BIG’s Blog: Pat Answers

Is it just me or is the nonprofit fundraising literature – articles, blogs, books, etc.– full of 3 or 4 or 6 step programs?

Alcoholics Anonymous is famous for their Twelve Step Program to sobriety. Twelve is a lot compared to most screaming headlines: 3 Steps to More Donors. Google “twelve step” and look at all the programs, everything from twelve steps to serenity to weight loss.

But we like step programs don’t we? We like the 8 Tips to “whatever” to solve our issue of the minute. We know it’s not that easy, but we click on it anyway.

And it isn’t just step programs. It’s “The List” … Madonna’s 5 Worst Fibs.

What do all these step programs and lists have in common? Aren’t they the easy way out? Someone else did the work to compile the definitive list for us so we don’t have to.

We are all busy. We all get sucked into way more than we have hours in the day, and then someone is offering us the 3 or 4 or 6 points that we need… that really plays to our desire to get a quick answer. Save time!

As fundraisers, maybe we should join the club: 3 Reasons to Donate to Our Cause!

My resolution: I will not click on anything that offers me the easy way, or the quick list for thirty days… unless it has to do with Madonna.


-Mike

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