Transform your YMCA’s online fundraising game with actionable tips you can implement today! Join us on June 25th as Emily Kelly shares key insights and best practices from successful nonprofits. Learn how to make simple yet powerful changes to boost online donations, avoid common fundraising roadblocks, and confidently hit your fundraising goals.

Key Takeaways:

• Simple ways you can update your online fundraising process

• Common pitfalls to avoid when building your fundraising campaigns

• Insights from other nonprofits’ online giving experience and how that impacts donations

Check out the presentation slides from the webinar here.

The post Raise More for Your YMCA appeared first on Bloomerang.

Transform your Boys and Girls Club’s online fundraising game with actionable tips you can implement today! Join us on June 18th as Emily Kelly shares key insights and best practices from successful nonprofits. Learn how to make simple yet powerful changes to boost online donations, avoid common fundraising roadblocks, and confidently hit your fundraising goals.

Key Takeaways:

• Simple ways you can update your online fundraising process

• Common pitfalls to avoid when building your fundraising campaigns

• Insights from other nonprofits’ online giving experience and how that impacts donations

View the session’s slides here.

The post Raise More for Your Boys and Girls Club appeared first on Bloomerang.

Well, Dorethea, it depends on what type of gift and which donor segment (small, mid-size, or major givers) you have in mind. It also depends on your previous conversations or donor surveys. A gift can work to your advantage, but it can also work against you.

Dorethea was asking about sending gifts to her major donors. What defines a major donor varies. An easy way to define your major donors is to look at the range of giving from the top 20% to 30% of your donor base. In this case, Dorethea’s major giving range was $35,000 to $125,000, and she had 52 donors in that range. However, others may want to know about smaller giving donor segments, and whether they should receive gifts too–what we in fundraising call “premiums.” I’ll start there.

Donor premiums

Donor premiums are usually small gifts offered in exchange for donations. Think bumper stickers, coffee mugs, or tote bags. They seem like a great way to acknowledge supporters and turn them into regular givers.

Donor premiums can be a smart part of your fundraising strategy. However, it’s not as simple as it appears.

Not all holiday gifts to donors raise more

A Yale study in The Journal of Economic Psychology explains the counterintuitive effects of thank-you gifts on charitable giving. They focused on small gifts–pens, coffee mugs, or tote bags for example–offered as thank-you gifts to solicit charitable donations. They define “thank-you” gifts as low-value, non-monetary gifts offered to individuals who donate to the charity. You make the donation, you get a small token gift.

Their study describes a series of experiments that showed–contrary to expectations–that rewarding contributors actually cuts donations in most circumstances. The Yale researchers who conducted the study, George Newman, and Jeremy Shen, found that the most probable reason for the negative effect on contributions was that the gift activated a feeling of selfishness in donors, which, in turn, reduced altruism and cut the average donation.

Premiums may actually decrease charitable giving by reducing response rates and total dollars raised. They can change the mental calculus for the best donors and transform them from high-quality, high-motivation donors to non or lower giving donors. In some cases, the extrinsic motivator–the premium — isn’t nearly good enough to match or exceed the intrinsic motivation, the altruism of giving.

The lesson is that quality matters more than quantity. A powerful personal note that makes it to your donor’s fridge is worth 100 tote bags that end up in the trash.

A smallish premium can reduce a donor’s intrinsic motivation and ironically suppress giving. Premiums tend to be most effective for non-donors and, in some cases, lapsed donors. Doesn’t that make sense, given that those donors often have low engagement? Premiums, generally, are best used to boost donor acquisition by “sweetening the deal” so to speak. Some say that for your existing, active donors, there’s less of a reason to make a special offer because they’re already engaged. Should you do away with donor premiums? Not necessarily. Consider these examples of what works before you decide.

What gifts works?

The Yale study found that when nonprofits connected the premium with their mission, there was no reduction in gift size. For example, instead of saying, “If you donate, you’ll get a free tote bag,” frame the premium as an opportunity for the donor to help spread awareness. Explain to the recipient that a tote bag, bumper sticker, or coffee mug can be a conversation starter with someone who might be interested in supporting the cause. Think of all those bumper stickers you just couldn’t bear to throw out.

By connecting the premium to your mission, you encourage donors to advocate for your organization while letting them enjoy the gift. The negative effect found in the study took place when organizations offered the premium upfront as an incentive to donate. Since an unanticipated “thank-you” gift cannot create a feeling of selfishness, it presumably does not crowd out altruistic feelings.

Ask the donor

Consider giving major donors reasonable gifts that will resonate with their values. You may know, for example, that a major donor would welcome a certain type of gift because you have a relationship with them or your organization asked them in a donor survey. In a conversation you can ask, “At year end, we’d like to send you a token of our appreciation that reflects who we are. It’s generally a book related to our mission or a handmade craft produced by our clients. Is that okay? Yes or No.” Then you can record their answer in the donor’s record for future reference.

Examples of gifts that work

• As part of their year-end drive, The Fellowship of Reconciliation, a nonprofit organization, sent one major donor a book on the life of Dr. Martin Luther King. It contained a handwritten note from the Executive Director asking if they could set a time to talk. In reading the book, that donor could recall why their membership in the Fellowship was so important, and happily agreed to the call.
• The esteemed philanthropist, David Rubenstein, asked an Executive Director whether they wanted a copy of his important book, How to Lead. The ED was thrilled to be asked and responded, “Yes” immediately. While not raising funds, David intended to contribute to that nonprofit sector’s public education, a noble goal.
• The international nonprofit, Bread for the World, asked a donor for their input on the organizations holiday card designs. The donor appreciated being asked. There were six designs, and they could pick three. When their year-end appeal comes, that donor always contributes.
• Without asking, the ACLU sent one donor a copy of the U.S. Constitution. They wre very moved. But in this case, that door was already a declared legacy donor, so they knew they had a supporter.

Lastly, there’s giving the gift of a real relationship. It’s probably the most valuable gift you can give. It starts with regular phone calls to the donor, occasional Zoom meetings, and handwritten notes.

All of these examples convey the values of the nonprofit, and all were winners.

Have you sent holiday gifts to donors? What gifts have worked or do you think will work for your donors? Let us know in the comments below.

The post Deck The Halls With Donor Appreciation: Holiday Gifts To Donors appeared first on Bloomerang.

You know who is not expecting to hear from you on Valentine’s Day? Your donors!

Why not surprise them with some donor love? I’ve outlined 21 ways to show you care including a spotlight on a couple of digital tools that can help make it easy and convenient to wow with a personal touch. But first I want you to know how much of an impact these seemingly small gestures can make:

• first-time donors who get a personal thank you within 48 hours are 4x more likely to give a second gift. (McConkey-Johnston International UK)
• a thank-you call from a board member to a newly acquired donor within 24 hours of receiving the gifts will increase their next gift by 39%. (Penelope Burk)
• in a database where the average number of gifts made by donors is three, a thank-you letter reaffirming the difference that their donations made increased average gifts by 60% without reducing response rate in comparison to a control group of donors who did not receive this thank-you communication. (Jen Shang)

Why does this matter so much?  

I love this explanation from Brock Warner, Manager of Development at War Child:

“One thing humans never tire of is being the recipient of honest, heartfelt gratitude. Like a timeless piece of music, gratitude has an incredibly long half-life. The opportunity to surprise and delight donors simply by saying thank you is present more often than you might think.”  

Here are 21 easy ways to shower your donors with unexpected love on Valentine’s Day or any day:

1. Send them a personal thank you email: “This Valentine’s Day we wanted to take a moment to reach out to someone special. You. Thanks to you…”

2. Send your donor a video email of you, your clients, your staff and/or your beneficiaries thanking them. This does NOT have to be complicated (or cost money)! Case in point. 

