Dotting The "I"s In Fundraising

There are two "I"s in fundraising: inspiration and innovation. Keeping all of your data in one location is critical if you intend to actually make sense of all of the information generated from different activities. A single constituent can attend events, volunteer, donate, and even serve on your board amongst many other things.

Donors are so much more than their donation history, and to truly understand who they are and how you can best connect with them, collecting data on every type of interaction (events, donations, etc) in one place will help make your life easier.

Here are five reasons why your organization should keep track of all fundraising and marketing activities in one place:

Find Your Loyal Donors

By having all of your data in one place you can easily find those "loyal donors". It's important to recognize who they are and how long they have been involved in your fundraising campaign. Quickly locate who they are and reach out to them. You want to keep them close so they will be loyal to your fundraising campaign for years to come.

Constant Building of Donor Loyalty

You don't wait for the right time to build a relationship with your donors, it must be done year-round. Make sure that they know how much you appreciate their donation and how important it is to donate to the cause. The best time to introduce your fundraising community is the first time the donor joins your campaign. First impressions are the best the most important ones, so make sure that you create a strong relationship with them from the very beginning.

Earn Respect and Then Re-Earn it

Organizations are not entitled to donor loyalty, they have to build it. Just like any relationship you have to build it from the bottom up and earn people's trust as well as their loyalty. Donor loyalty is no exception; remember to recognize your donors, keep up with them through email every now and then, and help them feel more support towards your campaign. Everyone likes to feel that they are a part of something that they can identify themselves with, so make that something in your campaign!

Keep Your Friends Close and Your Donors Even Closer

Keeping track of donor information is tough, but necessary. Knowing how they prefer to be reached and what time of day is best for them is good for you and the donor. This helps them feel like you know them on a personal level and that you value their time and donations. In turn, you build loyalty and a happy donor is the best donor!

Find Your Prospective Donors

By collecting all of your data into one place you can determine who are your most loyal donors and find prospective donors to join the cause. This is the most effective way to maximize your fundraising campaign. Through data collection, you can identify who your donors have communicated with through social media and reach out to them to expand your donor base.