How to Appeal to the Principled Donor

Principled Donors are the sixth type in our Donor Personality Quiz. To learn more about them and the eight other types, please read our in-depth article, based on the Enneagram test, here.

This type is best known for being engaging and responsible, although they can also appear anxious and suspicious at times. However, they can also be some of your most loyal donors.

See if you can recognize any of the following traits in your congregants:

• Loyal.
• Always stands their ground on principles.
• Hard-working and responsible.
• They never go back on their word, even with tithing and donating to the church.
• Heavy emotional connections to their giving.
• Motivated by deep principles.
• Gravitate to leaders who serve by example.
• Passionate about family and community.
• Often support long-term missions rather than one-time goals.
• Responsible.
• Values family time.
• Reliable.

Moving forward, let’s discuss some of the best strategies for appealing to—and convincing—the Principled type of donor.

How to Motivate the Principled Donor

We often see the Principled Donor as a regular tither or long-term supporter of nonprofits. Because they will get behind sustainable projects, they are extremely valuable as givers. They want their funds to enhance a worthy, long-term cause.

Below are some best practices for dealing with a highly principled person. This is relevant, not only for church donors but for any pastors and executive church leaders to be aware of.

Five Ways to Appeal to Principled People

Below are practical ways you can appeal to the Principled Donor. These tips are great for communication for every type of leader and manager.

Give Honest Appreciation

Don’t confuse this with flattery. The Principled Donor will tell when you are speaking from your heart. If you want to influence them to give, talk about their principles. Communicate what it is they want first. Give honest and sincere appreciation, showing that you are aware of their values and want to support what is important to them. Learn how to harness the power of appreciation in all of your communication.

Make Them Feel Important

How do you make these types of donors feel valued? By being genuinely interested in them. Find out what their personal values and interests are, and start the conversation there. Whenever you are communicating with the Principled Donor, whether in person or online, follow some basic etiquette rules to motivate them:

• Smile.
• Use friendly eye contact.
• Listen–don’t make it a monologue, but have a two-way conversation always, and do more listening than speaking.
• Watch your body language.
• Be genuinely open and friendly.
• Speak with a proper volume, not too quiet or weak-sounding.

Respect Their Opinions

This type, the Principled Donor, is a very opinionated person. There may be times when it feels as if they have different views than you as the leader. See this in a positive light, always respecting their opinions and the elements they bring to the table. It is no use trying to make them change their views, opinions, or principles. Simply show that you respect their beliefs, even when you are not on the same page.

Get Them to Support You Vocally

How do you get the Principled Type of Donor to say, “Yes, yes!” immediately? By finding common ground in your conversations and communications. One method for dealing with this type of person is asking questions, rather than making statements. Here are some examples of this:

· “Don’t you agree that the church should improve our technology and online standards? Would you like to help support the online programs we are about to start?”

· “Would you say that the world needs more education in communication? After the pandemic, didn’t it feel like some of us lost our basic social skills? We are thinking of running some communication workshops in the church, would you like to support this?”

· “We have not launched a youth program in quite a while. Do you think the young people in our church could benefit from a sports day? What do you reckon are the best ways to go about this?”

By asking the above questions and listening for their answers, you show the Principled Donor that they can make suggestions. You show yourself open and flexible. Plus, you also make them feel that the ideas are theirs. This gives them a confidence boost and the chance to share their values and principles, and encourages teamwork. Everybody wins!

Consult Them Rather Than Preach to Them

The Principled Donor prefers to feel that they are giving of their own accord. They secretly want to be consulted about their ideas and wishes; even their needs and suggestions. You can motivate them by appealing to their desire to be heard and valued.

How DonorWerx Can Help

Training your church leaders, pastors, and managers to fundraise effectively takes time. At the heart of this training should be a focus on the best communication strategies to implement with your donors.

If you want to be successful in growing your giving, talk to us at DonorWerx today. We have helped churches all over the world to upgrade their online giving strategy, providing them with the effective tools and resources needed to succeed.