It appears that there is a common misconception that nonprofits adhere to when thinking about donors and their money. This feeling, although never actually voiced, reflects an opinion that people who are wealthy must not “value money” in the same way as they might because they have so much more.
This outward perception can be verified by the fact that the vast majority of nonprofits have no system in place to thank donors who give at various levels.
It is interesting that the people wanting money for their cause have high expectations from donors. Nonprofits, however, tend to be deaf, dumb, and blind to the fact that donors themselves also have high expectations, and rightly so, they should!
Nonprofits need to appreciate every gift. Showing appreciation does not have to be expensive nor does it have to be overly time consuming but it does have to be intentional.
Donors are not going to feel appreciated telepathically!
Below are seven inexpensive ways to show you care:
1) A hand written note speaks volumes. The note itself tells donors that you took your valuable time and energy to deliberately think about the person and what they have done.
2) Taking time to stop by and visit your donors can be extremely important to stay connected. You can ask for their opinion and/or give them an update on your current programs. Regardless this tells someone you care enough about them to connect.
3) A greeting card: holidays, birthdays and anniversaries are all moments in time to stop and reflect on the moment. This moment can be personalized and yet another way you can connect with your donor.
4) Publicity: Listing donors online on your website, in a newsletter, or in a newspaper ad thanking everyone for helping make your event successful are outward ways to let the donors know their contributions matter.
5) Handmade items mean more. When we were children most of us have a memory of either making something handmade or being given something handmade. Regardless of how small or inexpensive this exudes a quality of the item being considered “special and something of value.” If possible have the clients you serve make something for donors. This act alone helps the donor quantify in their mind that a donation they might give is actually helping someone personally rather than just an organization that many times seem faceless and cold.
6) Chocolate & Candy! Again if you can make a fresh batch of homemade cookies, great! However, an inexpensive container of name brand candy is just another way to express your appreciation.
7) Create a focal point with a “wall of appreciation” at your program location as a way to publically thank donors. This will help the clients you serve understand what goes into making your programs work as well as bring proper attention to the donors. Obviously, having this wall is not enough but you need to invite the donor out to see your facility. Begin and end your tour at this special location! You honor them by letting them know that everyday their name on the wall is a reminder to the board of directors, staff and clients that without donor support the program would not be successful.
There are literally hundreds of ways to say “thank you” and connect with your donor. However, the real challenge is breaking out of the pattern of complacency and making an honest effort towards creating a donor centered nonprofit organization versus staying self centered and aloof.
To learn more visit: www.nonprofitexpert.com
Showing posts with label understanding your donor. Show all posts
Showing posts with label understanding your donor. Show all posts
Monday, February 22, 2010
Wednesday, September 9, 2009
Having a Loyal Donor
We are bombarded by loyalty programs! Your credit card is not just a credit card any more, it is a card that offers points, cash back etc. If you stay at this hotel or fly on this airline you might qualify for something "free"! Shop at this grocery story, use their free membership card, you qualify for a discount i.e. "a savings" off your purchases. WOW!
So, how can nonprofits tap into to this idea of creating a loyal donor? The concept of having repeat business, and in the nonprofit's case, having a repeat giver is understandability worthy. However, the approach a nonprofit takes should differ greatly from the for profit arena.
First, as a nonprofit you need to stop looking at your donor with only dollar signs in your eyes! Nonprofits can't fake being genuine and if you really only see the donor as Mr. or Mrs. Money Bags then you need to stop reading this now.
Donor loyalty requires a great deal of effort on your part as a nonprofit organization. You have to EARN the donor's RESPECT first. Getting respect and admiration is not something that happens overnight.
Donors in general give to nonprofits because they were either touched in some way by that organization or they are impressed with the work done by the organization.
In order to create a loyal donor you need to learn more about what interests the donor actually has! What is in his or her heart? What motivation do you see? Where are they in their professional career? Who are their social contacts? What type of lifestyle does your donor live?
These are just a few of the questions, you as a nonprofit, need to know the answer to in order to build the relationships you need to build to create a loyal donor.
It has been said many times but these truths are worth repeating: People give to people, you need to friend raise first long before you fund raise and lastly it's all about building relationships!
