ASKING FOR MONEY
Big Money: What is the largest donation you have ever made? What about a purchase? Were either one of those decisions in response to someone ASKING FOR MONEY?
In the world of fundraising, it's tricky. Truth is, we are always asking for money. However, my experience in sales, business development and non-profit fundraising, it's pretty clear, people just don't like being asked for money.
NYC: Recently I was in New York City for a week. I walked miles and miles through the streets and subways. I often tossed money into the cup or hat or guitar case of those asking for help on the streets. I can tell you honestly, the older man with the guitar, who was really going for it at the corner of 15th & Broadway got my money way faster than the little lady holding the sign and grabbing at my pants on the stairs down the subway.
This man played his heart out and who knows, that could have been the only song he knew how to play, but somehow, that seemed way more attractive to share a donation than with the lady who begged. In his case, he really didn't even have to ask.
It's the same when an organization sells or does fundraising. Make it easy for people to say yes to buying your product, signing that contract or donating that gift. Don't just ask for money, ask for affirmation and engagement. Asking for money is boring and predictable and even rude to some people. Playing an lively song with skill and passion on the street corner is exciting and impressive, it inspires me to affirm & even take pictures or videos and share about what you are doing.
Don't ask for partnership. I hear this thrown around in my work, some experts say, "make the donor your partner" and I think. Well truth is, they don't want to be your partner, they don't want over communication, they don't want to invest a bunch of money and try to get it back later, they don't want to even be bothered usually. There are exceptions, but the average person does not want to drink the cool-aide and get on the train long term. No, they just want to believe in the person or persons, the cause and then to have a compelling point of engagement to release funds into the cause. Or they want to have the product or service opportunity shown to them, with the right amount of facts and inspiration so they can just say yes and sign on the dotted line, people just love to close a deal.
My focus is normally mid and high level donations on behalf non profit organization. Donors in this world love to hear about the mission and the impact of the ministry or group. I rarely have someone want to go too far into a partnership mentality or who wants to give with no inspiration or information about the impact their funds are having. They do not want to be asked for money, they want to be invited into a mission. When they know their money helps change the lives of others for the better, that mission motivates them to share their wealth far beyond what ASKING FOR MONEY will do.