Today is Colorado Gives Day.  This is a day where the Community First Foundation will process donations on their giving site for free with the potential for an incentive bonus from 1st Bank.  It is also a day that I am being inundated with donation asks.

I am a giver to a variety of non-profit organizations.  I am on several lists.  I know many people are too.  What you send to us matters, and the audience development you are doing or not matters too.

With all the messages that are flying at me today, what makes you different, special, stand out from the crowd, that will make me want to donate to you rather than one of the other organizations?  Have you built a relationship with me over the years to make me want to give to you more than another?

I found my decisions this year to be rather similar to other people’s:

• I considered what matters to me.
• I considered the work that the organization is doing.
• The organizations that have reached out did get more consideration.
• The organizations I have a relationship with currently are the ones that I donated to.
• The organizations that I have the strongest relationships with, I gave the most to.
• I gave the biggest donation this year to the organization where I am an active board member.

This is why audience development is extremely important in the giving arena.  The decisions for people to consider giving, to give, and how much to give rely on it!  If you are not building relationships and getting people more involved, you may miss out on being considered, on receiving the donation, on getting the bigger donation gifts.

Happy Colorado Gives Day to you!   Whether you live in Colorado or not, I hope this reminder to do your audience development work will give cause to celebrate increased gifts in the future.

Cheers to happy and loyal audiences,
Shoshana

Shoshana Fanizza
Founder and Chief Audience Builder