Donor Relations and Stewardship to Engage Annual Giving Donors
Lynne M. Wester
@donorguru
Road Map
• Why Annual Donors Matter
• What if?
• Status Quo?
• Techniques
• Best Practices
Why Annual Donors Matter
• Small and Mighty
• Grants, Rankings and Other Beasts
• Retention Percentage
• Test Donors
• Pipeline
What if?
• You were able to raise your first time donor retention from 48% to 58%?
• What would that means in terms of $s and Donors?
• How does that effect your pipeline?
• Happy Donors tell…
• Unhappy Donors tell…
Status Quo?
• Receipt within 48 hours
• Acknowledgment within…?
• Is that all?
• Don’t send a decal, magnet, pen, etc
• Don’t ask again right away
Techniques
• First Time Donors Need their own program
Segments to Watch For
• Loyal Donors
• Married Alums
• Dual Degrees
• Widowed Donors/Golden Oldies
• Monthly Donors
• Employees/Faculty/Staff
• Recent Graduates/Younger Donors
• Digital Donors
Ideas
• Focus on endurance of gift, not size of gift
• One special touch a year aimed at their population
• Channel Matters
• Tell Stories
• Show Impact
Best Practices
LUST
Report Impact
Be Honest!
The BEST!!
Thank You, Questions?
• Lynne M. Wester
• www.donorrelationsguru.com
• @donorguru
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