You've sent an important message to a donor. Maybe it was an email, a WhatsApp, or a text. You put thought into what you wanted to say, finally sent it, and now you're waiting for a response.
And waiting.
24 hours go by with no response. So do the next 24.
Maybe you can even see that the donor has read your message. But still, nothing.
Out of self-defense, you start to make up stories about why he isn’t answering. He's busy. Maybe he's not interested. Perhaps you asked for too much. Maybe you didn't explain things clearly enough, or you've approached him at the wrong time.
The problem is, you don't really know whether any of these stories are true. Even knowing that someone has read your message doesn't tell you what he's thinking. He might be planning to respond, but is simply caught up with something else.
Once you've convinced yourself that the donor is uncomfortable or uninterested, that starts to affect what you do next. You might put off following up, or when you do reach out, your tone is more hesitant or cautious than it needs to be.
And sometimes, all that hesitation can cost you an opportunity.
The next time a donor doesn't respond, remind yourself of what you actually know. You sent a message. He hasn't responded. That's all. There's no need to assume something has gone wrong. Instead, ask yourself: What's a reasonable next step with this donor?
Save your storytelling for when you're telling donors about the good work your mosad is doing. Not for making up stories about what they're thinking.
Hatzlacha raba!
Avraham
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