How to build donor relationships that stand the test of time
If you’re a regular reader, you’ll know that here at Access we are big fans of ‘Relationship Fundraising’ and that we believe it’s the depth and strength of donor relationships that hold the key to long-term success. For many charities and non-profits, those relationships have been something of a lifeline these past two years. But despite everything people have been through, it seems that donors are remaining loyal, with:
- 36% of respondents gaining more supporters than they lost and
- 45% seeing their numbers stay fairly consistent.
That’s 81% good news in our book!
It’s important not to take this generosity and loyalty for granted, even when you’re under pressure. More than just a database entry, behind every Donor ID number there’s a person. A human being living and working through the pandemic just like you. Every gift, every interaction, is part of their donor journey – and it’s your job to take their hand and guide them through. The destination? A positive, long-lived donor experience that brings true lifetime value.
Bringing digital and physical donor journeys together
With more donors choosing to give online, their journey exists on two plains: the physical and the digital – and your stewardship strategy needs to work across both.
Before you move forward, you need to understand your touch-points – the intersections at which your paths will cross.
- In the physical world, this can mean everything from direct mail, thank you letters and newsletters, to phone calls, meetings and community events.
- In the digital realm, donors can connect through multiple channels – visiting your website, following you on social media, downloading apps, receiving texts, emails, and even attending virtual events.
It doesn’t matter which channel they choose. Every time your donor connects you need to be thinking about their experience. But with so many options, how do you design a donor journey that makes the most of them?
Digital transformation expert and consultant, Ian Patterson, supports the idea of a single customer view, and so do we. It might sound daunting, but it makes sense. Essentially, the key here is to recognise that when you’re talking to people online (and offline) you’re not talking to lots of separate individuals. In fact, it is far more likely that you’re talking to a number of the same people, albeit through different channels (i.e. someone who follows you on Instagram may also follow you on Twitter and receive direct mail). This means you need to plan your messaging around the idea of a single person, and a single ‘truth’. Don’t just parrot the same material across each channel. Make a plan for what, when and how you want people to absorb your message and tailor content accordingly.
Get ready to engage and respond
Of course, a good donor experience isn’t just about sending communications out. You need to be ready to engage and respond.
Sometimes, it’s as simple as making sure you’re on the end of the phone, or getting a thank you letter out the door.
Other times, it’s promoting individual fundraisers, sharing and celebrating success on social media, or engaging and responding to comments and enquiries. There are lots of technologies to help with this, including your charity CRM. It’s important not to remove the personal element completely, but don’t be afraid to invest in the tools that make managing multiple donor journeys quicker and easier. Access thankQ charity CRM, for example, is designed to integrate with your website, MailChimp, JustGiving and Microsoft Office – amongst others. This makes it easy to capture the action as it happens, giving you the data and information you need to monitor, evaluate and evolve your donor journey.
Make the time to just say ‘hey’
Finally, if you really want your donor’s experience to be a good one, make some time to check-in and chat without the pressure of an ask. In the current climate - surrounded by angst, uncertainty, and funding shortfalls – it can be easy to forget how far a simple ‘hello’ can go. So ask yourself this, when was the last time you asked your donors if everything was okay?
Of course, we know that a lot of charities are already doing this – and these small acts of kindness can go a long way to help service users, supporters and their families through this time of crisis. But still, one of our favourites has to be the RNLI’s supporter care video that went out at the beginning of the first lockdown (if you’ve lost all sense of time like we have, that was March 2020).
“Wherever you are. You’re probably feeling uncertain about the future too. That’s why I wanted to get in touch, and say ‘today, we’re sending our support to you.’ ”
Dave, Volunteer Crew Member (RNLI
In 54 seconds this one, short video clip does it all. Raw, human and beautifully simple the message is clear: we care about our supporters. We care about YOU. Delivered direct from a volunteer crew member (Dave) this message isn’t about money. There is no ask. No agenda. Just one person offering their support to another. Even if you’ve never donated to the RNLI before, it is hard to watch this video and not feel part of the family (or want to join it!). Why? Because this message shows you they’ve built exactly that.
Build back better
Even with vaccines and booster shots on the horizon, it might feel like COVID-19 is a never-ending saga and that life will never truly get back to normal. But maybe that’s a good thing. Because now is the chance to redefine the status quo. If the pandemic has shown us anything, it is that donors and supporters matter to your charity and that your charity matters to them.
So when you’re looking forward and planning for the future, make sure your donor journey is at the heart of it. Think about the messages people receive and how they receive them, make time to engage, respond and interact, to check-in and say ‘hey’. It doesn’t matter if it’s a social media post, email, phone call, or letter.
COVID-19 might be our present, but it is your donor relationships that will shape the future. So take every opportunity to invest in yours.
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