Top 3 Tips for Fundraisers Looking to Level Up Their Monthly Giving
Last month, I shared answers to the top five questions on monthly giving. This month, I’d like to share the top three tips for fundraisers who are looking to start growing their monthly giving program to the next level.
Let’s jump right in.
1. Commit to Monthly Giving
If you’re not committed to growing, you’re never going to grow. This is not a once and done campaign. Monthly giving should be included in your overall fundraising strategy.
One way to commit is by making a monthly gift yourself to your own organization. Another way is to give monthly to a few other organizations you like or admire. It’s a great way to see what they’re doing.
The main reason why a donor gives monthly is because they want to help. Making a recurring gift is more likely to fit in their budget, but if they don’t want to help because you’re not explaining the need and making the donor part of the solution, all bets are off.
2. Make It Easy for Your Donor to Find the Monthly Giving Option
I still see way too many websites where monthly giving is buried in ways to give, and it takes multiple clicks to get there. Check out tactic No. 6 from this recent NonProfit PRO article on numerous tests from NextAfter.
What do you have to lose by adding an extra button on the homepage and an extra button in an email? It’s a tactic successfully used by numerous organizations and it’s not going to hurt your one-time giving revenue.
3. Create a Mini-Story or Nudge
In one sentence, how does a monthly gift help your constituents, your animals, patients, clients? Here are just a few examples:
- “Start your monthly gift to ensure that more children can receive lasting support, access learning and have a better opportunity for the future. “
- “You can help create lasting change by giving monthly, empowering people to lift themselves out of poverty.”
- “Your monthly gift will make a difference every day and every month for neighbors in need.”
- “Your monthly gift ensures seniors don’t have to choose between food and rent.”
Don’t overthink it. Just start somewhere, you can always refine your message further.
Then look at your communication channels and messages and see where you can add the button and your mini story.
Your email newsletter? Your print newsletter? Your direct mail appeals? A buck slip in your thank-you letter? Your survey? The options are endless.
The preceding blog was provided by an individual unaffiliated with NonProfit PRO. The views expressed within do not directly reflect the thoughts or opinions of NonProfit PRO.
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- Recurring Donations
Erica Waasdorp is one of the leading experts on monthly giving. She is the president of A Direct Solution, a company serving nonprofit organizations with fundraising and direct marketing needs, with a focus on monthly giving and appeals. She authored "Monthly Giving: The Sleeping Giant" and "Monthly Giving Made Easy." She regularly blogs and presents on fundraising, appeals and monthly giving — in person and through webinars. She is happy to answer any questions you may have about this great way of improving retention rates for your donors.
Erica has over 30 years of experience in nonprofits and direct response. She helped the nonprofits she works with raise millions of dollars through monthly giving programs. She is also very actively supports organizations with annual fund planning and execution, ranging from copywriting, creative, lists, print and mail execution.
When she’s not working or writing, Erica can be found on the golf course (she’s a straight shooter) or quietly reading a book. And if there’s an event with a live band, she and her husband, Patrick, can be found on the dance floor. She also loves watching British drama on PBS. Erica and Patrick have two step sons and a cat, Mientje.
