I'd like to start this thought process by asking you a few questions: Do you think it if takes you less time to earn $100 the value of that money changes? Let me put it another way, do you believe $100 means more to a person making $50,000 a year than to someone who makes $250,000 a year?
Apparently, many nonprofits are confused when answering these questions because the value of money seems to change! It is almost magical and there is a REAL presumption that more you make the less value the money must have. But is this true?
If you make more or have more money there is a reason. Granted this reason may be because the person was born into wealth or maybe because the person inherited a lot of wealth. People also make different amounts of money in relation to their education and/or job skills. The reason different people have more money than others depends on all sorts of different situations.
Regardless of how the money was received let's step back again and look deeper into the question of the value of money.
The paper and coin you hold does not discriminate against the buyer. In our example of $100 the same amount of gas or food can be purchased so what is the difference?
Well, it is because one person has more than the other person! Ok, so this means the more money you have the less value you place on it simply because you have more?
Really, is that logical?
Well, it is not just because one person has more than the other; it is really because the more money you have the "easier" life is for you. You know because you don't have to worry as much about different "things.”
Wow, so more money equals happiness and worrying about less "things"! Ah, wouldn't it be great if life were that simple where you could always count on a + b
equaling c no matter what day of the week it occurred.
Nonprofits need to understand that the people they are seeking to get a donation from know the value of money just as much as they do. If you make a personal donation to a cause I would suspect you are not doing so in a blind fashion, but responding in either in a very logical way or because of a certain emotion or attachment you feel for the organization.
Don't assume because someone might earn more or have more money than you do that the money somehow means less to them, because in most cases it does not!
Money does not make you worry less nor does it buy happiness. If it did all the millionaires in the world would be happy about life. Money is a tool, in the right hands it can create many things, but it is not the solution to fixing all problems!
Showing posts with label nonprofit donor. Show all posts
Showing posts with label nonprofit donor. Show all posts
Thursday, April 8, 2010
Sunday, March 28, 2010
Wanting To Be Heard!
No matter which side of the health care debate you fall it was obvious that people in both camps were feeling desperate to have their voice heard.
The generation of today is drawn to technology like a mosquito is to a bug zapper! Be it Twitter, Facebook, or YouTube your proud teen is happy to develop carpal tunnel syndrome by achieving new heights in daily texting a minimum of twenty minutes per day. People are buzzing like bees with no unified direction or focus in this grand “social networking” experiment that is tantamount to nothing more than glorified self absorption.
This fevered pitch cannot be maintained forever yet it is not surprising that this frustration is easily carried over to how many nonprofits feel trying to rise above everyday life’s noise to reach their respective donor.
It is hard to get a donor’s attention especially if they are worried about being able to keep their job in this economic slow down or because they are constantly answering their BlackBerry.
Regardless, while nonprofits bemoan this fact it is also quite ironic that nonprofits themselves often times forget that part of their responsibility to the donor is to also listen!
When was the last time you let your donor speak?
I’m not talking about asking them to fill out a survey or questionnaire to see if they think it is a good time for you to raise money for your upcoming capital campaign. What I am talking about is really focusing “one on one” to try to discern how the donor feels about your organization and what you are doing.
We all need to be reminded at times that we are given two ears and only one mouth for a reason!
So, as frustrated as you might feel, realize in this age of technology with all the applications and madness allowing the individual to say whatever they want. More than just a few of your donors might seem a little frustrated because they feel like for whatever reason real or imagined their voice is not being heard or enough attention has not been given to them.
Only you can change the outcome of this scenario. The question remains, will you act on what you have heard or just ignore it like the rest?
The generation of today is drawn to technology like a mosquito is to a bug zapper! Be it Twitter, Facebook, or YouTube your proud teen is happy to develop carpal tunnel syndrome by achieving new heights in daily texting a minimum of twenty minutes per day. People are buzzing like bees with no unified direction or focus in this grand “social networking” experiment that is tantamount to nothing more than glorified self absorption.
This fevered pitch cannot be maintained forever yet it is not surprising that this frustration is easily carried over to how many nonprofits feel trying to rise above everyday life’s noise to reach their respective donor.
