There’s a lot of excitement in acquiring new donors, and a good portion of our efforts are aimed in that direction. But it’s a great mistake not to keep an eye on keeping the donors we have.
Here are some questions to spark your thinking on keeping the donors you already have!
- Do donors receive a meaningful acknowledgement for their support, or a form letter?
- Are donors aware of what the need is for more support?
- Do they feel that you want to have a relationship with them?
- How often do you “touch” an existing donor (once a year, only when you need something, only at the obvious times of year)? Does the pattern of touches over a year give the impression that you are interested in them and whatever they may be able to bring to your organization?
- What type of donor is best for your organization (what works, who stays, whose interest and involvement grow)? Take a look at your top 50 (not only in dollars, but also in participation), and see if there’s something that differentiates them from others lower down the scale. Now you have a model from which to target additional prospects—where your likelihood of success may be much higher.
The ongoing care and cultivation of the donor who has already given is what makes an organization sustainable!
