Hands-On Fundraising

Donor Communications

  • About
  • Blog
  • Services
  • Contact

Are you nervous about 2023? Here’s what you can do

You’re feeling a little nervous about the economy. And you’ve been planning for this year. So you’ve been reading good advice, like this piece in Philanthropy Daily… or this, more succinct, advice from my friend Denisa Casement:

So now what? How to maximize your fundraising results so you can keep doing your good work?

Here are some things you should and shouldn’t do.

Do continue communicating regularly with your donors.

You can cut back on some extras – like additional pieces in your direct mail packs or continuing to mail to donors who gave small gifts years ago and not since. But do not stop.

It’s simple really – when you stop asking for help, you stop getting it. Do you need help? Keep asking.

Do make every communication as warm and human as possible.

You can do this with a small budget. In fact, you might find your response is better when you allow your mail to be less glossy, less corporate, and more real. Jettison the fancy paper. Leave out the brochure that isn’t really connected to your ask. Focus on a great message. And most of all, make your communications emotional, warm, and human.

Do consider asking for less.

Your loyal donors feel connected to your cause. They really care about what you do. And some of the most committed will feel just awful if they can’t continue to give at the same level now.

Don’t let them feel awful. Give them a graceful way to give less and still feel as connected and important to your mission:

I know some people are finding it hard to give as much this year. But please understand that anything you can send will matter. And if you can’t give right now, please know we continue to think of you as one of our most loved partners.

You may even find that people who are still doing well read that and decide to pick up the slack with a larger gift.

Do be clear about your need

Steven Screen offers fantastic advice here. (You should subscribe… great advice with every email!)

Are you being clear that you need money? That your beneficiaries or mission need the donor’s help? Spend less time trying to prove your worth (we did this, and we did this… please, like us!) And spend more time focused on the need for gifts.

That’s why you’re fundraising, isn’t it?

Do not ask donors to care about your fundraising goals

Your goals are your inside issue. Your mission is what your donors care about. When you’re talking to an outside audience, talk about the mission. And yes, you can still equate that to dollars. If $50 buys a week of food for a family of four, talk to your donors about that… and about how many more families are hungry.

Do not stop communicating in the channel that raises the most money

For most organizations, that’s mail. Yes, email and social media are “free”. But if free raises much less money, is it worth your focus?

Do use all the channels you can. But keep communicating in the channel that works best for your donors. Your budget will thank you.

Do pare your message, not your communication

Can you distill your organization’s mission need into one simple-to-understand proposition? Spend time creating that message. Use it across channels. Find stories to illustrate it and use them throughout the year.

But don’t ignore what your donors give to! If you have several major mission areas, but donors are most aware of one, fundraise for the one they know and love. Just be sure you’re always clear that donations will fund all your good work.

Don’t panic

This new year may bring out the best in the kind people who support our organizations. If you keep them involved, they just may surprise you.

Finally (and this one’s for the boss)…

Do not cut your fundraising staff

Fundraising staff are mission critical. You can’t expect to have the money you need for your mission if you don’t have good people raising that money. And I’d add to that – your individual giving staff is your future. These are the people who find and grow the broad base of support you need to do more good work. You need them if you’re going to get through a bumpy patch and thrive in the future!

Photo courtesy of Gratisography

Filed Under: Blog, Planning Tagged With: donor communications, donor retention Leave a Comment

Trust, more valuable than money

Man's hand holding a cracker out to a small, blue-gray bird. The scenery is green and covered with moss.

Trust is one of those things that you can’t necessarily put a dollar value on, but you know matters, a lot. But like your database or your donor relationships, it’s critical to a successful fundraising program.

Your brand isn’t about colors, type, or taglines.

Do you remember the outrage that United Airlines created years ago when it had a paid customer dragged from a plane? The customer’s crime was not volunteering to be removed when UA wanted seats for staff members. He was selected by a random drawing. In spite of purchasing a ticket, boarding, and taking his seat, he was expected to leave quietly and deal with waiting a day for a new flight.

The video was scary. His cries and his busted lip immediately went viral.

The airline’s non-apology apologies didn’t help a bit. The next day, their stock was down and their brand was in tatters. As the internet blew up about the incident, no logo, no tagline, or clever ad campaign was going to help.

