After Donors Give

Here's how I see it, and it's a realization that's been building and building: the area that development professionals MUST improve upon if they're going to continue to compete in an increasingly competitive world of nonprofit fundraising is follow-up and stewardship.

That's why the most important question you can ever ask a donor should be after they give.

The question you should be asking is "WHY." Why can be asked in a variety of ways. For example, you can ask what it is about the work you do that prompted the decision to give.

To stand out, that's the type of follow-up that can lead to understanding donors and their motivations. If you just assume, without asking "why," you're just guessing or even worse, showing you really don't care about the why they gave, as long as you have their money.

Not a good look.

Personally, I am mystified by how little effort some of the nonprofits I have given to put into truly trying to connect with me. Would I have been more involved (and given more) if they had ever bothered to reach out to me to understand why I gave? They'll never know because they never tried to find out.

That's why I'm asking you to determine what else you could be doing, in addition to your thank -you letter, that would put you in a better position to have deeper relationships with your donors.

If you're wondering why your donors seem to quickly lose their connection to your mission, it may well be that they don't feel there is any emotion or true feeling behind the acknowledgements you're sending them.

The serious implication: over time, people who gave willingly to your cause, some of whom could have become lifelong donors, may just stop their support. Just like that!

Most donors want, even need, to feel heard, valued, and connected. When you positively build those feelings you'll be creating not just gifts, but real relationships with donors.

To summarize: many donors make gifts but are never asked why they gave. What a lost opportunity to discover what led someone to give to your mission. Potentially, this is the most important information you can gather if you wish to build a lasting relationships with donors.

Ask them why they gave!