https://bloomerang.co/resources/webinars/ Claire Axelrad, J.D., CFRE will help you create a goal-oriented strategic donor retention and upgrade plan – one that incorporates tried-and-true relationship-building principles and keeps donors SATISFIED – because research shows this is the number one reason they stick around.

1. How to Keep Donors
Happier Longer:
Use Strategic Stewardship to
Get More and Bigger Gifts
4/14/16
1pm Eastern
The presentation will begin shortly.

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Before we get started »

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https://bloomerang.co/demo/video

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Our guest presenter »
Claire Axelrad, J.D., CFRE
@CharityClairity
30 years of development experience
AFP “Outstanding Fundraising
Professional of the Year”
CFRE instructor
Regular contributor: NonProfit PRO,
Maximize Social Business, 4GOOD

5. HOW TO KEEP
DONORS HAPPIER
LONGER : USE STRATEGIC
STEWARDSHIP TO GET
MORE AND BIGGER
GIFTS
I F Y O U C A N R E TA I N J U S T 1 0 % M O R E O F Y O U R
S U P P O R T E R S Y O U C A N I N C R E A S E T H E I R L I F E T I M E
V A L U E B Y 2 0 0 % .

6. FOCUS ON LOW-HANGING FRUIT

7. FOCUSING ON NEW MONEY
FLIP YOUR PERSPECTIVE
MARY IS ANNUAL
GIVING DIRECTOR
SAM IS DATABASE
MANAGER
We got 100 new donors
last year, and we’re
raising lots more money!
Open your eyes
Mary! 103 donors
lapsed; That’s
negative 3%
growth. And for
every $100 raised,
$95 was lost
through attrition.
That’s hardly “lots
more!”

8. TODAY’S TAKE-AWAYS
• How to persuade leaders that retention
is a top priority
• How to set up your next gifts strategy
• How to build your ongoing relationship-
building strategy
• How to build your gratitude culture
• How to use 7 drivers of commitment to
keep donors satisfied and engaged
• How to get additional and upgraded
current donor gifts
Reap the fruits of your labor
Don’t allow donors to fall away
and rot before they’ve ripened.

9. HOW MUCH IS YOUR
BUCKET LEAKING?
Nonprofits today lose, on
average, 81% of donors after
the first gift
• First-time donors: 19%
• Multi-year donors: 63%
• All donors (median): 43%
After 5 years you’ll have only
3% of the donors you acquire
this year
The Fundraising Effectiveness Project has
developed a downloadable Excel-based Growth in
Giving (GiG) Fundraising FitnessTest that allows
nonprofits to measure and evaluate their
fundraising programs against a set of over 100
performance indicators by five donor giving levels.
http://afpfep.org/
Your nonprofit
cannot survive
this way
Rates of
Retention

10. Infographic courtesy of Bloomerang

11. GET YOUR HEAD IN THE GAME
Start measuring your
retention rates and
channeling an attitude
of “the donor is always
right” if you want to
increase donor loyalty!
?

12. STOP LOSING $$ AND DONORS
Fundraising Effectiveness Project 2015

13. MAKE “RETAIN AND UPGRADE” YOUR MANTRA
1. A Relationship-Building Plan with
Specific StrategiesTied to Drivers of
Donor Loyalty
2. An Organization-WideAttitude of
Gratitude (aka “Culture of
Philanthropy”)

14. 7 KEY DRIVERS
OF DONOR COMMITMENT
1. Trust
2. Personal links to you
3. Performance/impact in accomplishing
your mission
4. Choice/quality of communications
5. Tangible link to the beneficiaries of the
donor’s gift and your services
6. Multiple engagements
7. Shared beliefs
Trust
Personal link
Performance
Multiple
contacts
Shared
beliefs
Functional, satisfaction-based connection – kick starts
Relationship building connections – drive positive engagement
See Adrian Sargeant; Roger Craver and Rogare
Relationship Fundraising Review

15. TRIGGER TRUST
SET UP YOUR NEXT GIFT STRATEGY
The first 90 days are critical
1.Prompt (w/in 48
hours) thank you
2.Personal thank you
3.Show impact via
report on gift’s use
Deliver on your promises by showing:
• You got the gift
• You put it to work
• You follow through
• You’re efficient
• You have manners
• You’re trustworthy
• You make your donors happy
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16. 3 MIRACULOUS STRATEGIES
1. Donor-centered
ThankYou Letter
2. Donor-centered
Welcome Kit
3. Phone Call
2
1
3

