Donor Relationship Management

When one of my best friends lost her son to a form of pediatric cancer, I sent flowers, spent hours on the phone with my friend, and, when she became involved with a charity dedicated to fighting this particular form of childhood cancer, I became a regular donor. Years later, when my friend confided that she herself was no longer supporting the charity, I finally ended close to 20 years of support because of the organization's shabby treatment of donors...

Picture this: You’re going on a blind date. You sit down and order a round of drinks, but before you can say “cabernet sauvignon,” your date starts listing off every detail of your life and history and asking you about them. Uhhhh, check please! That’s the world we all live in today. That includes your…

A staffer responsible for donor relations at a mid-size community charity began our conversation by describing a fundraising program that, although fully functioning, is showing the early warning signs of real trouble. Stagnant gift size and a declining—albeit slowly—donor-renewal rate. Her concern was palpable. At an appropriate pause, I asked her what she thought the issues were. Her response was simple: “Our donors simply aren’t giving enough. They don’t understand the urgency of the work we’re doing.”...

I used to think Mop & Glo was the greatest product known to man. Once a week, I’d mindlessly squirt Mop & Glo on my tile flooring, run a damp mop over my tile and step back to admire the shine. Until the day came when there was no shine left to admire. So, are you using what I call "Mop & Glo fundraising"?...

Newsletters can and should be a great way to stay in touch with your donors and keep them updated on how they are helping you make a difference. Unfortunately, most donor newsletters can be used as a cure for insomnia. They’re too long and filled with articles that brag about how wonderful the organization is.…

I want to let you in on a secret. Almost every day Richard and I get notes and emails from major gift officers, who, like you, are readers of our blog and lament that their bosses, executive directors or boards are making it impossible to do their jobs. Richard and I have a ton of empathy for your situations....

While Valentine's Day is very symbolic for us, I will never forget what I was told decades ago: to show affection every day of the year and not just one special, designated day. I always have carried that premise over to donors in my career. We need to love them all of the time. Unfortunately, many professionals have not developed a proper method or process to do this over time...

When it comes to sending our receipts and thank-you messages, the most important goals should be “fast and grateful.” So kudos to every organization that receipted me—and did it quickly. The typical donor will see the thank you and probably file it away for taxes; it may not seem to make much of an impression, but research shows that saying “thank you” does matter as it is one more piece to building a relationship with that donor....

When was the last time you thanked your donors? If it’s been at least a month, then you need to show some donor love. Valentine’s Day is a perfect opportunity to thank your donors and show how much you appreciate their support. Maybe you’d rather not acknowledge Valentine’s Day, but you should still do something fun…

In 2016, there are five fundamental skills nonprofits must master to guarantee success in an overcrowded marketplace. Some of these skills will seem familiar, but the way you employ them may need to be tweaked in order for you to survive and thrive in our digitally revolutionized society. Other skills may be things you’ve thought about or dabbled in, but haven’t really committed to with serious intent and dedicated resources....