Keep the Donors Your Work So Hard to Get

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KEEP THE DONORS YOU WORK SO HARD TO GET: Proven Tips & Tricks for Improving Donor Retention with Alyssa Boger

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YOUR PRESENTER

ALYSSA BOGER VP, Client Strategy Alyssa.Boger@pursuant.com

Ø  Nonprofits only retained 43% of donors in 2014. Ø  For every 100 donors gained, 103 were lost. Ø  For every $100 gained, $95 was lost.

The Key to Improving Donor Retention

Put Yourself in Your Donor’s Shoes

Questions to ask:

•  What brought them to your organization in the first place?

•  What are their desires and expectations?

•  What inspires them and moves them to action?

•  What do they need to become one of your most loyal

supporters?

Common Challenges to Donor Retention

1.  A Shotgun Approach to Acquisition

2.  Greater Expectations from Donors

3.  Limited Resources and Bandwidth

4.  Scattered Data

5 Proven Principles for Keeping New Donors Year After Year

#1 First impressions matter.

What is the first piece of communication a new donor receives from your organization?

#1 First impressions matter.

New donors should receive: •  A personalized thank you

message in the same channel they made their gift.

•  Messaging that communicates the impact of their donation.

#1 First impressions matter. PRACTICAL STEP: Make small donations to peer organizations to see what type of new donor engagement process you experience.

#2 It’s not about you, it’s about them.

Donors don’t want to hear what you are doing. Share with donors what they are making possible through you.

#2 It’s not about you, it’s about them.

7

Proven Principles for New Donor Retention

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7

Proven Principles for New Donor Retention

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#2 It’s not about you, it’s about them.

PRACTICAL STEP: How are you framing your messaging? Is it organization-centric or donor-centric?

Organization-Centric Donor-Centric

Language focuses on We/Us

Language focuses on You/the donor

Donors are donations and gifts are transactions.

Donors are investors who are making your mission possible.

Communication tells what the org and staff do

Communication shares with the donor the impact their support makes possible

First-time donors are assumed to be on-board with the cause

First-time donors represent opportunities for relationship

#3 Be personal.

For-profit companies target customers with products tailored and personalized to their interests. Your donors expect the same from you.

#3 Be personal.

PRACTICAL STEP: List the different ways your organization acquires new donors and all of the areas to which new donors can give. How can you communicate to these various audiences in a personal way?

#4 Bring your mission to life.

Donors want information that will inspire them, encourage them, help them, and engage them . . . and they don’t always want to receive it through a direct mail letter.

#4 Bring your mission to life.

PRACTICAL STEP: Brainstorm new, immersive methods that you can use to deliver your organization’s story.

#5 Don’t be shy. Ask for that second gift!

Everything you do in the first 30 days following a new donor’s gift should lead to a second ask.

#5 Don’t be shy. Ask for that second gift!

PRACTICAL STEP: Use a calendar to plot out the days between a new donor’s first gift and when they receive a second ask from your organization. If it’s more than 30 days, think about ways to shorten the gap.

4 Elements of a New Donor Engagement Series

#1: The Thank-You.

•  Comes within two days of a donor making their first gift

•  Message mirrors the channel in which the donor gave

•  Personal and donor-centric

#1: The Thank-You.

Partner Example: Pepperdine University

#2: Communicate the Gift’s Impact.

•  Explain your case for support

•  Send the week following a donor’s first gift

•  Use video when possible

#2: Communicate the Gift’s Impact.

Partner Example: GAIN USA

#3: Help the Donor Get Involved.

•  Ask donors for feedback in a short online survey

•  Invite them to become social ambassadors

•  Share upcoming events and volunteer opportunities

#3: Help the Donor Get Involved.

Partner Example: FamilyLife

#4: Invite donors to continue their impact.

•  Make second ask within 21-30 days of your new donor’s first gift

•  Share tangible outcomes of the donor’s first gift

#4: Invite donors to continue their impact. Partner Example: Community Health Network Foundation

I’m writing to express my deepest gratitude. Because you were there…standing with Community Health Network Foundation…a woman fi ghting cancer has hope… an injured child received the exceptional care he needed to recover…and a family is able to celebrate another birthday with their loved one.

Yet, every day more people turn to Community for the best possible patient care. They need you to be there for them, too.

That’s why I’m asking you to become a monthly donor to Community Health Network Foundation. Your steadfast, ongoing support will ensure that Community can provide patients exceptional care and support for as long as they need it.

Please use the enclosed response form to indicate the amount you would like to give monthly as a Community Partner member. Thank you for caring about your neighbors and your Community.

Sincerely,

Joyce IrwinPresident and CEO, Community Health Network Foundation

Joyce Irwin

Dear Mr. and Mrs. Koepfer,

Your first monthly gift of $15 would make such a difference.

