Are you starting a relationship or ending it?

I don’t often blog about my mega-marketing crush Seth Godin. I figure he gets a ton of play and doesn’t need my humble amplification.

But… this post is something fundraisers cannot miss!

He asks the important question: Are you approaching your customer by focusing on the transaction (e.g. Let’s get this over with.”) Or are you approaching your customer by focusing on the relationship (e.g. “Let’s start something together.”)

The choice you make will effect your philosophy and your strategy. It’s an important fork in the road. And too often, fundraisers choose the former option.

It’s understandable. As we are challenged to raise more and more money, more and more quickly, it’s the easy choice to focus on the pay out — the transaction. How fast can we get this prospect to convert? How much money can we get if we tweak our gift string just so?

But what if we asked other questions? How can we build a trusting relationship with this prospect or donor? What does that experience look like? What will the pay out be when we have a tribe, not a list?

Seth argues that we can’t be focused on the transaction and the relationship at the same time. Which path will you choose?