17. THE DONOR-CENTERED
THANK YOU LETTER
WHAT
Catchy opening; no jargon
Align thank you to appeal
What’s important to donor
WHY
Tell a brief story to illustrate
how gift will be used
WIFM
Invite involvement, other than
giving money
Contact info, including name
Perfect inserts
You remembered, because they
couldn’t.Thanks for responding to
our request for the Dementia
Center. Mary will be safe from now
on, because she’ll have help at
home.You’re our hero!
Would you join us next week for a
tour? Any time you need help, call
Jeff! P.S.Your welcome package is
included.
1

18. THE DONOR-CENTERED WELCOME KIT
Handwritten thank you letter
Helpful information
Invitation to get-to-know-you
event
Testimonials to build trust
Personal contact/connection
Warm and welcoming
Impersonal and boring
Generic ‘dear Friend’ letter
Brochures
Old newsletters
Glossy annual report
Bumper sticker for car donor
doesn’t own
Fundraiser invitation
We’re
so great!
You’re
so great!
2

19. THE DONOR-CENTERED THANK YOU CALL
Penelope Burk’s research:
 95% would appreciate a thank-you call
within a day or two of gift
 85% said call would influence them to
give again
 84% said they’d definitely or probably
increase their gift
When board member called w/in 48 hours:
 42% larger gifts from donors called
 39% more renewed their gifts
Download free e-book
at clairification.com
3

20. BUILD ONGOING RELATIONSHIPS
“Doing stewardship” is not a
relationship building strategy.
stew·ard·ship
 the activity or job of protecting and being
responsible for something
re·la·tion·ship
 the way in which two or more people,
groups, countries, etc., talk to, behave
toward, and deal with each other
 a friendship between two people
 the way in which two or more people or
things are connected How are you engaging,
romancing or captivating your
supporters?
Heart of
Donor
Retention

21. Low
Med
High
TRIGGER PERSONAL LINK TO YOU
HELP DONORS CONTINUE TO ENJOY THE GIFT
This soda is delicious.
I’m so glad I bought it.
This laptop is the
‘bomb!’ I’m so glad
I bought it.
“Your gift made it possible for Jenny
and Kyle to attend their first play!”
“Would you join me for coffee?
I’d love to learn more about your
Interest in the theater.”
“Would you like to attend a play
with the kids and take a backstage
tour?”
Social Benefit Sector Commercial Sector
2

22. TRIGGER IMPACT
YOU NEED A WOOING STRATEGY
• Donor-centered content – offered through a
communications lens; not a fundraising lens
• Frequent connections – donor has right to
expect you won’t forget them
• Storytelling – creates collective experience
• Language that gives donors ownership –
“You did it!”
• Ask for feedback – creates sense of belonging
How do you show donors you’ll
continue to perform? Keep sending
the love.
3

23. TRIGGER QUALITY/QUANTITY OF COMMUNICATIONS
STRENGTHEN FRIENDSHIPS & KEEP FRIENDS
• Personalize
• Ask for advice
• Ask about preferences
– Transaction track
– Transformation track
• Track donor interests
• Make donors the voice of organization
• Frequent progress reports
• Endorsements from third parties
Strengthen your donor’s love
for you through donor-centered
communications that give
them feeling they’re part
of an important cause
93% will give again
64% will give more
4

24. DONORS ARE CUSTOMERS
EXCHANGE of VALUE forVALUE
• 46% leave for reasons tied to lack of meaningful info or appreciation
(Penelope Burk, Donor-Centered Fundraising).
• 53% leave due to lack of communication (Bloomerang,“Nonprofit Donor Loyalty
Primer” Infographic via Dr.Adrian Sargent,“Managing Donor Defection”).
• 60% want impact and success stories and will renew based on organization’s ability to
show what it can accomplish. (Software Advice; see also The 2013 Millennial Impact Report.Achieve.The Case
Foundation.)
• 75% use information about a nonprofit’s impact in their giving decisions
(Informed Giving: Information Donors Want and How Nonprofit Can Provide It. Root Cause. 2013).
• 75% list “information on results achieved with their gifts” as their top
requirement to motivation for future giving. (The Burk Donor Survey. Cygnus Applied Research, Inc. 2013).
• 93% would give a second gift to the same organization if its fundraising were donor-centered
(Penelope Burk. Donor-Centered Fundraising).
• 70% would increase their philanthropy if they received what they needed (Penelope
Burk, Donor-Centered Fundraising).
Acquisition Retention Upgrade

