THINK LIKE A DONOR

Yesterday, I received a piece of mail from a museum where I have been a member for many years.  The mail exhorted me to “Renew” my membership. Which I had just done 2 months before.  It really annoyed me.  Not as much, mind you, as the organizations I give to online who, immediately after the automated thank you for my gift email me to ask me to give. 
Wait!  Didn’t I just do that?  And what have you done—in the minutes, hours, or several days, since you partook of of my generosity.  Clearly it is too early to have had an impact but have you already ascertained that it—and by extension, I—is not enough?

It isn’t a surprise to me that the number of donors is down.  Those of us—the vast 99% of America—who cannot  make a serious major gift are treated as if what we do give is meaningless.  And if that is true, then frankly, stop asking!

I get it.  Large gifts do more.  So it is understandable that organizations focus on donors who have larger capacity.  And yet.

You never know.  The donor who gives you a small gift could, over time, with love and gratitude, give you a larger gift.  And perhaps introduce you to others who could make larger gifts.  Maybe not the mega millions large nonprofits seek, but enough to seriously transform your organization.

But that takes making  your donor feel as if they matter.

That might mean that in addition to the automated thank you your technology kicks off, you send a personal email, not just thanking the donor for their gift but asking them what was it that triggered them to support you.  This is especially important for first time donors, but given that you probably haven’t spoken directly with most of your online donors, it could work just well with that person who has regularly been giving to you for years.

Or think about your monthly donor.  They probably don’t want a(n automated!) thank you every month.  And they don’t really want to hear so much about all that is going on.  What they do want—what I want from the organizations I support monthly—is to feel that while I am part of a group (a giving club perhaps), that I am also an individual who matters to you. Again, a personal email could really help here.

Hi Janet!  You’ve been a monthly donor for (however long—your database can advise you), and in addition to thanking you for supporting us, I would really like to get to know you better.  First and foremost, of course, what is it about us that made you first give and that makes you continue supporting our work?

It would be amazing if we could set up a zoom meeting to chat for 15 or 20 minutes.  But even just a quick note back from you answering my question would be awesome.

Yes, this is my personal and direct email address.  Please use it to let me know if we can deepen our relationship and make you an even more important part of our family.

I know.  You are busy.  And this would take time.  But think about it—what are you really busy with?  Is it as important as this?

Fundraising, as we all know, is all about relationships.  But if the only relationship a donor has is with your chat bot or any other technology, it is not very deep, it is  not thoughtful, and worst of all, you haven’t learned a thing about who you donor is, what they care about, or how to engage them so their gifts  are the best and yes, largest, they can give.  More, you want them to be your ambassador—getting their friends and family (work and personal) to also become interested in you.

But unless they feel important, well, why should they?

None of this is hard.  None of this is complex.  All it takes is for you to treat your donors as you want to be treated when you are the one donating.