Just in time for Valentine’s Day, we’re making it all about your donors this week. Show them you care by making it easy for them to give online and spread the love with their family and friends, too! Below are 7 easy steps for wooing your online donors.
1. Make it easy to give online
Think about the user experience on your online landing pages. The moment your donors get frustrated, they’ll leave the page, so you want to make it as easy as possible for them to contribute online. Think ahead to ensure your donation page has a clear call to action (CTA), is mobile-friendly and showcases the why to give.
Donors will appreciate how easy it was to give and be more likely to do it again. And, as you’re thinking of ways to make it easy for them to make their donation online, don’t forget to think of the various channels in which to reach them—omnichannel marketing can help hit your donors in multiple areas (think: The places where they prefer to receive information) and still direct them to your online giving pages.
2. Help them spread the word
Thanks to some pretty great social media options (and features in our fundraising tools) donors can easily hit the “share” button after they make a donation to tell the world about the good they’re doing. Your donors will appreciate the opportunity to tell friends and family about their donation and your organization. Plus, if it’s not something they’re readily thinking about on their own, you can automatically make that a pop-up or sidebar option after the donation is made online—and easy “click here to share” call to action may just bring in a few extra dollars to your cause.
3. Send a thank you email
Thank you letters are key to retaining donors. And, to make it easier on you make sure these thank you emails are auto-generated so that they are seen as an immediate response to the donation. In your thank you email, include reminders on how their donation impacts your organization and what they are supporting. Need help crafting the perfect thank you letter? We have 7 more tips for you here.
4. Communicate their impact
Outside of thank you emails or gestures, continue to communicate the impact donors have on your organizations by including them in regular newsletters, magazine articles, annual reports or social media posts. Share how these donations are making a difference throughout the year through storytelling; utilize recipients of the funds to share their stories about what your organization (and the donors that fund them) mean to them.
5. Give them an opportunity to get involved
Asking for feedback or providing additional ways to get involved with your organization that’s not related to money is a great way to retain your donors, too. Show them that they are valued and that the work you are doing—with them—matters. If you are looking for new committee members, volunteers for a race or brand ambassadors for your nonprofit, start by asking the donors you know are already making a difference in your organization. They’ll likely be flattered you asked and be excited to give back in other ways.
6. Celebrate their milestones
Birthdays? Anniversaries? Heck, just a Valentine’s Day card? Your donors are people just like you and me, and they have great things happening in their lives to celebrate, too. Make notes in your donor CRM or database on these milestones when you hear about them (or ask!) and send a card, a video note or an email on these special days. No ask. No sale. Just a note to say you’re thinking about and appreciate them.
7. Make it easy on them
Valentine’s Day also means that Tax Day is right around the corner. Make it super easy on your donors by sending them a letter that summarizes their giving for the year. Don’t make it an ask, just a simple letter with the information they can use when filing taxes. This simple gesture can go a long way.
Showing you care is a simple way to retain donors. The support you give them, the ease in which they can make their transactions, and a few simple aspects in customer service can turn a one-time donor into a lifetime donor. And don’t forget to include them in future asks; everyone likes to feel included and your donors are no exception. Set up effective systems for tracking one-time online donations and make it a point to go back to them in the future. A combination of communication and connecting throughout the year coupled with follow-up asks can be a great way to engage with and retain donors for years to come.
