As economic troubles and high unemployment persist, donors will continue reviewing their expenses and discretionary spending, including their gifts to charity. To remain in their giving plans, you need to make sure they see your organization as worthy of their support.
There’s an effective way to show your organization is a good steward of your donor’s gifts, and you can — and should — build your first mailing in 2011 around this strategy. Your image as a good steward becomes especially important when you consider that “your” donors are not just “your” donors. On the average, “your” donors also belong to 4 to 8 other charitable organizations in addition to their church. That means “your” donors have an easy way to compare your organization with the other nonprofits they support.
Here’s how to differentiate your organization from the others by showing your organization is a good steward. At the end of January 2011, plan a “tax statement” mailing.
Give this mailing a strong message of “Thank you and I really hope you’ll continue your support.” Summarize what the donor did in 2010, emphasizing how a gift this month is needed to help your organization successfully kick off the new year. Make an individual “2010 Gift Summary Sheet” for your donor showing gifts for 2010 by date and gift amount. Provide a tear-off response slip on the bottom of the sheet that the donor can use to return their first gift of 2011 to your organization. For “super donors,” have your letter signer write a personal note on the upper donor letter or summary sheet.
Include all of your donors in this mailing — not just those making gifts of $250 or more. Some may say because of cost that lower donors should be excluded, but I propose that most people start supporting an organization with their smallest gift, not their largest. Your package will say to the donor that all gifts are important, and it suggests to the donor that “if they track my small gifts with such care, I know as good stewards they’ll put my larger gifts to good use.” Reinforce your image with facts — such as XX% of every dollar given goes directly to helping you accomplish your mission.
Zachry Associates can develop and mail a highly personalized “tax statement” mailing for your organization. All you need to do is send us your 2010 donor files, and we’ll do the rest. We’ll write a draft of a letter for you to edit, provide you with a layout and print your appeal and individual “giving summary” page. We’ll also match all the pieces and insert them into a closed-face carrier that includes a business reply or courtesy reply envelope.
Making sure every one of your 2010 donors continues to support you in 2011 is key for your overall fundraising success. Show your donors your organization is worthy of their continued support in 2011 by making your first mailing next year a personalized tax statement.
We can help. Just send me an email at pfulham@zachryinc.com or give me a call at (325) 677-1342 ext. 108 to get started.
