donor-centered

Is Your Newsletter Putting Your Donors to Sleep?

Ann Green Communications, donor relations, fundraising, writing , , , ,

7851198430_6a302f4e5f_mNewsletters can and should be a great way to stay in touch with your donors and keep them updated on how they are helping you make a difference. Unfortunately, most donor newsletters can be used as a cure for insomnia. They’re too long and filled with articles that brag about how wonderful the organization is.

If you’re going to put the time and effort into creating a newsletter, make sure it’s something your donors will want to read.

Here’s what you need to do.

Think about what your donors want

You may opt not to do a print newsletter because it’s expensive and takes too much time, but you’re making a mistake if many of your donors prefer print.

I think you’ll have more success if you can do both print and electronic newsletters. I recommend a short e-newsletter once or twice a month and one to four print newsletters a year. But ask your donors what they like, and listen to what they say. If a majority of them prefer one over the other, then doing both may not make sense.

You also want to share content that will interest your donors. Do you think your donors would rather read an article about your CEO receiving an award or one about Sammy acing his math test after his weekly tutoring sessions? The answer should be obvious.

Remember, your donors want to hear how they are helping you make a difference.

Share stories

Each newsletter needs to begin with a compelling story. Client stories are best, but you could also do profiles of volunteers, board members, and donors. Focus on what drew them to your mission.

Create a story bank that includes at least three client success stories to use every year.

Write to your donors

Write your newsletter in the second person, emphasizing you much more than we. Be personal and conversational. Say – You helped Sammy improve his math skills or Because of donors like you, X number of students are now reading at their grade level or above.

Ditch the jargon and other language your donors won’t understand. Write as if you’re having a conversation with a friend.

I’m not a fan of the letter from the CEO because those tend to be organization-centered instead of donor-centered.  

Say thank you

Never miss an opportunity to thank your donors. Every one of your newsletters needs to show gratitude and emphasize how much you appreciate your donors.

Make it easy to read (and scan)

Most of your donors aren’t going to read your newsletter word for word, especially your e-newsletter. Include enticing headlines, at least a 12-point font, and lots of white space so your donors can easily scan your newsletter.

Use the inverted pyramid and put the most important story first, keeping in mind your donors may not get to all the articles.

Also, make sure your donors can read your e-newsletter on a mobile device.

Short and sweet

Your print newsletter should be no more than four pages. Limit your monthly e-newsletter to four articles. Some organizations send an e-newsletter twice a month. Those should be even shorter – two or three articles.

You may find you have more success with shorter, more frequent e-mail updates.

Send it to the right audience

Fundraising guru Tom Ahern recommends sending your print newsletter only to donors. This can help you keep it donor-centered, as well as cut down on mailing costs.

Send e-newsletters ONLY to people who have signed up for it. They may or may not be donors, but an e-newsletter can also be a good cultivation tool.

Don’t create a newsletter that will put your donors to sleep. Create one they’ll want to read.

If you’re getting stressed out about coming up with content for your newsletters, help is on the way if you use a communications calendar.

Read on for more information about donor newsletters.

The Domain Formula for donor newsletters

5 Steps to Newsletters that Keep Donors Close

The Best Tips for Amazing Non-Profit Newsletters (Non-Profit Blog Carnival)

5 NON-PROFIT NEWSLETTERS TO LEARN FROM

 

 

 

Show Some #DonorLove

Ann Green Communications, donor relations, fundraising, writing , , , , , ,

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When was the last time you thanked your donors?  If it’s been at least a month then you need to show some donor love.

Valentine’s Day is a perfect opportunity to thank your donors and show how much you appreciate their support. Maybe you’d rather not acknowledge Valentine’s Day, but you should still do something fun and creative to show appreciation in February. The holidays are over, and we could all use a little pick me up right now. This is also a good opportunity to stay in touch with the people who gave to your year-end appeal, especially first-time donors.

Here are some ideas.

Create a thank you photo

Make your donor’s day with a great photo, like one of these. 