If you have any questions feel free to email me: john@minges.com
Also, make sure to visit my website:
www.nonprofitexpert.com
DISCLAIMER: This information is not intended to provide legal or accounting advice, or to address specific situations. Please consult with your legal or tax advisor to supplement and verify what you learn here.
So, how can nonprofits tap into to this idea of creating a loyal donor? The concept of having repeat business, and in the nonprofit's case, having a repeat giver is understandability worthy. However, the approach a nonprofit takes should differ greatly from the for profit arena.
First, as a nonprofit you need to stop looking at your donor with only dollar signs in your eyes! Nonprofits can't fake being genuine and if you really only see the donor as Mr. or Mrs. Money Bags then you need to stop reading this now.
Donor loyalty requires a great deal of effort on your part as a nonprofit organization. You have to EARN the donor's RESPECT first. Getting respect and admiration is not something that happens overnight.
Donors in general give to nonprofits because they were either touched in some way by that organization or they are impressed with the work done by the organization.
In order to create a loyal donor you need to learn more about what interests the donor actually has! What is in his or her heart? What motivation do you see? Where are they in their professional career? Who are their social contacts? What type of lifestyle does your donor live?
These are just a few of the questions, you as a nonprofit, need to know the answer to in order to build the relationships you need to build to create a loyal donor.
It has been said many times but these truths are worth repeating: People give to people, you need to friend raise first long before you fund raise and lastly it's all about building relationships!
If you have any questions feel free to email me: john@minges.com
Also, make sure to visit my website:
www.nonprofitexpert.com
DISCLAIMER: This information is not intended to provide legal or accounting advice, or to address specific situations. Please consult with your legal or tax advisor to supplement and verify what you learn here.
Thursday, September 3, 2009
Nonprofits Need To Understand Their Donor
I have yet to run across a nonprofit that has told me they have plenty of money!
Most that I'm aware of are trying to figure out how to raise more money or to attract the potential donors who have the big bucks! Subconsciously, I think, many nonprofits are treating donors more like lottery numbers, somehow believing their contributions are all part of a bigger game of chance. They wait patiently for their numbers to come up, having a false sense of hope. Success must just be around the corner! Nonprofits that take this approach are destined to be moderately successful at best.
Nonprofits have a hard time understanding their donor, because they have not taken the time to get to know them! They have not made the effort to find the donor's hot button or passion. Therefore, the donor drifts and many times disappears completely!
Year after year the facts tell us that the vast majority of all the money contributed to nonprofits comes from individuals. So, why are nonprofits ignoring the individual donor?
As a reader, I want you to think about who you are currently making charitable contributions to and I want you to also think about who you gave to in the past year but are no longer giving to that organization now. Why have you stopped giving to these organizations?
Has the organization stopped doing the good work they were doing? For most people that answer would be, NO! What happened then? Did you, as a donor, get bored or did the organization lose touch with you?
I believe the majority of the time the answer is the following: As individuals we want to feel like our contribution counts and matters! We want and many times "need" to feel appreciated! The moment we feel the least bit taken for granted we move on.
Sadly, in the consultant world, nonprofits are so lost that on many occasions before they even think about raising money, especially for larger capital campaigns, the organization will choose to run out and hire an "expert." Normally these folks come from out of town, often times get paid thousands of dollars, to tell the nonprofit what "their donors" think about them. The consultant also will gladly for that fee give their opinion on the "chances" the organization has in raising the money they are talking about needing. Wait a second....please.. help me out, OK!
This is not a game of "chance" is it?
I know this will not be a popular position to express and I'm not against anyone seeking professional help! Hello, I'm a consultant after all, and I enjoy helping and nonprofit organizations find the answers to the questions they have.
But folks, as nonprofits you should have a better handle on who your donor is and what they think about you! You should not need someone, like myself, to come in from the outside who knows nothing about you, your history, your organization or what you have accomplished to find that answer out. You should already know!
I know what some of you are saying now: As strange as it sounds, it is true, that it is easier to talk to strangers rather than be so blunt to the staff of a nonprofit.
