Even though the end of the year is when most nonprofits see the highest level of giving, it’s also a busy time for your donors.
Once is not enough and you need to follow up with friendly reminders. In most cases, you will use a multi-channel approach. This is contingent on the type of contact information you have and what channels your donors use. You may not have email addresses or phone numbers for all your donors.
It’s also important to make your follow-up messages positive. Don’t make your donors feel bad about not contributing yet.
By email
Email is often the easiest way to get your message across to a large number of people. You probably have email addresses for most of your supporters.
If possible, only send email reminders to people who haven’t donated. If you can’t do that, be sure to thank the people who have already donated. Continue to share success stories. You can also give updates on your progress, if you have a goal and a deadline.
By social media
Again, include a link to your website to make donating easy.
By phone
Sometimes a quick phone reminder is all it takes to spark a donation. It’s up to you if you want to call everyone who hasn’t donated. Your best bet is to call people who have donated in the past, especially if they have given at a higher level.
This is also a good opportunity to thank your donors. Leaving a message is fine, but be sure to include a call back number and the link to your website.
Ann Green's Nonprofit Blog 