Five Ways You can Build Donor Loyalty

National Philanthropy Day

October 20, 2006

Know your donor

Bonus know-your-donor ideas

• Donor anniversary mailing

• Donor cumulative giving milestone

• Program milestones

• Lapse prevention mailings

• Spend money where you get money

Make good offers

Fundraising offer• Problem or opportunity

• Solution

• Cost

• Urgency

• Understandable

• Benefit for donor

• Emotion

Bonus make-good-offers ideas

• Money-back guarantee

• Matching funds

• Relevant back-end premiums

Close the loop

Donor newsletter

• About donors (not about you)

• Human drama

• Real photos

• Great headlines

• Calls to action

Bonus close-the-loop ideas

• Quality receipts

• Out-of-the-blue thank-you letters

• Plan for responders

Deepen the relationship

Bonus deepen-the-relationship ideas

• Appropriate thank-you gifts

• Public recognition

• Tours

• Phone conferences

• Advisory boards

Have flawless service

Good receipt

• Prompt (mails within 24 hours)

• Correct

• Feels good

Bonus flawless-service ideas

• Always obey quickly

• Tax-time receipt

• Perfect records

Net present value

• Total projected giving • Minus the cost of acquiring the donor

• Minus the ongoing cost of cultivating the donor

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