Join Sandy Rees and our own Jay Love for a discussion on donor relationships. This free, 60-minute webinar will focus on attracting and creating donor relationships, as well as best practices for nurturing and retaining those donors. You will finish the hour with at least five ideas to put into immediate action! About Sandy Rees: Sandy Rees is a fundraising coach and consultant with a passion for showing small nonprofit organizations how to raise more money, strengthen their Boards, and build relationships with donors. She's also a mentor and coach to other nonprofit consultants who want to learn to build a business using passive and leveraged income. You can learn more about her at http://www.sandyrees.com.

1. Building Great Donor Relationships
May 2, 2013
Jay Love and Sandy Rees

2. Why focus on individual donors?
2011 Contributions: $290.89
Billion
According to 2011 Giving USA
Report
Corporations
5%
Foundations
14%
Bequests
8%
Indviduals
73%

3. Why focus on individual donors?
Statistical Annual
Retention
Stay
65%
Go away
35%

4. Why do some leave?
• Move away
• Pass away
• ???
*Ultimately they leave because
they don’t have a relationship

5. It’s ALL about the relationship
Relationships lead to
• Volunteers
• Money
• Other Resources
• Other potential donors

6. But “authentic” relationships can’t be presumptuous
• Don’t rush the ask
• You’ve got to value the relationship over the gift

7. It’s ALL about the relationship
Shared
Passion
Intentional
Investment
Loyal
Donors

8. It’s ALL about the relationship
Donors that you have a relationship with
and who love what your organization does,
are the foundation
of sustainability.

10. Do you want Donors or Friends?
Donors Friends
Give you money Give you money and love and
support, and cares about your
success
May or may not give again Will always be there for you
May or may not support you in
other ways
Look for other resources (including
people) to bring to you
May or may not speak well of you
in the community
Are ambassadors for you, spreading
the word about your mission
Don’t necessarily feel engaged or
connected
See themselves as partners in your
work

11. So why does it feel icky?
The wrong mindset will leave you feeling yucky about building
relationships with donors.
“They’ll think I’m just after their money.”
“I’m being manipulative.”
“I’m taking advantage of them.”

12. Change the mindset!
“I’m making friends for my organization.”
“The more friends we have, the more people we can help.”
“I’m giving these folks the chance to partner in our work.”

13. How does a relationship grow?
• It ALWAYS starts with an introduction
• In small steps
• Intentionally and over time
• Give and take
• Lots of interest
• Lots of attention
• Lots of communication

14. Steps to Building a Relationship on Purpose
1. Network, consistently look for introductions
2. Get interested. Learn all you can about them. Look for
shared passions, common interests, etc.
3. Get to know them. What are their likes and dislikes?
4. Ask questions.
5. Listen.
6. Communicate regularly but appropriately.
7. Keep the focus on THEM not YOU.

15. Retaining Donor
Relationships
What Technology Can Do to Reverse the Trend of
Falling Donor Retention and Improve Relationships
15

16. Your Presenter
Jay B. Love
CEO and Co-Founder of Bloomerang
• 29 Years of Technology Leadership
• Over 20,000 Database Installations
• Former Founder & CEO of eTapestry
• Former CEO of Master Software/Fund-Master
• AFP Board Member
• AFP Ethics Committee Member
• Center on Philanthropy at IU Board Member
• Innovation Fund at Butler University Board Member
• Gleaners Food Bank Board Member
• Co-Chair of Indianapolis YMCA Capital Campaign
3

17. Donor Retention Rate
was 41%
Donor Attrition
was 59%!
17
2011 FEP Data on Donor Retention Rate »

18. 18
This scares most NPO Board Members »
Donor Attrition Over Five Years
# of Donors Attrition
Rate
Donors
Remaining
After 1 Year
Donors
Remaining
After 2
Years
Donors
Remaining
After 3
Years
Donors
Remaining
After 4
Years
Donors
Remaining
After 5
Years
1,000 20% 800 640 512 410 328
1,000 40% 600 360 216 130 78
1,000 60% 400 160 64 26 10