Regardless, I would like to make a challenge today to all nonprofit executive directors as well as to all nonprofit board members. You both need to take the time today to get to know your top twenty donors to your organization, before someone else does. You have everything to lose if you don't!
Right now pull out your calendar, and set up weekly lunch appointments with those people, NOW!
Do not, I repeat, do not ask for a contribution on this visit! If the donor wants to give you a check instead of meeting with you tell them, no thanks, you're not looking for a check! You want to let them know what the organization is doing i.e. a status report! You heard me right, this is more of a social call, not a fund raising call. In fact, if lunch or dinner is arranged I want you, as soon as you walk in the restaurant, to tell the server that you are paying as well! Now sit back and hear what the donor has to say, find out what is important to them. You might be surprised what you learn!
If you have any questions feel free to email me: john@minges.com
Also, make sure to visit my website:
www.nonprofitexpert.com
DISCLAIMER: This information is not intended to provide legal or accounting advice, or to address specific situations. Please consult with your legal or tax advisor to supplement and verify what you learn here.
Most that I'm aware of are trying to figure out how to raise more money or to attract the potential donors who have the big bucks! Subconsciously, I think, many nonprofits are treating donors more like lottery numbers, somehow believing their contributions are all part of a bigger game of chance. They wait patiently for their numbers to come up, having a false sense of hope. Success must just be around the corner! Nonprofits that take this approach are destined to be moderately successful at best.
Nonprofits have a hard time understanding their donor, because they have not taken the time to get to know them! They have not made the effort to find the donor's hot button or passion. Therefore, the donor drifts and many times disappears completely!
Year after year the facts tell us that the vast majority of all the money contributed to nonprofits comes from individuals. So, why are nonprofits ignoring the individual donor?
As a reader, I want you to think about who you are currently making charitable contributions to and I want you to also think about who you gave to in the past year but are no longer giving to that organization now. Why have you stopped giving to these organizations?
Has the organization stopped doing the good work they were doing? For most people that answer would be, NO! What happened then? Did you, as a donor, get bored or did the organization lose touch with you?
I believe the majority of the time the answer is the following: As individuals we want to feel like our contribution counts and matters! We want and many times "need" to feel appreciated! The moment we feel the least bit taken for granted we move on.
Sadly, in the consultant world, nonprofits are so lost that on many occasions before they even think about raising money, especially for larger capital campaigns, the organization will choose to run out and hire an "expert." Normally these folks come from out of town, often times get paid thousands of dollars, to tell the nonprofit what "their donors" think about them. The consultant also will gladly for that fee give their opinion on the "chances" the organization has in raising the money they are talking about needing. Wait a second....please.. help me out, OK!
This is not a game of "chance" is it?
I know this will not be a popular position to express and I'm not against anyone seeking professional help! Hello, I'm a consultant after all, and I enjoy helping and nonprofit organizations find the answers to the questions they have.
But folks, as nonprofits you should have a better handle on who your donor is and what they think about you! You should not need someone, like myself, to come in from the outside who knows nothing about you, your history, your organization or what you have accomplished to find that answer out. You should already know!
I know what some of you are saying now: As strange as it sounds, it is true, that it is easier to talk to strangers rather than be so blunt to the staff of a nonprofit.
Regardless, I would like to make a challenge today to all nonprofit executive directors as well as to all nonprofit board members. You both need to take the time today to get to know your top twenty donors to your organization, before someone else does. You have everything to lose if you don't!
Right now pull out your calendar, and set up weekly lunch appointments with those people, NOW!
Do not, I repeat, do not ask for a contribution on this visit! If the donor wants to give you a check instead of meeting with you tell them, no thanks, you're not looking for a check! You want to let them know what the organization is doing i.e. a status report! You heard me right, this is more of a social call, not a fund raising call. In fact, if lunch or dinner is arranged I want you, as soon as you walk in the restaurant, to tell the server that you are paying as well! Now sit back and hear what the donor has to say, find out what is important to them. You might be surprised what you learn!
If you have any questions feel free to email me: john@minges.com
Also, make sure to visit my website:
www.nonprofitexpert.com
DISCLAIMER: This information is not intended to provide legal or accounting advice, or to address specific situations. Please consult with your legal or tax advisor to supplement and verify what you learn here.
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