{"id":2677,"date":"2016-07-29T14:29:37","date_gmt":"2016-07-29T14:29:37","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.charityauctionstoday.com\/p\/?p=2677"},"modified":"2023-05-18T12:50:34","modified_gmt":"2023-05-18T17:50:34","slug":"3-emails-to-turn-auction-bidders-into-monthly-donors","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.charityauctionstoday.com\/p\/3-emails-to-turn-auction-bidders-into-monthly-donors\/","title":{"rendered":"3 Emails to Turn Auction Bidders into Monthly Donors"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t<div data-elementor-type=\"wp-post\" data-elementor-id=\"2677\" class=\"elementor elementor-2677\" data-elementor-post-type=\"post\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-219955a7 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"219955a7\" data-element_type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-7ff410af\" data-id=\"7ff410af\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-7a89e38 elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"7a89e38\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img fetchpriority=\"high\" fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"558\" src=\"https:\/\/www.charityauctionstoday.com\/p\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/07\/CAT-LOGO-laptop-with-screen-donate-woman-typing-SM-1024x558.jpg\" class=\"attachment-large size-large wp-image-14776\" alt=\"womans hand on laptop keyboard laptop screen reads DONATE with a CAT heart logo\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.charityauctionstoday.com\/p\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/07\/CAT-LOGO-laptop-with-screen-donate-woman-typing-SM-1024x558.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.charityauctionstoday.com\/p\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/07\/CAT-LOGO-laptop-with-screen-donate-woman-typing-SM-980x534.jpg 980w, https:\/\/www.charityauctionstoday.com\/p\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/07\/CAT-LOGO-laptop-with-screen-donate-woman-typing-SM-480x261.jpg 480w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 0px) and (max-width: 480px) 480px, (min-width: 481px) and (max-width: 980px) 980px, (min-width: 981px) 1024px, 100vw\" title=\"\">\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-2c8be7f5 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"2c8be7f5\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>The only magic needed to turn charity auction bidders into recurring donors is something inherent to all of us\u2014it&#8217;s <strong>kindness.<\/strong><\/p><p>Since we all have kindness to spare, just add a little bit of planning, dedication, and strategy, and your monthly donor program is ready to ignite.<\/p><p>Read on and learn why monthly donors are critical to your organization.\u00a0 Plus, we&#8217;ll get you on your way to donor success with three sample emails you can customize to send to your donors.\u00a0<\/p><div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_73 ez-toc-wrap-left counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-white ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<div class=\"ez-toc-title-container\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title\" style=\"cursor:inherit\">Table of Contents<\/p>\n<span class=\"ez-toc-title-toggle\"><a href=\"#\" class=\"ez-toc-pull-right ez-toc-btn ez-toc-btn-xs ez-toc-btn-default ez-toc-toggle\" aria-label=\"Toggle Table of Content\"><span class=\"ez-toc-js-icon-con\"><span class=\"\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/span><\/div>\n<nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/www.charityauctionstoday.com\/p\/3-emails-to-turn-auction-bidders-into-monthly-donors\/#Why-You-Need-Monthly-Donors\" title=\"Why You Need Monthly Donors\">Why You Need Monthly Donors<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/www.charityauctionstoday.com\/p\/3-emails-to-turn-auction-bidders-into-monthly-donors\/#1-Monthly-giving-programs-reduce-lapsed-donors\" title=\"1. Monthly giving programs reduce lapsed donors\">1. Monthly giving programs reduce lapsed donors<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/www.charityauctionstoday.com\/p\/3-emails-to-turn-auction-bidders-into-monthly-donors\/#2-Monthly-giving-programs-keep-donors-engaged\" title=\"2. Monthly giving programs keep donors engaged\">2. Monthly giving programs keep donors engaged<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/www.charityauctionstoday.com\/p\/3-emails-to-turn-auction-bidders-into-monthly-donors\/#3-Monthly-giving-programs-help-create-a-reliable-stream-of-revenue\" title=\"3. Monthly giving programs help create a reliable stream of revenue\">3. Monthly giving programs help create a reliable stream of revenue<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"https:\/\/www.charityauctionstoday.com\/p\/3-emails-to-turn-auction-bidders-into-monthly-donors\/#Sample-Emails-to-Send-Donors\" title=\"Sample Emails to Send Donors\">Sample Emails to Send Donors<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-6\" href=\"https:\/\/www.charityauctionstoday.com\/p\/3-emails-to-turn-auction-bidders-into-monthly-donors\/#Email-1-Say-Thank-You%E2%80%A6And-Mean-It\" title=\"Email 1: Say Thank You&#8230;And Mean It!\">Email 1: Say Thank You&#8230;And Mean It!