The pathetic fallacy in fundraising

Is your fundraising trapped in the pathetic fallacy?

Warning to non-English Majors: This post dwells on literary terminology. Proceed at your own risk.

The pathetic fallacy isn't nearly as insulting a term as it might sound: It's the tendency in literature to ascribe human thoughts or emotions to inanimate things. (As in Nature abhors a vacuum. Nature is not a person; it doesn't abhor anything. Read the definition here on Wikipedia.)

In fundraising, the pathetic fallacy is the tendency to ascribe your thoughts or emotions to your donors. In fundraising, a moral element is sometimes is added: Donors should share your thoughts.

In poetry, it's a good thing (usually). In fundraising, it's a disaster.

You, as a professional in fundraising, are almost as different from a donor as a poet is different from an old barn. Your thoughts, your experience, your relationship with the cause, and (probably) your demographic/psychographic profile are all different from your donors'.

The moment you do (or don't do) something in fundraising because it would appeal (or not appeal) to you, you are on shaky ground. And it really isn't any better when you go to your spouse, your co-workers, or your friends. That's like asking your canary, "Does this cat food taste good?"

Don't create messages that would motivate you. Seek to understand your donors, and create messages for them. In fact, your most effective fundraising will most likely feel a bit off to you. Because it's not aimed at you. That wouldn't persuade me may be a true statement, but it's not relevant.

Once you free yourself from the fundraising pathetic fallacy, you can learn to appreciate donor-focused messages. And that's when you become free to do truly great work.

See also The word that can destroy your marketing.

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