On this blog, you'll find a lot of tips about what to do to make your fundraising and marketing more effective. This, my dear readers, is a post on what not to do.
My family recently returned from a wonderful trip to the borders in Scotland, filled with glorious family heritage and monument unveiling. (To get personal, you can learn all about it here.) While in the borders, my husband, daughter, and I escaped the hubbub to go horseback riding in the borders. (This was mostly me wanting to fulfill one of my many Jane Austen fantasies.)
While on the ride, our guide asked me what I do for a living, and I told her: I help nonprofits with their fundraising and marketing. She thought that was lovely.
And then she proceeded to tell me about a recent fundraising experience she'd had. It seems she was at home in her cozy little cottage one day when a gentleman arrived at the door. He was speaking very quickly, and said he was with some association. She thought it was the Housing Association, so, naturally, she felt obliged to let him in. He then proceeded to tell her all about the wild birds and how they need protecting.
It turns out that he wasn't from the Housing Association at all, but rather from a charitable organization that works to protect wild birds.
My guide felt kindly to the birds and offered a small donation. This is what she was told: No, we don't want single donations. We want you to give us your bank information so we can make a monthly recurring donation.
Excuse me?
In the end, the gentleman (we'll use the word loosely) wouldn't take the gift my guide offered. It was a monthly commitment or nothing. So guess what he walked away with? Nothing -- and a chip on his shoulder.
Dear, dear, readers, do not -- I mean DO NOT -- ever -- NOT EVER -- do this.
Here was a strange man standing in this woman's house asking for money. And she wanted to give it to him! But she didn't know him from Adam and had no way to prove that he was really with the organization he said he was. Nor did she even have a way, in that moment, to check the credibility of the organization. She would have been a fool to give him her bank or credit card information.
Had the gentleman taken her single cash gift, she could have been added to the mailing list and, over time, come to love the wild birds, offering a faithful, recurring gift every single month. But not now.
Today, my guide has a nasty taste in her mouth toward this wild bird protection charity and it is unlikely they will ever get anything from her. Moreover, whenever their name comes up, she'll be sure to share her experience with all who want to listen.
Bad news.
I am all in favor of seeking regular, monthly donations. We push it on almost every reply device we design for our clients. Monthly donations are a very, very good thing -- but not when pursued at the expense of your reputation and credibility.
This, my friends is how NOT to do your fundraising. But for some excellent ideas on what TO DO, read Katya's 500th blog post.
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