After you’ve run a successful fundraising campaign, you’re entitled to celebrate. You’re entitled to sit back, relax, and enjoy an evening off. You’re entitled to breathe.
Then it’s time to get back to work.
Your donors have given you their hard-earned money. In return for their donation, they should receive a warm feeling of pride, knowing that they have just changed your service recipients’ lives.
You should spend the weeks and months after your campaign delivering it to them.
To demystify the process of post-campaign donor communication, there is a cycle you follow.
Ask > Thank > Report
Most fundraisers are simply not doing #s 2 and 3 at all. And those that are often they view them as a checklist.
Asked for money? Check.
Thanked my donors? Check.
Reported back? Check.
But donors need a Thank You boost every couple of weeks. They need an update about how their donation was at least every other month. They need to know that you care and that you appreciate their generosity.
Doing so keeps you top of mind. It ensures you’re delivering on your commitment to fill donors with a sense of gratitude. It primes them to give again the next time you ask.
So after your campaign, kick your feet up and savor a job well done. When you sit back at your desk, start thanking your donors and planning new ways to show your appreciation throughout the year.
In a year from now, you’ll be happy you did.
(Interested in learning more about taking your post-campaign work to the next level? Email me at [email protected] and ask me about the CauseMatch Level Up program!)