Giving: The New Taking?

So says Trendwatching.  Here’s the logic.  People are disgusted by the forces that led to the recession.  They are seeking authenticity and meaning.  Which is making giving the new taking:

Passionate, empowered individuals (if not entire generations) being more willing and able to give, to share, to collaborate; to be more ‘generous’ in many ways. Which in turn has made generosity one of a new set of status symbols… The most important driver behind GENERATION G is a wide variety of consumers and citizens being more generous. We’re talking the collaborative / free / creation / crowdsourced / gift / sharing movement that—especially online—has unlocked in entirely new ways the perennial need of individuals to be appreciated, to be loved, to feel part of the greater good, to contribute, to help… To basically find status and gratification in something other than consuming the most or the best.

I find this concept intriguing, and there is plenty of evidence in the growth of social networks that we are sharing more than ever - and sometimes oversharing.

Don’t think this means the dollars are going to start rolling in.

It actually means more work.  You need to be generous too.  You need to make your donors feel seen and heard.  The days of monologues are past.  Think conversation, not conversion.  Read all the tips for companies.  I think for nonprofits, this means:

1.  You need to make donors feel included in your organization and how it conducts itself.

2. Make it easy and convenient to support you. 

3. Make your donors feel very appreciated.  You don’t have to buy them lattes, but at least thank them profusely.

4. Let your donors support you the way they want.  Let them decide how and when they want to hear from you.

The payoff?  Trendwatching says for companies it is:

It doesn’t hurt that in turbulent times like now, generosity will find an extra-appreciative audience, and certainly won’t be forgotten.  Not only will your customers be more appreciative, they’ll also return your favors by being more willing to spread the word about you. And being more willing to collaborate with you, co-creating or co-inventing or co-improving. Which would get us to CUSTOMER-MADE. See, we told you this would be an umbrella trend.  And last but not least, to manage a company with a caring, generous mindset can actually be good for your soul, too wink

Dear nonprofits, I think the same applies to us.

 

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