United forgot what its brand really is: how people perceive the company.

When you offer terrible customer service, your brand suffers. When you treat people well, your brand improves.

Do unto others, people.

So what does this mean to us?

(Besides looking for a different airline if we fly, that is.)

It’s a good reminder for every organization. Focus on the important things first.

A great website, logo, and tagline are important. But their importance is in being part of something broader: the organization’s brand. That brand is informed by those assets. But the brand is so much bigger and the important parts take constant attention.

Communicating your values well, and acting in accord with them, builds the trust every organization needs. And if you’re asking people to give you their trust – and their money – you need to nourish that brand. With actions, not just colors or fonts, or logos.

Your brand is how people feel about you.

I can happily get as lost as anyone in colors, fonts, taglines, and all of that. It’s like handing a kid a new box of crayons.

But while all of how you look is important, how you behave is more important.

A more positive, personal story: my family drives the same brand of car. We’ve purchased that brand through several iterations now.

The cars are good. But so are other brands. What keeps us coming back? Great service. When we first bought our cars, the salesman was a friend. And the service department is the best. I have never approached a visit with fear and anxiety – with my “fight” reaction ready to go.

I’ve never been “little-ladied” there, either. If they tell me something needs to be fixed, I know it needs to be fixed.

That’s trust. And that’s what your organization needs.

The good news is that trust isn’t a matter of spending money. The smallest organization can do as good a job as the largest. (Maybe better, because they’re closer to their donors.)

The bad news is that once lost, trust is very hard to regain.

How to establish and build trust

There are things you can do to build the trust your donors and others have in you. None of them are big secrets – they’re common sense, really.

But give them the time and energy you might spend arguing over a typeface and you’ll have happier, more loyal donors.

Do what you say you do: example one

The Red Cross got in a world of trouble over their work after the earthquake in Haiti and Hurricane Sandy.

Sure, there were difficulties and distinctions that only an insider would appreciate. But what the public saw was simple: “You said my money would pay for this. It didn’t.”

Example two

Recently, I read a few tweets about CVS pharmacies and a campaign to give at the cash register. I love those – it’s an easy hit of “feel good” and pretty painless. But today, I read that CVS is being sued for asking customers to donate to the American Diabetes Association at checkout. The problem apparently is that CVS had already committed to giving those dollars (so a CVS donation?) and customers’ gifts were perhaps reimbursing the company for their commitment.

I don’t know the legal requirements at play here. (Here’s an article if you’re really interested.) But it almost doesn’t matter. Because if customers see this, the lack of transparency will make them question the organization. That’s a loss of trust that a huge corporation can probably absorb.

But what if it was your organization?

So don’t fudge. Be honest. It’s a challenge: honesty is often nuanced and complicated. And simple and clear makes for better fundraising. You need to figure it out all the same.

You want a simple, clear offer. But it must be built on a trustworthy reputation.

“This is a big problem. We need your help. Our plan is to rebuild Haiti – but when we get there, we may learn more. What’s best for the people of Haiti may change how we use your donation. We know you care, so we’ll keep you informed every step of the way.”

“We committed up front to ADA and they will get every cent of that commitment, whether our customers contribute or not. But we should have been more open with our customers about this arrangement.”

Be consistent

This is where branding tools such as logos and colors can matter. If your donors come to expect one look and are suddenly presented with a complete change, that will cause questions.

“Is this my organization? Why did this change? What else don’t I know?”

Communication is the cure here, too. I know it’s fun to have a big unveiling. But I think you should consider your donors as insiders, too.

Surprises that make them question your identity are not fun surprises.

Be transparent with success and setbacks

Yes, I know that’s a word verging on jargon. But that’s because so often, transparency is said but not done.

So please do it.

Share your successes, but also any setbacks. Charity Water does a great job with this. That project you funded? You know how it’s going every step of the way. And when the project doesn’t perform as expected, you know that, too.

Check out “Capturing Water Flow” here.

Build trust by being open with your finances

Also: your finances. When how you use money, and how you spend money, feels like a secret, you lose trust.

