Donor stewardship

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Meaningful ways to recognise a first gift anniversary

Nonprofit organisations rely on the generosity and support of donors to fulfil their missions and make a positive impact in the world. Recognising and appreciating these donors is crucial for fostering long-term relationships and inspiring continued contributions. One significant opportunity for acknowledgment is the anniversary of a donor’s first gift. By commemorating this milestone, nonprofits can show gratitude, strengthen connections, and encourage continued engagement.

I recently received an email from Who Gives a Crap acknowledging the fact that 9 June is the first anniversary of my subscription with this company. This communication recognised the importance I am as a customer on my “crap-a-versary”. This email shows the impact my membership has had to allow the company to donate to charity partners.

Imagine the things your organisation can do on the first anniversary of a donor’s support.

Ways to recognised first gift anniversaries

  1. Personalised Messages: A heartfelt, personalised message can go a long way in expressing gratitude. Send a handwritten note or a personalized email to acknowledge the anniversary of their first gift. Mention specific projects or initiatives that their support has helped accomplish, reinforcing the tangible impact of their contribution. Be specific, sincere, and let them know that their continued involvement is invaluable.
  2. Social Media Spotlights: Leverage the power of social media platforms to publicly recognise your donors. Share a dedicated post on your organisation’s social media accounts, highlighting the donor’s story, impact, and commitment to your cause. Include a photo or video if possible, showcasing the impact of their support. Tag the donor, expressing your gratitude publicly and encouraging others to follow their example.
  3. Donor Profiles and Testimonials: Create a section on your website or in your newsletter dedicated to donor profiles and testimonials. Feature a donor’s story, including their motivations, the impact of their gift, and why they chose to support your organisation. By sharing these stories, you not only recognise the donor but also inspire others to join in and contribute. Consider including photos, videos, or audio clips to make the profiles more engaging.
  4. Impact Reports and Updates: Prepare a special impact report or update highlighting the achievements made possible by your donors’ contributions. Share data, stories, and visual representations of the progress made towards your organization’s mission. Tailor the report to each donor, showcasing how their specific gift has made a difference. Make it accessible through email, your website, or a printed copy to ensure they receive it on or around their first gift anniversary.
  5. Exclusive Events or Webinars: Organise exclusive events or webinars for donors to celebrate their first gift anniversary. Invite them to join a virtual gathering where they can interact with staff, volunteers, and other donors. Share success stories, project updates, and future plans during the event. This intimate setting allows you to express gratitude directly and foster a sense of community among your donors.
  6. Donor Appreciation Videos: Create a short video montage featuring staff, volunteers, and beneficiaries expressing their gratitude. Collect video testimonials from individuals whose lives have been positively impacted by your organisation’s work. Incorporate heartfelt messages from your team members, explaining how donations have made a difference in achieving your mission. Share this video on social media, your website, and via personalized emails. ThankView is a fantastic platform to use for this purpose.
  7. Donor Appreciation Gifts: Consider sending a small token of appreciation to donors on the anniversary of their first gift. It could be a branded item, such as a T-shirt, mug, or a custom-made thank-you card. Personalise the gift by including a handwritten note expressing your gratitude. While not the primary focus, such gestures can serve as a tangible reminder of their support and reinforce their connection to your cause.

Recognising and celebrating donors on the anniversary of their first gift is an excellent opportunity to express gratitude and strengthen relationships. By implementing these meaningful strategies, you can show donors that their contributions are valued, appreciated, and have made a significant impact on your organisation’s mission. Remember, acknowledgment should be personalised, sincere, and tailored to each donor, fostering a sense of individualised appreciation.

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Remembering birthdays is an important step for donor stewardship

BirthdayMy birthday is 5 January. It’s a day I hear from many people on Facebook, LinkedIn, email, the telephone (live calls and SMS), and, of course, in person. Handwritten birthday cards are, for many, a thing of the past. Most who I hear from are family, personal friends, and colleagues/customers. I also hear from companies I do business with – airlines, family heritage websites, and others who know my birthday. It is rare I hear birthday greetings from charities I support. Remembering donor birthdays is an important step for donor stewardship.