25. TRIGGER TANGIBLE LINK TO BENEFICIARIES
GET EVERYONE ON BOARD: IT’S PART OF EVERYONE’S JOB
Create a
system to
choreograph
multiple
donor
connections.
Gratitude
must be
repeated to
be effective.
I’m a guide dog
and I want to
share my story…
I’m a parent
and I wanted
to tell you…
Thank you for
adopting me
and buying me
books and …
I direct this
program and
your gift means
a smile for …
I’m a tree,
and here’s
why I want to
hug you…
I’m a
ballerina,
and here’s
why I’m
dancing for
joy…
Thank more than once,
from different folks as connectors
I’m a table
captain and
want to
personally
thankyou…
5

26. TRIGGER MULTIPLE ENGAGEMENTS
ONGOING COMMUNICATION CREATES REAL FRIENDS
6
These things are within your control!
1. Make donors feel awesome
2. Report on outcomes
3. Make them insiders
4. Ask for feedback

27. TRIGGER SHARED VALUES
REMIND DONOR OF IMPORTANT COMMON CAUSE
• Post values on website or place in lobby
• Send cards with reminder of shared traditions; teachings
• Invite donors to share quotes, photos, recommended
readings to inspire others
• Use social media to reinforce values
Sent onTwitter
Posted on
Pinterest
Posted “7 Core Values” in central atrium
7

28. UPGRADE CURRENT DONORS
1. Identify and target
2. Steward effectively using 7 drivers
3. Explain need for increased gift
4. Ask!
– Specific amount, project, campaign
– Monthly gift See the donor love grow!
4-Step Upgrade Plan
35% want to give more
[2014 U.S.Trust Study of
High NetWorth Philanthropy]

29. INCENTIVIZE UPGRADING
• Monthly giving clubs
• Recognition societies
• Challenge grants
• Peer-to-peer fundraising contests
• Make your donor feel special

30. MONTHLY GIVING BENEFITS
Monthly donors:
• give more
• stick with you longer
• build stronger relationships
• provide a stable foundation
• lower your costs
• become candidates for major
and legacy gifts

31. GET ADDITIONAL GIFTS
PROMOTE LEGACY GIVING
• Identify those with planned giving likelihood
– Frequent donors
– Major donors
• Promote program and cultivate prospects
– Web page
– Contact person
– Testimonials
– Multiple mentions
– Legacy society
• Engage board
• Ask

32. DON’T BE A BRIDESMAID
• Get your donor engaged
to you.
• Get them to marry you.
• Don’t make them want to
divorce you.
• Until death do you part!

33. WHAT TO DO NEXT?
• Establish priority areas for improvement
• Make incremental increases in
fundraising budget by priority categories
• Develop a plan (goals, strategies and
tactics) for each category
• Assign responsibilities; establish
deadlines
• Measure the incremental ROI by
category (gains/losses)
• Make new increases in fundraising
budget based on performance of
previous activities
Set overall goals for doubling
annual giving in a specific
number of years

34. HOW TO BUILD A
GRATITUDE CULTURE
• Take the Donor-Centered
Pledge
• Create a Gratitude
Regimen
THE DONOR-CENTERED PLEDGE
We, [fill in the name of your nonprofit organization
here], believe that…
Gifts are not “cash transactions.” Donors are not merely a
bunch of interchangeable,easily replaceable credit cards,
checkbooks and wallets.
Having a program for developing a relationship with that
donor is how organizations tap that enormous potential.
“Lifetime value of a donor” is the best (though often
overlooked) way to evaluate “return on investment” in
fundraising.
Many first-time gifts are no more than “impulse purchases”
or “first dates.”
A prerequisite for above-average donor retention is a well-
planned donor-centric communications program that
begins with a welcome.
Take an
organization-wide
pledge to commit to
a culture
of philanthropy

35. CREATE A GRATITUDE REGIMEN
 5/15 Rule
• 5 notes/week
• 15 minutes/day
 TYIF
• Emulate Jimmy Fallon
 Embrace and
spread the KARMA!

36. LET’S KEEP IN TOUCH!
Subscribe
www.clairification.com
claire@clairification.com
Get your free copy of
DonorThankYou Calls E-Book + Script
Follow me:
• Twitter @charityclairity
• www.pinterest.com/charityclairity/
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Claire Axelrad, J.D., CFRE

37. Questions?

38. https://bloomerang.co/resources
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39. Our next free webinar »
Face-to-Face Fundraising: Best Practices & New Initiatives
Wednesday, April 20th – 1:00pm Eastern
Daryl Upsall, FInstF
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