Building Donor Relationships Is Key to Nonprofit Success
November 27th, 2011
There was a time when taking care of nonprofit donors was a simple matter of keeping in touch now and then and letting them know when it was time to donate again. The previous generations contributed to nonprofits out of a sense of duty and loyalty, and were not particularly savvy about whether the organization they supported was meeting expectations or actually doing what they said they were doing. They relied on the communications (marketing messages) from the nonprofit to fill them in on how the efforts were going.
The new generation of nonprofit supporters are much more particular about where there money goes and what happens to it. They are weighing their options more carefully and looking at each organization more critically than ever before. They want to work with the organizations that are making a difference, not just write a check and be forgotten. Modern supporters want to be involved and engaged, such that even if their only contribution is to write a check, they feel like an important part of the work for social justice.
It used to be standard to divide supporters into multiple distinct categories — frequent donors, annual donors, volunteers, messengers, etc. Different messages were developed to meet the needs of each segment, and the groups rarely, if ever, interacted together. Now, it is good policy to assume that every contact meets the qualifications for all segments, such that everyone is getting the full picture of what is happening with the nonprofit. Of course, there will still be supporters who choose to only participate in one or another opportunity with your organization, but the option for more should be clearly available to them at any time.
Explore your options for creating a supporter-centric experience for your constituents. Staying on top of the latest technology and applications is critical. Brainstorm ways that you can use these tools to build a community among your supporters and work to build networks centered around your organization. Social networking sites provide an open forum for complete strangers to come together over common interests. Pay attention to the most current popular sites like Facebook, LinkedIn, and Twitter. They provide ample opportunities for your organization to get the word out. Foursquare provides an innovative way to encourage your supporters to market for you as well…though it is only effective if you have a brick-and-mortar location they can visit.
The popularity of online social networking is both a blessing and a curse in terms of building strong relationships with your supporters. It is easier to communicate to the masses and you are able to reach far more potential constituents than ever before, but it is also inherently less personal. Making effective use of these resources requires some time and attention, but should play a major role throughout your marketing, fundraising, and communications efforts.
The key to building strong personal relationships with your supporters requires your organization to recognize and acknowledge the level of interaction this generation seeks. Be wary of “classic” nonprofit marketing information and ideas…things are changing and the top nonprofit organizations of the future will be on the right path now.