<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-7\" href=\"https:\/\/www.charityauctionstoday.com\/p\/3-emails-to-turn-auction-bidders-into-monthly-donors\/#Email-2-Make-the-Introduction\" title=\"Email 2: Make the Introduction\">Email 2: Make the Introduction<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-8\" href=\"https:\/\/www.charityauctionstoday.com\/p\/3-emails-to-turn-auction-bidders-into-monthly-donors\/#Email-3-Follow-Up\" title=\"Email 3: Follow Up\">Email 3: Follow Up<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-9\" href=\"https:\/\/www.charityauctionstoday.com\/p\/3-emails-to-turn-auction-bidders-into-monthly-donors\/#How-much-effort-time-and-money-should-be-put-toward-donor-retention-and-how-much-attention-should-be-paid-to-finding-new-donors\" title=\"How much effort (time and money) should be put toward donor retention, and how much attention should be paid to finding new donors?\">How much effort (time and money) should be put toward donor retention, and how much attention should be paid to finding new donors?<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-4' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-4'><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-4' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-4'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-10\" href=\"https:\/\/www.charityauctionstoday.com\/p\/3-emails-to-turn-auction-bidders-into-monthly-donors\/#Wed-like-to-thank-Kindful-an-innovative-nonprofit-CRM-that-passes-your-data-from-our-platform-to-theirs-seamlessly-to-help-your-nonprofit-turn-data-into-performance-They-gave-us-sample-emails-for-you-to-use-with-donors-and-the-accompanying-tips\" title=\"We&#8217;d like to thank Kindful, an innovative nonprofit CRM that passes your data from our platform to theirs seamlessly to help your nonprofit turn data into performance. They gave us sample emails for you to use with donors and the accompanying tips.\u00a0\">We&#8217;d like to thank Kindful, an innovative nonprofit CRM that passes your data from our platform to theirs seamlessly to help your nonprofit turn data into performance. They gave us sample emails for you to use with donors and the accompanying tips.\u00a0<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-4'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-11\" href=\"https:\/\/www.charityauctionstoday.com\/p\/3-emails-to-turn-auction-bidders-into-monthly-donors\/#No-matter-the-size-of-your-nonprofit-Kindful-can-help-manage-your-data-across-platforms-for-a-bigger-impact-Theyre-offering-our-readers-a-free-trial-to-see-how-the-smallest-teams-can-do-big-things\" title=\"No matter the size of your nonprofit, Kindful can help manage your data across platforms for a bigger impact. They&#8217;re offering our readers a free trial to see how the smallest teams can do big things.\">No matter the size of your nonprofit, Kindful can help manage your data across platforms for a bigger impact. They&#8217;re offering our readers a free trial to see how the smallest teams can do big things.<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-12\" href=\"https:\/\/www.charityauctionstoday.com\/p\/3-emails-to-turn-auction-bidders-into-monthly-donors\/#What-Do-Donors-Want\" title=\"What Do Donors Want?\">What Do Donors Want?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-13\" href=\"https:\/\/www.charityauctionstoday.com\/p\/3-emails-to-turn-auction-bidders-into-monthly-donors\/#Donors-Want-Impact-Stories\" title=\"Donors Want Impact Stories\">Donors Want Impact Stories<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-5' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-5'><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-5' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-5'><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-5' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-5'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-14\" href=\"https:\/\/www.charityauctionstoday.com\/p\/3-emails-to-turn-auction-bidders-into-monthly-donors\/#Software-Advice-surveyed-a-random-sample-of-2833-US-adults-collecting-a-minimum-of-500-responses-to-each-question-Software-Advice-2014\" title=\"*Software Advice surveyed a random sample of 2,833 U.S. adults, collecting a minimum of 500 responses to each question. Software Advice 2014\">*Software Advice surveyed a random sample of 2,833 U.S. adults, collecting a minimum of 500 responses to each question. Software Advice 2014<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><\/ul><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-15\" href=\"https:\/\/www.charityauctionstoday.com\/p\/3-emails-to-turn-auction-bidders-into-monthly-donors\/#Our-Online-Auctions-Accept-Donations-Too\" title=\"Our Online Auctions Accept Donations, Too!\">Our Online Auctions Accept Donations, Too!<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Why-You-Need-Monthly-Donors\"><\/span>Why You Need Monthly Donors<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2><p>Picture this: you\u2019ve just pulled off a successful <a href=\"https:\/\/www.charityauctionstoday.com\">charity auction<\/a> and have a whole new group of bidders just waiting to become <a href=\"https:\/\/www.kindful.com\/why-kindful\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">nonprofit donors<\/a>. Of course, you could solicit them right away to make a donation. Or you could play the (only slightly!) longer game of cultivating <a href=\"https:\/\/www.kindful.com\/blog\/3-tips-for-starting-a-monthly-online-giving-program\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">monthly donors!