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DonorExpress NewsLine
This newsletter is a publication from the staff of DonorExpress
Software. Our intention is to share with our DonorExpress users
and other interested organizations valuable operational information
along with TIPS on how to better use our software. We hope that you
will look forward to receiving this newsletter. Please feel free to
respond back with suggestions for future issues. Comments
Diversity of culture is probably the greatest gift that has built our
Nation. Our great country has enjoyed the many talents of some of the
greatest minds from all parts of this World. The information you need
may come from the most least likely source.
"Let us take care of the children,
for they have a long way to go.
Let us take care of the elders,
for they have come a long way.
Let us take care of those in between,
for they are doing the work."
-Traditional African Prayer-
Last issue we focused on seeing fundraising as long term relationship
building as opposed to the one shot appeal. One of the best ways to
build on your relationship with your supporters is through your communications
with them. Fall is the time of year when many organizations are in full
swing with annual appeals and this month we wanted to look at some ideas
to help with making your fundraising more successful.
The first rule of fundraising is that you
have to ask in order to receive. We were working
with a very small nonprofit organization that had never had any type
database software or done any formal fundraising. Using our software,
they were able to pulled together a list of several thousand prospective
donors in there small community and sent out a simple appeal letter
with no expectation. They were truly shocked when the donations started
coming in. In the end they raised over $15,000.00 to help their small
organization. I am not sure if such success is a blessing on the first
try (it will be a hard act to follow next year) but they were very grateful
for their supporters.
Many organizations take this "one appeal letter fits all"
approach and mails the same letter to thousands of names in their database
with great results. As we all know, appeal mailings are time consuming
for staff members and expensive to print and mail. The bottom line for
any appeal mail is the Return On Investment. The goal is to get the
most return for the least investment. Many organizations have found
that by targeting specific groups in their database with specialized
appeals will increase their Return on Investment percentages.
One way to target your appeals is to have your
database divided into groups that make it easy to pull members of a
specific category of donors. Then you can create an appeal letter that
addresses this group in a specific way. You can also spread out the
time and cost of the appeal as well as the load on the data entry people
by taking one group each month. One month mail to businesses, the next
month churches, the next month physicians and so on. Remember that the
key is to word the appeal letter so it is personalized for that group.
Fundraising is about relationship building with supporters. Keep in
mind that the goal is to give each person an opportunity to be involved
with your organization as a volunteer and/or a donor. All campaigns
or correspondence to contacts in your database should be with the intentional
purpose to make them feel apart of your family. Adopt an attitude of
partnership with your supporters and the money will follow.
Every organization tries to thank donors for their contributions but
when was the last time you really took a look at your Thank You Letters.
I personally have several organizations that I give to regularly but
when the thank you letter comes, I already know what it will say before
I open it because it has not changed in years.
Your organization is going to spend $.39 to mail a thank you letter
to each donor. Remember that we want every correspondence to inspire
these donors to want to give again. Do not waste postage just to say
Thank You when that same letter could contain current information about
what your organization is doing or is about to do.
Review and update your correspondence regularly. I would suggest your
letters be updated at least monthly. Surely some wonderful things have
happen in the last 30 days that your donors should know about. Set up
procedure where your response letters are reviewed the first of each
month. Even if they do not change, at least you know what your contributors
receiving.
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Thank you for your time and interest in DonorExpress™ Software.
Bob Holder
DonorExpress™ Software
PO Box 1126
Boone, NC 28607
828.264.2577
info@donorexpress.com
www.donorexpress.com
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