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Raise More by Offering Less

raise more

It’s everywhere.   “We’re offering more for less”.  “Everything reduced 50% in our clearance.”

Such is the way to move product off the shelves.   And it works.

BUT.

How about the inverse?  Getting more by offering less.

For nonprofits seeking to raise money, when they offer less they raise more.

“How does that work?” your say.

Principle 2 of The Eight Principles™ is Begin at the Beginning™.  It’s the principle of communicating less to gain more.  Of communicating less broadly and generally to raise more.

Instead of attempting to become all things to all people you become very particular things to only some people.

So, how does this raise more money?

Not everyone will invest in your cause.  So stop trying.  So many well-meaning nonprofits believe that to raise more and more money you must appeal to a vast number of people.

That might work once.  But it doesn’t sustain itself and it certainly doesn’t scale.

Clearance sales are one-time events meant to move products that were less appealing than those that sold.  Buying high and selling low on a consistent basis is a prescription for extinction.

Think Ice Bucket Challenge.  Seen that work lately?

Make your message specific for a specific audience.  When you do so, you get the attention of those who WILL invest in your cause.

When investors like the returns they’re getting they usually invest more.  Returns in philanthropy aren’t financial.  They’re something far more valuable–and scarce.  Personal fulfillment for the investor.

Pull this off and you’ll never have to worry about “enough” for your cause again.  Instead, you’ll be wondering how to raise the expectations of your donors so you can delight them even more.

Now that’s a sustainable fundraising idea.

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