Go ahead, make me

Have you ever wanted to say “make me!” in response to an appeal?

Some frequently used packages always crack me up. I know these are so common because they work – though I’m not sure how “work” is defined, especially in the long term.

There’s the nickel pack. No, wait, we’re up to a dime. (I just need to live long enough and I’ll be rich!)

There’s the fake telegram. (Does anyone still get telegrams?)

There’s the solicitation disguised as an invoice. (This one really bugs me. I imagine all those sweet little old ladies scared into giving.)

And there are the envelopes marked “IMPORTANT”.

Important to whom?

You can’t make me give

But you can make me want to give – and that’s all the difference in the world!

I know these techniques have been tested and get results. And I suspect that these results matter more to organizations with huge lists who can afford the “churn and burn” approach to fundraising. But that envelope marked “important” also betrays an approach that’s not focused on donors. They give it away with that one word.

I understand why we want to get the envelope opened. But rarely is there something inside that actually is important to me. Is it the letter that’s important, or the cause?

It’s the cause, of course. It’s the need, the problem donors want to help solve. Stay focused there. Then you’ll get the envelope opened. You’ll keep the donor reading. And persuade the donor to give.

Right now, “important” is down to a tightly focused few things for me: getting things ready for my family and Christmas and doing my best to maximize my organization’s success at year-end. It’s going to be very hard to break into the space family and work takes.

And for your donors, it’s the same. Their lives and their loves matter most. But if you can show them how THEY matter… they’ll respond.

So if you claim it’s important, you’d better be ready to make a strong case. Just telling me it’s important doesn’t work. Show me.