Donor perceptions: What hasn’t changed?

Flash back from a year ago today. The world was a totally different place.

The World Health Organization had just declared COVID-19 a global health emergency and the U.S. was over a month away from announcing the virus as a National Emergency. Going out to restaurants was still a thing. Joe Biden was not a frontrunner for the Democratic nomination. George Floyd was still breathing. President Trump had just been impeached (for the first time). The Republican Senate majority was solid. One of the worst seasons for natural disasters including hurricanes and wildfires was just looming on the horizon.

We’re in a very different place today. So are your donors.

There hasn’t been another moment in my career where we’ve seen such a momentous shift on so many fronts in such a short time. That’s why engaging in donor research right now is a smart bet.

Mark and I are always big proponents of donor research. And now is an incredibly important time for you to find out how your donors attitudes and perceptions have shifted and how you can best connect with them.

– What issues are most top of mind for them?
– Are they more concerned about domestic problems or international?
– How loyal are they to your cause? Your organization?
– What gives them hope?
– What makes them angry?
– What language do they use to describe your organization and your work?

The answers to questions like these can help shape your communications and outreach so you stay compelling and relevant in a time of cataclysmic shifts.