Donor Acquisition Mistakes Non-Profits Should Avoid

Do’s

1) Active social media Presence

As per survey 59% people, who simply follow or like a non-profit organization, feel inspired to donate money. It is one of the most important communication channels where you can highlight your performance, achievements, comparison with peers and importantly how your organization has positively impacted the lives of people whom you are working for.

2) Work hard on your website

Make website donor friendly and interactive where they can post queries and it must be supported by an active team to give prompt and to the point replies. Website should have list of center addresses along with contact numbers so prospective donor can call or visit the center.

Some important things on your site must have:

  1. A brand image, logo and clear vision of your organization.
  2. Including touching stories or videos that help to encourage donors to read and know more about what your organization is all about.
  3. A bright bold button of „Donate“ at top of homepage.
  4. A simple and secured password protected payment processing system
  5. A quick check out process with minimal fields to fill in as possible.

3) Strong planning well in advance for a fund raising event

  1. Well defined goal and cause for fund raising.
  2. Proper budget allocation and resources for the event.
  3. Identification the right Venue of event to capture the maximum donors.
  4. Merchandise, specific to event, like books, t-shirts etc. to sell or distribute at the event.
  5. Identification of team for various activities to make the event successful.
  6. Follow up with the target donors to attend the event.

4) Effective communication with donors

Nurturing relationships with donors by providing regular updates on programs they support. Don’t forget to say „thanks“ to give value and acknowledging their support at the time of need.

5) Showcase your value to donors

Many non-profits organizations communicate as if the donor is doing them all the favor. In reality, it is also an opportunity offered to donors to change the world in much more meaningful way than other things that money can buy.

6) Add proof of donations

Showcasing of other prominent personality visited the page and their contribution (not amount) will also attract and influence potential donors. With this not only new donors will gain the confidence but also prompt them to make the fast decision to donate. Sharing a photo of donating on Facebook or many other social media platform or on website would also be a good idea.

7) Provide certificate to donors for getting tax rebate

Since your organization is registered organization with government of India so providing a tax rebate certification to individual donor will also increase the number of donors and it has to be clearly mentioned on your website.

8) Door to door awareness program

Adding volunteer may be from college or some other means, to promote the cause and vision of your organization will increase the awareness among people and improve the donation inflow.

9) Cold calling to potential customer

Although not much conversion happened from cold calling but it is also an important aspect to let the people know about your organization. It is also important that caller should be respectful about the timing of the customer.

Don’ts

1) Focus on donors from single geography

People from different locations have different beliefs and thought processes therefore tend to get attracted to different causes for help, so covering all the geographies at one go with single cause may not help for rising the donation.

2) Unable to grab people’s attention

To draw attention of people on „Donate Now“ button by not letting them know how exactly their donation will be used and also have made them feel to make donation a recurring gift by effective imagery and videos.

3) Complicated homepage

When someone lands on your donation page they experience e-mail options, advertisements, highlighted programs, search tools, various promotions etc. instead a simpler page that makes completing the action of donation easier and faster.

4) Absence of giving levels

Research shows that not suggesting the different denominations creates confusion for the donor to decide how much to donate.

5) Failing to encourage people to donate without occasion

People like to donate on their own as one-time gift but receiving a monthly recurring donation is possible by putting an option like a pop up question when person clicking on the amount of donation asking „When would you like to donate next? „or option of button „Monthly“.

6) Not being transparent

Whatever good your organization has done, if that information of the success of the programs and systematic sequence of future programs is not conveyed to donors, organization will lack in gaining trust and a proof of authenticity of work done for the social cause. Annual reports are needed to showcase genuine work.

Immobilienmakler Heidelberg

Makler Heidelberg