The following excerpt is from "The Fundraiser’s Guide to Irresistible Communications."
Man down! It looks like a heart attack. You spring into action, knowing a life may be at stake.
If you’ve had CPR training, you know that one of the first things to do is pick a bystander, point at him, and loudly say, “You—call 9-1-1!”
Why not shout, “Somebody call 9-1-1”? After all, anyone can call. But the training makes it clear: You put all the pressure on one person. If you don’t, it’s possible (in fact, likely) that every single bystander will think, “Someone else will do it”—and nobody will make the lifesaving call.
Fundraising requires that same sense of aggressive urgency. When it’s not there, when it’s the equivalent of “Somebody call 9-1-1!” we get the same result. Everyone thinks someone else will take care of it. Hardly anyone gives.
Think about it from the donor’s point of view. When your fundraising message shows up, it’s out of the blue. She’s doing something else, not waiting to hear from you. She’s predisposed not to take action.
Most donors won’t give unless they have a reason to give NOW. They’ll move on to something demanding their attention. The phone is ringing. The dog needs a walk. Or there’s an urgent request from another organization needing money now.
You’ll only secure a gift if you help the donor move from a state of inaction to one of action. And you do that by putting the three ingredients of urgency to work:
1. Your call to action requires immediate action. Not think about it and respond eventually. Not become generally predisposed to agree with the cause. Respond. Now.
2. Your message clearly communicates what’s at stake— that is, what’s likely to happen if the donor doesn’t give.
3. You’re talking to one person. Even when using a mass medium like television, your message points a finger at one bystander and says, “You—give now!”
When donors receive urgent fundraising messages, they know they have a role in making the world a better place. They get excited about how much their gift matters. They know they must respond now—and they want to respond now!
When your donors get this message, you’ve done your job. You’re a certified fundraiser.
Drawing from decades of in-the-trenches fundraising experience, In “The Fundraiser’s Guide to Irresistible Communications,” Jeff Brooks takes you on a step-by-step tour of the unique strategies, writing style, and design techniques of irresistible fundraising messages.
