Within the mass influx of year end appeals that fill an inbox and mailbox in November and December, there are only a few that will catch your attention and even fewer that will call you to action. Part of the rationale backing year end appeals is that people are in the mood to give or at least sense a higher calling to give. If any of you are like me, you seek the appeal that 1) stands out from the rest at first glance and 2) serves a cause that is important to you. The criteria is by and large simple yet strategized many times over by the organization prior to you laying eyes on it.
Is all this strategizing worth it? Yes and no. Let me provide you an example from my own recent year end giving deliberations. As a millennial, I am a member of a target donor group that organizations are pining for. My call to give is countered by my limited capacity to give. Therefore, I am positioned to choose amongst a set of carefully designed appeals that if capacity allowed, I would give to all. As a nonprofit, I would want to know what motivates the decision a donor like myself must make.
Utilizing my Psychology background, I monitored my reactions and biases. One appeal was emotional, incorporating pictures, the word save, and bonus, a free tote bag to publicly display my philanthropy. The second appeal was rational, a transparent account of the organization’s year complete with quips and the historical significance of their work.
The point, however, is why I made the decision I did. It came down to being convinced that I could actively advance the organization’s mission on a daily basis through a donation. Here are takeaways from my quasi experiment:
- Make donors feel as if they are a part of your organization and the solution.
- Experience your own strategy by donating to your own nonprofit.
- Mix the emotional with the rational. Make the message resonate, not alienate.
- Make the donation process simple and convenient for when the decision is made.