3. Send them a letter that is written by someone whose life they’ve changed.
4. Plan a donor and volunteer appreciation party.
5. Call them to ask their opinion.   
6. Host a thank-a-thon where staff & board members call to simply thank donors. Serve sweet treats and celebrate with a champagne toast. (If you can’t recruit them do it solo!)
7. If you have their mobile number or twitter handle text or DM them a meaningful thanks.
8. Give them shout-outs on social media. It can be directed at all donors, i.e. “How do we love #donors? Let us count the ways!” or spotlight specific donors by publicly thanking them. If permitted, share their picture with a story of what they mean to your organization or give them the chance to share why your organization is important to them. A personal giving story is a powerful way to capture an audience of potential donors, while building a lasting relationship with current donors. *Disclaimer: Make sure donors are comfortable with being addressed publicly. Get their permission before using their name or picture in any form of communication.
9. Craft a donor stewardship plan if you don’t already have one. Download this sample template as a starting point. Hint: to maximize retention of first-time donors structure your stewardship around longevity of the donors (new donor etc) versus gift amount.  
10. Invite them to hear a guest speaker, online or in-person.
11. Allow virtual access to whatever form of annual meeting you have, be it a conference, lobby day, or jamboree. 
12. Call out first-time donors as such in your thank you letter, i.e. “Dear John, I’m overjoyed to receive such a generous first-time gift from you and I’m thrilled to welcome into our donor family.”  
13. Start celebrating your donor’s “Donor-versary,” the anniversary of when they made their first gift to you with a letter honoring the longevity of their giving, i.e. “Dear John, 5 years ago you made your first gift to us. Since then you…[insert amazing accomplishment the donor made happen]”
14. Add a recurring weekly Stewardship Power Hour to your calendar where you call to thank and update donors.
15. Host a donor cultivation event. For a fresh spin on an intimate event to dramatically deepen relationships with donors explore a Jeffersonian dinner.
16. Make it easy for your donors them to tell others about their support by enabling social sharing icons on your donation thank you pages.    
17. Ask them to share their love of your mission in an engagement campaign inviting them to tell you why they support you via a social media campaign or survey. Want to see a great example of this in action? Check out Girlstart’s #WhyILoveSTEM campaign.
18. Download a time-saving digital tool like the Felt app, to help you craft meaningful handwritten cards using your iPhone or iPad. This handy tool plugs into your photo library on your mobile device so you can send a donor a personal handwritten thank you card with a photo you took of them without ever licking a stamp! You can even upgrade to have stationary branded with your logo.
19. Add an optional comment box on your thank you landing page to ask what inspired their gift or why they give and then personalize your thanks to what has meaning to them.
20. Record video emails to your donors using digital tools like Bomb Bomb that make it easy and simple to send highly personalized and completely irresistible video communications to your audience from your desktop or mobile phone. See an example of my friend Shannon Coker, from Care and Share Food Bank in Colorado Springs, CO, thank her donors here.  
21. Depending on their identity and your closeness to them, make a plan to reach out to them on their birthday, Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, and/or Grandparent’s Day.

There’s no bad day of the year to show appreciation to your donors, so why not start today?

How many of my suggestions have you done in the past? How did it go for you? Let me know in the comments below!

The post 21 Ways to Shower Your Donors with Love appeared first on Bloomerang.

The number one thing donors want is to know they make a difference. Donor cultivation events allow you donors to experience firsthand how they can make a difference. They also offer a fun, relaxed, social setting for you (and your board) to get to know your donors free of intimidation and formalities.  

Why should you do a donor cultivation event?

1. Donors get to see your need firsthand
2. You get to mingle with donors and ask great discovery questions
3. Donors and prospects can experience your mission up close in an immersive way 
4. They can drive upgrades and retention 
5. They can bring in new prospects

The two most important things to consider when planning an event are: 1) what would appeal to your audience and 2) how can you make it as immersive an experience as possible?

Immerse your donors in the action so they can experience your work. According to fundraising expert and author Adrian Sargeant, “The more immersive the experience, the more likely the impression can result in a donor relationship.”  

Even on a shoestring budget you can pull off a donor cultivation event that delights donors and inspires larger and more loyal giving!  

5 questions to ask yourself before you do a donor cultivation event:

1. What are you already doing with clients that would be meaningful for your donors to see?
2. What high value “VIP” volunteer opportunities can you create to allow donors to feel a part of your mission in a fun, engaging way?
3. Who is your audience: major donors, mid-level donors, prospects, board members, media, stakeholders, etc.?
4. What would appeal the most to your audience?  
5. What is your follow up plan for everyone who attended?

Planning Your Event: The Who, What & How of Donor Cultivation Events

Step 1: Who

The most Important part of your activity is deeply understanding your audience.

Start with a list of mid-level and major donors needing cultivation. Think about what is in it for them. What would get them to leave their busy day at work? Consider an event they’d bring their coworkers to where they could do team building and learn about your mission at the same time. Take plenty of photos and send them a blurb about what they did so they can share it on their company’s intranet and even brag about to their employer.  

If you are planning an event at night or on the weekend is there a way their family could experience it with them? A lot of your donors might be thrilled to get their children introduced to philanthropy and this could be a great chance to do that. Keep in mind that mingling with other donors is likely a big draw for them so consider your guest list appropriately. You might consider inviting an elected official, an entrepreneur, professor or local media personality. You might even include that high profile person’s name in your invitation copy as a draw for other potential guests.

Step 2: What

What kind of immersive experience with your programs would wow your donors?  

How can you put your donor in the middle of the action experiencing your programs? Can you recreate the sights, sounds and smells of your work? Donors could experience an element of your program(s) or be engaged with a volunteer task.  

If you opt for a volunteer task, prioritize the impression the experience will leave on your donor rather than the immediate benefit to your organization. In other words, you don’t necessarily want an activity that will deliver value to the organization today (like stuffing envelopes or moving boxes). You’re producing an experience for your donors, an opportunity to see and feel your mission in all its glory, whether it’s fun and entertaining, eye opening, or emotionally gripping.  For example, an organization empowering girls in science, technology, engineering and math hosted a “Come Fly a Drone” event for donor cultivation.  

Still stumped? Another option for an activity is to leverage the expertise of the audience you assemble. You probably ask your donors often for gifts, but how often do you ask for their opinions or advice? One nonprofit assembled a “dream team” of local technology leaders, who were tasked with envisioning a new computer lab. They were asked to use their knowledge of industry trends to imagine what the school might need 3-5 years into the future. Asking potential donors to contribute their unique expertise can make them feel needed and appreciated, and in turn more likely to give. Plus, it might save you exponentially when you consider paying someone of their caliber for such consulting services.

Step 3:  How

Begin planning your event at least six to twelve weeks in advance. 

By far, the best way to invite your intended audience is through personal connections. Draft a letter or email that your board members and other dedicated fans can send to targeted individuals and provide talking points for a phone script. Ask for an RSVP via email, phone, or online form, and confirm via email, including a map and parking plus in-case of-rain instructions. Call with a reminder two to three days before the event. Assign one staff or board member for every two to five donors or prospects. Ensure you are prepared last-minute questions on the day. 

Don’t forget the follow up!

You invested a lot to produce this experience. Leverage it with great follow up! Call your guests to hear what they thought. What did they like the most? How could it be improved? How/would they describe [the activity] to family or friends? Who else who might be interested in coming to an event like this?

Got a successful donor cultivation event story to share? Drop it in the comments!

The post How To Do A Donor Cultivation Event appeared first on Bloomerang.

I’d bet not.

According to the Association of Fundraising Professionals’ 2020 Fundraising Effectiveness Project (FEP), only 43.6% of the donors who made a gift in 2019 made another gift in 2020. That means more than half of donors who made a gift in 2019 didn’t make another one in the following year! And 2020 is no exception.

A chorus of voices has been beating the drum about the importance of donor retention through their research, in blogs, and in webinars—with stagnant results.

