BizSugar.com › Management › 4 Mistakes Non-profits Make When Crafting Their Own Fundraising Appeals

1. They make it all about them

It’s logical to believe that donors will give if they think well of your non-profit, so staff writers try and educate their donors about what the organization does, how well it does it and how great it is.

Imagine being introduced to someone new and all they talk about is themselves. Chances are you would walk away as soon as you could and consider the person you just met as a huge bore.

Direct marketing is a two-way conversation and if the message is only about you, then it’s boring too. You may be the biggest cancer charity and may be tempted to proclaim: “We have saved more lives than anyone else!” But fundraising is really not all about you. It’s about your donors.

So here’s what you should really be saying: “Donors like you have helped us save more lives from cancer than anyone else.”