And I know this is tricky because the past dependence on a simple, deceptive ratio (fundraising expenses as a percent of the budget) helped no one. Report honestly – and explain.

Maybe you’re forecasting a greater need for your services in the next five years. Responsibly, you’re ramping up fundraising efforts now so you’ll be ready. Report those expenses – and why they’re smart.

Donors are not strangers, so don’t treat them that way. You don’t want them to be outsiders. And as fundraisers, part of your job is to be sure everyone in the organization understands that.

Be in it together

I often talk about treating donors like partners. It’s not just talk and donors aren’t stupid. Believe me, we can all sense when we’re simply ATMs.

So begin by placing yourself on the same team as your donors and other supporters.

Did you know that showing similarity can build trust?

You and your donors have something powerful in common: your mission. Remind them of that, and treat them like the colleagues they are.

Be trusting and reliable

Assume the best in the people you deal with. That includes your donors. That angry person who calls about her name listing might have good reasons to be upset.

The donor who wants one solicitation a year is probably very organized – and will donate loyally if you ask once. If he can depend on you to do as requested, you can depend on him to continue giving.

And yes, you need to thank every donor for every gift – regardless of size.

And you need to report to them about what their gift makes possible. That’s part of the bargain, too.

A pain? “Extra” work? Maybe. But that’s the relationship you’ve solicited.

Don’t assume any of your donors are trying to make life difficult for you. Assume they’re wonderful people who care about a good cause.

Treat them with respect and they will trust you.

Trust is precious today

We all live in a world where our fight-or-flight reactions are constantly tweaked. It’s horribly stressful.

Your organization can be a refuge from that stress for your donors and potential donors.

Giving creates the opposite reaction in our brains. It makes us happy. So be the place that makes your donors happy.

Just as I can relax when heading to my car dealership, make your organization a sure thing – a safe port in the storm of their lives.

Be human. Be thoughtful. Be responsible and honest and kind.

That’s the branding that matters most and builds trust.

Photo by Marek Piwnicki on Unsplash

Filed Under: Branding, Uncategorized Tagged With: donor relationships, donor retention Leave a Comment

You have new donors. How will you keep them?

Light orange sign says "Welcome" on a background of greenery

Keeping those new donors is critical

M+R Benchmarks report a 32% increase in online giving in 2020. The Fundraising Effectiveness Project reports a 10.6% increase in giving compared to 2019. Organizations that were ready – or able to get ready, fast – were successful in the midst of the Covid pandemic.

And that’s fantastic news!

But it also makes the question more pressing: how will you keep your new donors? The FEP also reported the new donor retention rate in 2020: 19.2%

Four out of five of your new donors won’t be back.

Unless. Unless you take thoughtful action now to strengthen their loyalty to your organization. What does it take to properly care for donors? 

What does it take to properly care for donors? 

Not that much, actually. I’m serious. Treat donors as if you care that they exist – beyond their giving. That’s why it’s so sad to see good organizations letting this important part of fundraising slide down the priority scale. 

We often call proper donor care “stewardship”. The word “steward” is an old one. Old English old. But it means simply, “guardian”. And that’s good to keep in mind – because when you make stewardship a priority, you are guarding your donor relationships. That means you’re guarding your future fundraising success!

Donor stewardship basics

Of course, relationships don’t always fit into neat boxes. Some donors will look for more engagement – that’s a good sign! Some will need less – but unless they ask to hear from you less often, over-deliver anyway.

Think of stewardship as a plan, a critical part of your fundraising strategy. Be intentional about it. But don’t worry. You can break the process down. Here are four critical steps you should include in your plan.

Thank donors well

Before you even deposit the check or process the card number, have a thank you program in place. I say “program” because saying thank you should never be an afterthought. Or a chore. 

Here’s how to work a specific thank you into your process: write the thank you when you write the appeal. Always. Then it will be ready to go the moment the gifts arrive.

Of course, one basic thank you letter a year won’t do the job. 

Let’s say you asked donors to support a book drive for local kids. When they respond, you acknowledge their book drive contribution. You tell them what a difference they will make to the kids. Connecting your gratitude to the gift they made helps donors feel seen. And it builds trust. 

