What if your donors care just enough to give, but that's all?
What if all our attempts to give them more of our nonprofit wonderfulness are just annoying?
That's the question over at Donor-Central, at Are We Completely Wrong?
All the talk in fundraising right now is for nonprofits to move towards establishing a deeper, more intimate relationship with their donors.... What if your donors want less of a relationship with you? What if they really want to be merely transactional?
It's a scary thought. But realistic.
I've seen several tests where additional non-fundraising contact with donors had no impact or even resulted in lower giving and/or worse donor retention.
We should be prepared to admit that not all donors are as absorbed in our causes as we are. Some of them -- maybe most of them -- just want to give and be done with it.
You do have super-donors who want lots of connection and information. And they'll reward you for giving it to them.
But not all donors.
For many (most?), your job isn't more relationship -- it's handling a small, low-connection relationship right. Enough (but not too much) contact. Clear and compelling offers. A moderate amount of thankfulness and reporting back. And that's about all.
More is not always better.
