What if we have over-automated everything?

Online fundraising is broken, sales are challenging, and it’s all the same root cause: easy tools to send blast messages at high volume.

AI sales bots. SMS campaigns. Lots of noise, zero signal.

The most successful sales, fundraising, lead gen, and advocacy efforts today aren’t built on massive automations to reach massive audiences. They’re built on relationships. Authentic, trusted relationships.

I’m not saying we shouldn’t reach large audiences. Relationships can happen at scale, it just requires more careful, intentional content and value.

ContactDrive is working with an organization who is hiring and recruiting a team of dozens en route to thousands who will be responsible for authentic, personal outreach in the election.

They can do it because they’ve spent a decade building a core of supporters. Not building a list — building fans. A list has marginal return. A fan base will walk through broken glass for you because they trust you.

What if we de-automated some of our outreach, content, and campaigning? What if we focused on building trust, relationships, and engagement?

Automation has not made it easier to make a quick buck. It’s made authenticity all the more important.