Because you aren't Barack Obama (or are you?)

In September the Obama Campaign raised a jaw-dropping, record-shattering $150 million. (More here.) The take more than doubled the $66 million they raised in August, which was itself a record-breaking month.

So now, many a fundraiser is asking Why can't we do that?

The assumption behind the question is that the Obama campaign achieved those numbers by implementing a bunch of good techniques, and if the rest of us could just put those techniques to work, we'd see unprecedented revenue too.

Not so fast.

Sure, the campaign has done a lot of things very, very right. (In fact, a lot us will be studying their techniques for a long time.)

But the real reason for their success: They have an ultra-compelling "offer." It's about an historic candidate who's running during a time of national crisis, whose message is utterly compelling (to his audience), and who delivers the goods whenever he speaks.

Without that, all the cool techniques in the world can only make an incremental impact on revenue.

So ask yourself: Is your organization a "Barack Obama"?

• Are you unlike all the others, or are you one of several similar organizations -- distinguishable only by experts and insiders?
• Is there urgency built in to everything you say?
• Do you have the ability to reach out, grab people by the heart and actually make them feel differently from how they felt before they encountered you?
• Are you fighting an enemy? (It needn't be a person or people.)

If you can say yes to all those, then you can ask:

• Are you really nailing your online fundraising techniques?

But first things first -- if you want skyrocketing, "impossible" fundraising numbers.

Technorati Tags: nptech, Obama

Comments

[Ted Grigg]

And note that the cause doesn't even have to be truthful, smart or even that great! Just kidding Jeff.

I recall that Clinton did very well compared to the Republicans when he was running. For the first time in the history of presidential fundraising, Clinton's team leveraged the Internet managing to outperform every other channel in raising funds from small donors.

Another lesson within your post, in my opinion, is the proven power of online marketing in the fundraising business. Fundraisers and their suppliers have been slow in adopting the Internet. And the sad thing is, they are still dragging their feet.

On the other hand, many fundraisers haven't even mastered the classic direct mail medium. So maybe that's life. Like individuals, few organizations achieve their real potential.