Your donor is tired.
Tired of talking to you.
Tired of hearing from you.
Tired of your messages, appeals, and phone calls.
Your emails.
Tired of everything.
You can tell something is not right. It’s coming out of the donor’s pores – the scent of rejection, a voice that is asking you to stay away or quiet down.
This situation of donor fatigue is the “relative” of the “I don’t know what to talk about to my caseload donor” topic I covered in my blog post several days ago.
Ask yourself:

Why do I get tired in relationships and/or conversations?

Maybe it’s because you don’t find value or valuing in the relationship or conversation. Because it’s all one way – it’s what the other person wants or needs. And THAT is tiring.
In the last week, how many conversations have you been in – either at a dinner, a social encounter, on a plane or bus, with a friend or acquaintance – where you left the conversation tired?
I can count three in the last seven days. Three.
Why?
Because I was invisible. The other person was simply not interested in me, my journey, my day, or my interests. I wasn’t there. I was a ghost – a vapor.
They were busy telling their story, totally oblivious that it was a monologue and not a dialogue.
This is why your donor is tired. Because you really don’t care about her. You’re not interested in her. You haven’t taken the time to find out about her and talk about the things she’s interested in.
Admit it.
You were more interested in the money she could give. You had to get to that – because how else are you going to reach your goal?
I understand. I’ve been there. And I empathize.
It’s not easy.
So, I don’t mean to be rough in this conversation – or mean. I’m just trying to get your attention on the reason for your donor’s fatigue. Because I care. Jeff and I care what happens between you and your caseload donor. It’s important.
We know, from years of experience and getting beat up a lot in relationships, that listening to the donor and valuing them properly will make them happy. And then you’ll be happy and successful. And it will be a good day.
There’s nothing quite like finding that match between what a donor cares about and what your organization is doing. When you land on that – the whole world lights up! (Tweet it!) There’s energy, passion, excitement, and action.
Get back to that place with your caseload donors. Because when you do – you’ll get rid of donor fatigue.
Richard