Donor Relationship Management

Relationships or Numbers: Which Do You Care About?
August 8, 2016 at 9:00 am

"All you care about are the numbers! Relationships really don’t matter to you!" or "All you care about are relationships. We do need to secure our budgeted revenue, you know? The numbers do matter!" These two statements—these two positions—came into sharp focus for me when a good friend and colleague told me he had been part of a discussion about how some folks just care about the numbers and others just care about relationships. Hmm. Interesting, I thought. At least there’s a discussion about this important subject...

Why You Need to Stop Looking for 'Rich People'
August 5, 2016 at 9:37 am

I hear this all the time. “Where do we find rich people to give to us?” Ugh. No. No. No. No. If you’re looking for rich people, that tells me you care more about the money than the donor, and, my friend, that is backward! If you want to be wildly successful at fundraising and…

Meet Donors Where They Are
August 3, 2016 at 11:36 am

I once worked with an 85-year-old philanthropist who liked to communicate by text. Forget everything about seniors avoiding technology. Forget that some of our elders believe that email and text are a rude replacement for good, old-fashioned conversation and letters. This particular octogenarian liked to text because it was hard for him to hear on the phone...

When Do You Defer a Gift?
August 3, 2016 at 11:23 am

You have a donor offer you a gift before you are in a pending major campaign. What do you do? The ideal result of ongoing cultivation and engagement is for a donor to say, "How can I help you?" It is important that you have an answer where the donor can be a hero and make an impact. And this opportunity needs to be in the near future to keep his or her interest, create momentum and honor the offer...

4 Ways Silos Are Toxic to Fundraising
August 3, 2016 at 11:03 am

Silos are death. The more we learn about what works in fundraising today, the more we’re encouraged to focus on the donor’s journey or experience. Customer service—something that has always been important—is suddenly getting more notice. That’s a really good thing. One thing guaranteed to hurt customer service is when internal staff and systems aren’t…

Why Having an Open House for Your Nonprofit Makes Sense
August 2, 2016 at 9:41 am

If you’re stuck trying to figure out a special way to show appreciation to your donors, how about having an open house at your organization? If you can’t hold one on site, have it at a restaurant or other venue. You may be able to find someone to donate space. Invite other supporters, too You…

Don't Take a Vacation From Your Donor Communication
July 29, 2016 at 11:53 am

Summer is vacation time. You and other members of your staff may have a fun vacation planned. I recently came back from a wonderful trip to Spain. Even though this might be a slower time, don’t hold back on your donor communication. Yes, your donors also are taking vacations, but they still want to hear…

How to Be a Donor Detective
July 27, 2016 at 10:21 am

After decades together, I learned my husband didn’t like pineapple. It was shocking, really, that I’d missed something like that. Do you feel like that about your donors, too? What clues might you have been missing? A successful fundraiser is a detective. The best retailers have created entire business models around getting to know their…

5 Ways to Make the Most of Your Nonprofit Board's Contacts
July 27, 2016 at 10:09 am

Nonprofit leaders have a valuable resource hidden in plain sight. It's their board members. Your board is not just for fundraising or decision-making. Its relationship capital is worth a lot more. It can help meet many of your organization's needs. Combine the connections your board members have built over their careers with the right opportunities,…

How Your Nonprofit Can Better Connect With Donors
July 26, 2016 at 11:56 am

I began my career as a fundraiser at a large nonprofit. I loved that prospective donors were familiar with the work of my organization long before I ever had a chance to talk with them. But like many other charities, almost everyone I encountered had a very strong opinion about our nonprofit. I heard everything…