Moving the Needle in Monthly Giving

By Erica Waasdorp

What a week we’ve had! I try to never talk politics, so I will certainly not start now. But watching the electoral vote thermometer move, it made me think about the approach you would be wise to take when it comes to monthly gifts.

Bit by bit, you’ll go forward. You’ll grow your monthly gifts. You’ll move the needle.

Especially if you’re a small to mid-size organization, your number of sustainers are not going to grow by leaps and bounds. More typically, they’ll grow in small increments. One email may generate 10 new monthly givers. The email reminder to non-opens may only generate five. Then a direct mail appeal may generate 20. A phone call follow-up may bring in another 10.

If you’re a larger organization with a bigger number of donors and email names, you will probably have larger volumes, you’ll be able to multiply the above by 10 or 100, but still, we’re not talking thousands in a very short period of time. It simply takes time. It takes patience. It may, at times, feel like you’re watching the grass grow or paint dry.

But ultimately, you are getting ahead.

Especially as you’re going into the big push in giving season, do what you do best, and you’ll do just great!

And remember, it’s best to look at growing your monthly gifts as a long game. Take your time, keep plugging away at it, and you’ll be able to move the needle higher and higher!

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Monthly Giving

Erica Waasdorp Author's page

Erica Waasdorp is one of the leading experts on monthly giving. She is the president of A Direct Solution, a company serving nonprofit organizations with fundraising and direct marketing needs, with a focus on monthly giving and appeals. She authored "Monthly Giving: The Sleeping Giant" and "Monthly Giving Made Easy." She regularly blogs and presents on fundraising, appeals and monthly giving — in person and through webinars. She is happy to answer any questions you may have about this great way of improving retention rates for your donors.

Erica has over 30 years of experience in nonprofits and direct response. She helped the nonprofits she works with raise millions of dollars through monthly giving programs. She is also very actively supports organizations with annual fund planning and execution, ranging from copywriting, creative, lists, print and mail execution.

When she’s not working or writing, Erica can be found on the golf course (she’s a straight shooter) or quietly reading a book. And if there’s an event with a live band, she and her husband, Patrick, can be found on the dance floor. She also loves watching British drama on PBS. Erica and Patrick have two step sons and a cat, Mientje.