It is hard to get a donor’s attention especially if they are worried about being able to keep their job in this economic slow down or because they are constantly answering their BlackBerry.
Regardless, while nonprofits bemoan this fact it is also quite ironic that nonprofits themselves often times forget that part of their responsibility to the donor is to also listen!
When was the last time you let your donor speak?
I’m not talking about asking them to fill out a survey or questionnaire to see if they think it is a good time for you to raise money for your upcoming capital campaign. What I am talking about is really focusing “one on one” to try to discern how the donor feels about your organization and what you are doing.
We all need to be reminded at times that we are given two ears and only one mouth for a reason!
So, as frustrated as you might feel, realize in this age of technology with all the applications and madness allowing the individual to say whatever they want. More than just a few of your donors might seem a little frustrated because they feel like for whatever reason real or imagined their voice is not being heard or enough attention has not been given to them.
Only you can change the outcome of this scenario. The question remains, will you act on what you have heard or just ignore it like the rest?
Wednesday, September 9, 2009
Having a Loyal Donor
We are bombarded by loyalty programs! Your credit card is not just a credit card any more, it is a card that offers points, cash back etc. If you stay at this hotel or fly on this airline you might qualify for something "free"! Shop at this grocery story, use their free membership card, you qualify for a discount i.e. "a savings" off your purchases. WOW!
So, how can nonprofits tap into to this idea of creating a loyal donor? The concept of having repeat business, and in the nonprofit's case, having a repeat giver is understandability worthy. However, the approach a nonprofit takes should differ greatly from the for profit arena.
First, as a nonprofit you need to stop looking at your donor with only dollar signs in your eyes! Nonprofits can't fake being genuine and if you really only see the donor as Mr. or Mrs. Money Bags then you need to stop reading this now.
Donor loyalty requires a great deal of effort on your part as a nonprofit organization. You have to EARN the donor's RESPECT first. Getting respect and admiration is not something that happens overnight.
Donors in general give to nonprofits because they were either touched in some way by that organization or they are impressed with the work done by the organization.
In order to create a loyal donor you need to learn more about what interests the donor actually has! What is in his or her heart? What motivation do you see? Where are they in their professional career? Who are their social contacts? What type of lifestyle does your donor live?
These are just a few of the questions, you as a nonprofit, need to know the answer to in order to build the relationships you need to build to create a loyal donor.
It has been said many times but these truths are worth repeating: People give to people, you need to friend raise first long before you fund raise and lastly it's all about building relationships!
If you have any questions feel free to email me: john@minges.com
Also, make sure to visit my website:
www.nonprofitexpert.com
DISCLAIMER: This information is not intended to provide legal or accounting advice, or to address specific situations. Please consult with your legal or tax advisor to supplement and verify what you learn here.
So, how can nonprofits tap into to this idea of creating a loyal donor? The concept of having repeat business, and in the nonprofit's case, having a repeat giver is understandability worthy. However, the approach a nonprofit takes should differ greatly from the for profit arena.
First, as a nonprofit you need to stop looking at your donor with only dollar signs in your eyes! Nonprofits can't fake being genuine and if you really only see the donor as Mr. or Mrs. Money Bags then you need to stop reading this now.
Donor loyalty requires a great deal of effort on your part as a nonprofit organization. You have to EARN the donor's RESPECT first. Getting respect and admiration is not something that happens overnight.
Donors in general give to nonprofits because they were either touched in some way by that organization or they are impressed with the work done by the organization.
In order to create a loyal donor you need to learn more about what interests the donor actually has! What is in his or her heart? What motivation do you see? Where are they in their professional career? Who are their social contacts? What type of lifestyle does your donor live?
These are just a few of the questions, you as a nonprofit, need to know the answer to in order to build the relationships you need to build to create a loyal donor.
It has been said many times but these truths are worth repeating: People give to people, you need to friend raise first long before you fund raise and lastly it's all about building relationships!
If you have any questions feel free to email me: john@minges.com
Also, make sure to visit my website:
www.nonprofitexpert.com
DISCLAIMER: This information is not intended to provide legal or accounting advice, or to address specific situations. Please consult with your legal or tax advisor to supplement and verify what you learn here.
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