“Mass envenomation”—that’s what happens when you disturb a hornet’s nest, and apparently, that’s exactly what I did with last week’s Fundraising Tip. The topic of donor communications, specifically the advice from Jeff Brooks, seems to have struck a nerve.
In case you missed it, we discussed some key principles Jeff Brooks advocates for effective donor communication:
- Express urgency
- Keep it simple and easy to read
- Long messages can work better
- Focus on stories, not statistics
- Make it about the donor, not the organization
Your responses to this advice fell into three categories:
- Followers and Fans: Some of you are already on board with Jeff’s insights and appreciated the reinforcement of what you already knew.
- Intrigued but Skeptical: A few of you were curious but unsure if this advice would really apply to your specific donor base.
- “Our Donors Are Different”: The majority of responses fell into this group, expressing doubts that your donors, who you believe are more sophisticated, would respond to these tactics.
Are Your Donors Really Different?
It’s a common belief that “our donors are different”—that what works for one organization won’t work for another. But Jeff Brooks, in a recent blog post, counters this by saying, “Donors are donors. Where they live, what faith they follow, their education and culture…those things matter. But fundamentally, they are human beings.”
Even seasoned fundraisers sometimes struggle with this truth. As Doug Kruse from Pacific Legal Foundation shared, early in his career he learned a critical lesson: You are not your audience. It’s easy to assume that what would move you would move your donors—but that’s often not the case. The trick is understanding what truly resonates with your donor base, not what resonates with you personally.
