We’ve all heard the stories of the little old lady who sent $25 to her favorite charity every year, only to leave them $1 million gift upon her death. But have we heard the story of the donor who stopped sending $25 a year because she was never thanked? Or because she didn’t feel her gift was making a difference?
It is well understood that it takes ten times the amount of time and money to get a new donor as to keep an old donor. That, given the state and federal budget crisis, means focusing on donor loyalty is essential to remain viable in this market place.
But, how do you do so?
By building relationships.
Take the time to answer these three questions and you will be well on your way to building a development plan focused on donor loyalty.
By building relationships.
Take the time to answer these three questions and you will be well on your way to building a development plan focused on donor loyalty.
- Who are your donors? Take time as a staff and board to identify your donors—by name for major donors, and by category for those that give small gifts. Use your database to learn who is giving every year and who is a lapsed donor. Having this information is vital to maintaining strong relationships.
- How and why they give? Now that you know who your donors are, get to know them! Understand why they give to your organization. Learn who else they support. Gauge where they rank the issues your organization deals with. Meet individually with major donors, and if you can, collectively with smaller donors.
- What do your donors want from you? Understanding why your donors give is great. Learning what they would like from you is equally important so that you can deepen your ties with them.
Use this information to create meaningful tactics to reach your current donors. Tell them stories of how their gifts are hard at work. Thank them. Again and again, thank them.
Building relationships with donors takes time and energy. Make the effort to keep your donors happy so that they will continue to support you in good times and in bad.
Laura Wooten
Wooten Communications
CNM Marketing and Fundraising Consultant
Building relationships with donors takes time and energy. Make the effort to keep your donors happy so that they will continue to support you in good times and in bad.
Laura Wooten
Wooten Communications
CNM Marketing and Fundraising Consultant
I will never forget the e-mail I received after a young man made a $25 donation to Hope Cottage. As is our policy with all our donors, he got a receipt letter signed by our CEO and then a handwritten note from me. I didn't recognize his name as one of our "regular" donors, so in my note I asked him what prompted him to donate and enclosed my business card. Within a few days I received the loveliest e-mail and his opening line was "I never thought I would receive a letter thanking me for my donation. Much less receive a handwritten note also. I didn't give very much." How very sad that he, as a donor, didn't expect his gift to be acknowledged. What does that say about us as fundraisers? He gave because he was adopted (not from Hope Cottage - in fact he lives in the Midwest), but he saw our name somewhere and found out we were an adoption agency and he wanted to help another child have a wonderful life like he has had.
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing, Leslie. How sad that this young man didn't expect a thank you for his $25 gift! Kudos to you for exceeding his expectations and shame on all of us for forming them in the first place.
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