You've just hosted a successful fundraising event for your cause, and you're feeling grateful for the generous support of your donors. But how do you make sure they stay engaged and loyal to your mission after the event is over? Here are some tips to help you build lasting relationships with your donors and encourage them to come back for more.
The first and most important step is to thank your donors as soon as possible after the event. Send them a personalized email, letter, or phone call that expresses your appreciation and shows the impact of their donation. Make sure you use their preferred name and address, and include details about the event and the cause. A timely and sincere thank you can make a big difference in how your donors feel about your organization.
Event donors are notoriously hard to convert into repeat donors. The best first step is to follow this commutation framework that has helped me in the past: 1?? Thank a funder for their support. 2?? Report on the impact their gift made. 3?? Engage them with new parts of your organization. 4?? Invite them to lean in (tell you more about themselves, follow you on social media, volunteer, sign up for a newsletter, etc.) 5?? Ask again (preferably a sustainer ask)
As soon as you enter them into your database, start using the power inherent within it. Track donations immediately. Note calls and visits by development officers and insights gained from them. Note attendance at/participation in fundraisers and volunteer activities. Note birthdays, children's and grandchildren's names, hobbies and interests ... you get the idea. That way, you can target your communications (especially your one-on-one conversations) beyond the categories of age, geography, gift recency and other characteristics that don't make a person human and emotionally reachable.
Not all donors are the same, and you need to tailor your communication and stewardship strategies to their different needs and preferences. Segment your donors based on criteria such as donation amount, frequency, channel, interest, and behavior. Then, create customized messages and offers that match their expectations and motivations. For example, you might invite your major donors to an exclusive event, or send your first-time donors a welcome package.
Many of your recent fundraisers’ donors likely qualify for matching gift programs through their employers’ giving initiatives. Segment your supporter base to uncover match-eligible individuals and use the information to tailor event follow-ups accordingly. You might even take it a step further by identifying those in your network with the highest matching gift potential?—such as donors with high annual matching gift caps or employer donation ratios! Remember: donors who engage in matching gift opportunities are able to double their impact on your organization, and a targeted, segmented approach on your part will empower more matching gift donors to get involved.
Don't let your donors forget about you after the event. Keep them informed about your progress, achievements, challenges, and plans. Share stories, photos, videos, testimonials, and reports that showcase the results of their donation and the difference they are making. Use a variety of channels such as email, social media, newsletters, and blogs to reach your donors where they are. And don't forget to ask for their feedback and input on your work.
A matching gift follow-up works as an excellent post-event touchpoint, allowing attendees to stay connected after the experience wraps up. And it allows donors to double their impact without asking them to give more funds. If you establish a separate goal to track matching gift revenue collected from your fundraiser, you can also share updates on your progress toward that finish line. The update can be as simple as this: “We’ve collected nearly $1,000 in corporate matching gifts from our recent event. Click here to see if your donation is match-eligible and if you can help us reach our goal.” It’s especially easy with a matching gift tool like Double the Donation to track your matches and provide useful reporting information to share!
Donors want to feel valued and appreciated for their support, not just solicited for more money. Show them appreciation by recognizing them publicly, sending them cards or gifts, inviting them to special events, or featuring them in your publications. You can also create a donor recognition program that rewards your loyal and repeat donors with benefits such as discounts, access, or recognition. Make sure you follow the best practices and ethical standards of donor recognition.
For those who ultimately participate in matching gifts on behalf of your nonprofit, effectively communicating your gratitude is more important than ever. We recommend thanking donors at three distinct times: after their initial engagement with your organization (i.e., attending your recent fundraiser), after they let you know they’ve submitted their matching gift request, and after your organization receives the completed match. In all of these instances, remember to continuously emphasize the positive impact the donor’s giving has made possible. In matching gift-related acknowledgments, highlighting the doubled value toward your mission can help supporters visualize the benefits of their matching gift participation.
The best time to ask your donors for another donation is when they are still engaged and satisfied with your organization. Don't wait too long to ask them again, or they might lose interest or trust. Plan your next ask based on your donor's giving cycle, history, and capacity. And don't forget to make it relevant, compelling, and easy for them to give again. You can also use techniques such as monthly giving, matching gifts, or peer-to-peer fundraising to increase your retention and revenue.
By following these tips, you can make sure your donors come back after your fundraiser and become loyal supporters of your cause. Remember, fundraising is not just about raising money, but also about building relationships.
This is another point at which you can easily fit corporate matching gifts into your engagement strategy. A matching gift appeal enables your team to ask donors for their support without soliciting them for additional funds. It’s a happy midpoint between an individual’s first gift and a second appeal—and a great way to get new donors increasingly involved with your organization. Plus, a matching gift automation platform like 360MatchPro can easily trigger follow-ups according to an ideal messaging cadence (we recommend within 24 hours of the initial donation being made for the best click and response rates!).
I've learned that there are no guarantees in fundraising. But to increase the chances, they return. You should have: 1. Pre-event plan. 2. Day of event plan. 3. Post-fundraising strategy. Here's how each of them can work: Pre-event: 1. Review planned attendees 2. Identify who'll make contact. 3. Personalized outreach to folks. 4. Ask your champions to bring a few friends. During Event 1. Thank them. 2. Ask for a picture. 3. Meet their friends. 4. Record what you learn. Post-Event 1. Follow up quickly. 2. Make sure the info is in the database. 3. Follow up with the pictures you took. People give to people. Invest in building authentic relationships.
“Come back” can mean many different things, and it is a matter of providing options. One major key is making sure you collect contact information from everyone so that followup is possible. As someone who both attends and is involved in running many fundraising events, I make a point of asking attendees why they attend and how/why they donated. Whether they came with a friend or had a life-changing experience, ask the right questions to increase your success rate of desired actions—following you on social media, bringing others to events, volunteering, corporate partnership referrals, in-kind donations, and/or monetary donations. A post-event survey should uncover other (better?) ways to relate to each supporter besides asking for money.
Tell them exactly where their money was invested. Make sure they receive a personalized annual report of their donations and highlight the impact in the organization. Clarity is key for recurring donations.