What fundraisers can learn from The Traitors - season 4

I don't know about you, but the last few weeks the Fireside team have been obsessed with The Traitors.

When I say that I've personally been obsessed, I mean obsessed. I mean reading clickbait articles such as 'Why Claudia Winkleman always wears fingerless gloves on The Traitors' level obsessed. Lisa was even obsessed enough to break her ‘no screen time before school’ rule with her kids to catch up on a particular episode.

Through conversation with our research lead, Lucy Mitchell, we've been talking about the things fundraisers can learn from The Traitors, and I'm really excited to bring that to you now. Please note there are spoilers through to episode 8 (which aired Thursday 15th Jan) below.

SPOILER WARNING

These lessons are based are based on the first 8 episodes of UK season 4, so if you're not yet up to date on The Traitors, look away!

Emotion often clouds judgement

You can see in the round table how much people want to go on 'the facts' or 'the evidence', but you can also see how quickly they go on their gut feeling.

Fiona’s outburst at Rachel shows this. She felt left out, or left behind, by the Amanda reveal and it led her to attack. If she’d been rational, she might’ve waited to raise her issues in the turret rather than going for a traitor vs traitor civil war. 

As fundraisers, a lot of what we're doing is trading on emotional investment - getting people to see the difference they can make, or the life they can turnaround through the decisions that they're making. So, learn from The Traitors that emotion can cloud logic, and lean into it.

Decisions are made outside of the boardroom.

In The Traitors, it's often said that people will make their decisions at the round table, but it's also really clear how often people are making those decisions before.

In the episode in which Sam was banished, after having been suspected of being a traitor all season long, you see people making their mind up that it's time to strike... before the boardroom even begins. Jessie makes a clear point of it during the mission, and Ellie says in the kitchen that her mind is made up. Very commonly, we go into a corporate meeting or pitch with a major donor thinking they're going to make up their mind there and then. We need to bear in mind they may be entering that meeting having already decided.

As such, we need to think about the touch points between meetings: texts, emails or phone calls. These give you a chance to keep people onside so you get the yeses you need.

It's not in the bag until it's in the bag.

Often as fundraisers, you'll receive a donation pledge - and it feels like you've reached the finish-line. The plan has been agreed. But it's worth noting that a pledged donation isn't a donation until it's in the bank... and a hare brained scheme isn't genius until it's come off. 

Harriet felt absolutely certain that her kamikaze gamble would ruin Rachel’s reputation. In the confessional, she truly had her on the ropes. But cracking in the final moment and throwing out several more names has weakened her position... Is it enough to keep Rachel from winning the game? Time will tell.This shows us it's worth having a backup plan. It's really easy to think that something is in the bag at pledge stage. It only takes one time of getting your fingers burnt to realise it's not in the bag until it's in the bag. 

If you want other key, bite-sized lessons, we’re delighted to be working on the Corporate Partnerships Conference with Fundraising Everywhere. Covering topics from ‘the importance of evidence’ (thank you round table), to whether Charity of the Year can ever be faithful, there’s something for everyone. Join us while there’s still space!

Save my seat

If, like Lisa, Lucy and I, you're glued to the screen, we'd love to hear who your favourite traitor and favourite faithful is. Or if there's a lesson fundraisers can learn that we've missed, let us know.

We can't wait for tonight!

As Claudia says... Enormous luck,

Andy

PS: If you're interested in why Claudia wears the fingerless gloves, it's because in her stylist's words, she "just really likes them". I read that 300-word article for that nugget so... you're welcome.