I get it. You want engagement. You want donors to feel heard. And someone, somewhere convinced you that a faux-official looking survey with a registration number and a barcode was the way to do it.

But here’s the thing: Your donors aren’t idiots.

We recently ran a study looking at donor reactions to these “surveys” – you know the ones. They arrive in official-looking envelopes, have urgent response dates, and somehow only ask questions where the correct answer is “Very Important.”

The results?

Well, they’re about as pretty as a bear-proof storage locker being seen as manipulative, disingenuous and an obvious ruse.

Let’s dissect what’s happening here. The survey includes all the greatest hits of manufactured urgency:

• A fake survey registration number because nothing says “we value your opinion” like a randomly generated string of characters
• A “respond by” date pulled out of thin air
• Questions that make “Have you stopped beating your wife?” look nuanced

The tragic part? This approach isn’t just ineffective – it’s actively harmful. You’re burning trust and trust is the only real currency in fundraising.

So what’s the survey alternative?

• Use progressive profiling by asking 1-2 meaningful questions at a time
• Tag responses in your CRM and actually use them in your segmentation
• Follow up to show donors how their input shaped decisions
• Ask about donor experience with your communications and use the data to improve
• Share donor feedback with program staff
• Try a “Voice of the Donor” panel approach
• Use donor advisory councils for major donors
• Create feedback loops through your acknowledgment process

And what about that mailing? This is an iconic, touching infinity piece of Americana.  A take your breath away moment, not a barcode.   The DonorVoice lead for this package:

Last month, I watched a father lift his daughter onto his shoulders at Valley View. Half Dome was catching the day’s last light, and the Merced River was singing its ancient song below. The girl gasped – that pure, unfiltered sound of wonder that only children can make. “Daddy,” she whispered, “the mountain is on fire.”

Your donors don’t need or want a gimmick to care. They need to remember the first time they rounded that bend into the valley and felt their heart stop.

That’s the story worth telling. That’s the connection worth making.  And that’s what your next mailing should be about.

Kevin