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Donor relationships are like gardens…

June 22, 2010 By Sandy

This was the topic of one of my presentations at the AFP Northern Arizona Education Day last week.  Here are some key points from this session:

Donor relationships are like gardens.  They bear the most fruit when they are properly tended to.  Keep them weeded, watered, and fertilized, and you’ll be delighted with the results.

1. Good donor relationships are the key to successful fundraising. Relationships build loyalty.  Loyal donors give again and again, keeping you from always searching for new donors.

2. Two-way communication is critical to building relationships.  We can’t just speak AT our donors.  We must speak WITH them.  Always be on the lookout for ways to give your donors to communicate with you.

3. Good donor relationships are built on purpose.  We’re so used to relationships growing naturally that it feels a bit uncomfortable to do it on purpose.  But it’s really no different.  Be truly interested in your donor as a person and you can avoid feeling manipulative.

Thanks to the AFP Northern Arizona Chapter for inviting me to spend the day with them!  It was great fun!  See the pictures at the chapter’s Facebook page.

Filed Under: Donor Relations, General Fundraising Tagged With: ,

My visit to Jackson, Mississippi

August 24, 2008 By Sandy
Jackson AFP

I had the pleasure of speaking to the AFP chapter in Jackson, Mississippi recently.  I love being with other fundraisers!  There’s such a bond through common challenges and successes.  I love hearing what others are doing and getting ideas from them.  (This helps me keep from reinventing the wheel!)

In my presentation, I focused on going back to the basics.  With the economy being a bit tight for many people, it’s smart to make sure you are taking care of your current donors.  It’s cheaper to keep an existing donor than to go get a new donor.

Here are a few of the tips I shared with the group in my presentation:

- Provide your donors with a good experience.  It’s likely that they are supporting other organizations and if you do a better job of customer service, you’ll stand out in the donor’s mind.

- Pay attention to the details.  Make sure you spell the donor’s name correctly.  Send the thank you letter to the person who made the gift.  Use the proper salutation.

- Acknowledge gifts promptly and sincerely.  Change your thank you letter regularly (monthly is ideal!). Get creative about ways you can acknowledge and thank donors and it will help build a valuable relationship with the donor.

This is me and two of my new friends: Julia Daily and Marilyn Blackledge.  Julia is the Program Chair for the Chapter and the Executive Director of the Mississippi Crafts Center.  I got to see her organization while I was there and it was very cool!  Marilyn is the Chapter President and Director of Development for the Mississippi Food Network.  That’s a cause that’s very near and dear to my heart.

Jackson AFP

Filed Under: Donor Relations, General Fundraising Tagged With: , ,

Fundraising with Blogs in Asheville, NC

April 16, 2008 By Sandy
Old Friends in Asheville

I spent today visiting with old friends and making lots of new ones at the Association of Fundraising Professionals meeting in Asheville, NC, where I presented “Fundraising with Blogs”.

Old Friends in Asheville

This is me with my friends Amanda and Kitty.

Here are a few tidbits from my presentation:

  • A blog is a tool to communicate with your donors and prospects, just like your website is a tool and your newsletter is a tool.
  • It’s not a “build it and they will come” activity.  You may have to drive traffic and help your donors find your blog.
  • It’s okay for people to post negative comments on your blog.  In fact, it can be a good thing, because lots of other folks may post wonderfully positive comments in your defense.
  • Make sure you know who you want to engage in dialog on your blog (know your target audience) and know what you want to achieve.  This will help you deteremine if you are successful or not.
  • Share stories and offer donors a way to make a gift.
  • You can get other staff and volunteers to help develop content if you’re feeling all alone and overwhelmed.

Want to see the handout from the presentation? Fundraising With a Blog Handout

 Asheville audience

Filed Under: General Fundraising, Website/Internet Tagged With: ,
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