<\/a><\/p><p>The past few years have seen a huge uptick in the growth of monthly nonprofit donors. In fact, in 2015, revenue from monthly giving increased by <a href=\"http:\/\/mrbenchmarks.com\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">24 percent,<\/a> while revenue from one-time giving only increased by 18 percent. Monthly giving programs are becoming the rule in nonprofit fundraising, not the exception, and there\u2019s no better time to jump on board than now!<\/p><p>But before we get started, let\u2019s talk about why monthly giving programs are on the rise. What makes them so appealing and beneficial to nonprofits in practically every sector?<\/p><p><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignleft wp-image-14797 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/www.charityauctionstoday.com\/p\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/make-monthly-donations-button-on-keyboard.jpg\" alt=\"Make regular monthly donations Written on Green Key of Metallic Keyboard. Finger pressing key.\" width=\"1152\" height=\"645\" title=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.charityauctionstoday.com\/p\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/make-monthly-donations-button-on-keyboard.jpg 1152w, https:\/\/www.charityauctionstoday.com\/p\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/make-monthly-donations-button-on-keyboard-980x549.jpg 980w, https:\/\/www.charityauctionstoday.com\/p\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/make-monthly-donations-button-on-keyboard-480x269.jpg 480w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 0px) and (max-width: 480px) 480px, (min-width: 481px) and (max-width: 980px) 980px, (min-width: 981px) 1152px, 100vw\" \/><\/p><h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"1-Monthly-giving-programs-reduce-lapsed-donors\"><\/span><strong> 1. Monthly giving programs reduce lapsed donors<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2><p>Did you know it actually costs less money to retain existing donors than to find new ones? For most nonprofits, enrolling supporters in an automatic monthly giving program reduces gift and donor loss and proves to be a cost-effective approach to stop donors from lapsing. Instead of asking for a donation over and over again, you only have to convert donors once!<\/p><h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"2-Monthly-giving-programs-keep-donors-engaged\"><\/span><strong> 2. Monthly giving programs keep donors engaged<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2><p>Even if you\u2019re just sending a thank you email each month, recurring giving programs give you at least 12 touchpoints with your donors each year. By using these opportunities to engage with your donors and invite them into a deeper relationship with your work, you can create more informed and motivated advocates than ever before.<\/p><h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"3-Monthly-giving-programs-help-create-a-reliable-stream-of-revenue\"><\/span><strong> 3. Monthly giving programs help create a reliable stream of revenue<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2><p>One of the most common challenges for nonprofits is the uncertainty of ongoing revenue. You might see the largest amount of gifts one month and receive only a few during another. This inconsistency can make it hard to budget or plan ahead because you\u2019re never quite sure when the next gift will arrive. Monthly donors are the obvious answer to this. By building a stable group of recurring supporters, you can remove the guesswork, always planning on a certain, reliable stream of revenue.<\/p><hr \/><p>Now that you know <em>why<\/em> monthly donors are essential to the sustainability of healthy nonprofits, let\u2019s talk about <em>how <\/em>to cultivate them! Lucky for you, if you use online auction platforms like CharityAuctionsToday, you already have a ready-made group of donors to cultivate. And with three simple emails, you can turn auction bidders into monthly donors quickly!<\/p><h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Sample-Emails-to-Send-Donors\"><\/span>Sample Emails to Send Donors<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2><p><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-14786 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/www.charityauctionstoday.com\/p\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/email-screen-on-laptop-sitting-on-desk.jpg\" alt=\"New email alert on laptop, communication connection message to global letters in the workplace.\" width=\"1152\" height=\"674\" title=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.charityauctionstoday.com\/p\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/email-screen-on-laptop-sitting-on-desk.jpg 1152w, https:\/\/www.charityauctionstoday.com\/p\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/email-screen-on-laptop-sitting-on-desk-980x573.jpg 980w, https:\/\/www.charityauctionstoday.com\/p\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/email-screen-on-laptop-sitting-on-desk-480x281.jpg 480w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 0px) and (max-width: 480px) 480px, (min-width: 481px) and (max-width: 980px) 980px, (min-width: 981px) 1152px, 100vw\" \/><\/p><h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Email-1-Say-Thank-You%E2%80%A6And-Mean-It\"><\/span><strong>Email 1: Say Thank You&#8230;And Mean It!