Are You Marketing and Raising Funds the Right Way for Today's Donors?

There's a simple answer. Nonprofits need to review their marketing and fundraising strategies and determine if they are outward- or inward-focused. I guarantee that the majority are inward-focused. It's why donors continue to question where money is being spent (even in some of the world's top charities), how progress is really being made and why they should continue to support.

Here are five easy questions to ask when you are reviewing your donor communications:

1. How much of the focus is centered on what the organization does and how the organization measures progress?
2. How much of your focus is centered on how your donor benefits from being involved with you?
3. How much of your focus is on helping your donor understand his/her involvement and his/her part of the greater picture (versus telling donors how they can help the organization)?
4. How much of your overall strategy is focused on the profiles of your donors — are you marketing to your donors through their eyes or just marketing about your organization?
5. How much of your overall strategy is focused on recognizing the strength of the relationship the donor already has with your organization BEFORE you simply ask for more?

If you have determined that you spend a lot of time talking about your organization and your work and less about your donors and their needs and expectations with your brand, I suggest you start to make changes.

This is about all of our donors, members and volunteers and how they are changing, especially the changes by brands much, much bigger than nonprofits.