A monthly giving program allows donors to automatically give a specified amount to an organization each month. “How to Acquire Monthly Donors – Tools & Tips” provides strategies for creating an effective monthly giving program, resulting in a predictable source of ongoing donations for your organization for years to come.
Benefits of a Monthly Giving Program
Besides providing a reliable and predictable source of consistent fundraising revenue, monthly donors can fund everything from ongoing projects to unexpected expenses. Since donations will be made automatically, there is less administrative work for your organization. Monthly donors also make good prospects for planned and major giving.
The benefit for the donor is that recurring gifts are an easy and convenient way for them to contribute to your cause and stay involved. Since monthly donations are automatically processed, donors don’t have to think about making a donation every time they want to give.
How to Identify Prospective Monthly Donors
To identify sustainer prospects, segment your file targeting the donors who have given over several consecutive years (3+ years) and those who have given multiple gifts within one year (2+ gifts in the last year.)
How to Acquire Monthly Donors
Create Clear Messaging
Write about who, what, why, and how
In your monthly giving fundraising materials, describe and show how monthly donations allow your organization to work more effectively toward your mission, such as funding a specific project or an ongoing need. Be specific as to why you need their monthly gift and what impact they will have.
Donors want reassurance that their monthly gift is going to make a difference.
Incorporate who, what, why, and how into your copy for a bigger impact.
Who will the donations help?
What will the donation accomplish?
Why will it allow for a bigger impact?
How is it easier for the donor and how does it save costs for the organization.
Make Recurring Donors Feel Special
Make your monthly donor program stand out by giving it a unique tagline or brand name that communicates the purpose of the program. This will help foster a strong sense of community for donors.
Consider offering a special benefit when they sign up, such as a special tour or a certificate appreciation, making them feel more connected to your organization.
How to Promote a Monthly Donor Program
Make your monthly giving program a prominent giving option on a regular basis alongside all other fundraising initiatives.
Include Monthly Giving Options in Fundraising Materials
Including monthly giving options in a variety of marketing efforts will resonate with those who are committed to your organization. Provide monthly giving options in direct mail appeals and emails.
Consider including a special buckslip in direct mail appeals, new donor welcome packages, and in acknowledgments.
Consistently provide monthly giving options in all your email appeals and send a special email appeal talking only about your monthly donor program.
The key is to make your monthly giving program a prominent giving option on a regular basis alongside all other fundraising initiatives.
Incorporate Monthly Giving Options in Newsletters
If you have a newsletter, include a tear-off section or an insert featuring monthly sponsorship.
Add a Monthly Giving Option on Your Website
Dedicate a page on your website to the monthly donor program and include a monthly donation option on your online donation page.
Promote Monthly Giving Options on Social Media
On your social media sites highlight why you need monthly gifts, how the donor can help, and what impact their gift will have.
How to Steward Monthly Donors
Once a donor commits to becoming a monthly sustainer, it’s important to create a donor stewardship strategy that builds upon the special relationship they have with you. This helps donors feel connected and increases your program’s retention rate for years to come.
Steward with Direct Mail
If you’re targeting direct mail appeals to your regular contributors asking for donation, do not include monthly donors in these appeals. One of the benefits of monthly giving is that you save money by not mailing these donors because they have already made the commitment to donate.
It is, however, important to communicate with your monthly donors a handful of times throughout the year. It is perfectly acceptable to send them an informative direct mail piece containing some relevant information about how their donations are being used. Check out “Copywriting Strategies for Fundraisers Tools & Tips” for more information about writing compelling copy to donors.
When sending a letter mention their monthly donor status, the good their donations are doing for those in need, and of course, be sure to thank them. Do not ask them to donate.
Steward with Newsletters
If you have a newsletter, send it to monthly donors, but do not ask for a donation.
Steward with Premiums
If you are an organization that regularly send premiums to donors to motivate them to give, consider sending monthly donors a premium around the holidays or at most twice a year as a thank you. Do not ask them for a gift.
Recognize Monthly Donors
Recognizing sustainers is a great way to acknowledge their involvement in your organization. Consider mentioning them in an annual report and profiling monthly donors on your website, in your newsletter, or in an email.
Upgrade Monthly Donors
Once a year, preferably at year-end, thank your donors for their total monthly giving over that year and offer them the option to upgrade their monthly gift.
Monthly donations have been an important part of nonprofit fundraising for decades and will continue to be in the future. Besides providing the peace of mind that comes with reliable revenue, recurring donors also tend to be much more likely to be retained year over year.
Having a group of loyal supporters can bolster annual campaigns and sustain you through lean times. Whatever the size or mission of your nonprofit, a strong monthly giving program is a wise investment. Monthly donors are a special group. They give your organization a consistent source of revenue with less administrative and fundraising. They are an important part of any organizations overall fundraising strategy.
For help creating a monthly donor strategy, contact Write Choice Marketing. We’ll review your current fundraising materials, create a strategy, and write the copy, so you don’t have to.
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Write Choice Marketing-Helping nonprofits raise donations through compelling copy, engaging content, and donor responsive strategies that get results. We offer creative, cost-effective fundraising and marketing solutions.
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