Five Things You Must Do to Ensure a Second Gift

* Provide donors with the opportunity to make another gift by enclosing a reply slip and return envelope.

* Use a live signature to make the letter more personal. If your volume is too high to make this practical (a good problem to have!), then use a preprinted or lasered signature.

* Have your organization’s leader include handwritten notes, especially for larger gifts. This personal touch makes the donor feel special.

* Include contact information for a donor-services person so new donors feel they can call a real person with any questions.

* Call donors who give over a certain dollar level ($50+, $100+, for example) to personally thank them for their generous gifts. This also is an opportunity to ask questions, introduce donors to monthly giving and propose a second gift.

2. New-donor welcome kits.
A new-donor welcome kit is an excellent way to recognize the donor’s status as a new and much appreciated friend. It can include the thank-you letter described above — as long as you send it out quickly!

Other components may include a brochure about your programs or your latest newsletter. Add a small token of appreciation that represents the new relationship — like a membership or supporter card, a decal, a magnet, a bookmark, a charm or a key chain. This package should feature a soft ask — a subtle appeal for additional support in the letter, plus a reply card and return envelope.

You can send online donors an online new-donor welcome kit with a letter, brochure and links to more in-depth information on your Web site, as well as a video message or podcasts.

3. Second gift appeal.
Create a special appeal designed to get new donors to repeat their original gift amount. This appeal should be sent to new donors after their prompt acknowledgement but before their first regular appeal.