Improve Donor Engagement

It goes without saying you need to thank your donors. There are several ways to do this. Emails are good, but a phone call is better. Studies show that donors who received one or more phone calls within 90 days of their first-time donation were retained at a rate between 41% and 58%. If first-time givers are retained at this rate, what will it do for your solid long-time supporters?

There are, of course, other ways to say thank you. Recognize them in your bulletins, newsletters, or at events. Celebrate your supporters with a donor appreciation banquet or create a Donors' Wall Of Honor in your offices or on your website. Any way you can think of to show appreciation for their support and assistance is not wasted.

Donors want to know how their donations are being used, so be as specific as possible. Also, if the donation is made to further a special campaign, share statistics on your fundraising progress. A donor who sees that the goal is almost met is more likely to give a larger donation than originally planned.

Sharing your impact or success stories is another excellent way to let donors know what their support means to others or how it is furthering your cause.

New donors need special attention. They have expressed interest in your organization so you must capitalize on that opportunity. Dedicate time to cultivate a relationship.

• Send a personal thank you for their interest and trust, and then make sure you follow up with additional communications within the next 30 days.

• Inform them about new donor or membership benefits and ask them to sign up for your newsletter, online community, or to connect through social media.

• Send articles and updates about donor impact. People who hear about the impact of their gift and how grateful you are for their support are more likely to give again.

• Not every communication should ask for money but when you do, make the request as specific as possible -- to meet a goal or fill a need.

It's been proven that recurring donations are worth up to 4x more than one-time gifts so make sure to treat your recurring donors like the special people they are.

• Keep them in the loop. Your regular donors should never have to wonder if their contribution is making a difference. Make sure any inquiry from your regular donors is met with a timely response.

• Look for fun and creative ways to thank your long-term supporters. This could be in the form of a personal hand-written card, a small branded thank you gift, a meet and greet with cause beneficiaries, or a tour of your facilities. Also, don't overlook online events to mix it up and create variety.

People might be more likely to donate again if there are a variety of options to do so. Some ideas include: QR codes; Text2Give; Peer-to-Peer fundraising; events and auctions; and double the donation through employer matching.

There are also non-monetary ways for a person to contribute: invite your supporters to volunteer or to make an in-kind donation.

Creating an email drip campaign is a great way to introduce new donors to your organization's mission, staff, and programs. To engage your audience through social media, ask them share your posts or leave a comment. Try to think of posts that encourage interaction like polls or questions. When possible, try posting short video content.

Are you short-handed in the office? Do you need extra assistance at your event? What about an encourager to make phone calls? What an excellent way to expand a person's involvement in your mission. Some people are too timid to volunteer on their own or prefer the honor of being asked. Either way, if you need volunteers, try asking.