`

10 Tips for Getting Recurring Donors to Keep Giving

What makes your donors tick? What pulls on their heartstrings? How can you get them to give on a regular basis? Here are ten tried and proven solutions to a common challenge in churches.

Fundraising for non-profits is never easy, and never-ending, it often seems.

Donor retention and engagement can be a challenge. But how do you get your donors to give on a regular basis?

These 10 tips for non-profit organizations and churches are tried and proven.

1.      Show how your donor is directly making an impact

Like any other relationship, connection and communication is key. You cannot be vague about where recurring donations are going. Besides thanking donors when they give, show them exactly where it went. For example:

·      Detail the numbers in your monthly newsletter.

·      Inspire, educate and encourage with short video clips of your work, thanking the donor.

2.     Make it as easy as possible to donate.

If possible, try to direct donors online to make their gift. Have your website set up with one-click processing or an automatic recurring donation feature. This lessens the time spent reminding your monthly donors of their promises. Include a landing page that has a direct link to how they can give. Many people are already familiar with the subscription sales models and are happy to oblige if they trust your work.

3.     Make your “Thank Yous” as personal as possible

Speaking of trust, fundraising is all about building personal relationships. Don’t just send out mass emails to thank a general group of donors. Get on the phone with a donor to thank them personally immediately after their gift arrives. Spend time talking with them and finding out their needs. Think about how you can give to them, whether emotionally or spiritually, as they continue supporting you financially.

4.     Break down the details and show where their recurring gifts are going each month.

Follow UNICEF’s model of fundraising by showing how donors do not have to give a lot for their gifts to matter. UNICEF reminds folks that they can feed hungry children for only fifty cents per day. This makes donating less daunting for those who would rather give small amounts on a recurring basis rather than large amounts once a year. Recurring gifts can be affordable, and potential donors need to recognize this.

5.     Let your audience know that you recognize recurring donors.

Take some time to plan ways you can make your donors feel special and recognized. This could be hosting an end-of-they year dinner for those who are recurring donors. Or, it could as simple as creating a special newsletter only for the recurring donors, with more on the financial details. Remember, your appeal has a lot to do with your language.

6.     Produce special content or communication just for recurring donors

If your donors give recurring donations, don’t send them the usual newsletter that asks for donations. This can be irritating and sound very impersonal. It also shows that you don’t check your donor list before sending out mass emails. This can be perceived as laziness. Why not make a separate email list for the recurring donors? Highlight more of the actions you are doing, the goals you intend to reach the rest of the year.

7.      Create a great online donation experience

Your website must incorporate ways people can donate automatically. Make it as easy as possible by setting up your Paypal account, or money transfers online. If you feel that donors would be put off by using online payment systems, think again. Those who have funds to spend are probably used to online financial transactions that are easy and hassle-free.

8.     Thank donors within 48 hours.

Don’t wait to show your appreciation. A heartfelt thank-you by phone, a short hand-written note, all within 48 hours will show human connection, and let them know you care. Get signatures from others in your non-profit for the thank-you notes. Make an extra special greeting card for your donor’s birthday and let them know you are thinking

of them.

9.     Don’t be afraid to ask!

But make sure you frame the question wisely. You could focus your fundraising efforts on small monthly pledges rather than one-time generous gifts. Let your donors know when you need help. Show them the missions you have or projects which could use their support. Ask for that support, or for referrals to others who are looking for ways to help.

10.  Make recurring giving about the donor; not about you.

Make giving about the donor, not about you, or your organization. This comes from changing your mindset, and how you really feel about fundraising on the inside. Ask yourself if you truly believe that folks will experience benefits in their lives as a result of giving. Don’t be so focused on your accomplishments and your organization’s successes that you forget to show appreciation to the ones who make it all possible.

Remember, without the donors, you could not do your important work of serving the world.  If you do get recurring donations, these become the lifeline for much of your non-profit work. We hope these tips help you with successful recurring donation campaigns. If you need even more strategies for increased giving, Schedule a Discovery Call with the experts at DonorWerx today!