McGrath FoundationOn my 2018 birthday, I heard from two charities. This year, one non-profit organisation took the time to send me a Happy Birthday email, McGrath Foundation. McGrath Foundation sent me the birthday email at 10AM the day prior to my birthday. This email not only wished me a happy birthday, but it also thanked me for my support of McGrath Breast Care Nurses – doubt the donor care!

Simply wishing a donor a happy birthday is fantastic. In this case, McGrath Foundation used the opportunity to thank me for my ongoing support as a regular donor.

What are other reasons to track birthdays?

Other reasons to track your donor’s birthdays, which include:

  • Marketing segmentation.
  • Bequests marketing.
  • Bequests forecasting.

How do non-profit organisations obtain birth dates?

Obtaining birthdays from donors is a relatively easy task. Charities obtain dates of birth through the following:

  • Appeal response devices.
  • Donor screening.
  • Supporter surveys.
  • Electronic screenings of the database.
  • Asking the donor in person, via email, or the telephone.

All CRMs allow for you to track someone’s date of birth. For donor’s who are shy abut sharing their birth year, most will allow you to track the date of birth without tracking the four digit year. If they do not allow for the tracking of what is called a “fuzzy date”, non-profit’s typically create custom fields for DD, MM, and YYYY.

McGrath Foundation is not the only charity I support tracking my date of birth. I have informed others of my birthday when I signed up to be a regular donor, responded to their supporter survey and when I have responded to an appeal. McGrath Foundation is the only charity taking the time to utilise the information this year to wish me happiness on my birthday.

Charities that remember a donor’s birthday standout in the minds of the donors who are remembered.

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A thank you call per day

Snip20160619_2Stewardship calls are the easiest calls to make. Often times thank you calls are the most surprising for a donor to receive because donors do not expect them. It’s true. Donors expect calls asking for money, requests to purchase lottery tickets, and other asks. It’s rare a call from a nonprofit organisation has the simple purpose of saying “thank you”.

Make one thank you call today. Call a donor who has given for the first time. Call a donor who has given for the past three consecutive years. Call a donor who has increased their level of giving year on year.

Make a thank you call every day or at least one time per week. Document the call in your customer relationship management (CRM) system. Measure and monitor the results of the calls. I bet you will see further engagement by those you call.

There are many reasons to call donors. Calling to make an ask does not have to be tbe only reason.

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Happy Thanksgiving, USA

It’s Thanksgiving in the USA and, by now, many will have enjoyed a meal surrounded by family and friends. I woke up this morning to several Thanksgiving greetings from nonprofit organisations including the following from Share Our Strength, Boston Children’s Hospital, The Michael J Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research, and SpeakEasy Stage Company:

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Earlier this year I wrote about one of my favourite donor care messages from University of Queensland.

Messages such as these, and the one I received early week from the Wisconsin Alumni Association, are wonderful ways to show the love for your donors. These stewardship pieces are cost effective to produce and very fruitful in sharing the joy. These pieces are also great motivators for people to continue their support by making an immediate gift at calendar year end.

Happy Thanksgiving to everyone, worldwide! And, to the charities taking the time to send these messages of gratitude out – thank you! You not only made this donor feel good, but you also added variety to my in box this morning, which is full of “black Friday” sales offers from retailers. Kudos.

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Now here’s an infographic!

Last week I wrote about the importance of telling your story via words and pictures in order to accommodate the two ways adults absorb information. I shared a terrific infographic received as part of an electronic direct marketing communications from my university, the University of Wisconsin.

I was pleased to receive another great example from MS Queensland later in the week. I am a MS Queensland lottery buyer (I love to take a chance on their great prizes and also to support MS Queensland). MS Queensland sent a stewardship or donor care email to all their lottery buyers. The infographic really displayed the difference the lottery program plays and the appreciation MS Queensland have for their lottery buyers.

Now here’s an infographic!

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Call from University of Queensland hits all the marks

Call center operator at work

I received a call from a University of Queensland student on Monday night.

I am a sucker for these calls. It reminded me of the type of calls I receive from my alma mater, the University of Wisconsin. This call from University of Queensland was superb.

The student, a female, thanked me repeatedly for my generous support of the university. She asked me why I give to the university, noting I am not a graduate of the university. Again, she thanked me for my support. She then confirmed, edited, and enhanced my contact details. Finally, she told me about an emergency fund, “Greatest Needs”, to help students in financial crisis and discussed the ways in which this fund helps students to remain in school rather than exit, before graduation, due to financial crisis.

