Peace Of Mind
A few weeks back, Seth Godin wrote a post called Selling the benefits of charity.
To tell you the truth, I didn’t get it. His conclusion … The scalable unique selling proposition is that being part of the community is worth more than it costs.
Huh?!
I just re-read it, hoping I might be smarter today, but still think it’s rather obtuse for perhaps our most gifted communicator about marketing.
But he did say this: A donation earns you peace of mind.
And that’s the real gem in his post.
Whether your donor is responding out of anger, frustration, hope, guilt, sympathy, fear or whatever feeling about an issue, what they are seeking emotionally is peace of mind.
They want to feel better about the situation.
Is that what your fundraising appeals are offering?
Tom
5 responses to “Peace Of Mind”
Behavioral Science Q & A
Thanks so much for raising this. Yes, capturing donor information can be helpful for stewardship like newsletters, thank-you letters, impact updates. But how you ask matters. Forcing full data capture introduces friction that can significantly depress conversion, many donors may simply abandon the process. Beyond the friction itself, required fields also shift the emotional experience […]
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Unlike holidays that everyone already knows, Giving Tuesday is a created event. Many donors recognize the name but not the exact timing, so referencing it becomes a helpful cue. It serves as a reminder and taps into social norm activation (“everyone’s giving today”), which boosts response. However, we still want it paired with the mission, […]
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When a subject line leads with the match (“Your gift matched!”), it risks triggering market-norm thinking: the sense that giving is a financial transaction rather than an act rooted in values, identity, and care. This shift reduces intrinsic motivation and, over time, can weaken donor satisfaction and long-term engagement. It also makes the email indistinguishable […]
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There’s no evidence that QR codes suppress mid-value giving; all available research suggests they either help or have no negative effect. In fact, behavioral and usability research consistently shows the opposite: reducing friction at any point in the donation process increases completion rates and total response. And that has nothing to do with capacity and […]
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What you’re experiencing is very common. Resistance often isn’t about capability, but about motivation quality. If board members feel pushed into fundraising, that triggers controlled motivation (low quality motivation) i.e. obligation, guilt, or fear of judgment, which often results in avoidance. Instead, we need to create conditions for volitional motivation (high quality motivation) by satisfying […]
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That’s a really thoughtful question, and you’re not the first to raise it. Many of our clients have been cautious about placing the ask at the very end. To address their concern, we’ve tested both approaches, and the results are clear: when the ask comes last, even if that means it appears on the second […]
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Hi Tom.
Tom Ahern was in Dallas yesterday and presented to the local AFP chapter. One of his talking points addressed “why donors give”. He too spoke to assuaging guilt, comforting fears and proving to oneself or others that they are good a person. My take away, the halo effect matters to the donor, wheather mentally or within the community.
Our fundraising appeals are getting Tom’s suggested audit, and our hope it that our fundraising appeals will share the love and we can all feel better about the situation.
I for one think you made a good point. People do contribute to feel peace of mind. Donating helps a lot with the soul.
So short.
So sweet.
So succinct.
So true!
@HashTagRon
At my last gig, fundraising for a mid-sized org, we talked about communicating a message of abundance, not scarcity. I personally prefer that (though it is sometimes tough). As a donor, I think it’s more exciting to build on the org’s history of success, like helping the next kid learn to read, as opposed to frantically filling the gap. Building on success is what makes me feel better at the end of the day.
What a great litmus test: Does your fundraising communication piece (whatever it is — an appeal letter, a proposal) offer the opportunity for peace of mind? If not, rewrite.
Love this post — many thanks!