screenshot of Jeff Brooks via Zoom during Tom Ahern's 09/12/24 webinar on appeal writing. — Jeff Brooks was in the house! 🎉

Please don't make assumptions about your donors' desire to give! This is the 146th Fundraising Writing Newsletter. If you find value here, please tell a fundraising friend. (Your fundraising friend can subscribe here for free.)

In this issue:

✅ Jeff Brooks on not treating your donors like ATMs

✅ Randomly yours: to inspire and recharge you

Wednesday, September 18, 2024

Hi Reader,

Last week, Jeff Brooks joined us for the Q&A session of Tom Ahern's webinar on appeal writing. It was wonderful.

An attendee in the meeting asked if they should exclude donors who recently gave from receiving their upcoming direct mail appeal.

Jeff's answer may surprise you:

This is completely counterintuitive, but the person most likely to give at any moment is the person who most recently gave. So don't pull people out because they've given recently unless you know specifically— and this might sometimes happen with major donors—that they say they are not going to give again till next December...

Now, I would even take that with a grain of salt on whether you're going to ask them or not. But... remember, giving feels good. And when they give, there's this warm glow coursing through their brains, and they're more likely to give again.

This is unimpeachably true. I am not making this up. The data is 119% clear that this is true. So, don't think that you know giving hurts them... and they're feeling pain. And the pain has to fade away.

No, it's not at all like that! It's the opposite. So the main thing is, don't pull someone out, don't decide for them that they're not going to give. Let them decide.

Then, a great follow-up question came from Whitney, a fantastic fundraiser:

"Can you expand on the idea that we should not suppress donors who just gave? How do you balance that against not making donors feel like ATMs?"

Jeff's answer was enlightening...

Jeff Brooks on not treating donors like ATMs

You can watch Jeff answer this question by clicking the video below. (Tom and I appear quite delighted!)

Or you can read the transcript, here:

I think it's important in the messaging that one of the things we should be saying, and this is kind of in all fundraising, is: give them permission not to give.

You know, that sort of paragraph that says, "I know this may not be a good time for you, and that's okay. Please don't feel pressured" — things like that.

And they really go a long way. The truth is, they're in control. But when you sort of admit to them that they are in control, I think it makes them feel safer, better, and therefore more likely to give.

And if it's, like, specifically a follow-up situation and you know they already gave... there's a couple things you do.

One might be, you could say, "Hey, I know you just gave, and I really appreciate that, but we still have this need. And if it all works for you, if it makes sense for you to give, please consider a donation of any amount."

You could say something like that. Or, in some cases, you don't know yet whether they gave to the first appeal. I always include in that follow-up, I'll start the letter: "You probably got my message a few weeks ago. It was about this... If you've already given and our messages crossed in the mail, thank you. Bless you. You're great. But if you haven't, this would be a great time to give."

So, in other words, you're very often in a situation where you don't know whether somebody just gave or not, but I'd say, you know, make your working assumption that people want to give.

Randomly yours: to inspire and recharge you

gif of a little girl dancing, with the caption "It was fun girls"

For your brain, heart, and funny bone...

Fundraisingly Informative — Two Things That Turn Your Fundraising into “Crap” – and How to Avoid Them by Jeff Brooks (an insightful Moceanic article from the always-helpful Jeff Brooks about the fundraising perils of abstraction, pomposity, and "first draft crap")
Scientifically Memorable — How to Craft a Memorable Message, According to Science by Charan Ranganath (a Harvard Business Review article about the psychology and neuroscience behind memorability, via "chunking it up," "making it concrete," "providing callbacks," and "sparking curiosity"; HT: Whitney Springston for finding this nugget!)
Unforgettably Rousing — a rant about self sufficiency and priorities via Bushradical (a 7-minute rant within a vlog about building an off-grid cabin; easily one of the most moving — and, incidentally, seemingly impromptu — speeches I have ever heard)

Until next time: May you always remember that donors want to give, and they appreciate the opportunities you give them to do so!

Grateful,

Julie and Brett. Julie is wearing pink glasses and Brett is searing sunglasses and a bow tie. They are outside in the summer. — Julie Cooper & Brett Cooper
Fundraising Copywriters
FundraisingWriting.com

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Jeff Brooks on not treating your donors like ATMs

Jeff Brooks on not treating donors like ATMs

Randomly yours: to inspire and recharge you

Tell your best stories of need, then tell your best stories of impact

Not to put too fine a point on it... 🐝

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