Donors know that money can buy happiness -- when you give it away. They seem to know another truth that's only now being "discovered" by scientists -- that gathering life experiences is a much better path to fulfillment than gathering stuff.
It's reported in ScienceDaily at Buying Experiences, Not Possessions, Leads To Greater Happiness:
A new psychology study suggests that buying life experiences rather than material possessions leads to greater happiness for both the consumer and those around them.... because they satisfy higher order needs, specifically the need for social connectedness and vitality -- a feeling of being alive.
As fundraisers, we are in the business of creating life experiences. Even the lamest, most old-school, donor-unaware fundraiser does that, because giving is a meaningfully positive action. Even when it consists of little more than writing a check and getting little feedback. It makes donors more alive.
That's our advantage. Our strength. So press it!
Make donating to your organization a real experience. More than the positive but short-lived experience of writing a check.
Make it more memorable.
Make it cool and worth telling their friends about.
More experiential.
Create more connection to the cause, the people, and fellow donors.
Technorati Tags: fundraising, experience
Comments