As important as it is to pay attention to donor retention, it’s equally important to know how to “move the needle”—and we do. But clearly, not enough of us do it.

It’s time to make keeping your donors a board-level priority, right up there with Finance, Governance, and Development itself.

The Donor Retention Crisis — and Why It Matters

In 2019, Dr. Adrian Sargent bemoaned the fact that first-time donor retention rates were below thirty percent: “The USA still holds the record for the most shockingly poor pattern of results. When did it become acceptable to lose 70% of newly acquired donors?”

That’s right, 70% of first-time donors never gave again. And then what happened? In 2020, in the context of increased overall giving, first-time donor retention fell by another 10% such that 80% of first-time donors did not make that key second gift.

Why are first-time donors such a big deal? Because according to the FEP, the 2020 repeat donor retention rate was 59.6%—whereas the new donor retention rate was 19.3%. Get that second gift and you’re well on your way to the third gift and the fourth one.

From Dr. Sargent’s research, we know that increasing the donor retention rate by 10% increases the value of the donor base by at least 50%. Other studies cite increases as high as 200%. This is due to the effect of compounding and the fact that some donors will go on to become major donors, loyal monthly donors, and/or include the organization in their estate plan.

We Know What to Do, But We Are Not Doing It

We know what donors want in order to be inspired to keep giving. We know specifically what to do to encourage that important second gift. You don’t have to look further than Penelope Burk’s research-based book Donor Centered Fundraising: How to hold on to your donors and raise much more money, which was published back in 2003.

Per Burk’s research, donors want to know what you did with their previous gift before you ask for another one. Donors also want to be thanked personally and promptly. Common sense, right?

But common sense is so simple to execute. It requires commitment and resources.

Specifically, you should commit to an action like having a board member call a first-time donor within 48 hours of them making a gift. This is the research standard—do your best. Why? Here are two reasons:

• Increases donation amounts by 40%—even if you leave a voicemail!
• Increases the likelihood of a second gift by 33%

We know from Dr. Sargent’s work that customer service is an important influencer of donor loyalty. In a nonprofit context, the donor thank you process is typically what donors see as customer service.

The Call to Action: A Board Committee Whose Sole Function Is Thanking Donors

I recommend creating a committee whose sole function is to thank donors.

It’s not a “Donor Relations Committee.” It’s not a “Donor Retention Committee.” It’s the “Thank You Committee” or the “Donor Thank You Committee.”

Serving on this donor thank you committee should have the same standing as sitting on Finance, Governance, Development—or any other Board Committee. Even if it’s a sub-committee of the Development Committee, it should have its own Chair, members, and staff support. The committee should be authorized to have non-voting, non-board members.

Annually, the committee should request and review both the overall donor retention rate and the first-time donor retention rate and report those numbers to the full board. When looking at these numbers, compete against yourself by looking at data from previous years as opposed to looking at the awful national averages.

The committee has one mission: to understand and execute researched ways to inspire donors to keep giving. These include personally—by phone, handwritten note, or personal video—thanking as many donors as they can as promptly as possible.

Here are a few things to keep in mind:

1. Its members might include:
   1. Current board members, one of whom is the Chair
   2. Previous board members. Bonus: Keep them engaged.
   3. Staff. Some staff members volunteer to make thank you calls to take a break from their other work—just 15 minutes per day makes a difference.
   4. Non-board volunteers
2. During busy seasons, additional members might be recruited for a six-week commitment.
3. There should be an easy way for members to report back notes from donor conversations.
4. This committee might meet periodically for research updates, training opportunities, to share stories, and build community. But there should be a minimum attendance requirement compared to the time spent by committee members thanking donors.

What if We’re Really Small and Can’t Do All of the Researched Practices?

Doing something is better than doing nothing. For example, Burk found that calling donors up to sixty days post-gift was beneficial. A staff member or volunteer might spend 15 minutes three days per week writing notes or making calls.

If you’re raising money from individual donors:

• Use a spreadsheet or nonprofit CRM to track donor information. Data entry and management takes time, but without it you’re spinning your fundraising wheels.
• Consider capturing phone numbers if you’re otherwise focusing on online tactics. Asking for a phone number creates additional “friction” as it is called, meaning you might reduce your donation rate. But if 80% of your new donors are going to say goodbye after one gift, the trade-off may be worth it. Test it out.
• Create and manage a small donor thank you committee made up of volunteers. The return-on-time investment will pay you back. Try it and see.

As a bonus

The members of a Donor Thank You Committee may become your most fulfilled and inspired ambassadors!

As your donor retention rate inches up, this translates the committee’s impact into dollars. For example, a 1% increase in donor retention can produce a 5%-20% increase in the value of your donor base. Compute the dollar range and share it to celebrate those wins.

Where else can you spend 30 seconds saying thank you to a voicemail and know that you are making a difference?

And when you do happen to reach a donor who wants to chat, it is often a wonderfully joyful experience—for the caller as much as the donor.

In conclusion

It’s time to do something different to improve donor retention rates—and that something is research-based action delivered through a board-level Donor Thank You Committee.

The post Solving The Donor Retention Rate Issue: The Case For Creating A Board-level Donor Thank You Committee appeared first on Bloomerang.

Next to its small pool is a cherry red phone. When you pick it up, the person on the other line answers, “Hello, popsicle hotline.” Moments later, a waiter wearing white gloves delivers your orange, cherry, or grape popsicle to you on a silver tray. For free.

There are much nicer hotels to stay at in Hollywood, but Magic Castle has rapturous reviews and is ranked near the top of some recommendation lists.

Why? Most experiences that customers have at hotels are forgettable. Few are remarkable. But a popsicle hotline at a hotel? That’s a pretty memorable moment on a vacation.

Some other “wow” moments at the Magic Castle include unlimited snacks, fountain drinks, magic shows in the lobby, laundry service (with a lavender sprig!), and a Dole pineapple whip soft serve ice cream machine—just like at Disneyworld! And the cost? Completely free.

I’m speaking from experience. I took my teenager there last weekend to test the magic, and it was pure delight.

So, what does a three-star hotel in Hollywood Hills have to do with fundraising? A lot! It tells us that the opportunity to surprise and delight your donors is closer than you think.

Be honest: What kind of memorable and meaningful experiences are you creating for your donors right now? How can you construct unexpected and unforgettable moments like the Magic Castle does?

Here are 3 surefire ways to create memorable moments to wow your donors.

1.   Send them a heartfelt thanks that they aren’t expecting. 

Send them a video email of you thanking them or a message of thanks from your clients, staff, and/or beneficiaries just for being a part of your donor family. Do this out of the blue, not just after they make a donation.

Yes, you can use your phone! No, this doesn’t have to be complicated (or cost money)!

I love emailing a video to stand out in a donor’s inbox, and it can be a very creative way to thank donors, as seen in this thank you video shot by an independent school in Oregon. They made a video to show their donors the excitement on the student’s faces when the kids found out how much was raised at their fundraiser that weekend.

Don’t overthink this: Just be warm, personable, and conversational. It could be a video of a person you have helped or just a staff member sharing their heartfelt thanks. Don’t forget—emotions move donors to take action so make sure it’s clear how much you appreciate their support.

2.   Give them the gift of being known by you. 

Do you know what doesn’t make a donor feel known by you?

1. Addressing letters or emails to “Dear friend.” If you know their name, use it!
2. Sending emails that say “If you have given already thanks! If you haven’t there’s still time…” Ouch! Thank the people who give and send a separate email to people who didn’t give with a clear fundraising ask.
3. Sending blanket thank you emails to people who didn’t give. Wouldn’t that strike you /as odd if you received one?
4. Inviting out-of-state donors to local events. Unless this is a hybrid event, you can probably leave these donors off the invite list. 
5. Giving a bereaved donor who just made a memorial gift the same upbeat cheery thank you message other donors get. Just imagine how much this could potentially upset someone!

