5 simple strategies to boost donor retention · grateful to receive your gift today, and i wanted...

AFP WebinarMarch 29, 2016

Presented by Shanon Doolittle

Fundraising Mentor + Donor Care StrategistShanon Doolittle + Co.

5 Simple Strategies to Boost Donor Retention

Hello and high fives!

I’m Shanon Doolittle – a fundraising mentor and donor care strategist, I help do-gooders raise more money by teaching them how to take better care of their donors and themselves. A fundraiser for almost 15 years, I’ve helped nonprofits of all sizes raise tens of millions and counting. I’m also the co-founder of two popular online courses Stewardship School and Gratitude Camp – and the co-creator of the Nonprofit Storytelling Conference.

shanondoolittle.com@sldoolittle

What do you love most

about working with donors?

Insight without action

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What you’ll learn today

• How to write better thank you letters

• How to make donor thank you calls

• How to share stories of impact with donors

• How to ask donors for useful feedback

• How to add surprise and delight to the donor

experience


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Source: afpep.org

Why retention matters

Images courtesy of Bloomerang.co


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Let’s get this retention party started!

How to write better thank you letters


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What donors want

1. A prompt and personal thank you

2. A confirmation the gift will be used as intended

3. A meaningful report on what the gift made possible


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This is not a thank you


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And neither is this

Dear Shanon,

On behalf of our board of directors, staff, and volunteers, thank you for your recent gift in the amount of $100.

Blah, blah, blah…

Bullet point, bullet, bullet point…

Thanks again for your generous gift.

Sincerely,

Signature—first and last name


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Your thank you letter checklist

• It’s personalized

• It begins with a feel good opening line

• It has more “you” than “we”

• It confirms how the gift will be used

• It invites and encourages personal contact

• It’s hand signed with an added personalized note

• It tells the donor what to do next

Dear Shanon,

You fill our hearts – and water cups – with pure joy.

Because of you, children in Nepal, like Tarun and his

friends (above), have access to clean water in their classrooms at

Adarsha Ma Vi Secondary School. All day. Every day.

Opening lines matter

Dear Shanon,

Because of donors of like you, Jayden, a little boy with

severe cerebral palsy learned how to sit up tall on his horse

today. His mother was so proud and said, “I never thought he’d

be able to do so well. If he can do this, what else can he do?”

And now, thanks to you, we can help

even more children like Elias learn and enjoy

the life-changing value of independence.

Stories matter


is worthlessHow to make donor thank you calls

Donors who receive a phone call are 4x likely

to make a second gift.


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A case study

November:Staff, volunteers, and clients made thank you calls to

2,500 donors

March (4 months later:800 of the 2,500 donors called made an

unprompted 2nd gift


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Calling tips

• Call every donor if possible

• Call as soon as possible (48 hours? Gold star!)

• Promptness is more important than the person

making the call

• Everyone in your nonprofit should make calls

• Try 1-2x before leaving a voicemail

• No phone number? Try anywho.com


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Who should make calls

• Board members

• Leadership staff

• Volunteers

• Program staff

• Beneficiaries

• Clients

• Relatives of beneficiaries and clients

• Donors

Calling scripts

“Hello, my name is and I’m a board member/staff

member/volunteer/beneficiary at . We we’re so

grateful to receive your gift today, and I wanted to personally

call and thank you for your kindness. Because of you,

.”

“I’d love to know what inspired you to make a gift.”

“Thank you so much for your taking my call and for your

generosity. We can’t do this work without you.”


is worthlessHow to easily share impact stories

What donors want

1. A prompt and personal thank you

2. A confirmation the gift will be used as intended

3. A meaningful report on what the gift made possible


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Types of impact reports

• Newsletters (digital and print)

• Annual reports

• Postcards from “the field”

• Stewardship reports

• Blog posts

• Personal letter or email

• Face-to-face reports


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Gold star examples

https://issuu.com/nashvillerescuemission


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Gold star examples

Subject: Shanon, you’ve made great things happen

Gold star examples

www.agentsofgood.org

Gold star examples

Write your own

Dear ,

I’m writing to you today because .

Thanks to you, .

I’m so grateful for you because .

If there’s only one thing I want you to know it’s this,

.Your biggest fan,


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Impact report checklist

• It makes the donor the hero

• It’s full of “you”s

• It shares a story – or stories

• It includes photos

• It’s overflowing with gratitude

• It makes the donor feel good about giving


is worthlessHow to ask donors for feedback


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Why surveying donors matter

• It gives you priceless insight into donor behavior

• It can help to influence your editorial content

• It raises your retention rate

• It tells your donor their opinions matter to you

• It helps you identify donor preference and values

• It can help you make better fundraising decisions


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Sample survey questions

• What motivated you to make a gift to us?

• What area of our work are you most passionate

about?

• Have we done a good job communicating how

your gifts are making a difference?

• Would you like to learn about volunteer

opportunities?

• Are you satisfied with your donor experience?


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Survey tips

• Use a sticky subject line

• Explain the purpose of the survey

• Tell the donor how long the survey will take

• Provide a deadline for the survey

• Only ask 6-8 questions (online)

• Share survey results in a timely manner


is worthlessHow to surprise and delight your donors

The difference between

ordinary and extraordinary is that little extra.

Send more snail mail. Handwrite addresses. Use a live stamp. Think of donor anniversaries, and program milestones. It’s lovely to know someone took time to write to them.

Add fun to the donor experience. And think of ways you can add fun to the online donation process. Piggy back on holidays to send heartfelt gratitude messages.

Invite donors to social, unique and mission driven stewardship events. Make engaging with the mission a part of the programming for a memorable experience.

Provide value to your donors in the form of useful content and education. What is your area of expertise? How can you pass on those skills to your donors?

Final thought

Images courtesy of Mark Phillips, bluefroglondon.com

Let’s stay friends!

Website:shanondoolittle.com

Social:@sldoolittle

LinkedIn:linkedin.com/in/shanondoolittle

Facebook:facebook.com/shanondoolittle

Psst… I mail too. [email protected]

5 simple strategies to boost donor retention · grateful to receive your gift today, and i wanted...

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