr wichtig für nachhaltige Projekte. ,,Vom One-Day-Stand zur langfristigen Beziehung“ oder von einer Anschubfinanzierung zur langfristigen Unterstützung. Dabei gibt es viele Dinge zu beachten: Stehe ich mit Spendern in regelm??igem Kontakt, nehme ich Feedback ernst, spreche ich Missverst?ndnisse direkt an und zeige ich Dankbarkeit?

One organization I worked with received an unexpected windfall when a foundation wound down and gave them their remaining capital. Why? We were the only organization that continued to write to them about the program they had invested in AFTER they stopped giving us money. We still thought they'd be interested so our connection wasn't purely transactional. That turned into an unexpected half a million dollars or half of the organization's annual operating budget.

It may make you WILDLY uncomfortable but sometimes the donor’s motivation to give is YOU. They like you. You asked them. They give because they trust you. You might want their motivations to be more in line with yours but sometimes it starts as simple as the human on the inside is who they respect, admire and want to be in relationship with and have an impact with: YOU!

Know a salesperson? Ask them to walk you through LinkedIn Sales Navigator. There is no better donor "targeting" database. Want to find current CEO's of privately held companies in Aerospace and defense with over 100 employees located in Washington D.C. that used to serve in the U.S. Army? It's all available to you in Sales Navigator. There are 30+ filters. Be where your donors are.

The missing piece on the list is that donors most often give because someone asked directly. Too often nonprofits look for gimmicks when straightforward personal asks are te key.

Donor motivation goes beyond logic. To inspire giving, appeal to emotions, tap into donor values, build trust, and make the donation process effortless. Things to think about: -Emotional stories, donors connect through heartfelt stories. Share the real-life impact of your cause, using visuals to increase engagement. -Why Now? Create a sense of urgency. What difference can a donation make today? -Values matter, show how supporting your cause lets donors act on their personal beliefs. -Donor confidence, transparency is key! Explain how funds are used and share success stories. -Make it easy, provide simple, secure online donation options. -Show gratitude, heartfelt appreciation encourages donors to become recurring supporters.