Treat willpower as brittle; build systems instead

Does it sound familiar that despite your efforts and motivation, your donor engagement endeavors seem to be struggling? Sometimes we feel like we’re taking effective action, but we’re still left feeling frustrated because we're unable to establish strong relationships or sustain donor support. Behavior design strategies can help, because there are certain behaviors that will lead to increased long-lasting donor relationships, but many of us don’t know how to design them.

That’s exactly why I’m excited to introduce you to my special guest Juni Felix. Being a key member of the Stanford Behavior Design Lab teaching team, Juni deeply understands the scientific models and methods behind behavior change. Along with this, Juni proclaims her title as a sci-fi nerd, gamer, music artist, and explorer with pride and joy. Her mission is to guide people in creating helpful, effective systems using the science of behavior design to elevate their holistic well-being. That sounds like something all fundraisers could use, right?

In this episode, you will:

• Understand the importance of emotional well-being and sustaining enthusiasm in the demanding field of fundraising.
• Decipher efficient methods to manage tasks and uphold your motivation even while juggling multiple responsibilities.
• Learn to balance the delicate act of gaining new donors while prioritizing retention behaviors in your fundraising efforts.
• Find out how to build meaningful connections and express genuine gratitude towards your donors.
• Understand how to carve out small yet significant habits that offer long-term well-being for you as a fundraiser.

Get all the resources from today’s episode here. 

Many thanks to our sponsor, Bloomerang for making this episode possible. Bloomerang offers donor management and online fundraising software that helps small to medium nonprofits, like First Tee of Greater Akron, a nonprofit that empowers kids and teens through the game of golf. After just one year with Bloomerang they doubled their unique donors, improved donor stewardship, and raised more funds. Head to bloomerang.com/whatthefundraising to learn more about Bloomerang. 

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If you’re looking to raise more from the right funders, then you’ll want to check out my Power Partners Formula, a step-by-step approach to identifying the optimal partners for your organization. This free masterclass offers a great starting point