Be sure your donors know exactly what the benefits of giving are.

By Katya Andresen

The benefit exchange
In crass marketing terms, we call this the benefit exchange. It is the answer to the question, what do I get for my money? If I’m buying pricey antiwrinkle cream, the benefit exchange might involve $100 as the price for the hope that I can regain my youth. If I’m fundraising, there are many possible benefit exchanges I can offer my donors — faith in themselves, inspiration, a feeling of accomplishment, or, on a more mundane level, a plastic wristband or logo-laden coffee mug.