Money is a sensitive topic. So when you’re approaching a fundraiser, it’s understandable that there’s some anxieties surrounding asking people for their money. However, there are some tactics you can avoid that can ease the discomfort. The following tips were first published in Market Smart in a recent post. They pulled together 8 behaviors that could turn people away from your fundraiser and squash your success. Let’s review them now so you can avoid them for the future!

1. Narcissism – focus on the donor

This typically happens on accident, but when promoting a fundraiser, organizations tend to talk all about themselves when instead, they should be focusing on the donor.

Rather than explaining your fundraiser in terms of your organization, ask yourself how it impacts your donor. Focus on why they should want to get involved as it’s likely that the act of contributing will not only benefit you, but will also benefit them.

2. Bragging – show humility

In order to get potential donors excited about donating to a worthy cause, organizations often talk themselves up. In doing so, they start to brag. But nobody likes a bragger. Don’t try to prove yourself or be something your not. Chances are, the more your organization can show its true self, the more donors will be excited to support you.

3. being impersonal – address them personally

As your group attempts to reach out to so many people, it can be challenging to talk to each of them individually. But the more you fail to address donors at an individual level, the more they won’t feel connected to you. Use their first names in your communication outreach and while you’re at it, pay attention to the details. For example, make sure you spell their name correctly!

4. neglecting what matters – pay attention

Fundraisers get time-consuming and can drag on. At a certain point, things get muddled and you start to make mistakes. However, donors expect you to be careful with their money. Be sure to stay on top of things so you’re meeting the needs of the donor. Ask them questions so you can be sure to match their desires and then deliver what you promise.

5. Obscurity – be clear

Since asking for money is awkward, many people try to beat around the bush. You need to tell the donor what you want or they won’t know how to help. You also need to hash out the details – even if you’ve said them before – so they can know exactly what they are getting into.

Another behavior that can lead to obscurity is giving the donor too many ways to help or too many options. At a certain point, they may get tired of combing through all the information. Help them through the journey by keeping it simple.

6. Snootiness – simplify

Again, people don’t often do this on purpose, but by using colloquialisms or wording that only makes sense to your organization, you can distance yourself from your donor, making them turn away. Explain things in layman’s terms.

Another way you may unintentionally do this is by using big statistics. You may simply be trying to show them the numbers in order to boost their faith in your group, but in the end, you lose the personal touch. Yes you can reference reports if you want to show you’re organized, but try to present the information in a simplified way.

7. Fakeness – be real

In attempt to boost that faith in your organization, it may also be tempting to gloss over details. Be sure you are upfront with your donors – especially if you make mistakes or aren’t sure about something. You may want to show strength and efficiency, but the more you maintain that human touch, the more they will trust you. If they feel you’re not being transparent, they’ll quickly lose that trust.

8. Being inconsiderate – consider their needs

Sometimes we forget that people need extra help reading or understanding something. Maybe they want to pay with check instead of credit card – make sure you’re being considerate of these needs. Similarly, be sure you are polite through the process AND after. Say a proper thank you to your donors.