Show Me the Money: Turning Donors into Investors Through Your Annual Appeals
Countdowns to the holidays have already begun showing up as memes on social media. Of course, in the social sector, that means we are already working on our year-end appeals. In the coming month, we will collectively send out millions of solicitations via email, text and snail mail to help reach our annual campaign goals and capitalize on the season of generosity.
It has me thinking, though?—?are we missing the point? Rather than seeing these solicitations as a single-minded request for donations, should we reposition them as invitations to do more? Do we need to upgrade our thinking from merely asking for donations to inviting individuals to become investors in our work now and in the future?
To help answer this question, we teamed up with our friends at Wise Resource Development to share recommendations on how to make your appeals more meaningful:
Focus on a consistent theme, visual impact and?brevity
People are busy, and they need help sorting through all the clutter. Find a clear theme (or, as we call it in our storytelling training, a BIG idea) and be consistent throughout the piece. Minimize text and make the text you do use stand out through color, bullets and fonts. Use infographics to tell your data story. Use high-quality, action-packed photos of clients, volunteers and stakeholders. Personalize letters whenever possible by having board members or others sign them or add handwritten notes.
Elevate stories through?data
People love stories, but they also want to ensure that the social sector organizations they support are making a difference. Show your results. Share your goals. Let individuals feel like they are a part of the story by sharing ways they can contribute other than through cash donations (e.g., becoming a mentor). If you can, include snippets from your impact report.
Show value through endorsements and?ROI
People have shifted from giving a donation to wanting to make an investment in the social sector. When we make any investment, we want to know the organization’s track record and ROI (return on investment). Establish your credibility by sharing where you have spoken and/or been published in the past year. Calculate your social return on investment and share those results. Consider quantifying donations. For example, you could say: “For $100 a month, we can ensure that a child in your neighborhood has a weekly reading partner.”
Treat the appeal as an invitation
As the new year approaches, people are not only considering where to donate their money, but they are also carefully considering where to spend their precious time. Give them an opportunity to donate to your cause as a holiday gift for a loved one or an employee. Offer them future opportunities for a tour or share the date of your upcoming annual luncheon in 2025. Think of this letter not as an ending, but as an opportunity to continue building your relationship with them.
Don’t stop at the year-end appeal?letter
After you send your year-end letters, the real work begins. Post your appeal on social media and send via email. (Remember, people now need to hear or see things SEVEN times before they take action.) Use matching challenges as a leverage point in a follow-up note. Track responses and engagement rates to find out what your audience likes and double-down on those types of appeals. Follow up by having board members call individuals with your organization’s latest exciting news or recent holiday plans. And start planning your next appeal?—?since the tax laws changed, we have been encouraging our clients to consider adding at least one more letter to their appeal cycle when it makes the most sense for the organization to capture attention, such as during an awareness month (e.g., Domestic Violence Awareness Month).
As you plan your annual solicitations, we hope you’ll employ these strategies and share your ideas and experiences on increasing the impact of your annual appeal.