She asked me to support the university once more by making a gift that night. I gave.

I gave because of the quality of the call and because this caller convinced me University of Queensland cared about my support, cared enough about me to check the data in their database and to keep it up to date, and cared enough to educate me about the emergency fund. I was convinced I needed to open my wallet and commit to giving again. Further, the call was not just about the next gift. The call was about stewardship, about data quality and, then, about fundraising. This multifaceted call proved to be a good use of University of Queensland resources and of my time. The call from University of Queensland hit all the marks.

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Infographics tell a story

Remember when you were a child and you loved it when your parents read you a book? You would listen to the story, but you really paid attention to the pictures. As adults we are really not much different. We appreciate the words in document, but we also value the pictures. As the 1971 Rod Stewart song is titled, Every Picture Tells a Story.

Snip20150927_18The University of Wisconsin, my alma mater, recently sent an electronic communications to alumni to highlight recent university rankings. They used an infographic to highlight the terrific standings. Each year, U.S. News & World Report rank the nation’s universities and the University of Wisconsin typically ranks in the top tier in a variety of areas. People love a winner and promoting these rankings offers an opportunity for Wisconsin to tell us how valuable our degree is in present day, as well as an opportunity to prove the money we are investing as alumni is paying dividends. Further, universities use this as an opportunity to attract new fundraising or additional gifts from those of us who may have already given this year.

How is your non-profit organisation using infographics to tell your story? You likely already have information together to tell a donor care or stewardship story. You likely put this type of information in writing. Why not translate it to an infographic, as well? Remember adults are pretty split in terms of absorption of information. Some adults learn by reading text and others by visual representation. Play to both audiences to be sure you capture the attention of the majority.

For universities in Asia-Pacific, U.S. News & World Report announced a global edition of the rankings as coming 6 Oct! Perhaps your alma mater or perhaps your university employer will be listed in this global edition.

How about a shout out to the University of Wisconsin for their outstanding achievements and for ranking so high amongst US universities? On Wisconsin!

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Treat complaint calls like a gift

COMPLAINTS_DEPARTMENTNone of us like to get complaint calls or negative feedback. In fact, we hate it when someone complains about our non-profit organisation. People might complain about the mission of our organisation, the services we provide, or some other matter.

Each of us needs to treat complaint calls like a gift. Complaints calls are an opportunity to reconnect with the person making the complaint and to address issues within our organisation.

Some pointers when receiving complaints:

  • Respond the same day the complaint is received.
    • Even if your first response only tells the person you are investigating the matter and sets an expectation as to when the person may expect a full response.
  • Show gratitude when the complaint is received.
    • Let the person lodging the complaint know you appreciate their feedback.
  • Fully investigate the complaint.
    • Gather all the facts in order to respond intelligently.
  • The customer is always right may not always be right.
    • It is OK to point out the facts to the customer without shifting blame to the customer or making the customer out to be the issue.
  • Respond in the most personal manner possible.
    • If the person lodged the complaint on Twitter, send a direct message to ask them for contact details in order to call them. If the person wrote via email, try to send them a personal note via Post or, again, call them. Often times the personal touch will diffuse situations.
  • It is OK to escalate, but empower staff of all levels.
    • It is acceptable to escalate the response to those at the top of the hierarchy, but you also must empower staff of all levels to resolve issues.
  • Exam internal systems and protocols.
    • Improve performance, so another individual does not repeat the complaint in the future.
  • Track complaints in your CRM.
    • Tracking in your CRM will allow you to measure and monitor patterns.

In the age of Twitter, TripAdvisor and other forums, complaints are prevalent. Using them as an opportunity to re-engage with the person and also as an opportunity to “fix” issues within make the complaint well worthwhile.

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Just say ‘thank you’

Snip20150730_2I received a thank you email from a charity this week – the McGrath Foundation. The subject read “Thank you, Stephen, we couldn’t have done it without you”. McGrath Foundation was not asking for money. The Foundation did not ask me to take any action.

The McGrath Foundation simply thanked me.

We do not thank each other enough in our personal and professional lives. Charities do not and cannot thank their donors enough. Too often, we as fundraisers have our hand out making an ask for a gift rather than our hand out to thank the donor. Often times a simple thank you will generate an additional gift and even a larger gift.