<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2><p>This one\u2019s a bit of a no-brainer but is so essential, we have to say it: the two most important words you can say to most recent auction bidders are <a href=\"https:\/\/www.kindful.com\/blog\/thanking-donors-its-not-optional\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">\u201cthank you.\u201d<\/a> Whether you\u2019re sending an automatic email or a handwritten note, bidders should know how valuable their contribution was to the success of your auction and your nonprofit as a whole. Here are a few tips to help you send the right message:<\/p><ul><li>Make sure it\u2019s genuine! Donors aren\u2019t stupid &#8211; they know when you\u2019re being insincere or just saying thank you so you can turn around and ask for more money. Make sure your appreciation comes across loud and clear, and don\u2019t include a solicitation in this first email.<\/li><\/ul><ul><li>Talk about the bidder, not about yourself! Use language like \u201cbecause of YOU\u201d or \u201cthanks to YOUR support.\u201d Show them tangible examples of what their support accomplishes and make sure they know that none of it is possible without them. By showing donors the direct impact they make through the power of their donation, you can help them envision what even more investment might accomplish.<\/li><li>Get creative! Whether it\u2019s a thank-you note from a beneficiary, a quirky video from your staff, or homemade cookies delivered to a major bidder\u2019s doorstep, nothing shows a donor love better than a unique take on the classic thanks.<\/li><\/ul><h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Email-2-Make-the-Introduction\"><\/span><strong>Email 2: Make the Introduction<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2><p>A week or so after you say thank you, it\u2019s time to introduce auction bidders to your monthly giving program. Since this email is all about conversion, it\u2019s important to cover three things in your invitation:<\/p><p><strong> The Name of Your Monthly Giving Program<\/strong><\/p><p>Who doesn\u2019t love being part of the in-crowd? Giving your monthly giving program a name may sound overly simple, but it\u2019s actually essential to the growth of your recurring donor base. When your program has a name and your donors have a title, it lends an air of exclusivity and significance to those who are a part of it. Plus, it makes donors feel like they\u2019re part of something bigger, not just another faceless check in the mail.<\/p><p><strong> The Tangible Impact of Monthly Donors<\/strong><\/p><p>You showed auction bidders the tangible impact of their contribution in your thank-you email, now is the time to show them what they can do through their continual support. And what\u2019s the best way to convince someone to give $30 to your nonprofit every month? Show them <em>exactly <\/em>what can be accomplished with $30 every month. Just like auction participants want to bid on something tangible, recurring donors want to give something tangible. Create a \u201cgiving inventory\u201d that includes varying gift amounts and what they cover. Maybe $10 per month buys a coat for one person visiting your homeless shelter. Maybe $25 provides a week of meals. Maybe $50 covers the cost of job training. Whatever you decide, tell donors exactly what their monthly contribution will mean for the population they\u2019re passionate about. It won\u2019t just inspire them to give, it will encourage them to <em>keep<\/em> giving because they know what\u2019s at stake if they stop!<\/p><p><strong>The (Easy!) Signup Process<\/strong><\/p><p>If it takes someone more than a minute to register their recurring gift, chances are good that they\u2019ll walk away from it altogether. After you convince bidders to become monthly donors, make it quick and painless for them to set up their recurring gift. Create a clear call-to-action in your email that sends them directly to a branded donation page. On that page, make sure you give a quick recap of the giving options (so they don\u2019t have to go back to their email to figure it out) and include a one-click option to make their donation recurring. You may even want to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.kindful.com\/blog\/nonprofit-donor-cultivation-get-serious-about-recurring-donors\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">let donors choose<\/a> what day they want their donation made each month. Give donors the control to set up their recurring donations and not have to think about managing them again.<\/p><h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Email-3-Follow-Up\"><\/span><strong>Email 3: Follow Up<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2><p>You\u2019ve successfully turned an auction bidder into a monthly donor. You\u2019re all done, right? Nope! There\u2019s one more important email &#8211; or rather a series of emails &#8211; you need to send in order to keep your recurring donors informed, engaged, and fulfilled in their ongoing giving. A few ways you can follow up with donors might include:<\/p><ul><li><strong>Create exclusive content.