Steven Shattuck refers to this practice as “Seglumping” in his book, Robots Make Bad Fundraisers. Seglumping, he explains, is the act of referencing multiple audiences in one unsegmented communications piece. 

One of the greatest gifts you can give your donors is the gift of being known by you. One way to do that is to segment them into lists.

One of many unforgettable ways to do that is to call out first-time donors as such in your thank you letter. This is also one of the best ways to boost your odds that a new donor will make another gift, since, according to the Fundraising Effectiveness Report, only 19% of new donors will make a second gift.

How should you call out first-time donors in your thank you letter? Try an opening sentence like this: “Dear John, I’m overjoyed to receive such a generous first-time gift from you, and I’m thrilled to welcome you into our donor family.”

3.   Remind them of their loyalty by celebrating their donorversary. 

Another great way to make your donor feel known by you and subtly remind them to continue supporting your organization is to celebrate their “donorversary.”

What’s a donorversary? This is the anniversary of when they made their first gift to you. It doesn’t matter if that was a month ago, a year ago, or five years ago. If it’s only been a short time, they’ll feel great for already accomplishing something meaningful with their gift. If it’s been years, they’ll be reminded that their support matters to your mission and continues to make a difference.

You can celebrate with a card, a call, or even an email. This is one holiday they’re not expecting you to celebrate, so your odds of surprising and delighting them are at an all-time high!

Here’s a sample opening line to make it easy: “Dear John, five years ago you made your first gift to us. Since then, you…[insert amazing accomplishment the donor made happen].”

Think about how many forgettable experiences you’ve had as a donor. If few come to mind, here’s some good news: It won’t be hard for you to stand out!

Want more stewardship ideas? Download Rachel’s guide “23 ways to shower your donors with love” and her virtual donor cultivation guide. 

If you have a delightful donor experience to share or a story about how you’ve delighted a donor drop it in the comments! 

The post 3 Tips To Create Unforgettable Moments For Donors appeared first on Bloomerang.

Nonprofits that don’t adequately show appreciation for the hard work and dedication of their supporters will receive less funding in the long run because they’ll struggle to retain those supporters over time. 

Here at Bloomerang, we specialize in donor retention. Our team has studied the effectiveness of retaining donors rather than acquiring new ones, and that research guides our entire approach. Retention is the key to maximizing your fundraising strategy, and appreciation is at the root of that strategy. In this guide, we’ll dive into how your organization can create an appreciation strategy. Then, we’ll provide a list of ideas to help you say “thank you” to your generous supporters.

1. Why Does Donor Appreciation Matter?
2. The Foundations of Your Strategy
3. Donor Appreciation Ideas
   • Ideas for New Donors
   • Ideas for Recurring Donors
   • Ideas for Major Donors
   • Event Appreciation Ideas
   • Appreciation Gift Ideas

We’ll start with the fundamentals: the importance of donor appreciation and how it can inform your fundraising strategy. Let’s dive in!

Why Does Donor Appreciation Matter?

Saying “thank you” to individuals who do you the massive favor of contributing to your organization isn’t just polite; it’s also a necessity to acquire their long-term support and contributions.

Put yourself in the shoes of a supporter. You have found an organization with a mission that is near and dear to your heart. To help fund one of their main programs, you decide to give a donation of $100. It’s not a massive gift, but it’s still a substantial contribution to the cause! A week goes by and you don’t hear anything back from the organization. Then, two weeks go by—still nothing. At first you’re disappointed, but then you simply start to forget about the whole incident. The point is, you never give again.

This situation should never happen for your supporters. Dr. Adrian Sargeant conducted a survey about why donors stop giving. He found that 5% of one-time donors thought the charity didn’t need them, 9% had no memory of supporting, 13% never got thanked for donating, and 8% never had any information about how their gifts were used. Although some reasons are certainly out of your control, the ones listed above are within it. Here’s the complete breakdown:

• 5% thought the charity did not need them
• 8% got no information about how monies were used
• 9% had no memory of supporting
• 13% never got thanked for donating
• 16% passed away
• 18% thought the charity had poor service or communication
• 36% thought others were more deserving
• 54% could no longer afford to give

Most of these issues can be completely avoided if your organization is able to communicate effectively and show proper appreciation. 

Then, when supporters do stick around for your organization, you’ll make more money in the long run. It’s around ten times more expensive to acquire new supporters than it is to retain existing ones. Plus, over time, retained supporters tend to end up making larger contributions to your mission, resulting in additional revenue. You can see an example of this and the resulting revenue that accompanies a simple 10% increase in donor retention:

The main idea is that retention (and therefore more effective fundraising) is rooted in communication, appreciation, and gratitude, making a simple “thank you” message worth its weight in gold.

The Foundations of Your Donor Appreciation Strategy

The backbone of any successful donor appreciation strategy is data. Having access to the right data will not only help you to choose the right donor appreciation ideas for your audience but also help you to craft more meaningful and resonant appreciation messages for your supporters.

Therefore, as you begin crafting your appreciation strategy, analyze the profiles in your donor database to be sure you’re reaching supporters where they are and creating messages that resonate with them.

Analyze Your Audience

Using a dedicated donor database (especially one that’s designed with retention in mind), you can gather all of the information you need about your supporters to craft an appreciation message that will resonate well with them. Consider the segments of your audience and the levels of appreciation that should be attributed to each segment. For instance, you might not add your first-time donors to a donor recognition board, but that could be a great option for your major supporters.

When you start putting together your donor appreciation strategy, create slightly different plans for each of your various audience segments.

Choose Your Appreciation Ideas

After you’ve considered your audience, you can start thinking of the different appreciation ideas that will best reach each of the donor segments. For instance, you might consider the following segments:

• When you segment by gift amount, you can choose different appreciation ideas for major and mid-tier donors and others for your lower-tier supporters. Remember that the larger the donation, the fewer supporters you’ll have to thank, which allows you to create more extravagant gestures.
• If you segment by recency, you’ll be able to implement different appreciation ideas for your first-time donors that differ slightly from the ones for long-term supporters. Your first-time donor strategy will be aimed at achieving your second or golden donation and appreciation will likely be shown in short succession.
• When you segment your supporters by age, you can make some assumptions about the types of appreciation that your donors will enjoy. For instance, younger donors may appreciate your thank-you video that you post to Instagram, but older donors may be more responsive to a hand-written letter.

We could go on and on with various segments. But the ultimate goal here is to customize your appreciation approach based on the preferences and status of your donors.

Say Thank You

Remember that the whole purpose here is to say “thank you” to your supporters. Even if you send them a gift or feature their name on an appreciation board, you should accompany the gesture with a note that informs the donor of the gesture and actually say “thanks!”

The note should be personal, noting the supporter by name. You should also be sure to say exactly what the supporter did to earn your appreciation. For example, you might say something like:

Dear Jessie, thank you so much for your donation of $100 to the Save the Dolphins campaign. Your contribution will provide a fish dinner for 10 injured dolphins tonight! 

This note is personal, shows appreciation, and notes the exact donation amount and campaign the donor supported. The next element that you should be sure to include in this note is the impact of the contribution.

Show Impact

You can see in the example above that the nonprofit wrote what the $100 would accomplish for the mission. This is a key element of your donor appreciation strategy because donors want to know where their money is going. Remember the stat from before? 8% of supporters who stop giving do so because they don’t know where their money is going.

Showing impact allows supporters to understand that their money isn’t just a paycheck for your organization—it’s accomplishing something that will help further your mission. After all, your donors give to your mission, not necessarily to your organization.

Donor Appreciation Ideas

While these are by no means the only ideas available, they do present a summary of the potential options for your organization. You can use these as a starting point to begin building out your donor appreciation strategy as a whole.

For your convenience, we’ve split up the 22 appreciation ideas into categories so that you can jump to the ones most relevant to your needs:

1. Ideas for New Donors
2. Ideas for Recurring Donors
3. Ideas for Major Donors
4. Event Appreciation Ideas
5. Appreciation Gift Ideas

Let’s learn more!

