Why Are You Afraid to Ask?

It’s that season.  My postbox, which is usually pretty empty, is full of advertisements and end of the year appeals.  Not being a shopper, I simply trash the ads, but I do open and take a look at many of the appeals.  Until I get so discouraged, I simply throw them away unopened with the advertisements.

What discourages me is the lack of understanding so many organizations seem to have about the purpose of this appeal.

An appeal, mind you, is “An earnest or urgent request, entreaty, or supplication.”  It is asking for something.  But with most of the appeals I get, you’d never know that was the purpose.

On the plus side, many organizations do now start with a thank you, but here’s the problem—often they are thanking me for something I never did!  If they don’t know who their donors are, then I certainly don’t want to become one.

One of the appeals I received this year was from an organization I am pretty active with.  At first, I thought it was just an impact letter—softening me up for the appeal that would come later in the year.  But no.  It was the appeal, but a very very soft one.  It took 5 paragraphs before an ask was made, and then that ask was of the sort of “could you consider making a gift?”  Although the background had be discussed, when the ask came, it seemed divorced from the rest of the letter.  No where, as they described all the good they did, was there any talk of how support from their wonderful donors (ME!) made a difference.

Another letter I received  tried to be all things to all recipients.  There was no indication in the letter if they knew whether I had once been a donor, been a recent donor, had made a small or a significant gift.

And don’t get started on Giving Tuesday!  Too many of those appeals asked me to give because…..it was Giving Tuesday!  Somehow, that did not make me care very much, and if I gave (which I did because of my commitment to the cause), I gave far less than I might have with an appeal that talked about the good these organizations did.

Fundraising, as we all know, is all about relationships.  But is also about being engaged and involved with the organization.  It’s not enough for me to know about the organization, I need to feel known, and I need for the organization to use that knowledge—even in a very broad way—to make some sort of a specific ask.

“As a regular supporter, you know….”, “

The amazing work we do is thanks to our equally amazing donors…and we hope that you will join with them to help make even more of a difference.”

“as someone who once supported our work, I am hoping that you once again help us….”

“Last year, you joined us for the very first time.  That was awesome.  Because of you, we were able to….and I hope that once again this year you will give generously.”

A student in one of my classes complained that they always received the smallest gifts from their donors.  I asked to see their appeal letters for the past three years.  And in each, the request was—yep, you guessed it—to make a small gift.

People tend to give what they are asked for.  Maybe not exactly, but if I ask for little, I should not be surprised to get something small.  If I ask for a larger commitment, I will probably get something closer to what you really hope for.

Before you ask, make sure you know not just why you are asking (and it must be a better reason than it’s Giving Tuesday, the End of the Year, or simply because we think it is time for you make another gift), but what you are asking for.  That covers a few things—what their generosity will mean, what it will support, and what size of gift you are hoping to receive.

Building relationships + asking + showing gratitude and keeping donors close=successful fundraising and a sustainable organization.