Marvin Gaye on Fundraising

Automotive salespeople are typically taught to take a few moments getting to know prospective customers before moving on to The Most Important Thing. Otherwise known as The Sales Pitch.  Get to know the family a bit, talk about occupations, the weather, and hockey.  A few minutes of customer engagement before spending the next day and a half making the sale.

You see, this notion of “engagement” is really nothing new.  Engagement is a new skin to an old, and yet very important concept.  Often the issue becomes how we define, plan and execute our donor engagement strategy. (For what it’s worth, my perspective is that Donor Engagement should never take away from direct response principles, but rather add to whatever we are already doing. It’s an enhancement, not a replacement to fundraising excellence.) 

This is where Marvin enters the stage.  Halfway through his famous song, “What’s Going On”, the lyrics emerge:

“Talk to me
 So you will see
 What’s going on”  

I picture our donors saying this:  “Will somebody just talk to me?  How about a quick phone call to get to know me and find out what’s important to me.  Ask me about my cause and not your cause.  You send me direct mail appeals each month that cost a buck a piece.  You send me newsletters and magazines and even call me…but that’s when when you want something from me and when you want to talk to me.  I’m your neighbor down the street. I want to talk to you for a little bit, to let you know what’s really going on with me and why I supported you in the first place.”

I know of one organization that has seen a 16 percent increase in donor retention and “renewal” rates year-over-year by simply calling each donor, saying thanks, and talking for two minutes about that is important to the donor.  Is it costly?  Yes.  Rather, it’s an investment of three or for bucks that pays off later in spades. And when the next direct mail package is sent out, that donor sees copy directly tailored to what’s important to her.

Isn’t this exciting and radical?

In my mind, this is a bit closer to real donor engagement.  Of course, it’s what major donor development/advancement professionals have known since the beginning of time.

“Oh, you know we’ve got to find a way
To bring some understanding here today”

Thanks, Marvin.

Tags: Blog, Creative Concepts, General Fundraising, marvin gaye, Nonprofit