Send thank you photos via email and social media, use one to create a card, and include one on your thank you landing page.

If you have the time and resources, you could also create a thank you video.

Share an update or success story

In addition to saying thank you, share a brief update or success story. Emphasize how you couldn’t have helped someone without your donor’s support. For example – Thanks to you, Bobby won’t go to bed hungry tonight.

Send a card

A handwritten note can also brighten your donor’s day. If you don’t have the budget to send cards to everyone, send them to your most valuable donors. These may not be the ones who give you the most money. Do you have donors who have supported your organization for more than three years? How about more than five years? These are your valuable donors.

Another idea – Send a small number of thank you cards every month, ensuring that each donor gets at least one card a year. Spreading it out may be easier on your budget.

Thank You Basics

Make this the year you do a better job of thanking your donors. Thank your donors right away and send a thank you note/letter or make a phone call. Electronic thank yous aren’t good enough.

Be personal and conversational when you thank your donors. Don’t use jargon or other language they won’t understand. Write from the heart, but be sincere. Give specific examples of how your donors are helping you make a difference.

If your budget doesn’t allow you to mail handwritten cards, is there a way you can change that? You may be able to get a print shop to donate cards. You can also look for additional sources of unrestricted funding to cover cards and postage.

Maybe you need a change of culture. Getting your board, all staff, and volunteers involved in thanking your donors will make a huge difference.

Keep thinking of ways to surprise and delight your donors! Get creative.

15 Creative Ways to Thank Donors

CREATIVE & EASY IDEAS TO HELP YOU THANK YOUR DONORS!

You can’t say thank you enough. Create a Thank You Plan to help you thank your donors at least once a month.

You don’t even need to wait for a holiday or special occasion. Thank your donors because they’re incredible and you wouldn’t be able to make a difference without them.

Photo by Liz West

Is Your Organization Donor-Centered? Find Out by Taking This Quiz

Ann Green appeal letters, Communications, donor relations, fundraising, writing , , , , , ,

8081866941_f7a44403cc_zWhat does it mean to be donor-centered?  It means focusing on your donors’ needs and interests and taking into account that not all donors are the same.

A lot of donor communication is not donor-centered. How do you know if yours is? Take this short quiz to find out.

Fundraising Appeals

  • Are your fundraising appeals focused too much on your organization – rambling on about how great you are?  Your organization may be great, but let your donors figure that out. Your donors are the ones who are great, and they want to hear how they can help you make a difference for the people/community you serve.
  • Are your appeals segmented to the appropriate audience? Thank past donors or reference your relationship to a potential donor.  Maybe they are event attendees, volunteers, or friends of board members.
  • Are your appeals addressed to a person and not Dear Friend?
  • Are your appeals vague, impersonal, and filled with jargon your donors won’t understand?  Don’t say we’re helping underserved members of the community. A donor-centered appeal would say something like – With your support, we can help low-income families find affordable housing.
  • Do your appeals make people feel good about donating to your organization?

Thank you letters

  • Do your thank you letters come across as transactional and resemble a receipt? Yes, you need to acknowledge the donation is tax deductible, etc, but most donors are more concerned about how their gift made a difference.
  • Do your thank you letters (or better yet, a handwritten note) shower your donors with love?  Start your letter with You’re amazing or Thanks to You!, and not On behalf of X organization.
  • Are you telling your donors the impact of their gift?  For example – Thanks to your generous donation of $50, we can provide groceries for a family of four at the Riverside Community Food Bank.
  • Do you recognize each donor?  Is this the first time someone has donated?  If someone donated before, did she increase her gift?  Acknowledge this in your letter/note.

Newsletters

  • Do your newsletters sound self-promotional and drone on about all the wonderful things your organization is doing instead of showing your donors how they’re helping you make a difference?
  • Is your newsletter written in the second person?  Write to the donor and use the word you more often than we. How to Perform the “You” Test for Donor-Centered Communications – Do You Pass?  BTW, all your donor communication should be written in the second person. It’s much more personal.
  • Does your newsletter include success stories, engaging photos, and other content your donors want you to share?
  • Are you using the right channels?  Perhaps you only send an e-newsletter, but some of your donors prefer print.
  • Are you showing gratitude to your donors in your newsletter?

