The “Wow Factor” in Fundraising
3 easy ways to generate a reaction of “wow” with your donors.
One might read this headline and think it’s about how to get that giant contribution to come your way. You’d be wrong! 🙂 This is about how to make the first-time donor say, “Wow” when they hear back from you after they’ve made a donation to support your mission.
The real job of fundraising is not about getting someone to donate, it’s about cultivating donors that want to give a second gift, and then a third. If you can master this, your organization will thrive, your story will be told across many demographics, and you will celebrate your donor relationships on the regular.
Here are 3 easy ways to create the wow factor with your donor. You may think this is common sense, but I believe it bears repeating:
- Express your heartfelt thanks. Do it quickly and sincerely. Personalize your thank you notes, and you will stand apart from what many, if not most, non-profits do.
- Tell them about the impact their gift will make. Don’t brag about how well you’re doing; tell them what their contribution is making possible at your organization.
- Go old school with your communication. By that I mean pick up the phone and call your donors. Tell them succinctly and with genuine gratitude how much their gift means to your organization. If you don’t reach them, leave a message and follow up with a hand-written note.
Personalize all of your communications based on conversations you’ve had in the past with your donor. @beyondtheask
Touch on details about things you know they’re passionate about. Private details like this will help them understand they’re receiving your genuine gratitude for their specific gift.
It’s really not that hard. It can boil down to this: how would you want to feel if you had just made a contribution? How would you want to be acknowledged when your gift was a slight stretch for you?
Use that emotion to temper your communication and you will, no doubt, get a great reaction. But, always go for the “Wow!”.