Your thank you should be human. A good thank you letter is about the donor and her generosity. It’s not an opportunity to brag about your organization. This isn’t a sanitary form letter. It’s definitely not corporate communications. It should read like it was written by a friend. Grateful. Emotional. Mushy, even.

Your goal? Feel a little (or a lot) goose-bumpy as you write it. 

Resource: Lisa Sargent’s Thank you letter clinic

Create a special welcome

A donor welcome pack should be part of your stewardship plan. Send it as the first thank you – or a little after the thank you letter.

Your welcome pack doesn’t have to be fancy. Include a cover letter (warm and genuine). Include your most recent newsletter. If you have anything connected to your mission – a small token, or an informational brochure – you can include that, too.

The key is to help donors remember why they gave in the first place. And make them feel part of the family now.

Keep donors informed

Too often, this step is missed. But if you don’t take the time to let donors know just what happened because they gave, you’re missing a great relationship-building opportunity.

Think about it. When you thanked your donor, you told her what her gift would achieve. Now you need to tell (and show) her that her gift did achieve what you said it would. 

This is where donor newsletters are gold. 

While a thank you tells donors what their gift WILL accomplish, donor newsletters update donors on what their gifts HAVE accomplished. It’s an important way to close the loop for donors. To make them feel that their gift mattered. That they matter.

Newsletters can be fancy or quite simple. But let me urge you to use mail. While digital newsletters have their place – and do work for some organizations (especially video newsletters) – holding something in your hands still creates an impression a screen can’t. 

A basic newsletter can be created on two sides of an 11 x 17 piece of paper. Fold it in half, then in thirds, and it fits nicely in a #10 envelope. 

Too much for your small shop? Create a “newsy letter” on one piece of paper.

Design is great. But don’t let it stop you from communicating.

What to include? Short articles showing the donor what they helped accomplish. Remember those books you asked for? Tell (your words) and show (with a photo) donors what happened. 

Don’t be afraid to include a return envelope and a reply form. You may find (as I did, years ago) that donors respond to newsletters as well as they do to appeals.

Resource: Profitable donor newsletters

Get to know your donors

If you have more than a handful of donors, you won’t be able to get to know them all personally. But you do want to know more, don’t you? And they probably want to feel like you know who they are.

Every bit of information you can gather will help you be more effective in your fundraising. Of course, a good donor management system is key. 

But consider a donor survey. 

There are some good examples of donor surveys here and here. But the key is to ask a few key questions. Make it easy enough to answer. And be sure that like every donor communication, it’s warm, personal – and grateful. (No, you really can’t say thank you enough.)

Let them know why you want their opinion. Then ask what they think about your organization’s work. About how well you communicate with them. About how much your mission matters to them. Here’s a link to a simple one I did years ago.

Resource: The ultimate guide to donor surveys

Ask for their help – again

Yes! Asking is part of stewardship!

If what your organization does is important, of course you want to provide opportunities for people to help. A well-done appeal helps donors connect to their most generous selves. And that feels good.

Because giving does feel good. And donors deserve the chance to feel good – about themselves and about what they’re accomplishing through your organization.

Use the information you gathered with your survey if you can. But always appeal to what you already know about them: Because they’re donors, they are generous, kind and caring people.

Resource: How to build a better appeal

Kick it up a notch

While all of the above steps should be part of your stewardship program, don’t stop there! You can do more to bring your donors closer to your mission. And often, these extra touches take little time, effort, or money.

Here are some ideas:

A just thanks letter

This letter is not connected to a recent gift. It’s just a quick note, out of the blue, to let donors know they’re appreciated. Because it’s not in response to a particular gift, there’s no transaction here – it’s all relationship.

A casual donors-only event

Depending on how many donors you have, you might need to isolate a particular group. (Monthly donors, for instance.) But this does not have to be a fancy affair. Wine and cheese, or coffee and dessert work fine. The key here is to support donor relationships – with each other. You’re building community!

A thank you phone call

This can work well for first-time donors. But there’s no reason not to call someone who made a special gift, or who increased their giving. Ask questions, be interested. And take notes!

