Retention

As the year draws to a close, focus more on renewing current and lapsed donors than on acquiring new ones.

It was a well-known speaker in the fundraising industry. The speaker's assertion: Donor retention has gotten so bad, we should just stop acquiring new donors and focus all our energy on retention. I wouldn't really bother bringing it up if it were just one boneheaded idea from one industry expert who hasn't done the homework. But I keep encountering this "Stop Acquiring New Donors Meme." People are saying that all over the place. I wonder how many fundraisers have actually taken this horrific bit of advice.

There's a donor retention article every single day it seems. Why is this so hard?

You've optimized your acquisition process. You're gaining new donors. You're sending them the content you promised when they signed up. You should be growing your donor base, right? Not if you aren't able to plug the leak on the other end. You may want to consider opt-down and other options, rather than a simple "Bummer, see ya later." There are three ways to do this effectively: 1. Reduce frequency. 2. Focus content. 3. Facilitate e-mail address changes.

In my recent webinar with 4GOOD/Nonprofit Webinars about How Creative Thank-Yous and an Attitude of Gratitude Can Supercharge Your Fundraising, it became apparent there’s one question many of you struggle with: How on earth do you develop a system that assures thank-yous really get out in 48 hours? Heres' the biggest secret: 1. You’ve got to get everyone in your organization to buy in to the 48-hour rule. This is perhaps the most important thing you can do to sustain donor relationships.

This year, the FSV advisors tackled the issues every-sized organization and mission need to know to thrive well into the next decades.

Lose your mid-level donors, and your major gifts will dry up sooner than you might imagine.

Nothing could be as gratifying or rewarding as stewarding your donors, yet it’s clear from the latest statistics that we’re still not getting it right. Take a cue from my oh so fabulous subscribers and members, who are using fun and novel ways to deepen their relationships with their donors. What tips could you swipe?

Never assume systems are working. Always check and check again. Mistakes creep in and software glitches show up for no reason known to us non-technical types, so always validate your systems to be sure they are doing what you expect them to do.

You need to take five carefully timed steps to get more new donors to continue their support. But before you get started, get into the New-Donor Zone. Step away from the tactical aspects of your fundraising program for a moment, and put yourself in the shoes of your new donor.