HOW TO TURN ONE-TIME DONORS INTO REPEAT DONORS

The Able Altruist, February 10, 2014 by Janna Finch
 Nonprofit fundraising is hard. And getting donors to donate more than once isn’t easy, either.

The Urban Institute found that overall donor retention rates fell to 41.5 percent in 2010-11, down from 49.6 percent in 2004-05. Asking for donations from people who have already contributed to your cause costs less than soliciting new donors—so it’s important to implement strategies that facilitate repeat donations.

Software Advice conducted a survey study which found that proving your mission’s success through impact stories and a little old-fashioned direct mail can go a long way towards encouraging donors to give again. The report surveyed 2,833 people who donate to nonprofits to find out what motivates them to give more than once. Here, we explain the most effective ways to persuade people to donate again.

Key Findings

• Sixty percent of donors want impact stories to see how their first donation is making a difference.
• A personalized letter is the preferred outreach method for 46 percent of donors.
• Thirty-five percent prefer nonprofits wait seven months before asking for another donation.

Donors Want Impact Stories
We asked donors what types of updates they want to receive from the nonprofits they contribute to. The results underscore what we expected: a nonprofit’s level of success is a major factor in a donor’s decision to give again. Impact stories are a great way to show the good your organization is doing and proves to donors their gifts are being put to good use.
READ MORE
Software Advice Website