Using Personalization to Build Stronger Donor Relationships

Personalization is a great way for nonprofit organizations to show donors that they mean more to them than just the check they send in response to their annual fundraising campaign. Using personalization on direct mail pieces is a great tool for building stronger donor relationships, by showing how much the organization cares about the donor and values the connection that has been cultivated over the course of the relationship. This, in turn, gives the donor (or prospective donor) a reason to care, and incentivizes them to continue donating.

Here are a few ways to use personalization for stronger donor relationships:

• Personalize the teaser.
o Envelope teasers are already great because they draw anticipation for the recipient to see what’s inside. Adding a person’s name to this section shows them (even before opening the envelope) that this piece is going to be personalized to them. This works toward strengthening the relationship by giving the donor the impression that this piece was designed for them, rather than being part of a generic mass-marketing blast.

• Personalize the letter.
o As with the teaser, it is essential to use personalization throughout the piece to show the donor that they aren’t just a part of some generic mass-marketing blast. Addressing the recipient by name rather than “Dear Donor” makes the piece feel more personal and reinforces the idea that the letter was written just for them.

• Consider developing an ask matrix.
o Organizations can subtly reference prior donations by placing them as the lowest ask in the “suggested donation” amount section, and adjusting the other asks to reflect an interval that makes sense. This strengthens the relationship by cuing the donor to increase their donation without directly asking for it, empowering the donor to make the decision on their own without feeling pressured.
All of these elements work together to create individualized pieces that make the donor feel like the piece was designed specifically for them.

The Key Takeaway

Using personalization in direct mail fundraising campaigns builds stronger donor relationship by showing an organization’s appreciation, giving the donor a reason to care and incentivizing them to continue donating.