By Amy Phipps
Retaining your donors – after doing all the work to bring them into the fold – is key to organizational stability and sustainability. In last month’s newsletter, we discussed four key drivers of donor loyalty, as revealed in a research study by Dr. Adrian Sergeant, professor of fundraising at Indiana University.
Last month we discussed Trust and Satisfaction and this month we’ll discuss Identification and Commitment. Identification deals with the question: Did the donor believe in the mission and brand of the organization? Commitment relates to whether the donor felt connected to your work, and that his or her involvement made a difference.
On Identification, Dr. Seuss said it best: “Today you are You, that is Truer than True. There is no one alive who is Youer than You!”
Before you can make sure that a donor identifies your brand, you first have to be sure of that yourself. It can be easy for donors to confuse you with other organizations that have similar names and similar missions. But each organization has its own special focus and reason for being. In marketing parlance, we’d call that a brand.
As you begin to define your brand, consider these elements identified by Dr. Sergeant:
- Emotional Stimulation: Does your mission evoke an emotional response? Donors need data and facts, to be sure, but the emotional element must be present as well. Think about these emotional triggers that have been identified as promoting direct mail response: fear, anger, exclusivity, flattery, greed, guilt and salvation. What kind of response would your organization elicit?
- Voice: What is the tone of your message: Are you perceived as sincere, bold, confrontational, impartial, or balanced? How would you like to be perceived? What voice aligns with your mission?
- Service: What’s the philosophy behind how you deliver your services? Are you inclusive, approachable, dedicated, compassionate, and comprehensive? Do donors understand that you even HAVE a philosophy behind your service delivery? How do you communicate that?
- Tradition: Donors can view giving to some nonprofits, particularly during certain events or seasons, as traditional. They may have family loyalty toward certain nonprofits and may even regard giving as a duty. Knowing your donors will help you tap into this element.
Finally, when you consider your brand, don’t get so caught up in navel-gazing that you forget that the impact you have on your clients, your audience or your community is what donors consider most important. You are the connection between the donor and impact. So when you work on strengthening donor identification, don’t let it stop with you. Make sure it extends to the impact that you create.
The last driver of donor loyalty – Commitment – takes two forms: Active and Passive.
Donors who are actively committed to your organization have a genuine passion for who you are and what you do. They might think:
- “I really care about this organization.”
- “I don’t really care what they send me; I will love them no matter what.”
Smart cultivation strategies for these donors might include extended learning opportunities, special “insider” events and the opportunity to give testimonials.
Passive Commitment might sound like an oxymoron, but, in fact, these donors stay loyal for pragmatic, not emotional, reasons. They might think:
- “Giving to this organization brings me benefits.”
- “It’s the right thing to do…everyone I know is involved.”
These donors are great candidates for monthly giving opportunities, which allow them to sustain their involvement and reap the benefits without needing to spend much time on the decision.
Whether you choose to focus your efforts on donor trust, satisfaction, identification or commitment, your efforts should reap results in donor retention. To read more about Dr. Sergeant’s research results, go to:
http://www.afpnet.org/files/ContentDocuments/DonorRetentionWhatDoWeKnow.pdf