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From Awkward to Awesome: The Beginner’s Guide to Building Relationships with Donors
The document presents strategies for building meaningful relationships with individual donors, emphasizing that relationships are the foundation of donor retention and organizational sustainability. It outlines key steps for cultivating these relationships, including getting to know donors, effective communication, and focusing on their interests rather than the organization's needs. It also provides a sample donor cultivation plan that is customized to foster deeper connections over time.
From Awkward to Awesome: The Beginner’s Guide to Building Relationships with Donors
- 1. From Awkward toAwesome: The Beginner’s Guide to Building Relationships with Donors
- 2. Presenters Sandy Rees, CFRE Get Fully Funded @SandyRees Daniel Watson, Executive Director The Restoration House @RestoreFamilies
- 3. Why focus onindividual donors? 2011 Contributions: $290.89 Billion Corporations 5% Foundations 14% According to 2011 Giving USA Report Indviduals Bequests 73% 8%
- 4. Why focus onindividual donors? Statistical Annual Retention Go away 35% Stay 65%
- 5. Why do someleave? • Move away • Pass away • ??? • ??? *Ultimately they leave because they don’t have a relationship
- 6. It’s ALL aboutthe relationship Relationships lead to • Volunteers • Money • Other Resources • Other potential donors But “authentic” relationships can’t be presumptuous • Don’t rush the ask • You’ve got to value the relationship over the gift
- 7. It’s ALL aboutthe relationship Shared Passion Loyal Donors Intentional Investment
- 8. It’s ALL aboutthe relationship Donors that you have a relationship with and who love what your organization does, are the foundation for sustainability
- 9. Do you wantDonors or a Friends? Donors Friends Give you money Give you money and love and support, and cares about your success May or may not give again Will always be there for you May or may not support you in other ways Look for other resources (including people) to bring to you May or may not speak well of you in the Are ambassadors for you, spreading the word community about your mission Don’t necessarily feel engaged or connected See themselves as partners in your work
- 10. So why doesit feel icky? The wrong mindset will leave you feeling yucky about building relationships with donors “They’ll think I’m just after their money.” “I’m being manipulative.” “I’m taking advantage of them.”
- 11. Change the mindset! “I’mmaking friends for my organization.” “The more friends we have, the more people we can help.” “I’m giving these folks the chance to partner in our work.”
- 12. How does arelationship grow? • It ALWAYS starts with an introduction • In small steps • Intentionally and over time • Give and take • Lots of interest • Lots of attention • Lots of communication
- 13. Relationship exercise! Think aboutthe donor you have the closest relationship with. How did your relationship with him/her develop over time? What are some key things that happened that could be applied to develop other donor relationships?
- 14. Steps to Buildinga Relationship on Purpose 1. Network, consistently look for introductions 2. Get interested. Learn all you can about them. Look for shared passions, common interests, etc. 3. Get to know them. What are their likes and dislikes? 4. Ask questions. 5. Listen. 6. Communicate regularly but appropriately. 7. Keep the focus on THEM not YOU.
- 15.
- 16. Good Communication • Welcome • Understood • Interesting • Two-way • Relevant
- 17. Online or inPrint? What does the donor want? It’s all about THEM after all!
- 18. Ego-Centric vs Donor-Centric Ego-Centric Donor-Centric We’ve been around for 30 years. You’ve helped us change lives. We have 6 programs and serve 500 With your help, 500 people get people each week. assistance each week. We serve 10 counties. Your gift helped us reach people in 10 counties.
- 19. What makes itrelevant? • Interesting to THAT person • Timely • Appropriate
- 20. Create Relevance • Knowtheir interests • Know their preferences • Pay attention to the details * It pays to have a good donor relations database
- 21. Keys to aStrong Relationship • Commitment • Trust • Respect
- 22. Deepen those relationships! •Relevancy • Consistent communication • Become their favorite
- 23. Let’s get practical • Letters • Handwritten notes • Phone calls • Personal visits • Personal tours of your facility • Free tickets to your events • What else?
- 24. Donor Cultivation Plan •Series of steps to get to know a donor and build relationship • Specific to the donor – one size does NOT fit all! • The deeper you plan to take the relationship, the more time it will take
- 25. Sample “New Donor”Cultivation Plan Step 1: Call and thank them for their past support. Step 2: Invite them for a personal tour. Find out what they love most about your work. Step 3: Invite them to lunch and tell them more about a project that fits their interests. Step 4: Ask them to become a partner in your work.
- 26. Extreme Makeover: HomeEdition
- 27. Sandy Rees, CFRE@SandyRees Fundraising Coach, Get Fully Funded www.GetFullyFunded.com [email protected] Daniel Watson @RestoreFamilies Executive Direction, The Restoration House www.TheRestorationHouse.net [email protected]
Editor's Notes
- #3 Ultimately they leave because they don’t have a relationship
- #6 Ultimately they leave because they don’t have a relationship
- #8 Relationships built around a shared passion with an intentional investment leads to loyal donorsMaybe use the Simon Sinek – Golden Circle Video
- #13 Fire sepearte
- #15 Fire indiviudally
- #26 Seperate