It’s well-known within the nonprofit world that the second reward, typically even known as “the golden reward,” is when donor retention charges begin to rise. So why do donors proceed to offer to your nonprofit after their first reward? Or conversely, why accomplish that many first-time donors not give once more?

The reply could possibly be so simple as not making a follow-up request in a well timed method. Or possibly some donors at all times meant to only give the one time. Whereas causes range, one query nonprofits ought to at all times ask themselves after a donation is: Did we thank them?

A easy thank you may go a good distance towards persuading donors to return again. In any case, it’s discouraging to donate your hard-earned cash to what you’re feeling is a worthwhile trigger and by no means hear something again. Donors are left questioning how their items had been used or if the nonprofit even acquired or wanted them in any respect.

Keep away from this situation and keep away from overcomplicating the thank-you course of by creating methods for expressing gratitude. Utilizing a system permits you to determine the way you’ll thank donors upfront, relatively than making a separate resolution for each donation that involves your group.

How do methods of expressing gratitude work and why do they matter for retaining donors? Let’s discover out.

Why does retaining donors matter?

In case your nonprofit is constantly attracting new donors, does it actually matter for those who retain them after their preliminary reward? Sure! Attracting new donors prices time and sources even for those who’re utilizing low-cost or free nonprofit marketing tools. It’s far cheaper to pay that price as soon as and have a donor make a number of items than to pay it time and again for every reward.

Retaining donors could also be cheaper, however how cost-effective is it to thank each donor? Put plainly, in case your group depends in any half on donors, it is best to share your gratitude with them. You couldn’t do what you do with out their assist!

As primary as that’s, some organizations nonetheless take a look at every reward and surprise if they need to thank the donor. When making a system of gratitude, it’s regular to have questions like:

• Is that this reward giant sufficient to warrant a thanks?
• Are we spending extra mailing a thank-you be aware than we’re getting from the donation?
• Who’s the suitable particular person to thank?

Ask these questions when first crafting your system of gratitude, not each time a supporter donates. Establishing pointers and following them removes the time and vitality spent remaking these choices, permitting you to understand donors quicker.

Bonus: Ship your thank-you messages along with donation receipts. Reward acknowledgments are vital communication, however they need to be separate from thank-you messages.

Elements of a System of Gratitude

Programs of expressing gratitude are beneficial, however what truly goes into them? Primarily, these methods have two parts: donor appreciation tiers and donor appreciation strategies.

Donor Appreciation Tiers

You need to thank your entire donors. Whether or not they’re giving $100 or $10, they made an effort to assist your nonprofit, and whereas small items might not change the trajectory of your mission, these donations had been nonetheless seemingly significant for the individuals who made them.

That being stated, some donors do require going the additional mile in relation to displaying your appreciation. The way you divide donor tiers will depend on which supporter teams you’re concentrating on and your nonprofit’s common donation quantity. Nevertheless, many nonprofits will discover it worthwhile to create a system of expressing gratitude with tiers much like these:

• New donors. Your appreciation for brand new donors will drastically affect their first impression of your nonprofit. Make it a constructive one by expressing gratitude with a immediate and interesting message. Whilst you may range your technique based mostly on how a lot a brand new donor gave, resembling calling relatively than emailing donors who give over $100, have particular messages prepared that thank donors, present details about your nonprofit, and welcome them to your group.

• Mid-level donors. Mid-level recurring donors present dependable assist month to month. For these donors, thank-you messages needs to be about sustaining and constructing the connection to slowly get them to increase their support.

• Main donors. Main donors want excess of a heartfelt e-mail for them to proceed giving to your nonprofit. When a significant donor makes a contribution, be ready to go all out. This may contain sending a letter, calling them on the telephone, and arranging a time to satisfy to thank them in particular person.

• Volunteers. Volunteers aren’t donors—although a few of them can simply change into donors with the suitable technique—however they nonetheless deserve a thanks all the identical. Fundraising Letter’s guide to volunteer appreciation factors out that many donor retention methods additionally apply to volunteer retention. There’s no must reinvent the wheel on your volunteer appreciation technique, so reuse your system for expressing gratitude to donors on your volunteers and make a number of tweaks the place mandatory.

Whereas sorting donors into tiers will show you how to strategy supporters as teams, take heed to particular person preferences. For instance, take donor communication preferences into consideration so that you keep away from texting thank-you messages to donors who solely need to hear from you by way of e-mail.

Donor Appreciation Strategies

How will you categorical gratitude to the donors in every of the teams you simply created? Donor appreciation strategies range extensively, and listed here are 5 to contemplate so as of how strongly they’re prone to come throughout:

1. Computerized thank-you messages. Computerized thank-you emails require no enter out of your crew after their preliminary setup. They’re the quickest method to let donors know their reward was acquired and the way a lot you respect it.
2. eCards. Elevate your e-mail thanks’s with eCards. eCards are primarily greeting playing cards despatched by e-mail, textual content, or social media, full with enjoyable visuals and a message out of your nonprofit. The one main variations are they’re digital and far quicker than snail mail. eCardWidget’s guide on how to thank donors exhibits off wonderful examples of eCards:
3. Cellphone calls. Have a fast one-on-one dialog by giving your donors a name. Put together a script and be able to reply widespread questions donors might have.

1. Donor occasions. Invite your donors to get collectively to rejoice a profitable marketing campaign, yr of fundraising, or the rest. These occasions will be digital, small lunch get-togethers, or complete formal galas.
2. Donor partitions. Immortalize your donors’ contributions by establishing a donor wall that lists the names of your high funders. These monuments are historically bodily constructions, however interactive, digital donor walls have been gaining recognition.

Whereas a few of these strategies might seem to be lots of work, consider expressing gratitude as simply one other step in your donor retention course of. In any case, following up is the way you primarily shut the loop on a donor journey and encourage them to work their means towards making a second reward.

Retaining donors is about constructing relationships with supporters in order that they proceed to assist you year-over-year. Make your marketing stand out by expressing real appreciation and keep away from getting caught in resolution paralysis by implementing a system of gratitude.