3 common fundraising fears & 3 things you should fear instead

It’s normal to have fears.

But fear often leads to self-destructive action (or non-action). Here are some of the most common fears we fundraisers have, from the BDI Blog, at 3 common fundraising fears and how to face them:

1. FEAR #1: Am I asking too often? You probably are not asking too often. Volume of asking has not been shown to drive down retention. (Jargon-heavy, organization-centric messaging is too often, no matter how much or little of it you send.)
   
   More realistic fear: It’s far more likely you are not asking often enough. You are constantly falling off your donors’ radar.
   
2. FEAR #2: We send the same messages over and over – donors must be getting sick of them. If you are getting sick and tired of repetitive messaging, you are probably getting it right. Your donors might actually know and remember what you do!
   
   More realistic fear: Constantly shifting messaging can leave donors confused and not quite sure who you are and what you do.
   
3. FEAR #3: Do my communications make my organization look bad? Board members are especially susceptible to this fear. They think the fact that fundraising is always about need signals poor governance. It doesn’t it tells donors they are needed. And that’s the best way to motivate them to action.
   
   More realistic fear: All your happy-talk “inspiring” fundraising lets donors off the hook. They’re happy for you, but don’t see any need to take action.