“Our donors are different” — oh really?

Some organizations take it as an article of faith that their donors are different. Even unique.

In some ways they’re right. But mostly they’re wrong.

Here’s how any group of donors is different: it’s a purpose-build assembly of people who care about some cause. They share values (at least some values). They know and care about similar things. Often, they live in the same community. They may share culture, language, education, faith, or interests.

It pays to know those things, and to connect with donors over what they know and care about.

But that’s where the uniqueness of donor files ends.

At a level much deeper than their demographic and psychographic characteristics, all donors are human.

But I have yet to encounter any donor file that is truly unique. The fundamentals that cause human beings to participate in philanthropy are the same everywhere: all causes, all donors.

Here’s what this means:

• All fundraising should have a clear and direct ask for funds. The style of asking varies some from culture to culture, but if you don’t ask, you don’t receive.
• All fundraising should be emotional. I’ve never encountered a donor group that responds to purely rational appeals for funds. Many believe they do, but nobody does. How emotion is expressed varies some by culture.
• All fundraising should be donor-focused. People everywhere and of every type give for reasons of their own. Not because your organization is amazing.

Your donors are not all that different. If you stick to the basics, your chances of success are much better.