How NOT to fundraise
Fundraising is an interesting form of e-commerce. E-commerce is essentially a transaction people make—buying something to get something in return.
When people say, “I donate to xx charity” or “We support xx,” they feel part of a community or cause, which is always powerful.
So yesterday, I got this call.
As usual, I pick up the phone and say, “Hello?” And I hear a frantic, crying man’s voice.
“I can’t breathe!!!! Please help me!!!”
My heart literally jumped a mile and out of instinct (mom brain?), and I immediately yelled, “Omg, what happened? Are you ok?? Who is this???”
And then the automatic message continues.
“And this is just one example of the calls we get every day. Donate to (name) ambulance corps today.”
I hung up and couldn’t stop shaking. No, I did not donate. After they made me feel the way I did, I couldn’t help feeling that if I ever needed help myself, I wouldn’t even call that ambulance corp to take me to the hospital, let alone donate.
UX of fundraising, anyone? There are better ways to make money than manipulating people’s feelings and causing stress.
Having spoken and listened to small and large-scale donors ranging from a few to millions of dollars, I’ve learned that the more people give, the more they want to give. Unlike a ‘thing’ they can buy on Amazon, giving is a special feeling that lasts.
You can capitalize on feelings more ethically by giving them to people, making the transaction a win-win and so much more effective in the long run.
If you want to learn more about planning an effective fundraising journey, schedule a call with us!
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