Bored Donors Aren’t a Lost Cause
Do you have a favorite TV show or movie that you know so well you could repeat chunks of dialogue on cue? Me too. Lines have permanent space in my brain from The Secret Life of Walter Mitty and Friends and Pride and Prejudice.
Our hearts are taken by words and messages that resonate with our interests and passions. Which is why it pains me to hear NP teams say things like this:
“Our newsletters are boring and say the same thing, month after month.”
“Donors don’t seem inspired by our message anymore.”
“We’ve done this work for 14 years, so there’s nothing new to share.”
I’ve heard such things out in the wilds from leaders at orgs of all sizes and causes. Because, no matter the org, every team becomes so familiar with their own messaging that it FEELS boring.
But I could not disagree more.
Missional messaging is anything BUT boring, which is why I’m talking about it during July open office hours.
Here’s the thing:
Just as our favorite shows and movies never FEEL boring to us, communications from your org will never FEEL boring to donors who are passionately aligned to the cause.
Did you catch that?
If your donors are bored by your communications, it is a signal that their hearts are not aligned.
It is a sign that your missional message needs to be clarified and your donor communications need a strategic framework. And this is fixable.
Whatever you do, don’t stop talking to your donors. You are the lifeline between them and the life change that’s happening because of their partnership. If you sense that donors no longer find your mission irresistibly fundable, you need an engagement strategy rooted in your missional message. One that helps donors know the crucial, life-changing role they play in the mission.
Once that is fixed, your donors will come back to you on repeat!
Ready for more? Here are two ways Erin can help you make your mission irresistible to donors:
1. Connect with me or follow me on LinkedIn.
It’s where I talk about donor strategy ideas like these. Join the convo!
2. Work with me.
Over 12 months, I guide NP teams to fund their mission with effective, frenzy-free donor engagement strategies. ✴️ Donors fund irresistible missions… is yours? Let’s get started! Schedule your 15-minute Change Chat here and share about your nonprofit and how you’d like to improve your donor strategy.