Always think of your donors first.

Use these quiz questions on other donor communication such as annual reports, your website, and social media posts.

How did you do?

Be sure every message you send to your donors focuses on them and makes them feel special.  Staying donor-centered can help you build relationships and keep your retention rate up.

Read on for more information on how to be donor-centered and wallpaper your office with this donor-centered pledge. Take the Donor-Centered Pledge

How to Raise More Money with Nonprofit Donor-Centered Fundraising

A sample donor-centered communication

Photo by woodleywonderworks

 

Pay Attention to Your Donor Retention

Ann Green Communications, donor relations, fundraising, planning , , , , ,

Now that you’ve sent your year-end appeal, take a look at your retention rate to see how well you did. A Guide to Donor Retention Poor retention rates are a chronic problem for nonprofit organizations, but it’s something you can fix.

Reach out to your lapsed donors

How did you do? Did you have a number of donors who gave in the past, but didn’t this year?  Reach out to these lapsed donors by phone or letter.  Let them know you miss them and want them back. Some people may have been busy in December (who wasn’t) and didn’t have time to respond to your appeals.

Who are you missing?

I hope you have a good database to keep track of your donor records.  Check to see who didn’t donate. You should be most concerned about past donors who didn’t give this year. There are a variety of reasons people don’t donate, and many of them are ones you can control.  If you have a number of first-time donors who didn’t give again, chances are you spent a lot of time enticing them to donate, and then, well not much after that.

The case of the disappearing donors

Ideally, once you get a donor, you should be able to keep the person, but that’s not happening.  According to the 2015 Fundraising Effectiveness survey, first-time donor retention is an abysmal 19%.  It’s 63% for repeat donors, which is nothing to celebrate. We can do better.

One of your priorities this year is to get your first-time donors to become long-term donors.  

Create a welcome plan for new donors

If you haven’t already done this, send your new donors a welcome kit by mail or email. Roll Out the Red Carpet for Your New Donors 

But keep showing the love to all your donors

You want as many donors as possible to give again, preferably at a higher level. This won’t happen if you don’t stay in touch throughout the year. Does Your Donor Communication Tell Donors What’s Next?

Create a donor relations plan in which you find ways to engage with your donors at least once or twice a month.  You can include this in your communications calendar. 

Know which channels your donors use the most, but don’t neglect direct mail. One idea is to send a thank you for being an amazing donor card at least once a year. If cost is an issue, spread your mailings out over the year, so you send a smaller number of cards each month. Donors may be pleasantly surprised to receive a card in May or September.

Be donor-centered

It’s not enough just to send a donor newsletter or post a social media update.  Most donor communication is all about the organization.  Share stories and updates your donors will want to read.

Keep building relationships

You can’t control your donors’ financial situation, but you can control your communication with them, and it needs to be whole lot better.

Pay attention to your donor retention and work on keeping your donors for a long time.

Image by Bloomerang

What Do Your Donors Think?

Ann Green Communications, donor relations, fundraising , , , , ,

 

Last month I read this article in the Boston Globe Magazine. You’ve been asking charities the wrong question It emphasized the importance of focusing on social impact rather than overhead costs. That’s an important discussion, but what struck me were the responses in the print version of the magazine.

Your intention may be very different from what your donors’ reaction will be.

Are you asking too often?

One person responded with”My husband and I are retired, but twice each year we send $10 or $20 to 10 or 20 charities. Within a week, they’re back again. It seems a waste of paper, time, and postage.” I can relate. The number of fundraising emails I received in December made my head spin.

Of course, you need to ask your donors for contributions. You have fundraising goals you need to meet, and the end of year fundraising surge is a proven way to raise revenue.  But your donors are seeing a lot of requests for money.

