You know what kills a campaign faster than anything? Taking your donors for granted.
I don’t mean on purpose. Nobody sets out to do it. But it happens anyway.
Somebody sends a check, the campaign cashes it, and that’s the last that donor ever hears from you until the next ask letter shows up.
That’s a mistake. A big one.
Here’s a stat that should scare you straight. Most first-time donors never give a second time. Eight out of ten walk away and never come back.
Why? Because nobody ever told them “thank you” like they meant it. Here’s the fix. Six words: “I don’t take you for granted.”
Say that to your donors. Mean it. Because here’s the truth. Nobody has to give you money.
They’re not paying a bill. They chose you. They believed in you enough to hand over their hard-earned cash.
That’s not a transaction. That’s trust. And trust deserves more than a form letter that reads like a receipt.
How to use this in your campaign.
Thank you letters: Don’t write “Thank you for your generous contribution.” Write like you’re talking to a real person who just did something that matters to you.
If it sounds like a receipt, rewrite it.
The phone call: This is the one nobody wants to do. Pick up the phone. Call a donor. Say thank you.
No ask. No pitch. Just gratitude. Do that and you’ll learn why they really gave. Once you know that, every future ask lands harder.
Volunteers: Same rule applies. A volunteer who feels appreciated shows up again. One who feels used doesn’t.
Beating your opponent: While his campaign is blasting the same generic thank you to everybody on the list, yours is making donors feel like the campaign couldn’t win without them.
Guess who gives again?
Here’s your homework. Pick three donors this week. Call them. Just say thanks.
Donors don’t remember what you asked for. They remember how you made them feel when you didn’t ask for anything at all.
Dr. Chuck Muth, PsD
Professor of Psephology*
(homeschooled)
* Psephology (see-follow-gee): The study of campaigns and elections