<\/strong> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.kindful.com\/blog\/segmenting-your-donor-population\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Segment<\/a> your monthly donors by the amount they give and provide updates specific to what they are supporting each month. Send newsletters that keep them in the loop of what\u2019s going on in the field. Celebrate the victories &#8211; big and small &#8211; that are accomplished because of their ongoing support.<\/li><\/ul><ul><li><strong>Send them some swag!<\/strong> Believe it or not, soft t-shirts will go a long way in donor relations! Plus, branded collateral is a great way to get the word out about your nonprofit organization!<\/li><\/ul><ul><li><strong>Talk them up on social media.<\/strong> Create targeted groups of monthly donors who you know are active on social media and send them a shout-out. Those little gestures of Facebook or Twitter love will go a long way in the digital world we live in!<\/li><\/ul><ul><li><strong>Make them promoters.<\/strong> Create materials that will help current recurring donors recruit new ones in organic ways. Give them a badge for their social media account or blog. Create social posts and email templates to encourage their online networks to get involved. You can even start a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.kindful.com\/blog\/how-to-turn-volunteers-into-nonprofit-fundraising-champs\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">peer-to-peer fundraising<\/a> campaign for them to advocate on your behalf!<\/li><\/ul><ul><li><strong>Invite them to upgrade.<\/strong> Hopefully, over the course of your follow-up and engagement emails, you\u2019ve proven to donors that their gift is essential to the sustainability of the work they care about. Once a year, invite supporters to increase their monthly donations. Show them how much more they can accomplish with just a few extra dollars, and they\u2019ll have no problem increasing their support.<\/li><\/ul><h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"How-much-effort-time-and-money-should-be-put-toward-donor-retention-and-how-much-attention-should-be-paid-to-finding-new-donors\"><\/span>How much effort (time and money) should be put toward donor retention, and how much attention should be paid to finding new donors?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2><p>Here\u2019s something to consider about the most efficient way to allocate your time. When you hear someone say, <em>\u201cWe had a 35% increase in donors this quarter,\u201d<\/em> realize that the statement is incomplete until you know what their donor retention numbers are. In other words, if they have a 35% increase in donors, but zero retention of existing donors, they are in the red. If they can\u2019t keep existing donors, the number of new donors is meaningless.\u00a0<\/p><p>According to <a href=\"https:\/\/virtuous.org\/blog\/increase-donor-retention-closing-loop-givers\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Virtuous<\/a>, a responsive fundraising software company, 76% of donors don&#8217;t give a second time, which means new donors are a must to balance the ebb and flow of existing donors. That\u2019s a good number to keep in mind as you allocate time and money toward donor outreach.<\/p><p>Software solutions company for nonprofits, <a href=\"https:\/\/bloomerang.co\/blog\/3-reasons-why-donor-retention-trumps-new-donor-acquisition\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Bloomerang<\/a>, has recent research stating that most nonprofits investing the same amount on acquiring new donors as spent on creating meaningful touches with existing donors can <strong>result in higher rates of return.<\/strong> The touches they mention include sending friendly emails and thanking donors as though they\u2019re your only donor. In other words, kindness and appreciation go a long way in the retention and acquisition of donors.<\/p><p><img loading=\"lazy\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-10732 aligncenter\" src=\"https:\/\/www.charityauctionstoday.com\/p\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/5star-review-page.png\" alt=\"5 yellow stars in a horizontal row\" width=\"124\" height=\"30\" title=\"\"><\/p><h4><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Wed-like-to-thank-Kindful-an-innovative-nonprofit-CRM-that-passes-your-data-from-our-platform-to-theirs-seamlessly-to-help-your-nonprofit-turn-data-into-performance-They-gave-us-sample-emails-for-you-to-use-with-donors-and-the-accompanying-tips\"><\/span><em>We&#8217;d like to thank <a href=\"https:\/\/www.kindful.com\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Kindful<\/a>, an innovative nonprofit CRM that passes your data from our platform to theirs seamlessly to help your nonprofit turn data into performance. They gave us sample emails for you to use with donors and the accompanying tips.\u00a0 <\/em><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h4><h4><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"No-matter-the-size-of-your-nonprofit-Kindful-can-help-manage-your-data-across-platforms-for-a-bigger-impact-Theyre-offering-our-readers-a-free-trial-to-see-how-the-smallest-teams-can-do-big-things\"><\/span><em>No matter the size of your nonprofit, Kindful can help manage your data across platforms for a bigger impact. They&#8217;re offering our readers a <a href=\"http:\/\/try.kindful.com\/freetrial\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">free trial<\/a> to see how the smallest teams can do big things.