If we want more donations - more gifts for our cause - we have to tap into our own, inner gifts. Here are the 10 gifts you should make sure you're leveraging when you reach out to your supporters.
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- The Gift of Listening: Listening is the first step to real rapport. Build an emotional connection with donors by making them feel seen and heard.
- The Gift of Perspective: Know that fundraising is all about the relationship you build with those donors – not the transaction of giving.
- The Gift of the Right Brain: Unlock right-brain thinking and tell emotional stories about your work.
- The Gift of Impact: Focus on the impact your donors can have, not the need you have.
- The Gift of Champions: Turn your donors into messengers. Third parties can be more persuasive than we are.
- The Gift of Hope: Don’t make your donors feel their gift is a drop in the bucket. Speak of the lives they change rather than the ones they haven’t.
- The Gift of Technology: Technology isn’t magic alone, but it can work magic on the right fundraising approach.
- The Gift of Context: Create an environment for donors that’s more conducive to giving.
- The Gift of Inclusion: Don’t let fundraisers be relegated to the sidelines of an organization – architect fundraising into the organization overall.
- The Gift of Love: These nine gifts will yield a tenth: the gift of love for what you do. Giving makes people happy, and so you’re in the wonderful business of joy.