How often does your charity send a thank you to donors without making an ask? Have you picked up the telephone to thank a donor and to simply check to see how they are doing? When was the last time you wrote a hand written thank you note to a donor instead of sending an email? Go the extra mile (kilometre) and see the difference it makes.

McGrath Foundation placed a subtle message in their thank you email – the email told me they are halfway to their goal of 110 nurses. I interpret this line as a simple update. I might read that and believe McGrath want me to make a contribution to help the Foundation achieve the goal. I might read it and feel the need to help. McGrath Foundation hopes I feel gratitude by this email and, at the same time, no doubt hopes it generates some needed income. This stewardship email may be a wave as part of a campaign. Nonetheless, the focus of the email is on expressing appreciation and it makes recipients feel good.

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Three steps to better data hygiene

This last week I was fortunate to be part of a talented panel of speakers talking about data at the Australian Event Manager’s Forum. This Forum meets once a quarter to talk about case studies and issues relating to the NFP sector and to event management.

I shared with 60 people in attendance the fact I receive a call each week from a non-profit organisation asking for help in finding the “right fundraising software” for the organisation. The charity wants to find software that will deliver not only in the event space, but across the organisation. For some organisations, FundraisingForce conducts constituent relationship management (CRM) searches to find the right fit.

Conversations can be had about the requirements of the organisation in order to find the right fit. But, put aside the software for a second and think about the practices that exist (or are likely absent) across the organisation.

Too few in the charity space focus on the detail in a single supporter record in the database. We are too busy worrying whether the software we own does this task or that task. We are too busy completing transactions and tasks (i.e. booking a donation, getting the tax appeal out) that we do not take the time, while in possession of a supporter record, to do what I have called CEE a record.

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  • C – When in possession of a supporter’s record, no matter who you are in the organisation, Confirm the contact details with the supporter or Confirm the record is complete when you simply open a record to view information.
  • E – Edit anything in the record the supporter tells you or you view as incorrect.
  • E – Enhance anything in the record you see missing. Mobile phone numbers and email addresses are missing from about 70% of most charities supporter records.

Do the above day to day, hour by hour.

Monthly Data Cleansing

Once you have the day-to-day practices in place, you must focus on the masses. First, at the close of each month, someone on your team must troll the data base to look for known issues – incomplete records – addresses missing a post code, addresses missing a suburb, state, titles missing, etc. Make this one person’s job.

Cleaning up the house once a month makes it a lot easier for major clean-ups.

Annual Data Cleansing

Your organisation needs to perform Data Hygiene at least once per year before a big mailing or event.

Data Hygiene is the practice of cleansing the data, using a service provider who will access the Australia Post National Change of Address, NCOA, file on your organisation’s behalf. The service will also use other data sources and may enhance the data to offer you dates of birth, phone numbers or other enhanced information valuable for major gift and bequest efforts.

Why do annual Data Hygiene? I have over 300 charities in my direct marketing mystery shopping study. I have lived in three apartments during the time the study has been underway. Some charities are mailing me at my address 3 apartments ago. I only receive the mail because I continue to renew my mail redirection service with Australia Post. Most Australians only renew their mail redirection once at best, if at all.

Of the 300 charities in the study, only 3 have found me at my correct address.

What do the other 297 charities do when a person does not file a mail redirection service? What do the other 297 charities do when a person does not continue to renew the mail redirection?

Why don’t charities conduct an annual Data Hygiene process? They put it in the “too hard” bucket. They put it in the “too expensive” bucket.

Too Hard

It is “too hard” if you do not understand the process. If you tried it once and it was “too hard”, find a supplier in the market to conduct the process and document it for you once. We can then transfer the knowledge to you to make it easy and allow you to be self-sufficient each time thereafter.

Expensive

I don’t buy this argument. It is very expensive to acquire a new donor. Sure Data Hygiene costs NFPs. But, it is less expensive to run a data hygiene process than it is to acquire a new donor. It is less expensive to do the Data Hygiene process annually than it is to continue to mail pieces, which do not reach their intended recipients.

Unless you practice good Data Hygiene, the work done in terms of event fundraising, donor acquisition fundraising, and other areas do not matter.

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