<\/em><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h4><hr \/><p><img loading=\"lazy\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-14810\" src=\"https:\/\/www.charityauctionstoday.com\/p\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/payback.jpg\" alt=\"payback typographic header\" width=\"1056\" height=\"400\" title=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.charityauctionstoday.com\/p\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/payback.jpg 1056w, https:\/\/www.charityauctionstoday.com\/p\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/payback-980x371.jpg 980w, https:\/\/www.charityauctionstoday.com\/p\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/payback-480x182.jpg 480w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 0px) and (max-width: 480px) 480px, (min-width: 481px) and (max-width: 980px) 980px, (min-width: 981px) 1056px, 100vw\" \/><\/p><blockquote><p><em>\u201cSending donors a payback gift for their contributions is counterintuitive to what is an altruistic practice. People choose to give because they want to do something good\u2014not because they expect to be rewarded for the effort. \u201c<\/em><\/p><p><strong>\u2014SoftwareAdvice.com<\/strong>\u00a0<\/p><\/blockquote><h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"What-Do-Donors-Want\"><\/span>What Do Donors Want?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2><p>This is an excellent question for nonprofits to understand, even when their nature is to give to others. We know they don\u2019t want payback for their donations.<\/p><p>We learned from <a href=\"https:\/\/www.softwareadvice.com\/resources\/how-to-create-repeat-donors\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Software Advice<\/a> what donors want from nonprofits, and it\u2019s not payback. As the quote above eludes, donors don\u2019t expect anything. But they\u2019ve discovered that many nonprofits feel the need to give donors a payback. Software Advice completed a survey* and learned that 67% of respondents said no to payback gifts. Additionally, an abstract in the <a href=\"http:\/\/www.sciencedirect.com\/science\/article\/pii\/S0167487012000530\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><i>Journal of Economic Psychology<\/i> <\/a>suggests payback gifts may even lead to decreased donations.\u00a0<\/p><p>We recommend that you read the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.softwareadvice.com\/resources\/how-to-create-repeat-donors\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Software Advice survey<\/a>* that was created to help understand how to turn one-time donors into repeat donors. It\u2019s a thoughtful complement to the \u201cturning bidders into monthly donors\u201d information you just read, plus the information is beyond helpful. It will definitely help with decision-making in your never-ending quest for donors.<\/p><p>Here are a few takeaways from the Software Advice survey* that you can use right away to make donor-related decisions.<\/p><h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Donors-Want-Impact-Stories\"><\/span>Donors Want Impact Stories<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2><p>They want impact stories. They want to know the impact of their donation.\u00a0 By impact, they mean success. If your nonprofit has been successful, the propensity for repeat donors is strong.<\/p><p>Impact stories are success stories\u2014just what donors want to hear. Your impact story can be told from start to finish, documenting the blood, sweat, and tears poured into your fundraising campaign. You can have a story within a story by featuring something prolific or touching that one of your volunteers experienced.\u00a0 Try to create an emotional bond with the reader\u2014make the donor feel like they were part of this memorable success story.\u00a0<\/p><p>Take a look at this impact story guide and check out the tips on how to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.keela.co\/blog\/nonprofit-resources\/improve-nonprofit-storytelling\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">write an impact story,<\/a> And remember, an impact story will reach hundreds or thousands of potential donors, making it your best \u201csalesperson.\u201d<\/p><p><span style=\"color: #33cccc;\"><b>Key Findings of Software Advice\u2019s Survey<\/b><\/span><\/p><ul><li aria-level=\"1\">Sixty percent of donors want impact stories to see how their first donation makes a difference.<\/li><li aria-level=\"1\">A personalized letter is the preferred outreach method for 46 percent of donors.<\/li><li aria-level=\"1\">Thirty-five percent prefer nonprofits wait seven months before asking for another donation.