There’s no denying that technology and communications are changing the world of fundraising. But these aren’t the only changes that nonprofits have to face when it comes to giving.
Today’s donors are a lot different than those of the past. They have different expectations and values. They have different preferences when it comes to interacting with your organization. Keeping up with the changing “demands” of today’s donors can be a challenge for any nonprofit, especially if you don’t know what’s going on in their minds.
10 Things Nonprofit Leaders Need to Know about Today’s Donors
Here are 10 quick insights that will help your nonprofit get “inside the mind” of today’s donors and help you engage them and enhance the relationships in new ways:
- Your first interaction should instill confidence in your donors by immediately telling the story of how their gifts will be put to good use. (tweet that)
- When we instill confidence in donors through every interaction, those feelings become a lifelong part of their experience. (tweet that)
- If we truly want to have relationships with our donors, they should be the first to know in good times and in bad. (tweet that)
- Not everything we send our donors needs to be overly produced. (tweet that)
- Donors know we’re human…how we handle a mistake often says more about our nonprofit than the mistake itself. (tweet that)
- Donors will feel more personally connected and be more likely to stick around when they hear about what interests them. (tweet that)
- Know thy donor. And if you don’t know, ask. (tweet that)
- A key part of the stewardship strategy is planning intentional next steps in the donor relationship. (tweet that)
- Donors want to understand how their gifts impact people, not programs. (tweet that)
- Building relationships with donors is more than just a box to check; it’s the most substantial portion of your fundraising strategy. (tweet that)
Have you taken any of these insights from today’s donors and used them to improve your fundraising strategy? How did it pay off?