I received a fundraising email from a GOP organization that shall remain nameless to protect the guilty. It’s bad.
First, it didn’t come “From” a person. It came from some entity called “Finance” – which also “signed” the appeal. Hardly personal. Strike one.
Next, the text in the email claimed “we have on our records that you’ve been a top supporter and wanted to touch base because we are expanding our LOW DOLLAR DONOR PROGRAM…”
I’ve never contributed to them at all, let alone at the “Top” level. So either their records are wrong or they’re lying. Strike two.
It then went on to claim: “Today, we only need 29 more $3 donors by midnight to fulfill our low dollar donor program for this week.”
29 more $3 donors to reach their artificial goal by midnight? Does anybody really believe any of this? It’s an invented scam. A fundraising “trick.” Strike three.
But here’s the thing…
Maybe it worked. Maybe enough people were duped by this appeal and kicked in their three bucks to characterize the request as “successful.”
Maybe. In the short term.
But the damage such misleading appeals do to the credibility and reputation of your campaign or organization over the long term can’t be measured. That danger should be taken into consideration.
Won’t be, though. Not if it “worked.”
Cheers!
Dr. Chuck Muth, PsD
THE CAMPAIGN DOCTOR
Professor of Psephology*
(homeschooled)
* Psephology (see-follow-gee): The study of campaigns and elections