Why is it hard to raise funds?
One reason is that large numbers of people don’t believe what you’re saying. No matter how obvious and self-evident you think it is.
That’s what Seth Godin reminds us at Facts are not the antidote for doubt:
… facts won’t change a mind that doesn’t want to be changed. More facts don’t counter more doubt. Someone who is shaking his head, arms folded, eyes squinted and ears closed isn’t going to be swayed by more facts.
This tells us a lot about the weird state of US politics these days.
But more to our point, it reminds us of one of the important truths about fundraising:
You are never fundraising from “everybody.”
The only people who have any chance of responding to your asks are those who already know, understand and believe. Everyone else doesn’t know about your cause, or doesn’t care about it, or won’t believe you in any case.
Don’t waste your time and money on those people. You aren’t going to get them.
Instead, tell the story of a problem members of your “tribe” want to solve. And don’t try it with facts; they have almost no impact on the hearts even of believers!
