Nonprofit leaders tell me all the time how uncomfortable they are asking people to donate to their organizations.
They’re never thrilled to hear me respond that they’re not asking people to donate often enough.
As tough a pill to swallow as it may be, fundraisers will raise more money the more often they solicit donations.
There is no downside to asking people for gifts more often than you currently do.
One of the simplest ways for you to boost fundraising results is to ask for donations more often and more effectively.
Here are four guidelines to follow as you build your donor solicitation strategy.
1) There is no such thing as donor fatigue
In a landmark research project, Roger Craver, author of Retention Fundraising, reported that “across a range of studies on donors to 250+ nonprofits in the US and the UK… there is absolutely no evidence that frequency of solicitation negatively impacts retention and lifetime value. Period.”
It’s much smarter to ask too often than not often enough. It’s simple dollars and cents. The more you ask, the more you get.
Moreover, asking for money is an expression of someone’s values. When people donate, they are joining a community. When you ask them for money, you give them the opportunity to showcase their kindness. (More on the emotions of donors in #3.)
2) Second gifts are crucial, especially for new donors
First-time gifts are often purely transactional. Your organizational mission may have had little to do with a donor’s decision to donate. This is especially true if the gift comes through a peer-to-peer crowdfunding campaign. In that case, the main reason that donors donate is because a close contact asked.
But data collected by the Fundraising Effectiveness Project reveal a golden nugget. Once you receive a second donation, retention rates skyrocket.
In other words, the data tells you to focus on RETAINING your one-time donors, not ACQUIRING new donors.
After a first-time gift, the ball is in YOUR court to nurture a relationship. Once you convert a one-time donor into a second-time donor, you have moved the relationship forward. Now, your new donor is significantly more likely to respond positively to a request for a donation in the future.
Don’t go radio-silent on your donors. If you miss the opportunity to solicit donations, then you have stagnated the relationship.
3) It’s not ONLY about the Ask. It’s also about the Thank You and the Report.
You have an opportunity to fill donors with an AWESOME feeling of warmth and heroism. Use your Thank You letters and Report messages to convey what amazing people your donors are. Then, they will give again when you ask.
Remember, this is your charge as a fundraiser. Your job is to make donors feel amazing about their gifts. That feeling – that warm glow – is what they have purchased with their donation. Don’t shortchange them.
Use multiple touchpoints between donation solicitations. Tell your supporters that you appreciate them and that you do not take their generosity for granted.
4) Your Thank You should not be used for requesting donations
Each piece of communication should have one, solitary purpose.
Your Thank You letter and Report message isn’t the place to ask for another gift.
After you receive a donation, dedicate a phone call, email, letter, or WhatsApp to thank your donors.
After that, send another message and update them about the impact of their gifts.
Then and only then can you ask for another gift. Combining a Thank You and an Ask is disingenuous. It signals to donors that you care about their gift sizes more than you care about them as people.
Summary
You’re much more likely under-asking than over-asking your donors for donations.
The more you ask, the more you will receive. There is no downside to soliciting donations often. At worst, people will not give; at best, they will move from impulse buyers to more loyal donors.
The key is to continuously make donors feel awesome about their generosity. If you make donors feel great about their gifts, they will open their hearts and wallets to you.