No matter what you sell, you're not really selling that thing, but the attributes or benefits of that thing. That includes fundraising. Here's a good way of looking at that fact from Copyblogger, at The 5 Things Customers Actually Want:
- Ease
- Physical comfort
- Mental stimulation
- Identity reinforcement
- Social acknowledgement
Charitable giving is great at satisfying the last three.
- Mental stimulation: Are you giving donors information about what you want them to give to accomplish?
- Identity reinforcement: When donors give, they're saying (to themselves and/or to others) I'm the kind of person who ... You can talk openly about those things in fundraising.
- Social acknowledgement: Do you recognize your donors for all they do in satisfying ways?