One of the most generous people I know used to always say, “I don’t do nice things for praise, I do it because I want to help — but it is nice to hear a ‘thank you’ every once in a while.”
I’m sure she’s not the only one who feels this way. When we do nice things for others, we expect some gratitude in return. When you have community members spending time and money on your mission, you need to make your appreciation clear.
Online campaigns bring in new donors and often inspire additional gifts from current donors. Because they’re time-bound in their race to meet a goal, there are ways to structure your gratitude to build on both new and existing relationships.
Reporting
Donors want to know results and how their gift will make a difference. Show them the success of your campaign in terms that matter to them. A campaign rallies people toward a goal, so be sure to report metrics that show how they were successful in meeting that goal. It’s important to give everyone something to celebrate when the campaign closes. This is a great time to translate your goal into specific things that are tangible and meaningful like, “we raised enough to pay for 300 school lunches this year.” Hitting a goal brings you dollars, drawing people into why that goal matters creates long-term donors. This hits the first important stage of marketing we call “KNOW.”
Thanking
Go beyond the “thanks everyone who donated” post on socials. Send an email, letter, or note card to donors – something that’s not also a receipt – no matter the gift size. Call your matching gift sponsors. Be specific, use their name, reiterate how much a gift of any size helps further your mission and reiterate what their gift will make happen. Thanking is an opportunity to emphasize that the outcomes happen because of them, building the second or “FEEL” stage that is required to spark continued action.
Queue Up for What’s Next
After you show donors your gratitude, lead them foreword! Having a great CRM set up is key to doing this well. New donors can get added to an automated welcome series. Existing donors should be recognized as such and sent different follow up messaging. Treating people like they are known grows the feeling of connection you’ve started to build. Provide different paths to action to track what they “DO.” Watch a video is a lesser ask than come to an event. Experiment and learn what makes your donors dive in deeper.
One of the main reasons Do More 24 Delaware Gives Day continues to grow is because of the importance placed on communications. Pouring time and effort into fostering your relationship with your donors builds trust and respect between them and your organization. Having donors feel admired and appreciated is key to receiving their continuous support.
Need help ironing out the details of your post-campaign communication? Reach out to us below and see how we can help.
