Foolproof Way to Make a Compelling Case that Keeps Your Donors Giving

One of the challenges you may face when attempting to raise major gifts is struggling to “convince” donors to give. In reality, you shouldn’t have to convince them at all… they should want to give!

So how can you create a compelling case for support?

You do so by writing a compelling case for support, which focuses on benefits, not features.

Features vs. Benefits

Remember the simple concept, features versus benefits?

Let’s take a fork, for example. The features of a fork are that it has a handle with three or four tines on the end. They can be made of plastic or metal. But all of those features don’t tell you what a fork is for.

The benefit of a fork is that you can eat food without getting your fingers messy, or putting your fingers in your food.

Or take a utility vehicle as another example. Features include things like:

• all-weather tires
• good gas mileage
• a 6-cyllinder engine

The benefit is that a utility vehicle gets you where you want to go, safely and reliably in all weather. I don’t really care about the all-weather tires, only that I can drive safely in the snow and rain.

A Real World Fundraising Example

Too often when I hear development directors describing their fundraising campaigns, they’re talking about bricks and mortar — in other words, features, not benefits.

But it’s difficult for most people to get excited about cement. And although donors may be literally paying for cement, that’s not what they’re investing in. In other words, they’re not giving to repave your parking lot. They’re giving because their contribution will enable more people to use your services. Donors give for what’s going on inside your building, not outside.

Donors invest to further your mission, not to build a building. The building is just the means to the end.

What are your donors investing in, really?

When I worked at Rutgers University, I was preparing to bring a donor to the library to discuss a library renovation. The day before the donor visit was scheduled, I went to coach the librarian for the meeting the next day. When I arrived, I found that the librarian had laid out a huge selection of paint samples and carpet swatches down the center of the conference room table.

(You should be thinking: paint is a feature, not a benefit.)

While she was technically correct — we were looking for donations to cover the cost of things like the paint and the carpet — that’s not what donors were investing in. That’s not what would excite them about giving. Not to mention the fact that the donor might want one color, and the University could end up going with another. You could literally lose a donation over a coat of paint!

Donors to the library at a university want to create benefits for the group it serves:

• opportunities for student to do research
• space for studying alone and in groups
• easier access for all kinds of educational materials

Donors want to know that they are helping create space for learning in optimal environments.

Unrestricted vs. Restricted Funding

The same idea can be applied when thinking about unrestricted funding.

Donors may not like the idea of paying the executive director’s salary, but none of the programs and services could take place without that cost of doing business. The salary is a feature, not a benefit. The results of your organization are the benefits.

It’s the same idea for bricks and mortar. Donors probably don’t want to pay for bricks, but they do want to pay for what happens as a result. It’s those results that you want to highlight.

The Final Takeaway

When preparing your case for support and speaking with donors, always remember to focus on the benefits, not the features, of your organization. Doing so will make raising major gifts easier.

What are the benefits of donating to your organization? Let me know in the comments.