No One Googles “Unitrusts” First Thing in the Morning
Let’s get one thing straight: your prospect is not waking up at 6:00 AM thinking, “I need to learn about charitable remainder trusts today.”
If you want your planned giving program to grow, you must develop the single most important skill in donor communication: thinking like your prospect.
And that begins by flipping your perspective—from technical expert to empathetic guide.
Sell the Sizzle, Not the Steak
You’ve heard this before, but most fundraisers still don’t apply it. Instead, they send out brochures packed with tax jargon and estate planning mechanics.
Let me ask you something:
When’s the last time you went to a steakhouse and asked how the cow was raised, what grass it ate, and whether it had friends?
Didn’t think so.
You ordered because of how that filet mignon was going to taste, not how the USDA graded the hide.
Likewise, donors don’t give because they’re dying to know how a Charitable Lead Trust works.
They give because they want to leave a legacy… provide for a grandchild… support a cause they love.
Focus on that.
Think Like a Donor, Not a Development Officer
Let’s be blunt. Most planned giving marketers are talking to themselves. They speak in acronyms. They assume the donor understands the significance of a CRUT, CRAT, CGA or QCD.
That’s not communication. That’s self-congratulation.
You have to step outside of your own head and into the donor’s. Ask yourself:
- Who is my prospect, really?
- What stage of life are they in?
- What are their hopes, dreams, fears, and frustrations?
- What stories resonate with them?
- What do they want to feel when they give?
Once you know the answers, you can create marketing that makes people say, “That’s me. That’s my story.”
Show, Don’t Lecture
Instead of leading with, “A Charitable Remainder Unitrust allows you to…”
Try:
“Imagine receiving income for life while supporting the causes that shaped your values.”
See the difference? One sells function. The other sells fulfillment.
Take a Page From the For-Profit World
Dan Kennedy—legendary marketer and truth-teller—says it best:
“Think of yourself as the protector of the hordes of confused seekers. You are the one who will take your prospects by the hand and guide them through hype and confusion and lies, and take them to the promised land of clarity and truth.”
That’s what your donor is: a confused seeker.
And you? You’re their guide. Not their professor.
Kennedy also warns against the trap most nonprofits fall into:
“The more you listen to yourself, the less room you have in your brain for thinking about others.”
When you assume your donor thinks like you, you end up:
- Using industry jargon they don’t understand
- Emphasizing features over benefits
- Assuming they know why your nonprofit matters
- Believing they recognize your brand’s uniqueness (they don’t)
And worst of all, you begin to sound like a voice in an empty room. Polite smiles, no real engagement.
Practice Empathy, Not Ego
Let’s bring it home: your success in planned giving (and fundraising in general) hinges on one critical shift—getting out of your own way.
The donor is the hero. You are the guide.
Start thinking like your prospect, and you’ll never struggle for relevance—or results—again.
