Don’t Raise Money. Sell a Dream.
There’s something that some fundraisers don’t get that good marketers know instinctively: You’re not selling a product, gift plan, or naming rights. To paraphrase Steve Jobs, “You’re selling a dream.” It doesn’t matter if you’re buying a Ferrari or Ford, a Rolex or a Timex, diamond earrings or cubic zirconia, a villa on a lake or a weekend at an Airbnb: You’re buying a dream of something bigger, better, shinier, or easier. The same goes for donors. Your donors are buying a painting visualized in their minds. They’re not “buying” your mission. They’re buying a dream of lasting legacies; philanthropic hopes; and transformative outcomes. Objects are a commodity. Whether it’s a Ferrari Testarossa or a Ford Focus, it’s just a car. But a dream is something different. It’s a very personal thing, and you — the fundraiser or “salesperson” — cannot put a price tag on it. That’s for the dreamer to do. Selling the Sizzle This concept of selling a dream fits neatly with our mantra of, “Sell the sizzle, not the steak.” Think about it: If you’re craving a steak, you’re not dreaming about the method in which the cow was raised. “Mmmm. Grass-fed, all organic, free-range, ethically raised beef.” You’re dreaming about the taste, and your expectations for the experience. “Mmmm. Sixteen ounces of still-sizzling, flame-grilled tender beef served au jus with a loaded baked potato on the side.” Likewise, donors don’t dream about the mechanics of how a charitable gift annuity or donor-advised fund works. “I’ve always wanted to make a gift of cash that is set aside in a reserve account and invested for the betterment of a nonprofit!” Instead, they dream about all the good they can do by making a gift. “I’ve always wanted to help orphaned children find loving homes!” Big difference, no? Donor-Centric Isn’t Just a Catchphrase “Selling the dream” is why we use donor-centric language. It takes the focus off the product (your nonprofit and its mission) and puts it on the donor instead. It’s also why we avoid using death language in our donor communications and gift descriptions. After all, saying “Mr. Jones, we’re looking forward to your death so we can use your money for our mission!” isn’t likely to inspire a gift — or put you in anyone’s good graces. But too many think a donor-centric approach simply means inserting variations of the word “you” as often as possible in donor communications. They think “selling” planned gifts requires extensive knowledge of tax laws and gift details. And they believe a one-size-fits-all approach is the best way to reach their audience and capture donor interest. Since you’re likely one of our clients already, I don’t have to tell you they’re wrong. You know that donor-centric messaging requires you to consider your donors’ interests, motivations, and yes, dreams. You understand that it requires building a culture of philanthropy and focusing on stewardship. You realize it requires being a good listener, so you can learn what’s important to your prospects. And you recognize that it means helping your prospects clearly see their vision, their dream, so that you can help them to bring it to life. Conclusion Smart fundraisers know that raising money isn’t about selling donors on a particular gift vehicle, or even on a mission. It’s about selling them their dreams, and finding a way to facilitate those dreams in a manner that benefits both the donor and the nonprofit. It takes good stewardship, active listening, and a focus on donor-centric fundraising. Stop trying to sell your nonprofit’s mission. Sell your prospects their dreams of philanthropy instead. In fact, maybe it’s time to stop calling yourself a fundraiser, or even a friendraiser, and start calling yourself a dreamraiser instead.
How to Soften the Death Undertones of Planned Giving Marketing
Planned giving can present a unique challenge for marketing, because the unspoken message is that a death must occur for a gift to be fully realized. Here are two ways to alleviate the macabre undertone.
Top 3 Tools for Major Donor Prospect Research
Establishing a major donor strategy is arguably one of the most effective ways to establish a significant, long-term funding source for your nonprofit. Ideally, major donors and nonprofits enjoy a long, mutually-beneficial relationship where the donor uses their resources to make big things happen at an organization they cherish. But how do you begin to build this strategy? How do you discover the giving potential of those in your community? Below are three top tools to help complete donor prospect research.
Supercharge Your Corporate Sponsors
Corporations and businesses continue to adopt philanthropic strategies as consumers attempt to make more ethical purchasing choices. This makes corporate sponsorships a wonderful major gift partnership between businesses near you and your nonprofit. Whether your organization resides near some corporate headquarters in a major city or a rural area with family-owned businesses, corporate sponsorships can provide a helpful fundraising boost and open up possibilities for mutually beneficial partnerships.
Do I Need a Mentor? Fresh Ways to Get Inspired
Having a professional mentor sounds like an inspiring boost to anyone’s professional development. Being able to benefit from the wisdom and expertise of someone you trust sounds like a fantastic way to learn essential lessons and plan your next moves. But how do you find a mentor? What makes a healthy mentor relationship? Can a non-traditional mentorship still provide similar benefits? Read on to learn practical ways to infuse priceless expertise into your professional development.
Writing Exceptional Emails for Planned Giving Donors
Post-pandemic donors are responding to email at greater rate than ever before. Savvy fundraisers can use this digital momentum to capture an emerging source of tremendous potential: planned giving donors.
Is Your Mission “Hard to Explain?” Five Questions to Ask.
It’s no understatement that the purpose of many nonprofits is to solve the world’s most urgent and challenging questions, often with the fewest resources. Issues like hunger, economic development, poverty, addiction, affordable housing, animal neglect, education, environmental hazards and more are often the core of our organizations’ purpose. But when your cause is so big and complex, how do you discuss it with an audience experiencing a shrinking attention span and more charitable causes to support than ever?
How to Get More Money For Your Planned Giving Budget
“But they cut my budget this year!” It’s the same story, year after year, no matter what the economy’s doing. People blame their inability to “do planned giving” on a lack of money. After 25 years in the planned giving marketing world this complaint comes in consistently. So what else has changed? I hear this in the corporate world, too.
5 Common Planned Giving Myths
Planned giving often ranks as one of the most intimidating forms of fundraising. However, planned giving is a sleeping giant, capable of directing significant donations to your nonprofit through donor-advised funds, bequests, and other planned giving vehicles. Help planned giving pay off for your organization by avoiding these five common mistakes in the planned giving sector.
The Second Worst Marketing Mistake
Of all the marketing mistakes I’ve seen nonprofits make in planned giving, perfectionism is the second-worst. The first-worst is not doing any marketing at all. If you wonder why your planned giving program is inching along at a snail’s pace, perfectionism might be the problem.
