How to earn donors' trust

Do donors trust you?

The short answer: No.

Of course, you've built trusting relationships with many, many donors. But among those you're prospecting, those who have lapsed in their giving, and even those who've given to you once but not twice, you should assume lack of trust is a meaningful issue.

It's true also in the business world, as noted in the Own Your Brand blog's recent post, The Truthiness About Trustiness. Trustiness, a take-off on "truthiness" is ...

. . . that “not quite sure I am being told the facts” feeling clients have just before they write the check or open their pocketbook. It’s the alarm bell going off in their minds which produces the inner dialogue, “I’m not so sure this is a good idea, but the salesperson seems to be telling me the truth.”

It's a huge deal for nonprofits. Our donors and prospects fairly tingle with trustiness when they consider giving to you. And that hesitation costs you a lot of gifts.

We live in a world of charity scandals. And skepticism is a normal frame of mind. How is a donor to know you'll be effective with her gift. How can she be sure you aren't a sham organization?

The burden of proof is on you. Own Your Brand suggests five things for businesses that want to overcome trustiness:

• Always assume the customer or client knows the truth.
  
• Recognize that trust starts with you.
  
• Disclose your agenda to your customers and clients.
  
• State the good you hope to do for your client.
  
• Ask for permission.
  

(Read the whole post; it's worth your time.)

Don't forget what it feels like to be a donor: You want to do the right thing, you want to make the world a better place. Can you be sure this particular gift is the right way to do that?

If you can answer those questions, you're well on your way to a gift.

Technorati Tags: fundraising, trust

Comments

[Michael Wagner]

Great to see you enlarge the "trustiness" conversation. Your insights are very helpful and encouraging to read.

I have been a leader of a nonprofit and nonprofits along with conventional businesses are my clients today.

Embracing the trustiness issue and the skepticism that flow from it is an essential for all nonprofits.

Keep stirring the pot - I really appreciate what you have said here.

Keep creating,
Mike

[Mori Umberto]

Great post and great ideas. I think it really applies to my organization now. We've been heavily involved in work to free the Middle East of WMD, sort of like the Landmine Coalition, except that we're the biggest user of landmines. Anyway, we had to re-brand our mission to exporting democracy, but that hasn't been as easy as it sounded.
So far our donors have really opened their pockets wide, but we've grown the organization so large now that we need to raise over $6 billion a month, and will need at least a trillion dollars in the medium-term. We desperately need some new tricks to make people think we have that trustiness.
Any suggestions?
Thanks! Mori

[Jeff Brooks]

Mori, my advice is to keep lying. Don't let even one little glint of truth show through, or you're screwed. Get our grandchildren to "donate" the money you need.