How to Build Your Own New Donor Engagement Series

New Donor Engagement Series

13

convert your direct mail donors into multichannel donors, which are more valuable to your �À}>��â>Ì�������Ì�i����}�ÌiÀ�°�ƂvÌiÀ�Þ�ÕÀ�i�>���>Ã��}�iÃ��ÕÌ]�v����Ü�Õ«�Ü�Ì��>��>���«�iVi�Ì��Ì��Ãi��iÜ�`���ÀÃ�Ü���`�`���Ì��>�i�>�ÃiV��`�}�vÌ°���ÀiVÌ��>���}�ÛiÃ�Þ�Õ�ë>Vi�Ì��Ìi���>���Ài�detailed impact story and reinforce your case for support, which some new donors may need in �À`iÀ�Ì��V����Ì�Ì��>�ÃiV��`�}�vÌ°�

�iÛiÀ>}i������i�>�`�`�ÀiVÌ��>���V���Õ��V>Ì���Ã�Ì��ÃiVÕÀi�>�ÃiV��`�}�vÌ°���Ã�`iÀ�Ãi�`��}�>��i�>���>Ã��Ì���iÜ�`���ÀÃ�wÀÃÌp�̽Ã�Ì�i���ÃÌ�V�ÃÌ�ivwV�i�Ì�Ü>Þ�Ì��ÃiVÕÀi�>�ÃiV��`�}�vÌ]�Ü����Li�the preferred donation method of new donors who incepted through the online channel, and may convert your direct mail donors into multichannel donors, which are more valuable to your �À}>��â>Ì�������Ì�i����}�ÌiÀ�°�ƂvÌiÀ�Þ�ÕÀ�i�>���>Ã��}�iÃ��ÕÌ]�v����Ü�Õ«�Ü�Ì��>��>���«�iVi�Ì��Ì��Ãi��iÜ�`���ÀÃ�Ü���`�`���Ì��>�i�>�ÃiV��`�}�vÌ°���ÀiVÌ��>���}�ÛiÃ�Þ�Õ�ë>Vi�Ì��Ìi���>���Ài�

detailed impact story and reinforce your case for support, which some new donors may need in �À`iÀ�Ì��V����Ì�Ì��>�ÃiV��`�}�vÌ°� Building Your Own Intelligent Donor Retention Engagement Series

-��Ü�>Ì�`�iÃ�Ì��Ã���������i�Ü�i���̽Ã�>���V��L��i`���Ì����i�i�}>}i�i�Ì�ÃiÀ�iö��iÀi��Ã�>�y�ÜV�>ÀÌ��ÕÌ�����}�>�«�ÃÃ�L�i�ÃÌÀi>���v�V���Õ��V>Ì���Ã�vÀ���Ì�i�`>Þ�>��iÜ�`���À��>�iÃ�Ì�i�À�wÀÃÌ�}�vÌ�Ì��Þ�ÕÀ��À}>��â>Ì���\/��Ã�Üi�V��i�ÃiÀ�iÃ�ÕÃiÃ�i�>���Ì��V���Õ��V>Ìi�Ì�i�Ì�>���Þ�Õ]�V>Ãi�v�À�ÃÕ««�ÀÌ]�i�}>}i�i�Ì��««�ÀÌÕ��Ì�iÃ]�>�`�ÃiV��`�>Ã��Ü�Ì���Õ�Ì�«�i�ÛiÀÃ���Ã��v��iÃÃ>}��}�Ì�>Ì�Ài�>Ìi�Ì��>�`���À½Ã���Vi«Ì����«���Ì°�"�Vi�>��iÜ�`���À�V��«�iÌiÃ�Ì�i�i�>���Üi�V��i�ÃiÀ�iÃ]�Ì�iÞ�>Ài�vÕ��i�i`���Ì���>���V���Õ��V>Ì���Ã�Ü�Ì��ëiV�wV��>�}Õ>}i�ÀiviÀi�V��}�Ì�i�À�wÀÃÌ�}�vÌ�>�`�>Ã���}�v�À�>�ÃiV��`�}�vÌ°�

10 Steps for Creating a New Donor Engagement Series

ü  Assess your current communications. ü  Map out your new donor inception points & develop a personal message

for each. ü  Identify 3 things your new donor’s first gift makes possible. ü  Find one great story, and tell it well. ü  Identify 3 ways your new donor can get involved. ü  Articulate 3 reasons for a second gift. ü  Put your engagement series together. ü  Make a messaging timeline. ü  Automate. ü  Wash, rinse, repeat.

Keep the Donors You Work So Hard to Get!

Recommended Pursuant Resources

www.pursuant.com/intelligent-fundraiser

How We Can Help

•  Strategic planning •  Goal setting •  Building consensus •  Case and story development •  Online / offline communications •  Social media strategy and execution •  Landing pages •  Technology infrastructure •  Video production •  Follow up stewardship communications •  And much more

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Contact Michael today to find out how Pursuant can help you. Michael King VP, Client Solutions Michael.King@pursuant.com 214-866-7764

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