A thank you video

A personalized thank you video is a great alternative to a letter or phone call. Or perhaps, a great compliment. Send a follow-up video thanking your donor for the call. Share a powerful testimonial to really drive home the donor’s impact. What if your donor ignores your call? Send a follow-up video introducing yourself and mention you just called. Video is a great way to introduce yourself and start the relationship on your donor’s time.

Fundraising is relationship-building

And you would be wise to spend at least as much energy on developing relationships as on attracting donors. Many first gifts will be only gifts. But you are not powerless! Focus on good stewardship and you will keep more of your donors around. And a broad base of individual donors is the best, most flexible backbone for your fundraising program!

Photo by Nico Smit on Unsplash

Filed Under: Blog, Donor communications Tagged With: annual report, donor communications, donor retention Leave a Comment

Donor identity: you should care about how donors see themselves

Understanding donor identity will strengthen your fundraising.

My daughter recently graduated from Oberlin College. At the ceremony, speakers repeatedly encouraged the grads to go change the world. They were greeted with loud cheers.

It was obvious that from alumni to faculty, to graduating students and their younger friends, that Oberlin has a strong sense of self. It’s proudly weird. Extremely accepting. And focused on encouraging world-changers, whatever their course of study.

Not “Go rock Wall Street” world changers. More like “Make good trouble” world changers.

I thought about how strong the consensus was as we drove home. No explanations were needed. Everyone there was already in the know. Wouldn’t you love it if that’s how people reacted to your organization?

Can you build a strong community around your cause?

Imagine if everyone in your community felt that strongly about your work? If they all saw themselves as insiders? If their own sense of self was tied to your organization’s work?

A college has four years with each student to build that sense of belonging. Then the student goes out into the world. And hopefully, carries that college’s “brand” with them. Over time, with consistency and good communication, that sense of identity becomes stronger and stronger. That’s really what a brand is. Oberlin could change their school colors and logo tomorrow and it wouldn’t make much difference.

They know who they are. So do their various communities.

And that’s where you want to be, too.

People support organizations that connect to parts of their identity that are important to them. Your big win is when people identify with your organization. When they see themselves as someone who supports your organization. Then part of the giving decision is already made. “I am a person who gives to X organization” makes it much more likely they will give.

So how do you get there?

The Institute of Sustainable Philanthropy offers a course about this. I’m eager to take it but haven’t found the time yet. I’m picking up bits and pieces though, from friends.

So where do you start if you want people to feel really connected to your organization?

Have a strong sense of who your organization is

Many organizations fall down here at the start. The hard part is that you have to be willing to take positions. Sometimes that means upsetting or annoying people. You cannot aim to be everything to everyone. So be bold. Who is your organization? What are your values? What do you do – and what don’t you do?

Be less concerned about a catchy mission statement or tagline and more concerned about how well you’ve defined your organization. (Mission statements and taglines are important. But first, you need to understand your organization.) Would everyone on the staff say the same thing if you asked, “who are we?” What about your board?

This is a weeding-out process. You probably have to leave things behind. To go back to my story, Oberlin students, alumni, and faculty know what Oberlin stands for. To be what they are does mean they’re not for everyone. My impression is they embrace that.

Know where your supporters and potential supporters are now

What do the people who already support you think you do? What do they think you stand for?

A survey can help you begin seeing your organization from the outside in. It can also help respondents think about your organization and where it falls in their priorities. How strongly do they identify with you?

Creating an effective survey is an art with layers of possibility. But don’t be afraid to start. Even a basic survey can teach you something.

Use what you learn to build better relationships

If you’ve defined who your organization is – and isn’t – and then you’ve learned what your supporters think, start using the information.

Reflect what you’ve learned from supporters back to them. Use language that underlines what they already think about themselves and why your cause or organization matters to them.

Have you ever had a conversation where the other person speaks to exactly what you just said? It shows your conversation partner is really listening, not just waiting for a pause to talk at you. It builds trust in the relationship.

To succeed with fundraising, your audience is not “everybody”. You’re looking for the people who will care about what you do. Then look for opportunities to listen as well as talk.

Use the language your supporters use

There are some general things you can assume about supporters or potential supporters. Assume they’re generous. Kind. Big-hearted. Because if they’re not, they’re not likely to give. And because sometimes hearing you’re good and kind makes want to live up to it.

