Suzanne Cole Nowers outlines the heroic journey of the nonprofit donor, and how you can help them succeed in their quest to give
The hero’s story is an archetypal journey that all protagonists go through and has been used to describe everyone from Jesus Christ and Odysseus to Luke Skywalker and Harry Potter. To explain very briefly, the cyclical journey begins with a call to adventure — such as discovering the hologram of a princess in distress (“Help me Obi-Wan Kenobi, you’re my only hope”). This is followed by trials and tribulations, usually culminating in a great battle with a villain (The Empire or Lord Voldemort), until the hero returns home, changed and strengthened. Think about any great, epic movie or book, and chances are you’ll see echoes of this cycle in every one.
Now let’s think about the story of your nonprofit. The hero of your story is the donor. From the call to adventure (the call to action) to the trials and tribulations (anything that may stop them from donating) to the return home (hopefully as a loyal donor and advocate of your cause), every communication between you and your donor contributes to the quality of their journey. Though the donor journey follows a typical path, we must avoid the temptation to see every donor as identical; your donors are as dissimilar as Odysseus, Luke Skywalker and Harry Potter.
People give because they want to be a part of a story much larger than themselves
Suzanne Cole Nowers
Therefore, your goal must be to create an easy and seamless journey for each of your donors that is not “one-size-fits-all.” To do this, you must involve every member of your fundraising crew: marketers, programmers, copywriters, designers, and volunteers.
The Call To Adventure
In the mythic hero’s journey, the hero is called to something great and initially refuses. They hesitate at the power or responsibility of the journey, but then something happens that convinces them that they must set out to make things better. So it may be with your donors. Perhaps they feel they are too busy or don’t think they have the budget to support your cause. But strong and consistent calls to action can show them that they have power and must make a difference. Whether it is through direct mail, email, social media, a billboard, or face to face, a strong call to action should tell a story, feel urgent, and make the donor feel the potential of heroism – like they will really add value by taking the next step.
The Road of Trials
In the Odyssey, the hero sets out on his journey home after the Trojan War only to be distracted by many foes. In the donor journey, the monsters that donors face are any friction that could distract or dissuade them from donating. For example, too many videos or long buffer times can frustrate and distract potential donors, leading them to abandon the journey. Depending on the channel, roadblocks to completing the donor journey could be slow page load times, broken or missing links, or copy that is too long or full of typos. Other difficulties might be a hidden donation button, an overwhelming amount of fields on the donation form, or unclear and confusing instructions.
The Triumphant Return
You got someone to donate! Yay! The hard part is over, right? Wrong. The goal of every nonprofit should be to make the donor journey so smooth and satisfying that donors will take it over and over. People will continue to donate when they feel a partnership with your organisation, when the donor feels being part of your cause has improved or changed them in some way. Make sure your donors feel necessary and appreciated by acknowledging their gift. Thanking your donor in a timely, personal, and specific way is one of the easiest ways to guarantee subsequent gifts. In addition, keep them updated on what their help means for your cause with newsletters or email stories. Seeing how essential their gift was, and how it was used to provide support, will go a long way toward future donations.
In all the great myths and stories, the heroes rarely complete their journeys on their own: Luke had Han Solo and Chewbacca while Harry had Ron and Hermoine. Your donors should not be out there alone on their journey. They should have you. So remember to be there for your donors along the way. Listen to them, regard them as partners, and adjust your strategy to meet their ever-evolving needs. People give because they want to be a part of a story much larger than themselves. So get out of your silos and come together as an organisation to create a journey that is seamless, clear, and inspiring, allowing your donors to be the heroes of the fundraising story.
Suzanne Cole Nowers is the CEO of Nexus Direct.
