Sometimes it's so easy, it's hard. Katya's Nonprofit Marketing Blog, at The best kept fundraising secret in the world, points out a great "secret" that should be obvious:
... be nice to your donors. Lavish them with love, thanks and special treatment. Because most charities do not. You can stand out and save your donors if you get better at this.
Be nice? Who'da thought?
In my book, being nice to donors includes these things:
- Showing their gifts matter by receipting within 24 hours.
- Thanking them specifically for what they did.
- Being as personal as you can possibly be in your thanks.
- Offering them choices -- about how and how often you'll communicate, what you'll communicate about, how you'll use their name -- and then honoring their choices.
- Talk to them about themselves, not just about you.
- Don't screw up their names, addresses, gift amounts, or any other data.
- Go the extra mile to help them if they call or write with a request.
I know that's just a start, but Katya's right: If you're nice at all, you'll stand out in the crowd of the 10 to 15 charities most donors support.
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Couldnt agree more Jeff.
I've spent a large chunk of the last 7 or so years looking at the way charities deal with donors, or members of the public - in different parts of the world.
And the message is simple, we need to get back to basics.
Have written several articles on this very topic, the latest one in Mal Warwick's newsletter, see the attached link.
http://www.malwarwick.com/learning-resources/e-newsletters/november-2008.html#1_Extra
Keep up the great work.
Jonathon
Posted by: Jonathon Grapsas | 17 December 2008 at 11:36