Kick Off 2014 with this Key Donor Attraction Tip Top of Mind

The Donor Attraction Letter

Wednesday, January 1, 2014

Happy New Year!

Chances are good that you’re just getting back into the swing of things when you read this, so I’m going to keep this post on the short side.
 
But, my message for you is really important.
 
It’s a fundamental, powerful truth that drives human behavior and especially charitable giving.
 
And it’s simply this:
 
To attract more donors and keep them giving, deliver to your donors the feelings they desire.
 
At our core, we’re ALL chasing feelings.
 
Whether it’s when we donate to a charity or buy new clothes or get a new pet or chart a new career path, you and I and the people we write to every day are motivated to take action because we believe we’ll feel better in some way after we do it.
 
Yes, your donors care about your organization and the good work you’re doing.
 
But, on a deeper level, giving to your charity helps donors feel the way they want to feel. It helps them reach an emotional state they’re seeking.
 
We’re hard-wired for this.
 
When your donor gives—–and if you (your nonprofit) launch her into that emotional state she’s after through her giving experience—–her brain’s pleasure circuits are activated. Dopamine gets released, which is linked to her brain’s reward system. This gives her the message to do that feel-good thing again.  
 
So, as you set in motion your donor communications plans for the new year, keep these thoughts TOP OF MIND. For everything you write and create, always ask:
 
Will this make my reader feel the way I know she wants to feel?
 
Next week I’ll be expanding on this tip with a theme that ties right in to help you make more emotional deposits with your donors and raise more money.

Dedicated to helping you attract and keep your donors,

Jen Viano
Nonprofit Writer/Consultant
Editor, The Donor Attraction Letter

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