How to keep those donors
Oh, hello 2024.
Yes, your year-end fundraising efforts are over. Take a deep breath. Relax.
OK. Enough of that. Time for 2024 fundraising!
And here’s what I want you to think most about: retention.
I hope you welcomed new donors last year. And maybe even welcomed back some others.
But the time to build a successful year is now. And retaining donors is the key. Please don’t wait to think about this. Time goes by quickly… and it’s all too easy for donors to forget why or even whether they chose to give to your organization.
Make a plan now to keep your donors
My friend Pamela Grow has been saying this for years now. The secret to a successful fundraising program is a plan. Feeling your way through or sending an appeal only when a funding shortfall appears is not the way to go.
And it’s not all that hard. Build your plan now for the year ahead. Knowing where you’re going will make your life easier throughout the year. Get out of the office, and call it a retreat… even if you are the only member of the fundraising team.
Here’s what you’ll want to consider.
How, when, and why did your donors give?
Look at the data from last year (and maybe a few years beyond that).
- What channels did donors use to give? (Mail, email, in person?)
- Can you track what inspired the gift? (That check in the mail might be in response to an email. That online gift might be a response to a mailed appeal.)
- What messages resonated with the most people? (Was one ask much stronger than the others?)
- Was timing a factor? (Certainly year-end is always strong. But when did gifts come in throughout the year?)
Start here: how good is your thank you plan?
When donors give, they choose to send your organization money. It might be a considered decision; it might be a whim. Either way, you want them to feel secure. Did the gift arrive? Did it matter? Do they matter?
An auto-generated receipt doesn’t answer those questions. Help donors – especially first-time donors – feel needed. You’ll help them move you to the list of “charities I care about.”
This isn’t the place for a business letter. They sent money… and money has meaning. It’s not just a financial transaction. It’s a gift from the heart. Treat it that way.
Think about how it feels when you give someone a gift. Maybe it’s someone you care about and you’ve given the gift real thought. If they open the package and say, “Oh, thanks.” you feel crummy, right? It’s not just a weak response to your gift, it feels like a rebuke to you. Don’t make donors feel like that!
Lisa Sargent has written about thank you letters here. You’ll want to read it!
Show as well as tell that your donors matter
Are you sending a newsletter or impact report regularly? Is it all about your organization or all about your donors?
You should be showing donors their impact. Photos, stories, and updates about your mission getting done. But please, this is not a public relations piece. It’s not about your fantastic programs or staff. Credit donors.
The shorter the distance between your mission and your donors, the more likely your donors will stick around. Or in purely practical terms: you don’t need kudos; you need funding.
Your newsletter should be a regular part of your yearly communications plan. I’d suggest at least three a year. But it doesn’t have to be fancy and expensive. Simone Joyaux suggested a “newsy letter” – an informal letter, filled with updates on the work and crediting the donor. Add a few photos with captions and it’s done. No excuse not to get one out at least a few times each year.
If you can afford it though, a longer newsletter (four pages) will work well for you. You can include a return envelope and a reply form. And you shouldn’t be surprised when donors respond with gifts. After all, they’re seeing what they can do when they give!
Get to know your donors to keep your donors
If you can find ways throughout the year to get to know your donors better, this will improve your fundraising results, too. Everyone likes to feel seen. Asking your donors about themselves helps with that. And it helps you communicate with them better.
You can include a few questions about what matters to them on a reply form. You can ask them to answer a survey. There is a whole area of study about philanthropic psychology you can dive into.
Ask donors again – sooner rather than later
Unless a donor has specifically asked you not to send an appeal until later in the year, don’t wait.
Remember, you’re likely out of mind when you’re out of sight. So don’t be shy about asking again soon after their gift. Just be sure that the ask is compelling.
If you have several different mission areas, consider asking first-time donors for a gift in the same area that first inspired them. Then you can use the newsletter to broaden their understanding of your needs.
And do mention their past giving. It’s easy to forget that you’ve sent a gift. But letting them know they gave before helps move you into the “my charities” column.
Keep your donors: deepen their connection
One gift doesn’t mean you’ve gained a donor… it’s a beginning. So consider inviting them to a deeper commitment.
Add a monthly option on the reply form – and in the appeal, explain why that would be the best way to help. Make sure legacy giving is present, too. You can use the back of your reply form to let donors know about one way to give or the other throughout the year.
A donation doesn’t make a relationship. You’ll need to work for that. But that’s what our work really is… relationship building to further a good cause.
Make your plans now to focus on those relationships. Individual giving was down last year across the sector. You’ll want to do all you can now to succeed this year.
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