Focusing your Strategies with Donors

Fundraising Series: Focusing Your Strategies

Last session

• We asked you to look at your lists

• Who are your donors?

– Are they new?

– Are they returning at the same amount?

– Did they increase their giving either through PCG or overall during the year?

Questions to focus your work

New Donors • How many this year?

– Compared to last year?

• Who do they know? • What is their connection? • How will you thank them? • How will you connect

them? • How will you keep them? • Who did you lose from

last year? – How can you get them

back?

Existing Donors • Who are they? • Did PCG replace their existing

gift or add to it? • For replaced giving:

– What message did they receive? How can it be tweaked?

– Was it about “donor service?”

• For added gifts: – Did they move into a new

donor level? What stewardship is required?

– Will they tell their story?

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What the science of fundraising tells us about motivations for giving

• 1st gift: impulse, emotion

• Subsequent annual gifts: habit

• Upgrade: rational choice

• Major/special: thoughtful

• Asset/estate/planned: careful

The more donor focused we are the more successful we will be

• There is no such thing as one-size fits all fundraising – Not in the way we communicate – Not in the way that we build relationship – Not in the way that we ask – Not in the way that we acknowledge donors

The more specific your focus on different donor

groups the more engaged the donor will be and the more successful the organization will be in

maintaining a meaningful relationship

Property of The Foraker Group 2013

Expectations of Time to focus on

Donor Relationships • 30% Research

– Your Case

– Constituency identification

– Plan

• 30% Relationships Building

– Education (mission connect)

– Communication- LISTEN

• 10% Request

– All ways: face-to-face, mail,

phone, web, events,

proposals, Pick.Click.Give.

• 30% recognition / reporting

– Strategic and consistent

Relationship

Building

Request Recognition /

Reporting

Research

6


Your plan should be donor focused

We are successful when we focus on the donor

• Right Person – Who has the relationship? • Right time- for your donor, not for the org. • Right amount of money- for the donor. • Right way- for the donor. • Right reason- what is important to the

donor? Your plan should ensure that there will not be a “one size fits all”

approach

12/13/2014

RELATIONSHIP BUILDING STAGE

ALL ABOUT BEING PURPOSEFUL AND

STRATEGIC COMMUNICATION

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Message • Match the message to the each donor audience :

• Give one clear message at a time

– Know who you are talking to

– Create opportunities to connect to mission beyond $

• Focus on the donor as more than a “walking checkbook”

– Provide a clear call to action – Make it easy to respond

• Stories not stats-feelings not facts • Create consistent communications


As donors increase their giving or intensity of giving, what do they require of you?

• More engagement/more involvement

• Trust

• Accountability

• Transparency

• Effective implementation/making a difference

• Appreciation

• Consistent communications

• Overall a commitment to relationships

What are some good messages for each group?

• Always start with who they are

• Then ask: – What do they know now?

– How can I get to know them better?

– How can they connect more to mission?

– Who is the right messenger?

– What is the right way to deliver the message?

Invite donors to participate actively in mission

• Offer opportunities for emotional and/or physical connection

• Not every donor for every opportunity --be strategic



Some signs of emotional and physical involvement:

• We know them! You know what your donor’s interests are

• They express the organization’s core values

• They react to the information he/she received

– Asks questions

– Makes comments

– Offers suggestions

Ways to engage donors in mission • Invite them to tell their story of connection (quietly --

publicly – verbal – written) • Give input • Share an article- highlighted- signed • Heads-up when you are going to be in the news • Ask for an in-kind contribution that it is a no-brainer • Host a house party or Co-host a gathering • Attend meetings • Make calls • Join a committee • Help solicit and/or build relationships with other donors or

prospects • Tours, lunches, presentations, interaction with clients (where

appropriate) and/or staff, small group sessions and individual opportunities for special attention

• Publications, PR, newsletters, E-outreach, websites The Foraker Group 14 12/13/2014


Example: New donor through PCG • 30% Research

– Search existing database or add

– Connect with internal team– who knows the donor?

– Identify what you know about the donor

– Group with others who are similar

– Create a plan

• 30% Relationships Building – Send a thank you note (immediately)

• Include a newsletter or other one page story sheet

– Offer opportunity to connect – something fun, low-cost/no cost and mission driven

– Welcome them or if they didn’t come- send a recap

– Later…Offer 3-5 question survey - get to know them

• 10% Request – Specific donor request in December for Pick.Click.Give.

• 30% recognition / reporting – Follow your donor communication plan

– Include a special recognition for PCG donors

– Provide updates in your “newsletter” about when you will know who your donors are for 2016. Stay transparent. Invite donor disclosure.

– Share stories – invite their story

– Be sincere

Relationship

Building

Request Recognition /

Reporting

Research

15

Property of The Foraker Group 2012 16

Keep your focus on the donors

• Keep investing in the relationship: connect, engage, involve, inform

• Provide follow-through: – Do what you have told the donor you will do

• Commit your organization to donor service – Commit the necessary resources to make

donor service work – Understand that donor service requires a total

systems approach – engage your whole team

For More Information

www.pickclickgive.org Contact Us, Search function, information for

donors and organizations www.forakergroup.org

[email protected] (907) 743-1200 • toll-free (877) 834-5003 Educational Opportunities, Organizational

Development, Shared Services, Advocacy

http://www.pickclickgive.org/

http://www.forakergroup.org/

mailto:[email protected]

Focusing your Strategies with Donors

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