Best practice tips for fundraising professionals

In an increasingly tough economic environment, it is important for fundraising professionals to be savvy about how they approach and interact with potential and existing supporters. Below are a few tips to help fundraising professionals ensure their efforts achieve real results and donors continue to support the organisation into the future.

Know your target market

The better you know your supporters the more effectively you can tailor your request. One of the best ways to get to know your target market is to listen to what they have to say in letters of feedback, phone calls and focus groups. It’s also a good idea to choose your best performing fundraising letters and analyse how you talked about the need and asked for support. What made your supporters connect with those particular letters and want to give?

One critical nuance in this is to ensure that you are orienting your message so you connect your supporter directly with your benefactor. Tell the story from the perspective of the recipients of your support as opposed to talking about your organisation’s need for more money or current program shortfalls.

Be clear about what you are asking for

Be clear and concise when you ask for money. Don’t labour the point or confuse it by beating around the bush. In addition, structure your request in a way that resonates with the way people think by first defining the problem and then posing the solution.

A fundraising letter should:

• Ask at least three times – up front, in the middle and again at the end. This will leave your supporter with a clear action (to donate) in mind
• Explain the problem you are trying to solve and justify why your organisation is best placed to tackle the issue
• Never ask a supporter for any less than what they gave before. More importantly, if you are going to ask for more, be sure you justify why you are asking them for more
• Be emotive but always ground your request in fact. Let the supporter know exactly how you plan to spend their donation and what it will mean to your beneficiaries
• Share stories of the problem and how your organisation has helped turn around the issue with the help of supporters.

Say thank you

Each new supporter costs a lot to recruit so the aim is to keep as many as you can. One simple but highly effective way to keep supporters on side is to thank them for their contribution in a timely manner.

Tell supporters exactly what their money was used for (this should align with what you stated in your fundraising letter), and what’s been accomplished with the support you have received from them and other generous supporters. Explaining this will make supporters feel as if they are part of something big that is gathering speed.

Take time to nurture your relationship with supporters by personalising your communication as much as possible, expressing gratitude in every contact you have and continuing to educate them on your organisation. This will give supporters reason to remain loyal to your organisation and its cause, and to contribute further in the future.