Hands-On Fundraising

Donor communications | Annual Giving | Fundraising Plans

  • About
  • Blog
  • Praise
  • Services
  • Contact
You are here: Home / Blog / The gift they want from you

The gift they want from you

Are you giving donors what they want?

I’ve been writing a lot about the role of emotion in fundraising.

That’s because it’s so important! But let’s take it another step.

Fundraisers often talk about relationship fundraising as opposed to transactional fundraising. You know donors aren’t ATMs and shouldn’t be treated that way.

But there is an exchange that happens with a donation. It’s a mistake to think donors only give us money and get nothing in return.

And I’m not talking tote bags, folks.

I’m talking emotional satisfaction.

Do you know about emotional triggers? These triggers activate the emotions that drive human behavior. They make it more likely someone will respond to your request.

I don’t remember who first clued me in to these triggers. I know Tom Ahern has written about them. And Mal Warwick added positive triggers. I’ve worked with a list at my side for years.

There are more than what’s here. But these are the ones I keep handy.

Emotional triggers:

Fear
Greed
Guilt
Anger
Exclusivity
Salvation
Flattery
Hope
Love
Compassion
Duty
Faith

 

 

Remember, we don’t make choices based on logic. At the heart of every decision is a feeling. Emotions drive decisions. It’s human nature.

So, ok, these triggers work. They’re powerful because the feelings they provoke demand a response. So they help you bring in more donations. (You can read more about using emotional triggers in your appeals here.)

But what’s in it for the donor? What is it she’s hoping to receive?

If you’re smart, you won’t think just about triggering a gift. You’ll think about how to respond to the donor’s impulse in a way that builds on the gift. You’ll think about it from the donor’s point of view.

Don’t just take – think about what you can give.

There are answers for every trigger.

Put yourself in your donor’s place and think – no, feel – through them.

If the fear that something bad will happen moved her to give, she wants the relief of knowing she’s helped to avoid it.

Your ask:

Winter is coming. And they say it will be a bad one. For some people, that’s annoying.

For others, it’s life or death.

Without your help, people like Joe will be sleeping out in weather that’s not safe. As the temperatures plummet, so will his chances of surviving the night.

You can do something to change that – if you act before it’s too late.

And your answer:

You may have saved a life. Your gift is that important.

Let me explain: because you chose to give, someone like Joe had emergency shelter. You brought him in from the killing cold. Thank you.

If guilt has motivated him, he wants absolution.

Ask:

This Thanksgiving, your table will be set with a feast.

You’ll share a special meal with people you love. You’ll probably eat too much and feel uncomfortable. And you’ll be grateful.

But not everyone will have something to share. For people like Maria, Thanksgiving is hard.

When the rest of the country is celebrating, she’s hoping to find enough food to keep her kids from crying.

Can you share your celebration with her?

Answer:

This Thanksgiving, we’re especially grateful for you. And so are families like Maria’s. Your generous gift meant they had something to celebrate, too.

You chose to act in the spirit of Thanksgiving. You shared what you have with people who desperately need it.

Thank you.

If anger, your donor wants to see action. If exclusivity triggers the gift, answer by confirming your donor’s importance. And so on.

Pay attention to your donor’s emotion both before and after the gift.

Most official acknowledgments don’t even come close to filling that need. Official gratitude is nice, but not enough.

If you’ve triggered an emotion, you owe your donor the response she’s seeking.

That’s why really good thanks matter. And why it’s not enough to thank a donor and put her aside until the next ask. Reporting on the impact of the gift is critical, too.

Keep the cycle going to keep the relationship alive.

Your emotional trigger demands action. Your donor’s action needs to be satisfied emotionally. Do that with meaningful thanks. Then remember to report back on the results of her gift – and why her decision mattered.

Want to read more on emotion and emotional triggers? Here are some interesting articles I’ve been reading.

The science of emotion in marketing

How emotions influence what we buy

Top 7 Insights to Unlocking Your Customer’s Brain for Instant Sales

12 Tips for “Psychological Selling”

 

Photo credit:  by  asenat29  Creative Commons Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic License


Need help with your appeals, newsletters or thank you letters?

I’ve got some time left this fall for a couple of great clients. Let me know if that’s you!

 

Share this:

  • Click to email this to a friend (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window)
  • Click to print (Opens in new window)

Related

Filed Under: Blog, Donor communications Tagged With: emotional fundraising, emotional triggers, fundraising appeal 5 Comments

Fundraising advice served fresh to your inbox

Get yours here:

Trackbacks

  1. Want to know how to cure donor fatigue? – Hands-On Fundraising says:
    September 15, 2015 at 11:51 am

    […] Remember emotional triggers? Here’s where you need them. Review the list and put them to work. […]

    Reply
  2. Top 10 #donorlove ideas for your year end campaign | Agents of Good says:
    October 24, 2018 at 12:12 pm

    […] about emotional triggers and use them. They’re powerful! Choose one or two that work best for your appeal. Balance hope and […]

    Reply
  3. Top 10 #donorlove ideas for your Year End Campaign – Hands-On Fundraising says:
    October 24, 2018 at 12:49 pm

    […] about emotional triggers and use them. They’re powerful! Choose one or two that work best for your appeal. Balance hope […]

    Reply
  4. You are here: Home / Blog / Top 10 #donorlove ideas for your Year End Campaign Top 10 #donorlove ideas for your Year End Campaign | Wikifund says:
    October 28, 2018 at 10:14 am

    […] about emotional triggers and use them. They’re powerful! Choose one or two that work best for your appeal. Balance hope […]

    Reply
  5. How to make #GivingTuesday more than a gimme – Hands-On Fundraising says:
    November 27, 2018 at 11:48 am

    […] not looking only for that. (Even if they say that’s all they want.) Donors need and deserve emotional satisfaction, too. The assurance that they’ve done a really good […]

    Reply

Leave a Reply to Top 10 #donorlove ideas for your year end campaign | Agents of Good Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Fundraising advice served fresh to your inbox

Get yours here:

Search

Recent Posts

  • Happiness is the gift you give
  • Are you for real?
  • Why you should care about ALL your donors
  • And This Little Nonprofit Cried ‘We We We’ All The Way To Bankruptcy
  • 6 Ways to Grow Engagement for your Faith-Based Group
small divider

Recognized by:

Best Fundraising Blogs for 2019: Future Fundraising Now

Top 75 Fundraising Websites And Blogs To Follow in 2019: Feedspot

The Best Fundraising Blogs of 2019: Garecht Fundraising Associates

50 Nonprofit Blogs You Need To Follow Right Now: Wild Apricot

Work with me!

Let's talk about how I can help your organization raise more money.

Contact

  • Annual Giving
  • Donor communications
  • Fundraising plans

Copyright © 2019 · Mary Cahalane · Hands-On Fundraising · P.O. Box 183 · Plantsville, CT 06479

loading Cancel
Post was not sent - check your email addresses!
Email check failed, please try again
Sorry, your blog cannot share posts by email.