End the Year with Appreciation
One of the best forms of donor cultivation is showing appreciation; and one of the best times to show appreciation is at the end of the year when our thoughts naturally turn to thankfulness and giving.
The best forms of appreciation are unique, creative and authentic. Here are some tips to ensure that your donors feel appreciated all year round, but especially at the end of the year:
Unique
Donors will get loads of mail from nonprofits, especially as the year comes to a close. You want yours to stand out, but bigger does not equal better. Donors don’t need another calendar. They don’t need return address labels. They want to be appreciated, not guilted into making a year-end gift, just because you spent money on printing and mailing. Stand out from the crowd by doing something different.
Creative
Instead of just mailing an end-of-year appeal, have board members call your major donors to offer their personal thanks. Begin to think of your year-end appeal as you would a campaign – the right person asking the right person for the right gift at the right time. Send an email with a video embedded that celebrates the success your organization has made this year and includes a DONATE NOW button. Have volunteers sing carols at the home or office of your major donors and present the year-end letter in a beautifully made Christmas card. Enlist your most creative staff members and supporters to come up with ideas that fit the mission and personality of your organization.
Authentic
It’s about the mission, not the money. Keep that at the forefront of your thinking as you develop unique and creative ways to show appreciation for your donors, especially as part of your year-end appeal.
Then, as soon as the New Year arrives, look back at the previous year’s demonstrations of appreciation, review the outcomes and resolve to do an even better job in the coming year.
Jason Wood, Senior Vice President, jwood@kineticfundraising.com
To learn whAt Kinetic can do for your organization, contact us at
info@kineticfundraising.com
Kinetic’s Growing Philanthropy Tour
Contact info@kineticfundraising.com to schedule a Kinetic consultant to speak at your conference or organization
Kansas City
November 6-8, 2019
Missouri Community College Association
55th Annual Convention & Tradeshow
Major Gifts from Inspired, Motivated Donors Represent the Greatest Opportunity for Increased Funding to Community Colleges
Matthew J. Beem
Kansas City
November 14, 2019
2019 National Philanthropy Day
AFP Mid-America Chapter
Presenting Sponsor: Hartsook
Philadelphia
March 2-4, 2020
National School Foundation Association
National Conference 2020
Sponsor: Kinetic
Baltimore, Md.
March 29-31, 2020
2020 AFP International Conference
From Reliable to Remarkable: Growing Regular Gifts
Karin Cox
Janell Johnson
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