Please don’t go! 5 ways to win donor hearts again.

A lapsed donor is a donor who hasn’t given in a while.

(And of course, that’s insider talk. But you’re an insider, so we’ll use the term here.)

But how do you define that period? How long do you consider a donor active?

Experts tell us that after a first gift, you need to thank donors, report back on the impact of their gift, and ask again within 8 weeks if you want to keep them involved. So you could argue that a first-time donor is “lapsed” after that window.

I won’t argue that. But I think you need to look at more than just a specific time period to understand which donors you may be losing.

Of course, the best way to reconnect with lapsed donors is to keep them engaged in the first place. Do you track your retention rate? Can you tell which donors might be in danger of fading away?

Remember, donors don’t “lapse”. Usually, we lapse in our efforts to keep them engaged.

So why do donors leave?

Here’s a great infographic from Bloomerang. You want to know why donors leave you if you want to keep them.

There are reasons you can fix. And there are a few outside your control. (Death, relocation, big change in economic status…)

So let’s focus on the reasons you can address. Here are some big problems. Are they your problems?

Win back lapsed donors: communicate better

Communication issues are the heart of so many fundraising problems!

Let’s start with an obvious fix: thank your donors – all your donors – emotionally, promptly, and personally. Need some help with that? Read here, and here. Or check out the Thank You Letter Clinic on SOFII from Lisa Sargent.

Focus on donors in your communications and work to make it feel two-way. Don’t talk at them, talk with them. Credit donors for your organization’s achievements. Ask them for feedback at every opportunity. Call new donors or those in danger of lapsing and ask about why they give.

Be available. Don’t depend on an impersonal contact form on your website. If I donor bothers to call you, that’s important and deserves a response from a human being.

Communicate often enough. Some donors stop giving because they don’t even remember they gave! Don’t harass them with unnecessary email newsletters. Instead, work to get them the information they want.

What donors want to know: Did my gift make a difference? Do I matter to you? Are we making progress? Do you still need my support?

Try to answer those questions all the time.

Build trust

We’ve all seen the splashy news reports about organizations in trouble. But it’s not just national organizations that need to think about trust.

Trust isn’t easy to gain, but it’s easy to lose. So act with integrity. And be sure your donors understand your values and work.

Apologize when you goof. Honesty and a plan to do better will encourage donors to trust you.

Be as open as possible about your work. Are you doing what you say you will do?

Why did the donor give? Are you using that gift as promised? And if not, can you let them know why not? Don’t make promises you cannot keep.

Remember you’re in the customer service business

Yup. You are. If you work for a nonprofit, one of your jobs is to serve your donors well. We’ve talked about communications, but let’s talk about what happens at your office. Have you ever heard colleagues talking badly about donors? Do you find yourself doing that?

I know sometimes we all need to blow off steam. And sometimes, a donor can be difficult – or worse. But be careful about getting too cynical and negative. It WILL start to bleed into your donor relationships!

Those are some big issues. But I promised you some ideas to win donors back.

Try these ideas to re-engage lapsed donors

1. Find out why she gave and ask again.

If one aspect of your work is what attracted a donor before, send a similar request. Remind them about their passion for that particular aspect of your work. If they stopped giving, perhaps it’s as simple as repeating what persuaded them last time.

2. Let her know you’ve missed her.

People like to feel important. Let your donor know she’s been missed. Repeat every great thing that happened because of her support. And ask her to continue doing great things.

3. Call or write and ask why his giving hasn’t continued.

Be careful here. It’s entirely possible that your donor hasn’t noticed he’s “lapsed”. Chances are, you just haven’t been as important as other things. But if a formerly loyal donor suddenly stops giving, try to find out why. You may not re-engage them. But you may learn something important.

4. Ask for something else.

Your immediate goal is reconnecting. You want to pour a little water on that parched relationship. So ask for something other than money. Could they participate in a survey? Sign a petition? Write a testimonial? Call their election official? Make sure instructions are clear and the ask is easy to do. Then be sure you thank them well.

5. Invite them over.

If your organization’s work lends itself, set up a special tour and invite the donors who appear in danger of disappearing. Let them know you care about their involvement and want them to see the work up close.

One big don’t

Do NOT send an “invoice” or a “final notice”. Don’t try to scare donors into giving again by making them think they owe you. That’s a nasty and too prevalent tactic we could use a whole lot less of. Besides, donors are smart. They know there’s never a “last chance to give.”

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Photo by Jenn Evelyn-Ann on Unsplash