We’ve heard too many universities, ministries, and nonprofits say they want to wait a few weeks—until things die down—to reach out to their donors.
“We don’t want to bother our donors when they have so many important things they’re dealing with.” Others say, “we’re not a food bank or a homeless shelter. Our needs just aren’t as important.”
This kind of thinking can be catastrophic.
Healthy communication is key to every relationship…including the ones you have with your donors. When communicating with donors during a crisis like the COVID-19 pandemic, it’s especially important to maintain transparency and trust.
Who: Start at the Top
You should be reaching out to ALL your donors in some fashion, but it’s important to start with your largest donors. Hopefully you can name your top 25–50 donors off the top of your head. These are your partners—the ones who will get you through the next two months.
Call them. Ask how they’re doing. Ask about their children, their business. Then tell them you wanted to give them an update on what’s happening at your school, your church, or your nonprofit—and how you’re solving the crisis around you.
Be vulnerable. It’s okay to tell them you don’t have all the answers. As long as you have a plan and a commitment to serve your constituents, your donors will give you the benefit of the doubt. Be transparent and honest and ask for their input. After all, they are your partner. This call is not a request for money, but a wellness call.
We’ve heard tremendous response from organizations that are doing this. Their donors are genuinely delighted to hear from the nonprofit and anxious to talk about the cause, the museum, or the school they love.
Use your board or senior staff.
Engage your board in the process of calling major donors. Determine who knows whom and then ask your board to make some of the check-in calls. Encourage them to use the same basic pointers as discussed above
When: How Often Do You Communicate?
For your major donors, ask them how often they want to hear updates. For your mid-range donors, a personalized email every other week is recommended—as long as the content is meaningful. Don’t send an email just to check a box. It MUST be relevant; otherwise, you will be just another email filling up their inbox.
For lower-level donors, a personalized email once a month is good practice.
Supplement these personalized communications with social media posts on Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn. For ideas on what to post, keep reading.
What do you say?
Remember that “you” is regarded as the most important word in fundraising. Our standard advice is to focus on the donor—not the organization. Donors generally give in response to the way it makes them feel, not in response to an organization’s accomplishments. In the days of COVID-19, however, we can tweak this strategy a bit because donors will want to hear how you are solving new problems. It’s okay to talk about your accomplishments, but cast the message in a way that the donor feels that they (and their donation) are part of the solution.
How: How Do We Communicate?
Use a variety of platforms: phone, text, email, letter, and social media to reach out to donors. As we’ve discussed, you need to reach out to different donors in different ways. But remember that donors respond to messages that elicit emotion, draw them in with your social media posts. Since donors can’t come to the museum, to campus, or to church, bring them to you virtually.
A recent post by Duke Gardens was a walkway overhung by cherry blossoms in full bloom—one of the garden’s most visited spots. The caption read, “Since the Duke Gardens are closed, we wanted you to experience this breath-taking sight remotely.” Siloam Health, a healthcare clinic in Nashville, lets donors know their support means they can now see patients virtually.
Is it okay to ask for a gift now?
Even in normal times, we always make sure to ask a potential donor for permission to make an ask. During a crisis, this is no different. Be honest with your donors. Let them know that before the virus outbreak, you had planned to ask them to consider supporting you. Ask them if now is the right time to have that conversation, or if they want to wait.
Now is the perfect time to launch mini-appeals—short-term fundraising campaigns for a specific need related to the pandemic. Foodbanks, hospitals, and homeless shelters are obvious candidates for these initiatives, but all nonprofits have new needs. Many universities are raising funds for their low-income students. Museums are raising funds to offer virtual tours of their galleries. Get creative with these appeals and market them across all communications channels. Consider securing a matching gift from one of your lead donors to kick off the appeal.
Build Community Through Communications
Use the Zoom explosion to your advantage. Universities are hosting virtual class reunions. Independent schools are building support groups for parents facing the challenge of online learning. Prayer groups and bible studies are going virtual. A local conservation organization hosted a happy hour with one of their business partners, a local brewery.
The more you can be the facilitator for your constituents to communicate with each other, the more loyalty they will build towards your organization. That will translate into long-term support.
One of the best pieces of advice we can give you today is to get busy and talk to your donors. Whether it’s through the phone, by email, or by Instagram, let them know you are thinking about them. Let them know how you are serving your constituents and solving new problems. Ask them to post what they miss most about your museum, outreach, or ministry. When communicating with donors during a crisis, the dialogue you create today will not only get you through the next few months but will have a positive long-term impact on your fundraising.
