Let everyone know you're a charity
File under: Donor-centricity? Good for all.
Don't be shy...
Let everyone know you're a charity ... and that they are welcome. Urge them to join!
[time/place: March 27 half-day mega-webinar on the topic of money-making donor newsletters; guest expert Lisa Sargent; moderator, Julie Cooper; presenter, Tom Ahern; the following questions emerged during the 2.5 hour "all you can eat" Q&A]
[moderator Julie Cooper] Christy says, "We send a newsletter to every mailbox in our county. Some are donors. Some are not. To what degree should newsletters to the general community be donor-centric? Should the donor-centric messages be held back for only current donors?"
[Tom Ahern] No, Christy. Don't hold back. The goal is to make donor-centricity part of the way the community sees you ... the way it is for brands like the Red Cross or the Salvation Army or the local food bank. Declare your charity's need for support in every newsletter, loud and proud and with thanks. Run an ad for legacy giving in every newsletter, too. Many frequent donors say it just never occurred to them to add charity to their will. But they like it when they try it.
[Lisa Sargent] I want to say something about the outer envelope your print newsletter comes in, if you're following the Domain formula. Your outer envelope's job is to let people know it's a newsletter, NOT an appeal. The envelopes say "Because of you...." "Thank you...." "Your newsletter is enclosed." "See inside...." It's very clear. We do stuff on the flap side, too, so it doesn't matter how it lands, if it lands in your foyer or whatever comes through the mail slot. It's pretty clear it's not an appeal. That's your job on the outer envelope.
St. John Regional creative: Christine Gilliland, Way Up Solutions
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[moderator Julie Cooper] OK, next one. Anonymous: "Have organizations in your network noticed a decrease in giving slash newsletter response in the current economy."
[Lisa Sargent] No, not really. Maybe a tiny bit right after Covid, but really not that much.
And I would say this speaks to the power of consistently communicating.
If you're communicating with your donors, and you're sending newsletters ... you're doing that ask, thank, report, repeat routine ... you just don't dip the same as others.
Denisa, Sandie and I did this whole case study for Merchants Quay Ireland. MQI went through like three economic downturns and a charity crisis ... and they just kept trucking because they kept communicating. Tons of organizations do this:
You follow your annual communications schedule ... and your donors will stay by your side.
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