How do you follow up with your donors after sending your impact report?

1 Thank your donors

The first and most important step is to thank your donors for their generosity and trust. Send them a personalized email, letter, or phone call that expresses your gratitude and reinforces the impact of their donation. Use specific examples and stories that illustrate how their gift helped your beneficiaries, and avoid generic or vague statements. Also, acknowledge any feedback or questions they may have shared with you in response to your impact report, and address them promptly and sincerely.

2 Segment your donors

Not all donors are the same, and neither should be your follow-up strategy. Depending on their level of involvement, interest, and capacity, you can segment your donors into different groups and tailor your communication accordingly. For example, you can create categories based on the size and frequency of their donations, the type and channel of their engagement, or the program or project they support. Then, you can use this information to craft relevant and personalized messages that appeal to their motivations and preferences.

3 Invite your donors to take action

One of the best ways to follow up with your donors is to invite them to take action and deepen their connection with your organization. You can ask them to share your impact report with their friends and family, to join your social media platforms, to sign up for your newsletter, to volunteer for your events, or to participate in your surveys or polls. By doing so, you can show them that you value their input and involvement, and that they are part of your community and your mission.

4 Update your donors regularly

Another key aspect of following up with your donors is to keep them informed and engaged with your progress and challenges. Don't wait until the next impact report to share your news and stories with them. Instead, update them regularly through various channels, such as emails, blogs, podcasts, videos, or webinars. Make sure to highlight the results and outcomes of your work, as well as the needs and opportunities that arise along the way. Also, use storytelling and data visualization techniques to make your updates compelling and memorable.

5 Solicit feedback from your donors

A good follow-up strategy also involves soliciting feedback from your donors and listening to their opinions and suggestions. You can use different methods to collect feedback, such as surveys, interviews, focus groups, or online forums. The goal is to understand what your donors think and feel about your impact report, your communication, your programs, and your organization as a whole. You can use this feedback to improve your performance, to address any concerns or issues, and to show your donors that you respect and appreciate their views.

6 Cultivate relationships with your donors

The ultimate aim of following up with your donors is to cultivate long-term relationships with them and to inspire them to continue supporting your cause. To achieve this, you need to go beyond the transactional and transactional aspects of fundraising, and focus on the emotional and relational ones. You can do this by expressing your gratitude regularly, by recognizing and celebrating your donors' achievements and milestones, by inviting them to special events or activities, by connecting them with other donors or beneficiaries, and by showing them the impact of their donations in a personal and meaningful way.

7 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?