By DonorPerfect (Sponsored Post)
Your most loyal donors are your multichannel donors. Multichannel donors support you in every way possible. They follow you on social media, donate to your cause, rally their Facebook friends, and participate in your events. You should want all of your donors to interact with your organization the way multichannel donors do!
According to a recent DonorPerfect study, you can expect that multichannel donors will contribute triple the amount of online-only and offline-only donors.
How can you identify your multichannel donors?
Your CRM can help you to filter for anyone who has a lot of activity in their constituent record. Try filtering for donors who: have a lifetime gift amount of $500+, 10+ volunteer hours, 10+ soft credited gifts, and gifts coded with your social media campaign or your annual appeal solicitation. Any variation or combination of these will work – and will save you time from having to do the detective work manually.
How can you convert more of your donors to multichannel donors?
Engage them consistently. More engagement means more revenue. And you should encourage it on as many platforms as possible.
- Reach them through a text message. 90% of emails are read within 3 minutes, so why not leverage the power and popularity of text messaging to stay in touch? You can even use this platform for a text-to-give campaign.
- Enhance your social media presence. Monetize your social media channels by pairing captivating photos and heartfelt stories with donation – and crowdfunding forms when appropriate – that make it easy for your donors to support and share about causes that matter to them.
- Email them. Keeping in touch with donors gives you the opportunity to continually remind them of how much their support means to your overall mission. Multichannel donors will give to campaigns online, at events, and participate in volunteer days all year round – so it’s important to keep them in the loop.
- Direct people to your website. But make it a good one. Your website serves as the central hub of your organization’s online activity. In today’s digital world, a modern, updated website packed with touching photos, heartfelt testimonials, donation and registration forms, and social feeds is a must. And for multichannel donors, your website can be their single source of information to keep up with your latest fundraising campaigns, events, and more.
- Send direct mail, too! With technology ever-present, it’s important to mix mediums and incorporate it into your letters. This is your chance to get your offline donors online – but you have to make it easy. With the use of QR codes, donors can easily scan your letter with their phone and be immediately directed to your donation form.
Pro tip: In all your communications, be sure to be as personal as possible (using first names when you can) and create opportunities for you to meet face-to-face through the promotion of events and volunteering. The chance to build a human connection is invaluable and will leave a lasting impression on your supporters.
Once you have monthly and multichannel donors, how do you retain them?
- Thank them. Thank them often. And take “thank you” a step further by showing these donors the real, impactful results of their continued support with powerful images and meaningful stats.
- Thank them unexpectedly. An occasional surprise can go a long way. Handwrite a personal letter from time to time. Perhaps, send a small gift as a token of your gratitude or make a personal phone call to these donors.
- Make them feel like VIP. Monthly and multichannel donors show their support for your organization regularly. Why not have a special dinner just for them one night out of the year or include them in your newsletter?
Bottom line: Love your donors back.
Multichannel donors are your most valuable donors, but more importantly, they are firm believers in your cause. Cultivating your relationships with them will not only create sustainable revenue, but it will establish a deeper connection with people who share your vision. So, get to know these folks and let them know how much they mean to you! You’ll both be glad you did – and so will the populations you serve!
When it comes to your nonprofit, multichannel donors are everywhere. They give online through your website and emails. They like and share your social media posts. They attend your fundraising events, sign up for volunteer opportunities, and invite their friends to come along, too. Data shows that donors who engage with your nonprofit in multiple ways stick around longer, and in turn, give more. To learn how to better engage your multichannel donors, download the the Guide: 4 Strategies to Build Multichannel Donors Relationships.