Don’t let the cynics get in your way here. Almost every human has it in them to be kind and caring. And the more we encourage that, the better.

Not only can we match the way that we describe our supporters with the way that they describe themselves, we can help donors shape how they define themselves.

~Institute for Sustainable Philanthropy blog

The more you learn from your supporters, the better you can reflect what’s important to them – about themselves. That builds trust. It creates donors who want to stick around. And the more you matter to them, the more support you’ll have.

Photo by Tamara Gak on Unsplash

Filed Under: Blog, Branding, Donors Tagged With: donor identity, donor retention, donor survey 2 Comments

How to make #GivingTuesday more than a gimme

Be the generosity

Soon it will be #GivingTuesday.

My inbox, and yours, will overflow with messages from every nonprofit we’ve had contact with in the past.

Too many of the messages will be the same:

Send us money, because… #GivingTuesday!

Let’s remember what this day was meant to be:

Celebrated on the Tuesday following Thanksgiving (in the U.S.) and the widely recognized shopping events Black Friday and Cyber Monday, #GivingTuesday kicks off the charitable season, when many focus on their holiday and end-of-year giving. Since its inaugural year in 2012, #GivingTuesday has become a movement that celebrates and supports giving and philanthropy with events throughout the year and a growing catalog of resources.

There’s a line between celebrating generosity and expecting money. We too often miss it.

But since today is the day, your plans are already in place. So let’s see if we can’t put the generosity back in the day.

Thank your donors well

An auto-response is not a real thank you.

Seriously. I know it’s easy. But it’s rarely emotionally satisfying. If you’re using the canned copy from your payment processor, please stop reading right now and change it.

You do need financial information about the gift, of course. But your donors are most likely not looking only for that. (Even if they say that’s all they want.) Donors need and deserve emotional satisfaction, too. The assurance that they’ve done a really good thing.

And they deserve to know exactly what they’ve accomplished with a gift. Don’t cheat them with generalities because it’s easier.

Thank them again

Yes! You can, and should, do this. Especially if the automatic response is less than effusive. If you have a mail address, mail them a proper, warm, emotional thank you. If you don’t email them a real letter – not a generic thanks.

Be the generosity you want to see in the world

What is your organization doing for #GivingTuesday? Other than asking, I mean. Think about it for next year – how can you show your mission in action? How can you find a way to get out of the office and give?

Treat #GivingTuesday donors like real donors

That is, after thanking them well, remember to let them know that their decision to give made a difference. Use more than words – show as much as tell.

This is where you can differentiate yourself from the mass of organizations hoping for donations at this time of year. Satisfy your donors’ need to see the results of their gift. You might not have time in December to pull together a whole newsletter. But you can certainly make a phone call or create a simple impact update.

Then continue to communicate with these folks. It takes a lot of work to change a first gift giver into a real donor. That second and third gift are critical when it comes to retention. So don’t check these folks off a list and wait until next year to communicate.

Consider your plans for #GivingTuesday 2020

What could you do for your donors (other than asking for support)?

Read this post from Agitator and the example of Concordia College. It’s a delight and an idea that every organization could pull off – if you’re willing. Thank your donors, thank your staff, and focus on generosity.

I hope today is all you want it to be. And I hope it’s all your donors hope it will be, too.

Photo by Kat Yukawa on Unsplash

Filed Under: Blog, Fundraising Tagged With: donor retention, generosity, thank you 1 Comment

  • 1
  • 2
  • 3
  • …
  • 14
  • Next Page »

Fundraising advice served fresh to your inbox

Get yours here:

Search

Recent Posts

  • Are you nervous about 2023? Here’s what you can do
  • Why aren’t nonprofits getting the recognition they deserve?
  • How details help draw attention
  • Trust, more valuable than money
  • 3 Tips for Preparing Your Website for End-of-Year Giving

Work with me!

Let's talk about how I can help your organization raise more money.

Contact

  • Donor communications
  • Fundraising Strategy

Copyright © 2023 · Mary Cahalane · Hands-On Fundraising · 847 S. Main Street · #183 · Plantsville, CT 06479