1. Donor Appreciation for New Supporters

You work hard to acquire new supporters. It’s a shame to think that after all of the work and funds that you spent on the acquisition process, those supporters could simply give once and never again. If you’re able to retain them for the long run, their lifetime value with your organization will rise significantly.

The rate of supporters who donate for a second time after they’ve given once to a nonprofit is only around 20% according to the Fundraising Effectiveness Project. But once they’ve contributed this second donation (or the golden donation), the chance that they’ll continue donating to your organization rises to about 60%.

Therefore, your initial sign of appreciation for your new donors is incredibly important to retain their support for the long haul. We recommend creating a cultivation timeline for your first-time donors to show your appreciation, encourage them to get more involved, and eventually make your second appeal. You can see a sample of this type of timeline below:

As you can see, this timeline doesn’t simply provide a single opportunity to say thank you, but has several opportunities to do so. Therefore, you can incorporate multiple donor appreciation ideas in your own iteration of a new donor cultivation timeline.

Let’s dive deeper into four of the ideas that you’ll find on these timelines, each providing an additional opportunity to show donor appreciation.

Immediate Donation Receipt

Most of the time, donors will give their first donation using some sort of online platform. This is one of the virtual fundraising trends that will not disappear anytime soon, but will likely become stronger over time.

Set up your fundraising software so that a donation receipt is sent immediately after the contribution is received, whether it’s for a campaign hosted on a crowdfunding, peer-to-peer, or donation page. Craft this message to say an immediate “thank you” to the donor, also using their name and specific donation amount for personalization. It will also act as a confirmation that the donation was, in fact, received by your organization.

Follow Up Phone Call

Within 48 hours of a donor contributing to your organization, give them a quick call! This may seem like an outdated strategy, but it’s incredibly personal and allows you to make a personal and memorable connection through appreciation. Plus, in our study on the matter, we found that the retention rate for new donors increased by around 25% if multiple appreciation calls were made to supporters within 90 days versus if no calls occurred.

Create a script that your development team can follow during these follow-up conversations with your new supporters. Customize these scripts based on the segments of supporters who are being called. Then, make sure everyone is up to date on the latest donations so that they can make these phone calls in a timely manner.

Survey 

Surveys are a great way to both get your new supporters involved and to show your appreciation for them. It shows that their opinions matter and are an important part of your organization’s plans going forward.

Send a survey after you’ve called and had a couple of other interactions with each of your supporters. Then, be sure to ask informative questions that will also help you optimize the new donor experience for the future.

Additional Information About Your Mission

Donors don’t give to organizations—they give to missions. Showing your supporters the extent of your mission and the work that you do in the community is a great way to show them how their contributions make a difference.

Provide additional information about your organization through welcome packets, newsletters, and other resources. Be sure to discuss your various projects in the community to show the impact of the donations that your supporters make.

2. Donor Appreciation for Recurring Donors

Recurring donors give at a consistent rate, usually on a monthly basis. These supporters don’t necessarily need to be stewarded towards additional gifts on a regular basis. Every now and then, you may want to approach them. However, on the whole, you should steward them to keep them interested in your organization and your mission.

The key thing to keep in mind here is to not fall into the “set it and forget it” trap with your recurring donors. They should never forget about your mission. If they do, when it’s time for them to rework their personal finances, you might lose your valuable recurring donor!

Recurring donations account for anywhere from 3% to 9% of most nonprofits’ overall funding depending on the size of the organization. Plus, a good recurring donation program provides consistent funding for organizations and increases the retention rate. You don’t want to lose these supporters!

Instead, show appreciation for your recurring donors by not asking for money. Instead, find other ways to involve these supporters and to show your appreciation for them.

Event Invitations

Host events that simply provide a “thank you” to your supporters rather than asking them to contribute to your organization. These events may be a luncheon, happy hour, or another opportunity to have a good time.

In addition, events are a great way to mingle with your supporters and create lasting relationships and connections with them. The invite shows that you care and the opportunity to network with them builds up relationships. You can read more about appreciation events later in this article.

Volunteer Opportunities

Volunteering may not immediately sound like an appreciation idea, but hear us out! When you start a volunteer program, you give your supporters a chance for an up-close view of what your mission is accomplishing. While you can tell your recurring donors about their impact that they have on your mission, they’re more likely to develop a personal connection with your organization if they can see that impact as well.

Be sure to incorporate appreciation into the calls-to-action as you’re working with recurring donors to encourage them to volunteer. You might offer to meet after the volunteer experience for a happy hour or work appreciation into your recruitment messaging. For example, you might say, “Hugo, thank you so much for your gifts to Hope Rains, the campaign providing clean water to communities in need. If you want to meet those who have benefitted from your contributions, consider volunteering at this week’s water purifier assembly!”

Bonus! Your supporters who volunteer also may have the opportunity to increase their monetary contributions to your organization as well if they qualify for volunteer grants through their employer’s corporate responsibility program.

Program Updates and Communication

Just as your new donors want additional information about your mission as a whole, your recurring donors will want to know about the progress that your organization is making in the community. Be sure to communicate this progress clearly and consistently to your recurring donors.

Send email newsletters with updates about specific projects and post social media posts regarding the various activities your organization is involved with. Then, of course, be sure to say “thank you” to everyone who makes this progress possible. Be sure to keep in consistent contact with your recurring donors, always showing them their impact on the mission at hand. This lets them know where their money is going and allows you to give a specific “thank you” for their impact.

Thank You Letters

Do you have a leap of excitement when you check the mail and notice that there’s a letter in there for you that’s not a credit card or utility bill? We do too and so do your donors! Studies show that people also absorb and retain information better when they read it on paper than on a screen. This means that donor appreciation letters can make a splash for your supporters.

Write personalized letters that will capture your supporters’ attention. This shouldn’t replace an initial confirmation email or a digital thank you, but it does help solidify your strategy and provides another medium on which you’re showing your appreciation. To make sure these letters are personalized, leverage your donor segments and craft messages that each will find engaging. Then, ask your executive director or development officer to personally sign the letter.

Appreciation Gifts

If you’ve ever run a 5K for charity, you know that the most exciting part of the activity is receiving your free t-shirt at the end of the race. That t-shirt may even become your favorite one that you’ll wear until it has holes along the seams. You may not remember the exact amount that you paid for the race or your finishing time, but whenever you wear the shirt, you’re reminded of the organization and the mission you supported.

This is the reason appreciation gifts are so important and effective. While t-shirts are a classic option, they’re certainly not the only one. Branded merchandise and gifts of all shapes and sizes make for a great way to show your appreciation for your recurring supporters’ contributions. Plus, they’ll think of your mission each and every time they see the gift.

3. Donor Appreciation for Major Donors

Major donors make up the backbone of successful fundraising strategies. According to this article, $410 billion was given in philanthropy in 2017 and 49% of the funds donated were by the top 1% of donors. If that’s not enough, DonorSearch found that 88% of nonprofit funding usually comes from the top 12% of donors.

Because of this grand impact that your major donors have on your strategy, it makes sense that you should put a little bit more emphasis, time, and effort into appreciating them. The only thing better than a major gift now is another promised major gift in the future. Saying thank you is the first step to stewarding these supporters and cultivating additional contributions for the future.

Publicly Highlight Major Supporters

While you’re bound to have some supporters who want to give anonymously, the majority of people appreciate being recognized for their contributions. Public recognition is a great way to give a shout-out to your most impactful supporters, plus it gives others a level to strive for.

You might decide to highlight a “donor of the month” on social media platforms or shout out to them at organization events so that you can give proper recognition to each of your major supporters who want this kind of attention. Be sure to check with them first before highlighting their story for the world to see. You could also highlight major donors in regular documents like your annual report. This allows you to tie the contributions made by these supporters directly to your success from the year.

