Do You Know Your Supporters like You Know Your Mom?

Is it more important for donors to know who you are and what your organization does? Or is it more critical for you to get to know your donors?

Both! However, many non profit organizations spend more time pushing information out to supporters than they do getting to know who their supporters are and why they give.

However, when your supporters feel like you understand who they are and why they support you, you’ll find they are more valuable to your organization. Here’s why it pays offto know your supporters as well as you know your mom!

Your Mom Wants to Hear From You (Without Asking for Money)

It might seem like a crazy concept, but if you think of your supporters as a member of your family, it can help you cultivate a better relationship.

Fundraising and volunteer management is a relationship business. Sometimes, your donors and volunteers (much like your mom) appreciate hearing from you—without asking them for money.

Do you call your mom or send her notes to say “Hi?”
Do you talk with your mom to give her updates on your life without asking for anything in return?
Do you thank your mom for help, advice, or just for being part of your life?

Donors and volunteers appreciate that kind of communication, too! A thank you goes a long way.

Let supporters know how their gifts are making a difference through your organization. Tell your volunteers how their time and efforts help you do the work you do.

Warm and Fuzzy Works

This kind of “warm and fuzzy” communication might not generate an immediate gift, but it’s critical to building relationships with your supporters. With tools like Donaide on your side, you’ll find it’s easy to keep up with your donors and volunteers and communicate with them appropriately.

Your Mom Wants to Spend Time With You

Getting to know your mom means spending time with her. Sure, you can accomplish a lot of relationship building through emails, texts, and phone calls, but sometimes you can’t replace the bond you can build with face-to-face time.

You may be thinking “I have way too many donors to spend one-on-one time with all of them.” Good news – there are other ways to “spend time” with your supporters!

The right tools can help you maximize where and how you spend your efforts with your best supporters. Your top donors and most active volunteers can boost their engagement with your organization when you recognize them in person.

You can use these tools to:

Find your best donors and host a thank-you event for them
Find your most active volunteers and show your appreciation with a luncheon
Invite your most significant donors to a special meeting with your organization’s president or founder

Not all of your supporters need your time. The key is to get to know them, ASK QUESTIONS, and communicate with them in the way they want to communicated. You’ll find when you focus your fundraising and relationship building time on the right supporters, and with their preferred communication, they become more involved in your mission.

Your Mom Appreciates Your Interest in Her Life

What does your mom like to do? What does she like to talk about? Sometimes getting to know your mom means finding more about what she likes and helping her get involved with those things.

Your supporters behave the same way! They may not give to everything, but they could be significant supporters of specific projects or programs that you do that are important to them.

Show your donors that you have an interest in them and what they like about your organization. Ask for their help in areas where they are more likely to give!

Your Mom Isn’t All About You

It can be tough to realize this, but your mom’s life isn’t all about you. Knowing your mom better means taking an interest in her world.

Your donors and supporters appreciate the same kind of interest. Of course, there’s a level of digging too deep into the personal lives of your donors that might be too much. However, your most active supporters appreciate a relationship that isn’t a one-way street.

Celebrate their birthdays. Congratulate them on successes. Reach out to them when tragedy strikes. Know enough about your best supporters so they don’t feel like you only want to use them for their funding or their time.

Build Relationships and Get More out of Your Supporters

The best relationships are genuine. Using technology to more effectively engage with your supports is great, however never let the use of bulk messaging come across as stale and cheesy. When you can, make it personal!

Donaide helps you build those authentic relationships with your supporters. Using our technology helps you maximize your time AND get to know your donors better. With personalized relationships and communication, you’ll see a better impact from your supporter management efforts.

When you grow your donor relationships, you raise more money and find the support you need to do more through your organization.