Make donor communications a key component of fundraising strategies

When it comes to planning a fundraising strategy, donor communications need to play a key role. That’s because donors don’t only want to be asked for money; they also want to know how their previous gift was spent, including the difference their donation made or the opportunities it created. When donors feel that their contributions have made an impact, they are more likely to consider making another gift. 

By keeping in touch with donors in between direct appeals, you are strengthening their familiarity with your organization, and gaining their trust and loyalty over time. 

A donor communications strategy provides an overview of an entire year and outlines various touchpoints. How often you want to communicate with donors, and how you communicate, is up to you. But when planning your strategy, consider how your donors prefer to consume content — different donors have different preferences — and make use of the various mediums.

Short on ideas of where to start in creating a donor communications strategy? Here are a few tactics. 

1. Do a post-gift follow up. Properly thanking donors for their generosity is a fundamental part of great donor stewardship. A sincere thank you shows donors that their gift, no matter the value, is noticed and appreciated. And, it is a chance to strengthen the connection your donor already feels toward your organization. If a tax receipt goes out right away, an easy way to make this happen is to craft a short, but sincere, note to go along with it. Here’s a list of do’s and don’ts when it comes to thank you letters.

2. Plan for (at least) seasonal contact. This could be a newsletter, blog posts, and/or impact reports. Each piece needs to be more than an organizational update, it needs to provide meaningful content that truly connects with donors. Storytelling is the most impactful way to directly show donors the difference their donations make. By telling stories, you are appealing to your donors’ emotions and good things happen when donors feel emotionally connected.

3. Create a social media strategy. Social media is an effective way to reach donors on a regular basis. It allows you to boost awareness, educate and show impact without always asking for money. Donors who feel connected to an organization through social media will be more likely to give when asked at a later date. 

4. Use the annual report to show impact. Long gone are the days of mammoth annual reports that readers just skim over. Here are the days of annual reports that readers can get excited about! A well-written, donor-centric annual report is a powerful donor engagement (and fundraising!) tool that can be used to support relationships and build new ones. It tells stories, shows the effectiveness and impact of donor dollars and even offers a glimpse into future strategic plans to encourage donors to renew their support. 

Regardless of how you choose to communicate, it is important to talk in ‘You’ and ‘We’ terms, not ‘Me’ and ‘I’ terms. Donor communications is not about what your organization has accomplished, it is about what donors have done to make it possible.