Five Ways You can Build Donor Loyalty
National Philanthropy Day
October 20, 2006
Know your donor
Bonus know-your-donor ideas
• Donor anniversary mailing
• Donor cumulative giving milestone
• Program milestones
• Lapse prevention mailings
• Spend money where you get money
Make good offers
Fundraising offer• Problem or opportunity
• Solution
• Cost
• Urgency
• Understandable
• Benefit for donor
• Emotion
Bonus make-good-offers ideas
• Money-back guarantee
• Matching funds
• Relevant back-end premiums
Close the loop
Donor newsletter
• About donors (not about you)
• Human drama
• Real photos
• Great headlines
• Calls to action
Bonus close-the-loop ideas
• Quality receipts
• Out-of-the-blue thank-you letters
• Plan for responders
Deepen the relationship
Bonus deepen-the-relationship ideas
• Appropriate thank-you gifts
• Public recognition
• Tours
• Phone conferences
• Advisory boards
Have flawless service
Good receipt
• Prompt (mails within 24 hours)
• Correct
• Feels good
Bonus flawless-service ideas
• Always obey quickly
• Tax-time receipt
• Perfect records
Net present value
• Total projected giving • Minus the cost of acquiring the donor
• Minus the ongoing cost of cultivating the donor
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