Personalized Appreciation Letters

We mentioned that appreciation letters can be used for your recurring donors, but it’s also a great strategy to reach your major donors! While you may use segmentation strategies for your recurring or lower-level supporters to show appreciation, you should write completely individual letters for each of your major supporters.

You might decide to start with a thank you letter template to be sure you hit all of the important elements of this letter, but you should make sure the final version incorporates more personalized elements. For example, including information about your major donors’ motivations for giving is a great way to make a personalized connection with them.

Exclusive Event Opportunities

Again, events are a great way to get any of your supporters further involved with your organization and your mission. But major donors should have some preferential treatment given the level of their importance for your organization. Exclusive events allow your major donors to mingle with one another and with your team.

These events can be in conjunction with fundraising events (like galas), but it’s always good to have a healthy mix of both fundraising and stewardship events throughout the year. Therefore, make sure to include events in your regular schedule that will be exclusively available to your major supporters.

Gather Feedback and Insights 

Many of your major donors and stakeholders want some additional insight into your programming than you would typically give for your supporters. They also may want to give your organization additional feedback about your activities given the fact that they’re funding such a great portion of them.

Schedule meetings with your major donors and stakeholders to give them the opportunity to share their opinions about your organization’s current programming and activities. This gives you the opportunity to address any of their concerns, and it gives them the opportunity to also share their concerns and present new ideas for your team.

Donor Recognition Wall

Donor recognition walls are a classic idea to commemorate your major donors. Featuring their names on a physical or virtual wall allows you to share their involvement with the community, providing public recognition for their contributions.

Create an in-person donor recognition wall at your organization in a well-traveled location. This enables your supporters to see their own names on the wall as they pass by. Plus, other prospects and donors might see the names of major donors and feel incentivized to give in order to be recognized alongside them.

4. Donor Appreciation Event Ideas

Earlier in the article, we’ve discussed the benefits of hosting donor appreciation events. The majority of events your supporters are invited to attend are likely fundraising-focused, meaning the hosting organization has an underlying motive to attain funds from the attendees. It often becomes an expectation for donors to give an additional donation during the event itself.

However, when you take a non-fundraising approach and don’t ask for money, you can focus solely on creating connections with your supporters and building on relationships. Essentially, events where you don’t ask for funds ensure the focus of the event is entirely on your supporters themselves, not their wallets.

At the core, these events are designed to build trust, respond to donors’ questions, and help demonstrate the alignment between your donors’ interests and your organization’s mission.

There are some inherent risks to these events. You might receive some backlash about hosting events that have no immediate return on investment. You also can’t host too many of these events; usually just one big one will do the trick! These events will give you some ideas for how you can raise more by not asking for donations at your next event.

Donor Luncheon or Dinners

Who doesn’t love free food? Donor luncheons and dinners provide the perfect space and opportunity to enjoy a good meal while networking with supporters, encouraging them to mingle with one another, and say thank you for all of their contributions.

You might put together a short presentation or have a speaker chosen to give a group-wide “thank you” for the contributions made to your organization over the year. Depending on your donor management software, this can be a breeze to set up or take some time. Be sure to also include updates about the nonprofit’s progress and impact of gifts to take this presentation further.

Virtual Facility Tour

Essentially, a lot of the ideas that you could use for your virtual (or in-person) fundraising ideas can be taken to the stewardship sphere if you host them for free. A facility tour is a perfect example! Many of your donors, especially those who started donating during the age of social distancing, may not have seen your office space and work sites before. Showing them where the magic happens is a great way to say “thank you.”

For instance, if you’ve just finished a capital campaign that would help expand your office space, you might record a virtual facility tour that supporters can see so that they know what the campaign accomplished.

Happy Hour

Happy hours are a great virtual or in-person way to relax and get to know your supporters. For less formal organizations, you might ask your supporters to meet you at a local restaurant or bar for a happy hour. Or, if you’re a part of a larger or more formal organization, you could even rent out a nice spot for a happy hour to take place.

Make sure you provide conversation starters or topics that your supporters can use to mingle with one another. You should also make sure your major gift officer has the opportunity to talk to prospects during this time and get to know them on a personal level. Similar to the luncheon or dinner idea, you might decide to host a short speech during which you can give a blanket “thank you” to all supporters who contributed.

Holiday Celebrations

The holidays are an ideal time to show your appreciation for your supporters. Many holidays have gratitude and appreciation at their core, making it a great time to bring everyone together, celebrate, and show your appreciation for donors. Plus, this provides a memorable experience that you can use as a launching pad for an annual celebration.

The classic idea is to host a winter holiday celebration where you can celebrate the end of the year with your supporters. The only problem with this is that focusing on stewardship could collide with or overshadow your end-of-year fundraising season, potentially causing you to miss out on year-end donations. Instead, you might choose a different holiday season like a Spring fling, Independence Day, or Valentine’s Day to center your event around.

5. Donor Appreciation Gifts Ideas

Who doesn’t love receiving a present? Donor appreciation gifts provide a platform to say thank you to donors at all levels. You might even decide to provide different types of merchandise or gifts for each level of supporter at your organization.

Sending gifts makes supporters feel appreciated. Plus, you can receive additional benefits from this type of appreciation strategy. When merchandise is branded to your organization, your supporters will think of your mission every time they see the merch or use items from a goodie bag. Educational materials can provide additional information about your mission, making it a great way to connect with donors while also informing them further about your organization.

Branded Merchandise

Branded merchandise provides two different benefits for your organization. First, it provides a tangible item to show your appreciation for everything your supporters do for you. Second, it serves as a reminder of your organization and your mission over the months or even years.

The classic merchandise items include things like t-shirts and mugs, but you can also get incredibly creative with this idea and design anything related to your organization or your mission as a whole. For example, if you work to provide technology to schools, you might brand a power bank with your organization’s logo and with your dedicated color scheme.

Books or Educational Materials

Educational materials are a meaningful way to give supporters an inside look at your organization’s activities and the reason for your mission. Plus, they make a great donor appreciation gift!

Let’s say there was a particular book that influenced your leadership to launch your organization; try giving that book out to your supporters! You might even try to host an event with the book’s author if you really want to go the extra mile.

Baskets and Goodie Bags

When you put together branded merchandise, you’re likely going to have a number of different items to give away or sell. You may even have a number of different designs for your various campaigns. For supporters who go above and beyond, you can put together baskets and goodie bags of these items for them to enjoy.

You might even host little giveaways that all of your supporters are automatically entered into with a number of themed baskets or giveaways. This will not only show your appreciation but also provide additional incentives to give!

Coupons and Discounts

You likely host a number of activities, events, and maybe even conferences that your supporters are invited to attend. And chances are that many of these opportunities aren’t free. As a sign of appreciation for those who donate to specific campaigns or above certain amounts, try offering coupons or discounts.

Again, this is an incentives program that provides a token of appreciation for supporters who contribute. For example, you might provide a discount to your annual holiday party registration for everyone who donates to your year-end campaign.

Wrapping Up

Donor appreciation is the launching pad for stewardship and retention. It’s the first step to building lasting relationships with your supporters. Therefore, be sure to put together a concrete strategy of your own to say “thank you” to each of your donors.

You can use the various ideas and appreciation approaches throughout this guide to help design your strategy and ensure it’s up to scratch.

If you’re looking for additional advice for building relationships with supporters, consider perusing the various resources below:

• Nonprofit CRM | Complete Guide to Choosing the Best Solution. See how having the best CRM to meet your specific needs results in better relationships with donors.
• Bloomerang’s Guide to Donor Retention. Learn more about donor retention and the impact that it has on your fundraising efforts as a whole.
• Nonprofit Annual Reports [+ Template!]. See how you can create your annual report to best steward your supporters, plus check out some awesome examples to get started.

The post Donor Appreciation: Creating a Strategy (And 22+ Ideas!) appeared first on Bloomerang.

