The current economic mood in our nation is a little gloomy, one could say. And nonprofits get nervous when the economy gets gloomy. Being the optimist that I am, I see an opportunity for nonprofits, not a crisis.
The downturn in the economy is going to force you to look at things differently. It's going to force your donors to reevaluate their giving. It's going to shake things up and stir them around.
Yes!
That is exactly why this is a strong opportunity for your organization. No longer can you afford to do the same old same old. You're going to have to stand out from the crowd. Be more daring. Take more risk. You are going to have to court your donors. Make them a part of your mission, not just your financial statement. You, in short, will have to step it up a notch (or two).
When you succeed, you will be stronger than ever.
Here are 4 tips to help jump start "the new you":
- Evaluate how you tell your story. Do the words "we, us, and our" appear over and over again in your materials? Fix it. Talk about your donors. Use words like "you, together, and partnering." Your materials should be about them and the people you serve -- not about you.
- Look at your special events. Are they something you would want to go to with your family if you weren't a part of your fabulous organization? Do they engage donors with your mission? If not, you need an event makeover. Fabulous events don't have to cost a lot of money, but they DO need to get people excited about your mission.
- Find your thank you-to-giving-ratio. I believe donors need a ratio of at least 3:1. That means they are hearing thank you at least three times per gift: once for the donation they are about to give, once in a thank you letter that is sent no later than 72 hours after the gift is received, and once in a fulfillment story.
- Court your at-risk donors (but don't neglect the faithful). Identify your vulnerable donors. And then pick up the phone and call them. Say "Thank you." And no more. Don't ask for a gift. Don't droan on and on. Just say thank you. You'll be amazed at the response.
Need help finding the silver lining in this dark gray cloud? Contact us. We can help you evaluate your programs, give you advice on how to move forward, and produce stellar fundraising materials that get results.
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