One way to alleviate this is not to send fundraising appeals to donors who have already contributed to your current campaign.  If that’s not possible, thank anyone who’s already donated.  Keep your appeals donor-centered and focus on building relationships.  Why Does Giving to Your Organization Feel Like a Transaction and Not a Relationship?

Perhaps instead of asking too often, you’re not thanking your donors and engaging with them enough.  Follow this golden rule of fundraising – ask, thank, report/engage, repeat.  You should be in touch with your donors anywhere between once a week and once a month in ways in which you’re not asking for money.  This could be via newsletter, email and social media updates, and thank you cards.

If the only times your donors hear from you is when you send a fundraising appeal, then yes it will seem as if you’re asking too often.  If you engage more with your donors, you might even raise more revenue.  Here’s How Often You Should Mail to Your Donors

The free stuff could cost you money

Another reader lamented the practice of organizations sending stuff such as labels or offering a premium if you make a donation.  “The waste of money on all these offers will not be my money.” Yikes. This is not what you want to hear from a donor.

Your donors want to help you make a difference.  They don’t want more stuff.  Your goal should be to find donors who will be committed to your cause and support you for a long time. If you think you can get more donors because you offer them a coffee mug, you’re reaching out to the wrong people.

Put yourself in your donors’ shoes

Every time you communicate with your donors ask what they will think.  How will she respond to this appeal?  Have we included an engaging story or is it just filled with boring statistics.  Will he want to read this newsletter article about our executive director receiving an award?  More likely a story about the Jones family moving out of a shelter and into their own home will generate more interest.

What you think and what your donors think are not the same. I encourage you to print this great Venn diagram created by Marky Phillips to help you remember what your donors think is important. The fundraising paradox

Image by Marky Phillips

 

 

 

How You Can Do Better in 2016

Ann Green Communications, donor relations, fundraising, writing , , , , , ,

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Happy New Year! I hope you had a good holiday. I also hope 2015 was a good year for your organization.

The New Year is a good time to evaluate what worked and what didn’t last year.  Here are a few areas that I think need improvement.

Do a better job of thanking your donors

I know you spent a lot of time working on your year-end appeal, but many organizations fall short when it comes to thanking their donors.

Thank your donors right away, and not by sending a generic looking receipt.  Shower them with love whether it’s on your thank you landing page, an email, letter/note, or phone call.  BTW, I believe all donors, even those who give online, should get a thank you by mail or phone call.  It will make a better impression and that’s what you want.

Don’t Treat Thanking Your Donors as an Afterthought

And don’t just thank your donors after they make a donation. Keep thanking them throughout the year – at least once a month. A thank you plan will help you with that. Why You Need a Thank You Plan

Focus on your donors, not your organization

Okay, you’re planning to share accomplishments with your donors in an annual report, newsletters, and email and social media updates.  But that’s not enough.  Many annual reports and newsletters can be used as a cure for insomnia.

I just received a year-end update from an organization that opened with “X organization continues as a world leader in….,” and emphasized being number one and top ranked.  In the midst of this three-page organizational love fest, they only thanked their donors for their support a couple of times and included very few examples of how they’re helping the people they serve.

You need to reverse this.  Pour on the praise for your donors and go beyond just telling donors “your support of our mission has made it possible for us to reach these achievements…” Yawn.  Give specific examples of how you are helping people, and dial back on the bragging. How You Can Share Accomplishments Without Bragging

Use language your donors will understand

Your donors don’t use words like underserved or disenfranchised, and neither should you. Write as if you’re having a conversation with a friend.  Be clear and specific.  Something like – Thanks to you, the Connors family can move into a home of their own.  

Take this advice from the Center for Plain Language – Make it Clear

Let’s Start a Nonprofit Plain Writing Movement

You only have a few seconds to get your donors’ attention. Don’t blow it by using language they won’t understand.

Stay in touch throughout the year by using a communications calendar

I’ve emphasized the importance of staying in touch with your donors throughout the year.  I know it can be hard, but it will be a whole lot easier if you use a communications (aka editorial) calendar.  Make it Easy to Stay in Touch with Your Donors by Using a Communications Calendar

Your donors want to hear how they’re helping you make a difference. Don’t let them down.

