Can You Go Bigger?
Last month, I shared some thoughts about how to show some love to your donors when you have a limited budget and not a lot of time. Click here to read it. I hope you found those ideas helpful, and be sure to contact me to let me know what you thought.
I think donor stewardship doesn’t get nearly enough attention though, so I wanted to share some more thoughts and suggestions on how to go a little bigger. One lesson I’ve learned is – you simply can never say thank you enough.
So how else can you thank and continue to show the love? Can you change the medium - instead of an email, what about a phone call? What about a handwritten note? Can you change the thanker – include a board member, another member of your team, or even include a video message from the people supported through the nonprofit?
What if you have a little budget leftover (YAY!)? Maybe you are looking to do something a little more personalized for your top-tier donors. Maybe the Executive Director or Board Chair read recently about how unbelievably vital donor retention is to the financial health and future of your organization and they’re looking to you for ideas on what more you can do to increase donor retention.
Therefore, I encourage you to think - how can you go bigger to show your donors some love? How can you plan something personal, authentic, and mission-focused? What makes your organization special? How can you spread that something special with your donors?
Keep reading for some ideas to inspire you.
Need help in crafting a stewardship plan for your donors or have other fundraising challenges? Let’s chat.
10 Donor Stewardship Ideas…To Go Bigger
Send flowers to your donor on a milestone birthday, anniversary, or business accomplishment with a handwritten note.
Donate to a DIFFERENT charity when your donor is being honored there.
Produce a swag item that has a connection to the mission of your organization.
Join your donor at a sporting event (it could be an NBA game or a little league game), concert/theater, or museum exhibit to strengthen the relationship.
Arrange a thank you reception for your most loyal supporters.
Organize a thank-a-thon for a group of staff and/or volunteers to call all your donors – no matter the level! – to thank them for their support.
Create a personalized video talking about the impact of the donor’s gift.
Track the length of giving of your donors, and share a report about what has happened because of their support over the past 10 or 20 years due to their support.
Instead of an annual report with a list of accomplishments, share a quick note to your top supporters each month with a great story that happened at your organization.
Design a welcome package for first-time donors that includes a questionnaire for their preferred communication medium, time of day to be reached, and asks a few other personal questions related to your organization. Include the contact information of everyone on your team, share your social media links, and let them know how you will be reaching out to them.
How else can we steward our donors to make them feel valued and appreciated? Need help with where to start?