Having regular donors is extremely important for any non-profit organization. They are the ones who keep organizations going and dictate the scope of their operations. Having a long list of recurrent donors also makes it easy for nonprofits to forecast donations and organize their finances. Getting regular donors is much easier said than done, however, and failing to do so is one of the main reasons why nonprofits have to close their doors. Let’s take a look at how you can increase your number of recurrent donors.
Use Proper Gifts
If you aren’t giving gifts to your regular donors, you should consider doing so. They are a minor expense compared to what your donors do for your organization, so take the time to look at donor gift ideas and consider giving different gifts depending on how much they donate per month.
At the lower end, you could give things like t-shirts with your organization’s logo on them, monogram keychains, or a journal. If they’re major donors, you could consider displaying their names permanently somewhere in your facility.
If you want more ideas for donor gifts and donor retention tips, check out Fundraising Brick. You should also check out their engraved bricks if you want to offer important donors a gift that will be permanent.
Follow Up with Them
You should also find a way to stay in constant contact with your main donors. First, ask all donors to give their email address and sign up for your newsletter. Next, look for a CRM for nonprofit organizations.
CRMs are usually used by ecommerce companies, but they’re perfect for nonprofits and there are many out there that are made specifically for them. A CRM allows you to have a repository of all interactions you had with donors. You can also rank them in order of importance and craft your messages based on the type of donor you’re talking to.
Having a nicely segmented newsletter will allow you to follow up with your donors and show what you’ve been up to. This is a great opportunity to show the changes you’ve been making on the ground thanks to their donations. This is what will ultimately keep them loyal to your organization.
Don’t Neglect Phone Calls and Texts
You should also contact your main donors through more personal channels like phone or text. Your donors will love hearing from you, so call them and make sure that the conversation is unscripted. Let them know how thankful you are for their donations, some of the efforts they were able to help with, and some of the projects you have in mind. Also, ask them about some of the other causes they’re concerned with and what kind of work they would like to see done.
These are all things that you can do right now to increase your number of regular donors. The most important part is making them feel special and keeping an open line of communication.