Our Ask An Expert series features real questions answered by Claire Axelrad, J.D., CFRE, our very own Fundraising Coach, also known as Charity Clairity.

Today’s question comes from a fundraiser who isn’t sure if they should maintain an existing legacy society as they reboot their planned giving program.

Dear Charity Clairity,

Is there research to support that legacy societies matter to folks? We are rebooting our planned giving program, so this is important to know: retain the society & offer some benefits or start anew and just say thank you.

— Unsure about Society

Dear Unsure,

You’ve essentially just asked if it matters to folks to be recognized and appreciated.  Of course it does! Have you ever known a grandma who didn’t appreciate receiving a thank you note from their grandchild? If asked, they might say “it’s not necessary.” But… come on!

There is research showing folks who inform charities they’ve made a legacy gift give two to three times more than those who do not notify you. From this we can infer people like you to know about their generosity. And if they want you to know, they likely also want you to show them you know. And that you’re pleased with them. It’s just human nature. I’m not aware of any research specifically on the subject of how much legacy societies ‘matter,’ but I’d be very suspect of it. The only way you could know if it matters is by asking. And since people don’t like to appear needy, and would rather seem humble, what they tell you and what they really feel might not match. Plus there’s no way to do a control study to see if legacy donors not in your society stay committed at the same level as donors in your society. Because what charity would ever do that? 

Keep your legacy society. It’s a great marketing and stewardship tool. It’s okay if you want to rebrand and give it a new name. But take the opportunity to once again warmly acknowledge your current members, assure them they’ll continue as valued members of the renamed _________ Society, and let them know about the benefits of being a part of your family and community.

Most legacy donors care most about the impacts of their giving. They don’t need a bunch of trinkets. They do enjoy occasional get-togethers where they can rub shoulders with their peers (virtual works just fine), connect with leaders in your community and keep up-to-date with your work. It’s super important to maintain ongoing contact with legacy giving donors because many of these gifts are revocable. If you don’t continue to show donors how much your support means to them, they may decide to switch their legacy to another nonprofit that does recognize them.

Hopefully this will help you feel confident about building your legacy society moving forward!

— Charity Clairity

Have a question for our Fundraising Coach?

Please submit your question here. Remember, there are no stupid questions! If you need an answer, it’s likely someone else does too. So help your colleagues by asking away. Please use a pseudonym, like “Unsure” did, if you prefer to be anonymous.

The post [ASK AN EXPERT] Do Legacy Gift Societies Still Matter? appeared first on Bloomerang.

Think of January as “Thank You Month.” Shower the donors you love with love… show them the way that you feel… things are gonna get much better if you only…

If you only channel ‘Miss Manners!’

I write a lot about the power of nonprofit gratitude, and you can read some of what I’ve had to say here, here, and here. You really can’t say thank you too often, and research shows the more prompt and personal you can be, the better. So really take advantage of this month – while the gift is still fresh in your donor’s mind — to heap on your authentic thankfulness.

Send a mailed thank you letter.

Make it super donor-centric and personal. It comes directly from you to them, not “on behalf of your organization or clients.” It uses personal language, not jargon or robotic corporate speak. Before you send it, read it aloud to make sure it sounds warm and friendly. Include folks who gave online (if you have their address), even if you already sent an email thank you. It never hurts to get more than one thank you, and sometimes folks don’t even notice the email. Plus with a mailed letter you can add special inserts and notes.

• Use a personal, first-name salutation. Unless someone is royalty, an elected official, clergy, active military or someone you 100% know prefers a formal salutation because they’ve told you, err on the side of informal. We’re in the 21st century, and it’s an informal zeitgeist.
• Add a personal, hand-written note. Generally, this will come from whoever signs the letter, but development staff and volunteers can also add notes. Just make sure you add your notes in a timely manner so the letter does not get delayed. Handwritten notes are rare today, so they really show the donor you think they’re special.
• Add a token gift to the letter. Who doesn’t enjoy a little surprise? Just make sure it doesn’t look expensive or wasteful of resources. It could be as simple as a client photo or a note from someone who benefited from the gift. (See Creative Ways to Thank Your Donors for lots of ideas).
• Reference opportunities for non-monetary engagement (e.g., free virtual events; volunteer opportunities) in the letter.
• Reference the donor’s stated desires and instructions. For example, if they indicated they want the gift to go to a particular project, mention that. If they want to remain anonymous, reassure them you’ll honor this. If they asked for additional information about making a bequest, send this to them.
• Reference anything of note that deserves mention. For example, if they increased their gift let them know you appreciated this. If they’ve given many years in a row, perhaps note how much you appreciate their 10 years of loyal support. If they indicated a change of address or marital status, let them know you’ll make this change in your records.
• Follow the general rules of making thank you letters superior.

Send an additional letter from someone else.

This is an especially good idea for donors who earmark their gift to a specific program. Donors like knowing the program received the gift, and who better to tell them how the gift will be put to work than the person responsible for running the program? An additional letter might come from:

• Program director, especially to donors who make a gift above a certain level (e.g., $500+).
• VIP staff, especially appropriate when you have talent on staff with whom donors might love to connect (e.g., scientist, doctor, lead attorney, researcher, artist, dancer).
• Board president
• Event chair
• Beneficiary of services (e.g., student who received a scholarship; an entrepreneur who received loan; a client who received free legal services).
• Other VIP are perceived as an authority or someone trustworthy who can offer “social proof” of the wisdom of the donor’s philanthropic choice.

Send a welcome kit to new donors.

Let first-time donors know in your first thank you letter or email you’ll be following up with a Welcome Package. This gives them something to look forward to, and you an opportunity to show you can be trusted! A week or two after the initial thank you, follow through! The goal is say thank you again, and also offer up a slew of other donor-centered benefits. Nothing expensive. Just notice they’re new, and let them know some ways they can become involved that don’t involve making another monetary gift. Not yet.

Think from your donor’s perspective. They want an idea of how they can become welcomed, integral members of your community. Here are some things you can include:

• Invitation to a free event and/or tour
• Volunteer opportunities
• Other engagement opportunities (e.g., how to receive your newsletter; how to join you on social media; how to engage in online town hall meetings)
• Contact information
• Client testimonials
• Video to show impact
• Brief donor survey (shows you’re interested in feedback)
• Fact sheet
• Token gift (e.g., bookmark; refrigerator magnet; discount coupon; useful content)

Make a thank you phone call.

I like to call all first-time donors if possible. If your list is too large, I recommend calling donors of $100+. This is a significant amount for a first-time donor, and generally an indication the gift is more than just a token. There’s something about your mission the donor really likes. Your goal is to make them feel they made a good decision – and to do so right away before they begin to wonder!

Below you’ll find suggestions of other donors to call. It’s not exhaustive. It’s okay if the call comes from a staff member, so incorporate these calls into someone’s job description. This is not a long call. Generally, it’s not even a conversation. It’s short, sweet, and to the point. (Grab my free “Donor Thank You Calls + Script e-Book ”).

• Phone new donors (at least above a certain level).
• Phone donors who’ve increased their gift.
• Phone major donors who’ve renewed.
• Phone monthly donors (this can be something you do annually with these folks).
• Phone loyal long-term donors.

Send a tax summary + nonprofit gratitude letter.

January is a terrific time to send donors a calendar year-end letter summarizing their giving for the year. But don’t just send a boring receipt; that’s a waste of paper and postage. Take the opportunity to tell your donors what their giving accomplished, and be sure to tell them how wonderful they are!

• You mean the world. Show it’s not just the gift you appreciate, but the person.
• You made an impact. Again, it’s not just about money but about the outcome.
• None of this could happen without you.

Also, include the info they need for tax purposes, but put this at the bottom below your signature.

• The total amount given in calendar year.
• Dates and amounts of each donation.
• Portion of that total that’s tax-deductible (if it’s all tax-deductible, say that, too).
• That no goods or services were provided (as long as they weren’t).

