74. Mobilize Your Mission: Learning the Dos and Don'ts from Political Fundraising with Ian Patrick Hines

Political fundraising versus nonprofit fundraising. They might be very different animals, but there are still common lessons to be learned. My guest on this episode of What the Fundraising is offering fascinating insights into what does – and doesn’t – work when it comes to attracting and retaining a loyal donor base. A certified NationBuilder expert, Ian Patrick Hines knows how to leverage game-changing tools and why it’s important to differentiate between high-pressure, quick conversion campaigns and the kinds of high-quality, sustained communications that cement nonprofit partnerships.

Ian offers great strategies for shifting your fundraising model from one of scarcity to deep abundance, fills us in on the current status of various modes of pitching, and reframes donor communication as an ongoing conversation rather than endless series of “donate now” emails. 

You’ll learn about the inverse relationship between pseudo-urgency and long-term donor engagement as well as how to develop a communications style that will establish your organization as a trusted advisor – rather than another source of noise simply to be tuned out.

Updates featuring personal narratives and compelling voices, in the long run, says Ian, are far likelier to generate the donor relationships that fundraisers seek. His best advice? If he was running a nonprofit, he would email a lot. But he would rarely ask for money.

Episode Highlights:

(02:57) Ian’s fundraising journey 

(03:40) The changes we’ve seen in political fundraising and campaigns generally

(05:12) Scarcity versus Abundance

(08:37) Quality Matters

(10:16) The pitfalls of taking an overly aggressive or deceptive startup approach 

(13:23) Time-box moments. How to do them right and wrong.

(17:05) The challenge to keep fundraising authentic in a click-bait world.

(22:20) Conversion rates and real on-the-ground responses

(25:27) Ian’s advice for nonprofits on their communication’s strategy. 

(26:50) Establishing trust through your communications. 

(30:36) The numbers Ian uses to know if he’s ‘on track’ with his fundraising

(31:30) All about fundraising via text.

(37:42) More about Ian and where to find him. 

Many thanks to NationBuilder, the innovative software platform that builds movements, for sponsoring this episode of What the Fundraising. With everything in one integrated system, NationBuilder tools empower nonprofits and drive dynamic campaigns.

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 that helps you identify the optimal partners for your organization. This free masterclass offers a great starting point!

You might also be interested in taking my Fundraising Superpower Quiz.