We’re in the part of the year when it gets a little harder to raise money for most nonprofits. Does that mean just go on hiatus and stop connecting with donors?
Not according to Ann Green’s Nonprofit Blog, at Don’t Be a Stranger. Keep in touch with your donors:
- Share an update
- Say thank you
- Create a better newsletter
- Tie in current events
- Focus on relationship building in your appeal
Best of all, just ask for a gift.
I’ve never seen evidence that asking a donor for a gift hurts the relationship.
But I’ve seen ample and repeated evidence that if you don’t stay in touch and don’t ask … you lose a lot more donors.
Donors may or may not respond to an extra appeal or two, but they aren’t going to stomp away in a fit of pique because you asked.
Jeff Brooks has been serving the nonprofit community for more than 35 years and blogging about it since 2005. He considers fundraising the most noble of pursuits and hopes you’ll join him in that opinion. You can reach him at jeff [at] jeff-brooks [dot] com.
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