What Do Shark Week and Fundraising Have in Common?

This week marks the 25^th anniversary of the Discovery Channel’s ever-popular Shark Week! Here at Fundly, we too fall victim to shark mania, the annual celebration highlighting some of nature’s most captivating predators. From the first time I saw the movie Jaws to the many times I’ve watched the movie Deep Blue Sea on television, I love the suspense and action that these thrillers bring. I still have second thoughts about entering into the ocean!

What in the world does Shark Week have to do with online fundraising? Keep reading for some takeaways from these fascinating sea creatures…

1)      Prevent  your donors from feeling like prey – The shark fin in the water from Jaws and eerie music (da-nuh, da-nuh), sets the tone for sharks in popular culture. It gives the viewer a sense of feeling like they are being hunted (I’m coming for you!).  How do your donors view you? Continually asking for donations, rather than truly connecting with people who are supporting your cause, can often times cause them to lose interest. Listening to comments and ideas goes a long way towards building trust between your organization and donors. Timely thank you’s, sharing of milestones and progress, and discussion about topics beyond your cause can also do wonders as you create lasting relationships with your supporters. Don’t be a fin and the water hunting for donations, show your face and tell your story to allow people to approach your cause in a positive way!

2)      Don’t stay in one place, migrate! – Great white sharks travel thousands of miles to keep their bellies full, from the coastline to the deep waters of the ocean. As the weather changes and different species migrate, the shark explores different paths to avoid depleting one source of food and to find other means of surviving. Nonprofits can learn a valuable lesson from this: don’t spend the entire year feeding on the same limited resources. As a nonprofit leader, it is important to be mindful of your donors so they do not burn out and become extinct. Building a fundraising strategy that includes several types of donors and fundraising avenues will allow your nonprofit to sustain itself throughout the year. Look for new places to fish –  like social networks, community mixers, or public events.

3)      Getting “chummy” with your donors – We’ve all seen divers throw in buckets of fish parts into the water to attract sharks with the enticing scent of blood penetrating the water. To catch a larger shark with a fishing rod, the bigger pieces of bait need more hooks in them to hold heavier sharks.  The same is true when you are looking to attract higher end donors. What type of bait are you putting on the line? Consider advertising, press releases, public relations, tax write-offs, and volunteerism to build community as part of their benefits. You also may want to honor individuals at annual events, create a major donor plaque to display in your front office, or highlight levels of giving in your annual report or quarterly newsletter. Even the simplest of thank you on social media can go a long way to help keep them on the line.

Here a few more key lessons from Shark Week:

• Start a feeding frenzy.
• Keep moving.
• Sometimes it helps to hunt in packs.
• Trust your instincts to stay afloat.