I hope you’ll take the time to make improvements in these areas. Here’s wishing you a successful 2016.

Why Does Giving to Your Organization Feel Like a Transaction and Not a Relationship?

Ann Green appeal letters, Communications, donor relations, fundraising, website, writing , , , , , , ,

506328659_22260c5bb2_zFor the last couple of years, I’ve done my year-end giving online on #GivingTuesday.  The day before I purchased Christmas gifts on Cyber Monday, and there wasn’t much difference in the process.

Is it #GivingTuesday or Asking Tuesday?

On #GivingTuesday I was inundated with emails asking for donations, just like the day before I was barraged with emails from Amazon and Zappos.  I know organizations are trying to capitalize on #GivingTuesday, but it was more like Asking Tuesday.

I was told I only had a few hours left to give. Really?  But this isn’t the only day to give. If you’re going to stress urgency, focus on the need of your recipients and not your organization.

I saw very few hints of any type of relationship. Only one organization recognized me as a past donor. Your generosity makes the work we do possible

Many emails began with the dreaded Dear Friend.  Some of these came from large organizations that should be able to afford a database that personalizes salutations.

Some organizations stressed the importance of being a part of #GivingTuesday.  Why is that important? I would rather be a part of helping you make a difference for the people you serve.

Your donors don’t want to receive an appeal when they’ve already donated.  At the very least include a thank you like this – We want to extend a huge THANK YOU to those who have already given.

You can do better by opening your appeal with a story and thanking donors for their past support. Give donors a compelling reason to give and focus more on the relationship and not the transaction.

I’m not the only one who felt this way.  COULD DECEMBER BE THE MONTH WHEN YOU WILL LOSE THE MOST DONORS?

A receipt is not a thank you

When I shop online, I don’t expect the receipt I receive to be as warm and fuzzy as the sweaters I just purchased, but I do expect something personal after I make a donation.

Your thank you landing page is a chance for you to make a good first impression and that doesn’t always happen, especially on some third party sites.

Here’s an example that’s pretty blah.

DONATION CONFIRMED
Thank you for your generous gift to
DONATION SUMMARY AND RECEIPT

.

This one’s a little better, although I would nix the On the behalf of ……

Thank You!

On behalf of the Board of Trustees and staff at X, thank you for your generous online contribution.

Even better

Thank you Ann!

None of the email thank you messages I received knocked my socks off. Here are two openings that are particularly bad.

Thank you for making a donation to x

Here’s an acknowledgment – you should keep this for your records:

 

Thank you for your donation to x

If you have any questions about your donation, please email x and reference number 151201134525.

Yes, I’m feeling the love right now.

But all hope is not lost. I received a follow up thank you email a few days later with the subject line

You #CrushedIt on Giving Tuesday

Almost every online donation I made felt like a transaction. I know you need to include the donation summary and tax ID information, but put that at the end of your thank letter, after you tell your donors they’re amazing.

Donor Relations Guru Lynne Webster has some additional insights #GivingTuesday 2015, and here are some ways to give your donors a better thank you experience. Don’t Treat Thanking Your Donors as an Afterthought

Keep this in mind for all your appeals, especially the ones you send at the end of December.

Focus on the relationship, not the transaction.

Photo by Paul Downey

Make an Investment in Your Donors

Ann Green Communications, database, donor relations, fundraising, planning , , , , ,

This post was included in the November Nonprofit Blog Carnival: A Call to Abundance

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I know many nonprofits have limited resources.  These can include budget, time, and staff.  I also know it’s hard when you feel you’re barely scraping by.  But there are some areas where you can’t skimp.  Think of it as making an investment in your donors.

Invest in a good database and email service provider

The best ones aren’t free.  Fundraising consultant Pamela Grow gives an example of being told to weed out donor data because the database the organization had was only free if it held less than 500 donor records.

