From the course: Nonprofit Fundraising: A Beginner’s Guide

The new goal of fundraising

From the course: Nonprofit Fundraising: A Beginner’s Guide

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The new goal of fundraising

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- What's your preferred method of communication? Phone, text, email, face to face? I personally prefer emails, but it's not the most persuasive method. I want to share with you why face-to-face fundraisers are more important than ever in this era of information overload. In one study, 45 participants asked hundreds of strangers to complete a brief survey. All participants made the exact same request with the exact same script, but half of them made the request over email and the other half asked face to face. It turns out that when people were asked face to face, it was 34 times more effective than email requests. Yes, online tools may have an advantage when it comes to introductions or when you need to quickly share the impact of a gift with a tweet or Instagram post. But they are not as authentic or able to build the same kind of rapport a face-to-face meeting can create and sustain. In 2020, when charitable giving increased by 5.1%, online giving represented just 13% of all charitable gifts. That's why nonprofits continue to prioritize face-to-face fundraising efforts, despite the growing popularity of online giving. Nothing beats face-to-face interaction. The most generous donations, those that truly transform a nonprofit, are the result of direct relationships between a fundraiser and a donor. In face-to-face interactions at the fundraiser, you can immediately and attentively answer questions. This gives your nonprofit the competitive edge because you are a source for education, sound advice, and reliable expertise. In addition to the valuable information you share, your enthusiasm and passion for your cause distinguishes you. Your authentic connections with a donor forms the heart of fundraising in a crowded world of information overload. So take a look at your upcoming meetings. Can any of them be face to face? And if not, can you replace an email update with a virtual meeting?

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