GivingTuesday is the day of the year where you find people of all ages and all demographics opening their hearts and their wallets to donate to causes and organizations that are important to them or to find new initiatives to support.

According to Celeste Flores, director of the U.S. and Canada Hub at Giving Tuesday, and Cara Dickerson, vice president, Customer Success at Momentive Software, annual awareness around GivingTuesday results in people having the inspiration to be generous and personal reason to give. It’s been estimated that 30% of annual giving occurs between GivingTuesday and December 31, and more than 25% of nonprofits raise nearly 50% of annual funds via year-end monetary donations, according to authors of the Recurring Giving Report.

How confident are you that the right strategy is in place to turn one-time donors into long-term supporters?

It’s no secret that the needs within your community are typically demanding for the organization’s capacity. This makes donations of any level even more crucial. However, many fundraising teams lack the right strategy to turn a year-end donor into a sustaining supporter of their mission.

GivingTuesday, and the days following, are a time for fundraisers to take a different approach to engaging with donors. Here are five tips for success in turning one-time donors into loyal advocates for your mission:

* Remember that giving comes in many forms. It’s not only about monetary giving. It’s important to remember that there are many ways to donate to a cause. Fundraisers have the opportunity to offer several ways people can support the work and the organization’s goals.

Volunteering time and donating needed items are just as important. When people are able to give in several ways this creates a connection between the donor and your cause. It also empowers individuals to make a tangible impact through actions, resulting in a deeper connection to the cause as they can see how their hands-on contribution is contributing to positive change.

When people are engaging in a way that is meaningful to them, it can result in additional contributions.

* Tap technology to support the donor journey and manage mission success. Most industries have digitally transformed to better meet the needs of customers. The nonprofit industry has room to grow in the use of technology to better engage with donors, offer real-time transparency as to where donations are making a difference, and to better manage and report on the impact of stakeholders.

Embracing user-friendly technologies doesn’t have to be daunting. You just need to know where to start. Take inventory of your processes and identify the top two or three processes that can benefit from an automated approach. For example, audit the donor’s journey on your website to better understand their experience with you and fine tune. Using a CRM database can help you identify donor patterns to make smart engagement decisions or make a process easier for donors setting up recurring gifts.

Technology allows nonprofit professionals to access data insights to better know how your programs and services are progressing and where areas of improvement need direct attention.

Adopting technology and supporting staff as they use it is about supporting their ability to help grow your impact.

* Have a thank you plan. This might seem obvious, but you’d be surprised how many times people forget to send a personalized thank you note to a one-time donor. The automated receipt donors receive when they make a gift is not a thank you.

Identify ambassadors within your organization who are tasked with developing a plan that not only thanks donors within 24 hours of a contribution and outlines strategies and tactics to keep donors engaged. This could be as simple as inviting a donor to an upcoming event. This develops the relationship between the nonprofit and supporter and plays a big role in donor retention.

* Make it personal. Giving habits vary by generation and demographics. Younger generations are viewed as having more awareness of global challenges and view giving as an impact-driven experience that is part of their identity. Younger donors also are more likely to engage with nonprofits through digital platforms and use subscription models which make it simple to sign up to be a recurring donor.

One common theme among donors is that they appreciate personalized, regular communication and transparency on how contributions are making a difference. Showcase stories of your mission in action and share specific details on how a donor’s generosity made an immediate impact. Consider all channels for delivering that information. A donor’s inclination to give increases when shown, precisely, the impact they are having through a gift.

* Meet your donors where they are. You must understand where each donor is consuming information. Leveraging multiple channels that you can effectively manage — print, digital, events and social platforms — should be part of your development and communications strategy. Showcase mission impact by the numbers, share stories of mission success, and offer opportunities for local hands-on involvement.

Those are just a few examples for bringing your donors closer to your mission. By recognizing and catering to the unique preferences and values of different donor generations, fundraisers can foster deeper connections and inspire lasting support for their missions.

GivingTuesday is an important reminder for fundraisers that to sustain donor engagement, you must focus on the following 364 days. It underscores the need for a strategic plan that fosters continuous donor interaction, nurturing deeper connections that lead to enhanced mission awareness, growth, and lasting community impact.

The post GivingTuesday: 5 Ways To Steward One-Time or First-Time Donors   appeared first on The NonProfit Times.

Source From Non Profit Times