This is crazy.  A better database and email service provider can help you raise more money. You can segment your donors by amount and politely ask them to give a little more in your next appeal – $35 or $50 instead of $25.

A better database can help you with retention. You can personalize your letters and email messages.  No more Dear Friend.  You can welcome new donors and thank donors for their previous support. You can record any personal information, such as conversations you had with a donor and their areas of interest.

Don’t cut corners when it comes to your donor data. Here’s more information to help you find a database and email service provider that’s right for you.

Finding the Right Donor Database for Your Nonprofit

Compare Non-Profit Software

The 4 Best Email Marketing Software for Nonprofits

MailChimp vs Constant Contact: Which Email Marketing Software Reigns Supreme for Small Businesses?

Invest in direct mail

Direct mail is an effective and more personal way to communicate with your donors. Every day we’re barraged with email and social media posts, but receive just a few pieces of postal mail. Your donors will be more likely to see your messages if you send them by mail.

You don’t have to mail that often but aim for at least three or four times a year.  I know it can be expensive, so be smart about what you send. Two to four-page newsletters and annual reports are fine. Lengthy communication will cost more and your donors are less likely to read it.  Remember to also make everything  you send donor-centered.

Plan ahead.  If you have a small staff, you may need to start working on a special Valentine’s mailing right after New Year’s.

Cleaning up your mailing lists will help you avoid costly duplicate mailings. Look into using discounted mailing options, too. Special Prices for Nonprofit Mailers

Invest in thanking your donors

This is so important! Nonprofit organizations tend to do a poor job of thanking their donors.

Ideally, your donors should get a handwritten thank you card or a phone call.  Even though these take more time, it’s time well spent. At many of the small nonprofits I’ve worked at, it was all hands on deck to get out our fundraising appeals.  Staff and volunteers would stuff envelopes and write handwritten notes on the letters.

Do the same when you thank your donors.  Get your board involved in making phone calls or writing cards.  Recruit volunteers to help, too.

Take time each day you get a donation to make phone calls, write cards, or send letters.  Don’t let board members put off making calls or let a stack of letters sit on your ED’s desk.

Create a thank you plan to help you and don’t treat thanking your donors as an afterthought.

Make it work

If you can’t increase your budget, find additional sources of unrestricted funding to cover these costs. You may also be able to find a sponsor or get a print shop to print your thank you cards or annual report pro bono.

Do something. You must make an investment in your donors.

Photo by ota_photos  www.tradingacademy.com   

 

 

Do Annual Reports Make Sense?

Ann Green Communications, donor relations, fundraising, writing , , , , ,

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The answer is, it depends. Annual reports take a lot of time to produce and there’s no guarantee your donor will read it. But if you can produce one that’s filled with gratitude and shows your donors how they’re helping you make a difference, then yes an annual report makes sense.

You don’t have to do an annual report, but you do need to share accomplishments with your donors.  Some organizations send short progress reports a couple of times a year or monthly e-updates.

If you do decide you want to produce an annual report, here are a few things to keep in mind.

Your annual report is for your donors

It’s not for your board and you don’t have to do it the same way you’ve always done it. That means it’s time to re-think the massive, boring booklet.

You may want to consider different types of annual reports for different donor groups. You could send an oversized postcard with photos and infographics or a two-page report to most of your donors. Your grant and corporate funders might want more detail, but not 20 pages. Aim for no more than four pages.

Show your donors how much you appreciate them

Donors want to feel good about giving to your nonprofit. Think of this as a gratitude report.

Focus on thanking your donors for their role in helping you make a difference. Get  inspired by some of these examples from Agents of Good. Annual/Gratitude Reports 

How are you making a difference?

Too many annual reports are just boring lists, such as number of clients served, and tend to be one big bragfest.  You need to share specific accomplishments that show how you are making a difference.

Something like this – Thanks to you, 85% of the students in our tutoring program are reading at their grade level or above and now have a better chance of graduating from high school on time.

