When you acquire a new donor gift, what would you say happens next in the process? For many nonprofits and faith-based ministries, they may say that the donor is acknowledged and thanked for their generosity, and automatically added and tagged in donor management and email systems. From there, they receive ongoing updates about programs and campaign initiatives, along with meaningful opportunities to deepen their partnership and support.
But is this truly the reality?
A few years ago, a study was conducted that observed the frequency of donor communication across more than 100 organizations within the first 90 days after a first gift had been recorded. During the 90-day window, both research institutions created two distinct donor profiles that were used to contribute a $20 first-time gift to 130 of the nonprofits involved in the study. What they discovered during this process was incredibly eye-opening:
- 18% of these organizations did not follow up with new online donors after their first gift
- 45% of these organizations did not initiate any type of communication with first-time donors who gave their gift via direct mail
Chances are, many of those first-time gift givers who showed an interest in these organizations have long forgotten about them by now. It is not enough to send a thank-you receipt for a new gift and hope this person will engage with you again and give more when they feel compelled or when they hear about you again in passing. Cultivating the new donor relationship is critical to your success if you want to grow and expand the impact and reach of your organization or ministry.
You need to develop a planned, strategic approach to how you will effectively welcome new donors and invite them to invest in your mission.
Here are two methods you can deploy to ensure the new donor relationship starts off on the right foot:
Multiple Touchpoints. Introducing a welcome series into your donor outreach strategy can provide more context to new donors on who you are as an organization, why the work you do matters, and how their ongoing financial support will make an impact. If planning to do this through either direct mail or email, the series should include at least three touchpoints, possibly more depending on the nature of your organization or ministry focus. Once new donors complete the series, they should be grafted into your current donor mailing and email lists to receive monthly fundraising letters and either weekly or twice-a-month email appeals, so the flow of communication is constant, not stagnant or intermittent.
Mix of Content. While the primary function of a fundraising organization or ministry is to raise money, the way in which you approach that function could make or break the relationship with your new donors. Always asking for financial gifts outright can turn off new donors and leave them thinking all you want is their money. Implementing and rotating a mix of appeal themes, such as video testimonials, downloadable resources, impact reports, and stories, can position more of a soft ask for support, which can help new donors connect their giving to your mission.
Cultivating the new donor relationship takes some thought and time and should not be a process that you rush through. Huddle with your fundraising and receipting teams to develop a plan for how you will communicate with new donors and encourage them to partner with you.
Infinity Concepts can help you craft a new donor communications strategy that builds trust, deepens relationships, and inspires lasting generosity.
CLICK HERE or call us today at 724-733-1200.
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