Donor Relationship Management

Authenticity and transparency are key factors when it comes to retaining donors. These days, donors want to see clearly that their donation had an impact before giving again. Michael Hoffman, CEO of visual media and Internet marketing firm See3 Communications, co-presented a session at the Bridge Conference a few weeks ago on using video and the Internet to attract and retain donors and members. Hoffman says videos can connect supporters to the work that organizations are doing in remote places in a way that direct mail, brochures and even static Web sites can’t. “People respond to stories and respond to real lives that

I have never outgrown eighth grade. I still enjoy slapstick comedy — watching “Scrubs” and “Home Alone” makes me laugh out loud. Any bodily function that makes noise — whether it be burps or farts (or any armpit re-creation of them) — is an opportunity for a competition. And sexual innuendos will always bring a smile to my face.

Relationship building. You probably hear that phrase from colleagues in our profession at least once a day. But what does it really mean? And how do you make it happen with your organization’s major donors? Not long ago, DRM meant sending out mass mailings and seeing which pasta strands stuck to the wall. Today, DRM is much more sophisticated. And when it comes to nonprofit major-gift programs, DRM is about individual targeting that results in long-term — ideally life-long and beyond — relationships with your donors. Here’s how to do it: 1. Communicate effectively. In other words, if a major donor specifically requests that

Whether you’re raising money through direct mail, an Internet campaign or some other form of direct response, here are some ideas for maximizing your efforts, raising more money and keeping your donors satisfied with their experiences. 1. Choose the right list for your project. Your success rates will depend on reaching the right people. 2. Make sure there is a clear “call to action.” Be sure to spell out what it is you want the donor to do. If you’re sending a letter, include a summary of the action in a P.S. 3. Personalize! Don’t say “Dear Friend …” Failing to personalize

Cutting through the communications clutter that donors and constituents are exposed to regularly is no easy task and can require a one-to-one, customized communications strategy. This is the topic of the white paper “One-to-One: Five Smart Ideas to Improve Communication with Members, Donors and other Customers” by Edward Wendling, director of marketing for Advanced Solutions International, which offers the following five tips for organizations looking to improve constituent communications: 1. Capture data — namely contact, demographic and transaction information — from every customer interaction. Collecting this information will help your organization create donor profiles, which will enable you to target and personalize communications.

Today’s parents are busier than ever. We know they juggle jobs and PTA meetings, dog walking, laundry, chaperoning and play dates. So, how do you get your cause onto this congested radar? Appeal to the one thing all parents have in common: kids.

When you have a symbiotic relationship with donors, they get what they want and need. And you get the money and loyalty that your organization needs. Then, because it’s a win-win situation for both parties, the relationship grows and endures. Here are a few ways to develop and sustain a symbiotic relationship with your donors: 1. Treat them with respect at all times, but don’t fall all over yourself to please them. A symbiotic relationship is, after all, a two-way street. Both parties need to benefit or the relationship becomes a parasitic one for one party and a subservient one for the other. 2.

Perhaps I’m dating myself by conjuring the age-old axiom about the most important subjects in grade school being the three R’s of Reading, wRiting and aRithmetic. But in today’s frantic pace of fundraising, a new trio of R’s easily emerges and takes center stage. First and foremost are RELATIONSHIPS. The essence of the fundraising process, no matter what the methodology, are the relationships we build. Many of us honed our ability to build donor relationships via our own relationship with one or more mentors. I personally can thank so many key individuals in the nonprofit sector for fulfilling that role for

Community-based organizations come in many flavors: small, large, health-centered, arts-centered, etc. They’re as varied in scope and size as the communities they represent. But they do have one thing in common: They are distinctly qualified to directly impact their surrounding cultures.

“Community-based programs are unique to fundraising efforts because of the potential impact they have on emerging and existing issues within their specific community — and also because of the organizations’ vast knowledge and connection to their community,” says Monique Hanson, chief development officer of the YMCA of the United States.

Attracting new donors is harder than keeping the ones you’ve got. But keeping the donors you have is easier said than done. The session “Be Your Donors’ Favorite Charity: 10 Tips to Keep Them Giving Again and Again” presented by Heather Burton, product marketing manager at Sage Software, on Monday at the AFP 44th International Conference on Fundraising in Dallas, offered attendees these actionable tips to keep donors engaged and giving: 1. Be accountable. Accountability builds trust with donors. Be forthcoming in financial audits and make sure that you use the money you raise for the purposes you outline in your solicitations, and communicate