Chapter TwelveCommunicating as if Donors Mattered
Dale Carnegie knew it. Buddha knew it. So did Jesus. So has every likable, influential person you can think of. Heck, I'll bet your mother knew it—she probably even told you about it.
This is what they all knew: The best way to treat other people is to care about them and treat them right. Be interested in them. Listen to them. Put their concerns ahead of your own.
Knowing that (and acting on it) can revolutionize any relationship. It works between people, between organizations, and when people interact with organizations. It can solve almost any problem. It's so universally valuable, it is sometimes called the Golden Rule.
If you practice the Golden Rule with someone, you have more influence with them. They'll like you, trust you, and listen to you.
Sadly, some nonprofits communicate and raise funds as if they've never heard of the Golden Rule. Their communication platform is decidedly self-focused: Tell our story! Show everyone how awesome we are. Some even take it down a darker path: Donors are inferior, and we must improve them.
Fundraising that way is a soul-sapping, money-wasting struggle. Because it never works. But it's common. Us-first, tell-our-story fundraising might be one of the reasons ...
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