Summer is vacation time. You and other members of your staff may have a fun vacation planned. I recently came back from a wonderful trip to Spain.

Even though this might be a slower time, don’t hold back on your donor communication. Yes, your donors are also taking vacations, but they still want to hear how they’re helping you make a difference.

Here are some tips to help you stay in touch this summer.

Keep it short

Our attention spans wane even more when it’s hot. There’s no need for a lot of long-winded text. Send a thank you or infographic update postcard instead.

Another way to get your donors’ attention in an instant is with a photo. Create a thank you photo to share on email and social media. You could create a short video, too.

Capture Your Donors’ Attention in an Instant by Using Visual Stories

Lighten up

If you’re a reader, you gravitate towards lighter fare in the summer. My favorite beach reads are mysteries.

Fundraiser Shannon Doolittle has some fun and creative ideas to stay in touch with your donors this summer. Maybe you can think of others.

Fun, sun and donor love

Meet your donors where they are

You’ll make it easier for everyone if you communicate by channels your donors use. That might be direct mail, email, social media, or a combination of those. Don’t spend time and effort communicating via channels your donors don’t use.

Is it time for a newsletter makeover?

If you already send a regular newsletter,that’s great. What’s not great is if your newsletter is just plain boring, as many are.

Take a look at yours. How can you make it better? Use your “downtime” this summer to give your newsletter a makeover.

Keep it donor-centered, Focus on sharing success stories and don’t forget to thank your donors for helping you make a difference.

Shorter is always better, especially in the summer. Send a two-page print newsletter instead of a four-page one and stick to one or two updates in your e-newsletter.

Is Your Newsletter Putting Your Donors to Sleep?

Plan for staff vacations

If the staff who are responsible for sending email updates and social media posts go on vacation, that doesn’t mean your communication comes to a screeching halt. Have someone else fill in so you don’t miss a beat.

Keep it up

Stay in touch with your donors so they have a good feeling about you come appeal time. Keep retention in mind. You want your donors to give again and you can help ensure this with good communication and by building relationships.

Read on to find out how other organizations are communicating this summer. Get Your People Out of the Heat & Into Action

Image by David Smith