Isn't it a great feeling when you receive a donation in an amount that gives you a sense of joy, relief, and gratitude?
Thank your donor in a timely manner - that same day or within the same week. A phone call is great, and email is also great. Go the extra mile and include an image or video that you think could bring a smile to your donor's face.
For smaller organizations, it is always great for that thank you to come from the founder.
I know some founders who understand the value of timely responses and prioritize and make time to send out the thank you that same day. I also work with founders who still take the time to send a thank you card in the mail. I really love that!
But in reality, I also know founders who wait so long to thank their donors that they aren't even sure where to find that email or notification for that donation.
What mental or emotional block causes them to delay this act of gratitude?
Being good at marketing means understanding people - what and why they react to an email, a social media post, a photo or message, a call-to-action. I try to relate to the donors, but I also have to try to understand the founder or executive director.
It is a common truth that people are ashamed or find it really hard to ask for money. Even when that money is a donation to a cause they represent, the act of asking for money deep down is an emotional or mental block.
To uncover this, I engage in a topic that brings out their joy. Whether it's the founder or another team member, we likely also support other causes and nonprofits that are meaningful to us. Do you support these other organization? Do you donate money? As a donor, how do you feel when you send that donation? How do you feel when you read an email or social post from a cause you care about is in need of support in the form of money?
As a donor, the response 100% of the time is that they feel good that they are able to give something.. anything... to help. And 100% of the time, they do not “feel sorry” for that organization. They understand that nonprofits need to rely on the public to sustain their work.
Now let’s reframe our point of view as the founder or representative of your cause. Donors who choose to give money to show support to your cause feel just like you when you're the donor of a cause you care about!
If I could people remove their mental or emotional block about receiving and asking for donations for their nonprofit, it certainly would improve our fundraising efforts.
Identifying this obstacle and having a conversation about it certainly is a start. It is worth having a heart-to-heart discussion. After all, giving a donation is an emotional act. An act of love, compassion and generosity. Receiving a donation is also an emotional act. It is an act of gratitude, joy, and love. If receiving a donation instills a feeling of gratitude, that should motivate you to prioritize sending that thank you right away.
If you are someone who thinks you might have a mental or emotional block when it comes to accepting gifts of donations, let me know in the comments