Who Are You Talking To? Pet Psychics & the Importance of Donor Personas

I’d never talk to my dad about working with a pet psychic to connect more deeply with my dog Chachi. He’s just not that type of guy. But politics? I can kvetch with him about that for hours.

My mom on the other hand would love to know what vibes the animal communicator picked up from Chachi.

I know my audiences.

Fundraisers need to know our audiences too. But we often treat donors like abstractions. A name in the CRM, a dollar amount, a donor ID or tracking code.

We’re too busy — managing campaigns, touchpoint calendars, channels, staff, CRM migrations — to think much beyond that. So we end up with this monolithic idea of “the donor.” One blob. One message. One engagement strategy.

For-profit companies obsess over their customer audience profiles. Nonprofits should think that way too — because understanding who your donors actually are is what will deepen loyalty and connection with your supporters.

Take Population Services International. When they looked closely at their donor file, they didn’t find one type of global health supporter — they found three. Effective Altruists — mostly male and skewing younger in age than typical donors — they wanted proof their gift was doing the most good, dollar for dollar. Women & Girls Advocates motivated by gender equity and reproductive health. And a third group whose motivations centered on global population concerns — let’s just say their reasons for giving were… complicated. Same organization. Three completely different reasons to give.

The most direct path to that kind of insight? Talk to your donors. Surveys, in-depth interviews and focus groups are underused tools in fundraising. When you do this work, patterns emerge.

For instance, in a study of nearly 6,000 mid-level donors, we uncovered three psychographic profiles that show up across organizations and causes with remarkable consistency.

• All business donors treat giving like an investment. They want impact data, accountability, proof that the organization runs well and relatively modest engagement.
• Engagement seekers want a relationship. Recognition matters. So does feeling like an insider — part of the mission, not just a funding source.
• Hands-on donors want to do more than write a check. They’re drawn to volunteer opportunities, advocacy asks, on-the-ground involvement. Giving is one expression of a much bigger commitment.

The same appeal lands completely differently depending on which of these three people is reading it.

You don’t need a perfect research study to start thinking this way. You just need to get curious about who’s actually in your file.

And if you need help, we’re here. And if you’re the type who is interested in pet communication, Chachi told me he’s living his best Brooklyn life.