One of the most meaningful and important insights for life … and for fundraising, too.
First, a comment from author Carlos Ruiz Zafón…
“Everything is a tale. What we believe, what we know. What we remember, even what we dream. Everything is a story, a narrative, a sequence of events with characters communicating an emotional comment. We only accept as true what can be narrated.
This statement means so much to me…And to you, too?
Isn’t life a story? A series of stories? Isn’t every experience described via a story? How do you share your life experiences and moments in your job and narratives of your life moments?
Now think about fundraising. How do you invite gifts to your cause? You tell a story about the children you serve, the trees you save, the horror stories about injustice…
Think about the emotional content that connects people together. Honor and respect emotions … the feelings expressed through stories.
What story would a donor tell you about his/her/their gift … responding to that story about the charity you fundraise for? Think about the emotional content that connects to others and to each other.
Everything is a tale. And, a tale depends upon emotions.
Yes, emotions. Emotions are the key decision makers.
Carl Gustav Jung told us, “There can be no transforming…of apathy into movement without emotion.” And Canadian neurologist Donald Calne tells us that neuroscience and psychological research prove this “The essential difference between emotion and reason is that emotion leaders to action, while reason leads to conclusions.”