19. Addressing the Retention Problem!
Is it a Donor Relationship Problem?
19

20. The Problem
How many of you use a donor database?
What percent of the product do you use?
@bloomerangtech | 20

21. The Problem
How many of you use a donor database?
What percent of the product do you use?
@bloomerangtech | 21
• Majority of NPO’s Use Less Than 20% of Their
Database’s Functionality
• Large Amounts of Features = Complexity
• Database Complexity Keeps Fundraisers Out

22. @bloomerangtech | 22

23. 1. Game Changing Ideas
2. Strong & Respected Leaders
3. Relentless Execution
@bloomerangtech | 23
Revolutionary Change Comes From?

24. Game Changing Idea:
• No training required
• Anyone can use
@bloomerangtech | 24

25. Game Changing Idea:
• No training required
• Anyone can use
• Bring BEST practices to life
@bloomerangtech | 25

26. Game Changing Idea:
• No training required
• Anyone can use
• Bring BEST practices to life
• Focus on core functions only
@bloomerangtech | 26

27. Net Result:
• All fundraisers use the database
@bloomerangtech | 27

28. Net Result:
• All fundraisers use the database
• Everyone using a database equals…
@bloomerangtech | 28

29. Net Result:
• All fundraisers use the database
• Everyone using a database equals…
Relationship Building &
FUNDRAISING SUCCESS!
@bloomerangtech | 29

30. Next Gen Database/CRM
Enables Fundraising Best Practices
Donor Retention/Donor Communications
Extreme Ease of Use
Relentless Focus on Results, not Features
Leading a “Revolution of Change”

31. Pedigree . . .
”Finally Got It Right!”
FUND-MASTER

32. CUE THE EXPERTS:
Dr. Adrian Sargeant
Bloomerang Chief Scientist
Professor of Fundraising at the Center on
Philanthropy at Indiana University holding
what is presently the world’s only endowed
chair in that discipline.
Top 10 Most Influential People in Fundraising
Renowned expert on Donor Retention and
Donor Loyalty
32
Mr. Tom Ahern
Bloomerang Donor
Communications Head Coach
One of the world’s top authorities on donor
communications
Author of 4 books on Donor Communications
Winner of 3 prestigious international IABC Gold
Quill awards

33. DONOR RETENTION BEST PRACTICES
Dr. Adrian Sargeant
Bloomerang Chief Scientist
33
“A 10% improvement in retention can double
the LIFETIME value of your donor database!”

34. @bloomerangtech | 34

35. @bloomerangtech | 35

36. Automatic Engagement Factors
@bloomerangtech | 36
• Recency and pattern of
giving
• Cash donors vs.
sustaining donors
• # of years giving +
• Upgrade /
Downgrade + -
• Lapsed -
• Event attendance +
• Opens email +
• Click links in emails +
• Unsubscribes
from email -
• Has stated
communication
preferences +
• Has inbound
interactions +
• Has soft credits +
• Volunteers +
• Social Media
(coming soon)
• …and a whole lot more!

37. What is the
donor’s
engagement
over time!
Highlight vital “retention” information
---

38. DONOR COMMUNICATION BEST PRACTICES
Mr. Tom Ahern
Bloomerang Donor Communications
Head Coach
38
"Successful direct mail appeals are quite simple. At
heart, they are love letters to donors &
prospects, woven through with clear cries for
help."

39. @bloomerangtech | 39

40. Conclusion:
So Strive For:
• Donor Satisfaction
• Donor Commitment/Engagement (which . . .)
• Donor Trust
• Donor Loyalty (close your eyes)
Doubling Your Lifetime Value = ?
40

41. Questions?
Creating and Retaining Donor Relationships
Sandy Rees & Jay B. Love
sandy@sandyrees.com
jay.love@bloomerang.co
41