The goal is to show donors they mean more to you than they thought they did. This is a critical step if you want the ‘next gift.’

Include a warm thank you in your e-newsletter or blog.

Right after a campaign is a good time to call out your recent donors to thank them for all the wonderful things their support makes possible. So include a ‘thank you’ feature in whatever you’re sending to folks this month. While you’re at it, why not offer folks a little ‘gift of content’ as a thank you? Donors want less lecture, more love. Offer:

• Stories of impact.
• Useful content such as “how to tips,” white papers, recommendations, expert advice, etc.
• Fun, relatable content like jokes, entertaining pictures, recipes, inspirational quotes, etc.

Thank recent donors via social media.

You probably know which platforms are most used by your constituents. Why not send a general post with a big fat year-end thank you? It can be prose, a photo, a video or whatever else makes sense for you. For major donors, you can send a more targeted, personal thank you via direct messaging on the platform. Feel free to also think outside the box; there are a variety of ways to express gratitude using social media.

Make a DIY thank you video.

This is something that can be made via mobile phone or even a Zoom recording. It doesn’t have to be fancy. In fact, it’s almost better if it isn’t! There are numerous ways to send this video:

• Via email.
• Via text.
• Via social media.
• By posting it on your website.
• By linking to it from your e-newsletter or blog.

Get over 100 ideas on my Pinterest board: Gratitude: Nonprofits Say Thanks.

Share expressions of nonprofit gratitude from beneficiaries.

Donors love to hear from the folks they help. If client confidentiality is not a problem for you, you can share directly with videos or thank you notes. If it is, you can share quotations or thank you excerpts while keeping the client’s identity anonymous. You can also get creative, and share what a dog… dolphin… tree… river… or painting had to say!

Thank You Summary

Never underestimate the power of thank you. It lets the donor know you received their gift, you appreciate it, and you’re going to use it precisely as they intended. This establishes trust, which is the foundation of all lasting relationships. Plus it just makes people like you more.

Donor communications should never be just about the money. Because gifts are never just about the money. They’re about outcomes the donor cherishes, and values they want to express. So thanking them for being kind, caring, and demonstrably generous is important. It makes supporters feel warm and fuzzy.

The receipt of the gift is the beginning, not the end. Your holy grail should be building the relationship so you’ll achieve donor loyalty. When donors like you, and you continue to make them feel good about their involvement with you, this makes them want to continue sticking with you!

The post Nonprofit Gratitude Strategies appeared first on Bloomerang.

In Part 1 of this two-part article, Secret Nonprofit Donor Thank You Advice: Always Add a Tip, I encouraged you to ‘tip’ your donors with extra gratitude right now. Your donors deserve this, and it will pay off for you in the short and long run by encouraging more donations – today and tomorrow.

We covered three ways to shower folks with extra love, beginning with what I consider to be the most effective strategy.

1. Extra Thank You Phone Calls
2. Extra Thank You Notes
3. Extra Thank You Emails

I promised I’d give you some templates you and your volunteers can use, so… here they are!

Templates for ‘Extra’ Thank You Phone Calls

The script goes something like this:

CALL

You begin with:

Hi _____ (donor’s name). This is _____________.  I’m on the board of the (organization’s name.)  I’m NOT calling to ask you for money. I’m just calling to thank you for the donation you recently made and for standing with us during these difficult times.  It really means a lot and I wanted to tell you personally how grateful we are. 

Donor says something like:

ï         Uh, okay.

ï         It was my pleasure.

ï         Wow! I’ve never had anyone call just to thank me!

If folks are willing to chat:

Take this opportunity to check in and ask them how they’re adapting to the new abnormal. Ask an open-ended question to endeavor to learn a bit about how they got connected with you. If you’ve had any virtual events, ask if they’ve had an opportunity to join in. Let them know about any upcoming opportunities to connect. I like to offer my phone number should they ever have any questions or concerns. It helps donors feel like insiders – real members of your family – when they have a name and number with whom to connect.

You close with:

Just want you to know we don’t take your support for granted. I don’t want to take up a lot of your time. I just wanted to thank you again for (making this first gift/increasing your giving this year/your longtime support). We honestly couldn’t do this work without you. Have a great day!

LEAVE A MESSAGE

If the donor doesn’t answer the phone, leave a message.  After all, you took the time to place the call; don’t waste that energy!

You can reach me at (phone number or email), and I’ll also be sending you an email to make it easy for you.

FOLLOW-UP EMAIL

Subject line: (Your name) from (your organization’s) Board following up as promised in today’s Voice Mail

Body: Sorry I missed you today. I would have loved to thank you in person! As promised, I’m sending you another BIG thank you for your steadfast support. Even with our doors closed, your support is helping (brief blurb about how their giving makes an impact today). I hope you’ll check out (link to something you’re doing now, a new video, a list of useful tips or a recent e-newsletter).

With support from friends like you we will (stay strong/meet the increased need/be back)!

With gratitude,

(Your name)

P.S. If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to let me know and I’ll endeavor to find you answers.  Thanks again.

For more, grab my free “Donor Thank You Calls E-Book + Script.”

Templates for ‘Extra’ Thank You Notes

Your heartfelt, exceptional copy goes something like this:

Dear (first name),

You may not fully appreciate how much your recent gift to (your organization or campaign name) means. So I’m sending a special note just to let you know. You are awesome!

I want to say more, but words won’t fully express my gratitude for your support at this time.

Signature (Draw a heart, add an ‘XOXO’ or something to express gratitude that’s not ‘words.’)

OR

Dear (first name),

I understand this may seem silly or over the top, but I think what you did was exceptional.

Your gift during these uncertain times is special, and does not go unnoticed.

Thank you from the bottom of my heart,

Signature

Don’t forget to personally address the envelope.  And put your name above the return address. This will help assure the thank you note is opened.

Templates for ‘Extra’ Thank You Emails

Your heartfelt, informal copy goes something like this:

Subject lines: 

One more thank you from (your name @ organization’s name) because… you mean that much!

I know you were thanked already for your gift to (organization’s name), but TODAY once is not enough.

Preview panes:

Because you cared, kids in our community are getting free lunches (or whatever is true for your nonprofit). For example, “because you cared…

• The doors of our shelter have remained open.
• Our staff will continue to receive life-sustaining health benefits.
• We’ve pivoted to offer programming virtually.
• All furloughed workers will be rehired to continue meeting client needs
• We haven’t lost a second in the fight to find a cure.

Body (Keep in mind the beginning of the first sentence of your body copy will show up in the reader’s preview pane if they have this email feature turned on): 

Because you cared… 

Today I’m sending you another BIG thank you for your generosity during these difficult times.  Knowing we have your support makes all the difference in our ability to keep (brief blurb about how their giving makes an impact today). 

Words are inadequate to truly express how much your recent gift means. To me, and to everyone here, you are a hero!

If I could hug you, I would.

Warm regards,

(Your name)

P.S. If you ever have any questions, don’t hesitate to let me (or name/contact info for an appropriate staff person or volunteer leader).  Thanks again.

Closing Thoughts

When you ask well, you get one gift. When you thank well, you get multiple gifts.

It’s important to always think from your donor’s perspective. Remember, they don’t think the way you do.  We actually know how donors think due to an amazing two decade body of research from Penelope Burk.

Donors appreciate an exceptional thank you. Doubt this at your peril. Even donors who tell you “no need to send me a thank you” will respond well to something special like a call or personal note. People simply won’t tell you the truth, especially if they think it makes them look needy. They’ll tell you what they think you want to hear.

Turn the tables and tell donors what they truly yearn to hear. People want to love themselves when they look in the mirror. If you make them feel good about themselves, they’ll feel good about you.

Human nature.

The post Rock These Outstanding Nonprofit Donor Thank You Templates appeared first on Bloomerang.