How to connect with donors by asking

Some fundraisers would have you believe you’re doing your donors a big favor by “leaving them alone.” By going silent on them. By not giving them opportunities to give.

The Veritus Group Blog begs to differ, at Not Asking = Less Love:

Showering your donor with love ultimately means challenging your donor to make a greater impact in the world. And as a major gift fundraiser, you know that donors who make great impact through their giving will experience a tremendous amount of joy.

Ask, and ask boldly of your donors. That is real love.

My only caveat to this: If your fundraising is braggy, self-centered, and brand-focused, rather than donor-focused, then it’s true … not asking is probably doing donors a favor. The less irrelevant noise you’re pushing into their lives, the better.

But if you practice donor-love fundraising, if your messages are about them, and not you, if you’re really connecting with donors in ways that matter to them …

Then asking is a form of relationship-positive connection. Also known as love.

If you think your fundraising is annoying, or maybe a form of stalking … you’re probably right. It’s a self-validating attitude that comes from missing the point that donors give because they love to make a difference.

The first step to making turning your fundraising into the type of love that it should be is to believe in donor love. And work hard to make that a reality.