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Are your best donors as rational as they think?

What did you buy in the last week?

A sefer? Tank of gas? Bottle of wine? Gift for a loved one?

Why didn't you buy the cheapest option in each case?

If you think about this for a little while, you'll see that your buying decisions are extremely complicated.

Perhaps dozens of conscious and subconscious motivations go into buying something as inconsequential as a box of cereal.

If you think about this even more, you'll be forced to admit that your buying decisions are essentially irrational.

Sure, you might be able to list the reasons why you spent $150 on an esrog, or even more on a wristwatch, or a vacuum cleaner, or a laptop, or a hotel stay, or a flower arrangement.

But this is "after the fact" rationalization. It's you explaining to yourself why you're happy with your purchase. It's not why you decided to buy.

You decided to buy based on how the idea of the purchase made you FEEL. Buying decisions are emotional. We don't make rational buying decisions.

Your donors are no different.

They are NOT making rational giving decisions. They may say they are, but this is an after-the-fact rationalization.

So what can you do about it?

One thing that can influence the irrational decision making of your donors it to consider...

- How does your donor feel after they've interacted with you?

- What aren't you doing for them, to make them feel great, that you could be?

B'hatzlacha raba raba,


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