Do you want to know the secret to fundraising? It’s neuroscience. As a nonprofit, you’re always looking for new donors and ways to engage them. Neuroscience is the key because it will help you understand what drives people to donate their money and time. The nonprofit sector is constantly changing and adapting to the needs of donors. With fundraising success on the line, nonprofits need to know how donors think, giving marketers an edge in fundraising.
Do you know how your donors think? It can be challenging to understand what is going on in someone else’s mind, but neuroscience research has helped us learn more about how the human brain works. Understanding human behavior and how the brain processes information can help nonprofits better engage their donors. Neuroscience research has found that people are motivated by emotion, social connection, identity, avoidance, loyalty, and instant gratification rewards.
The Power of Emotion
Emotions remain the most potent player when it comes to fundraising. Thanks to the emotional contagion, donors are likely to donate more money when they see a passionate cause that they care about. The brain releases dopamine in response to pleasurable and rewarding activities, and donors who contribute to nonprofits will feel rewarded by funding a great cause. Content that also touches on people’s emotions is more likely to solicit donations. Examples include social posts about stories of generosity, personal success, disasters, or tragedies around the world.
Unfortunately, the most significant fundraising efforts are often made after there is already a need. Organizations seeking funding should always be proactive, instead of reactive, in soliciting and cultivating donors of all types. They should also be mindful of the power of reciprocity and its ability to increase donations. Nonprofits that offer donors tangible rewards for their contributions can reap higher benefits by creating an emotional connection to your organization.
A sense of empathy is also an essential driver for donors and can be created by using storytelling techniques in fundraising appeals. One specific example would be to describe how your organization has helped someone – this helps establish trust with a donor who might not know you at all.
The Power of Social Connection
Neuroscience research also shows that people are more likely to donate when they have the opportunity for a social connection with the nonprofit and its mission. Nonprofits should include opportunities in their fundraising campaigns for donors to share within their networks about what makes each donor unique through testimonials, pictures, or stories.
Suppose donors are motivated by instant gratification rewards with a social component such as when they see others donating and participating in your organizations’ activities. In that case, it’s important to make fundraising efforts personal by offering up ways to participate in a social setting, whether through event sessions, speaking opportunities, podcasts, or interviews.
The Power of Identity
When it comes to fundraising, many nonprofits focus on donors’ sense of identity. Identity is often tied to a person’s connections and the value they feel that connection provides them. Nonprofits can use this to their advantage by highlighting how membership in the organization contributes directly to worthy causes or benefits others within their community. This approach makes people feel good about their decision to donate.
Donors are also motivated by a sense of personal identity and belonging. A fundraising appeal that recognizes the donor as an integral part of the organization’s success is more likely to be successful than one which focuses solely on the organization.
Donors value donations by themselves to be more valuable than those made anonymously, so it’s an excellent idea for fundraising campaigns to include ‘personal stories of individuals who’ve donated or contributed in some way. This has a double benefit – not only does this make donors feel appreciated and meaningful but also helps donors see themselves as the hero.
The Power of Avoidance
Suppose donors are more motivated by a fear response like protecting themselves against potential harm or loss. A fundraising appeal that presents the donation as a way of avoiding some possible future scenario and not just an altruistic gift can be quite effective in motivating donors, especially if it’s framed as being either “now or never.”
In that case, it’s important to include language that makes fundraising efforts sound urgent: “Act now,” “Donate before we run out” because this is what makes the donations feel like they are needed. Different words have a bigger effect on people who are more motivated by either social or avoidance goals.
The language nonprofits use to generate fundraising efforts should be tailored to the donor’s mindset. Examples include saying “thank you” in a more personal and thankful way instead of a more formal thank-you note or just including the donor’s name in fundraising materials. Nonprofits should be mindful of what words they use to generate fundraising efforts and where they can make the donor feel appreciated.
The Power of Loyalty
Don’t forget that fundraising is a numbers game, and you will need to cultivate your donors for sustained success in the future. You can do this by continuing to communicate with them about how their contributions impact the world around them or how it has impacted one person’s life.
A loyal donor is happy to be contacted by a nonprofit and wants to support its efforts. Creating loyalty amongst your donors can be done by sending them a thank you card, following up with an email to check on how they are doing, and offering assistance in any way possible.
Takeaways
The neuroscience of fundraising is a complex and fascinating topic. Understanding how your donors think can help you develop more successful strategies to raise funds for your cause. The power of emotion, social connection, identity, avoidance, and loyalty all play into the neuroscience of fundraising. Understanding these concepts will help you create a more successful campaign that leverages your donors’ natural tendencies to give. If you don’t already have a tactic or strategy in mind for your next fundraiser – let’s connect to come up with some together.
