TURN SINGLE GIFTS INTO MONTHLY SUPPORT
Many people donate a gift to your organization because they’re passionate about your mission or compelled by a specific initiative. But what kind of impact
could they have as a monthly donor? The answer: massive. Not only are recurring donors your most loyal backers, they also historically give more:
Throughout their lifetime. When a donor switches to monthly gifts they often give 3-5 times more over their lifetime than those who give repeated one-time gifts. The retention rate for these donors is also higher.
Within their estate plan. 75 percent of gifts in a Will come from monthly donors.
RELATIONSHIP MAKES ALL THE DIFFERENCE
The key to inspiring people to become monthly supporters is genuinely cultivating your relationship. When a donor feels seen, appreciated, and informed, their trust and dedication to your organization will grow. How you communicate matters.
1) Thank your donors sincerely and often.
2) Report clearly how their generosity is making a difference.
3) Keep them informed of what’s happening through your work and continually invite them to engage. (It’s okay to let them know if you have a specific need too!)
4) Communicate as personally as possible.
MAKE IT PRACTICAL
Here are our top ways to cultivate monthly donors:
Ask! Design targeted appeals inviting regular donors to become monthly donors with a special mailer or webpage callout.
Lovingly but clearly invite them to be part of impacting lives with you. Start making your ask for a monthly pledge versus a one-time gift. You can even set recurring donations as the default option on your donation form.
Get creative. Institute giving challenges and gift-matching programs to encourage urgency and naturally create buzz. Position monthly giving as a standard message on social media.
Be timely. Did you know one-time online donors are more likely to turn into monthly donors within three days of their original online gift? Don’t be afraid to ask for a monthly gift after someone completes a one-time transaction, especially during holidays/year-end giving.
Show tangible impact. Put a face to your donor’s impact by showing them the exact person they are helping, like many organizations do through ‘ambassador’ programs.
Plug, plug, plug. When it doesn’t feel appropriate to include an overt call-to-action in a particular piece, you can still passively promote through visual cues and program mentions wherever possible with:
A monthly giving link/button in your website’s navigation bar, company email signature, or newsletter footer
A permanent section of your e-newsletter dedicated to monthly giving
“Shout outs” or recognition posts of existing monthly donors on social media that link to your program page
Blogs and social media graphics featuring quotes from existing monthly donors on why they give
