THE CONSTITUENT
LIFECYCLE
Your Guide to the Donor Experience
People have evolved.
So have their
fundraising
preferences and
expectations.
To succeed, you
have to learn how
to engage with your
supporters in today’s
digital world.
Here’s how . . .
The Constituent Lifecycle
The constituent
lifecycle has
four stages:
Discovery
Engagement
Solicitation
Endorsement
With the
right strategies,
you can move
constituents through
these stages.
Discovery
Get Discovered
Identify your target.
Don’t focus on
everyone; build
constituent personas.
Get Discovered
Create opportunities. Go
where your personas are,
including the Internet.
Get Discovered
Create opportunities. Go
where your personas are,
including the Internet.
– Maintain a blog, connect on social, try peer-to-peer
Get Discovered
Offer a path. Create landing
pages on your website that
are simple, inviting, and
have a clear purpose.
Engagement
Engage Your Constituents
Ask for something (other
than giving money) that will
invest them in your cause.
Engage Your Constituents
Ask for something (other
than giving money) that will
invest them in your cause.
– Like signing an online petition
Engage Your Constituents
Offer something
they value in return.
Engage Your Constituents
Offer something
they value in return.
– Like discounts on tickets or an opportunity
to pre-register for your next event
Engage Your Constituents
Provide a source of
knowledge through blogs,
emails, or subscriptions.
Solicitation
Solicit Investment
Build a case that is
consistent, shows impact,
and is personal.
Solicit Investment
Make it easy to pull the trigger
with online volunteer signups
and donations, mobile-friendly
donation pages, and mobile
check-ins at events.
Endorsement
Get Endorsed
Say thank you with
personalized letter that
show donation impact.
Get Endorsed
Create emotional
attachment by giving your
investors something they
can be proud of.
Get Endorsed
Drive participation by
offering opportunities to
volunteer or asking donors
to serve on committees.
Get Endorsed
Make everything shareable
with social sharing buttons
on your website, peer-to-
peer fundraising, forwarding
options in emails, and swag.
The Constituent Lifecycle
Follow these
strategies to
keep up with the
evolving constituent
lifecycle. . .
. . .and connect with
supporters in today’s
digital world.
For more on constituent lifecycle
strategies and tools, download
the full report at:
www.blackbaud.com/desktopreference

The Constituent Lifecycle: A Complete Guide to the Donor Experience