<br \/><hr \/><\/li><\/ul><p><b>Types of Updates Donors Want to Receive<br \/><\/b><strong><span style=\"color: #33cccc;\">60% Impact and success stories<\/span><\/strong><br \/>17% More nonprofit news<br \/>15% Hear about upcoming events<br \/>8%\u00a0 Know campaign goal status<\/p><p><b>Preferred Outreach When Thanking Donors<\/b><br \/><strong><span style=\"color: #33cccc;\">46% Personalized letter<\/span><\/strong><br \/>35% Email<br \/>11% Social media post<br \/>8% Phone call<\/p><p><b>When Nonprofits Should Ask for Another Donation<br \/><\/b><strong><span style=\"color: #33cccc;\">35% 7-12 months<\/span><\/strong><br \/>28% Over 12 months<br \/>21% 3 to 6 months<br \/>15% Less than 3 months<\/p><hr \/><h5><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Software-Advice-surveyed-a-random-sample-of-2833-US-adults-collecting-a-minimum-of-500-responses-to-each-question-Software-Advice-2014\"><\/span><i>*Software Advice surveyed a random sample of 2,833 U.S. adults, collecting a minimum of 500 responses to each question. Software Advice 2014<\/i><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h5>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-7e8ded2 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"7e8ded2\" data-element_type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-b2c50d0\" data-id=\"b2c50d0\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-0336c96 elementor-cta--skin-classic elementor-animated-content elementor-bg-transform elementor-bg-transform-zoom-in elementor-widget elementor-widget-call-to-action\" data-id=\"0336c96\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"call-to-action.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-cta\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-cta__bg-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-cta__bg elementor-bg\" style=\"background-image: url(https:\/\/www.charityauctionstoday.com\/p\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/07\/CAT-LOGO-laptop-with-screen-donate-woman-typing-SM-1024x558.jpg);\" role=\"img\" aria-label=\"womans hand on laptop keyboard laptop screen reads DONATE with a CAT heart logo\"><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-cta__bg-overlay\"><\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-cta__content\">\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"elementor-cta__title elementor-cta__content-item elementor-content-item\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Our-Online-Auctions-Accept-Donations-Too\"><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\tOur Online Auctions Accept Donations, Too!\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-cta__description elementor-cta__content-item elementor-content-item\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\tSupplement your donations with a CharityAuctionsToday silent auction. Take a test drive and create your online auction in less than five minutes!\n\n\n\n\n    Learn how easy it is to make money.\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-cta__button-wrapper elementor-cta__content-item elementor-content-item \">\n\t\t\t\t\t<a class=\"elementor-cta__button elementor-button elementor-size-lg\" href=\"https:\/\/go.charityauctionstoday.com\/createevent\/\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\tTAKE A TEST DRIVE NOW\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The only magic needed to turn charity auction bidders into recurring donors is something inherent to all of us\u2014it&#8217;s kindness. Since we all have kindness to spare, just add a little bit of planning, dedication, and strategy, and your monthly donor program is ready to ignite. Read on and learn why monthly donors are critical [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":2675,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_et_pb_use_builder":"","_et_pb_old_content":"","_et_gb_content_width":"","content-type":"","inline_featured_image":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[370,122,369,119],"tags":[514,513,515,511,512],"series":[],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.charityauctionstoday.com\/p\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2677"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.charityauctionstoday.com\/p\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.charityauctionstoday.com\/p\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.charityauctionstoday.com\/p\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.charityauctionstoday.com\/p\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2677"}],"version-history":[{"count":58,"href":"https:\/\/www.charityauctionstoday.com\/p\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2677\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":14855,"href":"https:\/\/www.charityauctionstoday.com\/p\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2677\/revisions\/14855"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.charityauctionstoday.com\/p\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2675"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.charityauctionstoday.com\/p\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2677"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.charityauctionstoday.com\/p\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2677"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.charityauctionstoday.com\/p\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2677"},{"taxonomy":"series","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.charityauctionstoday.com\/p\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/series?post=2677"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}