How You Can Share Accomplishments Without Bragging

Tell a story

Donors love to hear about the people they’re helping.  You can tell a story with words, a photo, or video. Share a success story. For example, Cara, a third grader at Riverside Elementary School, used to get butterflies in her stomach if she had to read aloud in class.  The words didn’t come easy.  Now after weekly tutoring sessions with Alicia, one of our volunteer tutors, her reading is much better and she doesn’t dread reading time.

Make it visual

Your donors are busy and don’t have a lot of time to read your report.  Engage them with some great photos, which can tell a story in an instant. Choose photos of people participating in an activity, such as Alicia helping Cara with her reading.

Use colorful charts or infographics to highlight your financials. This is a great way to keep it simple and easy to understand.  Sprinkle in quotes and short testimonials to help break up any text.

Be sure your report is readable.  Use at least a 12-point font and black type on a white background.

Write as if you’re having conversation with friend

Most of your donors don’t use words like underserved or at-risk, and neither should you.  Use everyday language such as – With your help, we found affordable housing for over 100 homeless families. Now they no longer have to live in a shelter, motel, or their cars and have a place to call home.

Write in the second person and use a warm, friendly tone.  Of course, use you much more than we.

Annual reports do make sense if you can create one your donors will want to read.

Click here for more information on annual reports.

Something’s Missing

Ann Green appeal letters, Communications, donor relations, fundraising, writing , , , , ,

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As the year-end giving season approaches, you may notice more activity from nonprofits in your mailbox and email inbox.

Take notice. You can learn a lot about what do to and what not to do when you communicate with donors.  Unfortunately, I see too many instances where organizations can do better.  It seems like something’s missing.

After I recently opened a one-page communication from an organization, my reactions were:

Why are you sending me this?

I wasn’t sure of the purpose of the piece. The organization may have been trying to connect before they sent out their year-end appeal, which is great. That’s something you need to do.  They share some accomplishments, so maybe it was sort of a mini annual report.  It wasn’t obvious.

It wasn’t very personal either, and I think a short, warm introduction would have helped.  They could have used the back side if they needed more space.

I’m a donor. Make me feel special.

The only example of donor-centered language was “Your Support of X Organization Makes Our Work Possible!”

They mention the number of donors who supported their work, but there’s no explicit thank you. That’s a must.

Why is what you do important?

Many nonprofits fall short in this area.  The piece included lots of numbers, but not much detail of why what they’re sharing is important. They talk about making a difference, yet there aren’t any specific examples of how they’re doing that.

They state that “more than 50 households have signed up at a new food pantry site.” Why is that important?  What would happen if these families didn’t have access to this food pantry?  Would they go to bed hungry, or have to choose between buying groceries and paying the heating bill?

What does that mean? 

They describe what they do as “X organization addresses critical needs and emerging trends to create an equitable [community}.”  Huh?

Then I received a fundraising email from a different organization, which gave me an empty feeling because:

They never connected during the year.

The only time I supported this organization was when I attended one of their events last March.  They never sent any type of follow up.  This is a huge pet peeve of mine.  If you hold an event, thank your donors, let them know how their support makes a difference and stay in touch throughout the year.

It wasn’t personal.

There was no salutation, and they didn’t thank me for my past support. The appeal lists what a donation will fund, but doesn’t indicate why that’s important.

There’s too much emphasis on the end of the fiscal year.

The email opened with “It’s the end of our fiscal year, please consider donating by midnight September 30 ….” It felt more like Land’s End telling me this is my last chance to get 30% off.

I know your fiscal year is important to you, but it may not mean much to your donors.  What your donors care about is how they can help you make a difference.

As you work on your year-end appeals and other communication, ask:

  • What is the purpose of this letter/email?  Is it to ask for a donation?  Is it to share an update?  Is that clear?
  • Is this donor-centered?
  • Are you showing gratitude, and thanking donors for their past gifts?
  • Is this warm and personal/conversational?
  • Are we letting our donors know why what we do is important?

Don’t let your donors come away thinking something’s missing.

Photo by Nicholas Noyes