https://bloomerang.co/resources/speaking/ Within your donor database lies untold lifetime value. Unfortunately, many nonprofits fail to properly nurture and steward their donors, and are content with high acquisition and high churn. Why let this enormous asset go underutilized? In this session, we will cover the tenets of effective database management, no matter what program or vendor you use. We will show examples of best practices in data management, communication segmenting, engagement tracking and reporting in order to help your team work smarter, not harder. Learning Outcomes: An overview of the donor database product landscape Be familiar with data management techniques that maximize the capabilities of your database and increase productivity Understand segmenting strategies lead to higher response rates from your donor communications Learn how to generate meaningful reports that will impact your internal procedures

1. Maximizing Your Donor Database
for Fundraising Success

2. Your presenter »
@StevenShattuck
Steven Shattuck
@StevenShattuck
Chief Engagement Officer - Bloomerang
Contributor to:
Ragan, NTEN, Business2Community, Social Media Today,
National Council of Nonprofits, Search Engine Journal,
ExactTarget, Raven Internet Marketing Tools, HubSpot,
Content Marketing Institute, Nonprofit Hub, INside
Indiana Business.
Speaker:
Association of Fundraising Professionals, National
Council of Nonprofits, ADRP, NCDC, NAMP, ANN,
PRSA, Planet Philanthropy, Cause Camp, PANO, SCANPO,
LANO, VFRI, RMPI, FREML, Colorado Nonprofits,
Montana Nonprofits, Nonprofit Storytelling Conference,
Idaho Nonprofits, Washington Nonprofits, INRN, DSAIA,
LeadingAge

3. @StevenShattuck
What is the goal of a donor database?

4. @StevenShattuck

5. https://bloomerang.co/blog/infographic-2016-fundraising-effectiveness-project-survey-report/
@StevenShattuck
The 2016 results are in »

6. https://bloomerang.co/blog/infographic-2016-fundraising-effectiveness-project-survey-report/
@StevenShattuck
First-time donor retention »

7. # of Donors Attrition
Rate
Donors
Remaining
After 1 Year
Donors
Remaining
After 2
Years
Donors
Remaining
After 3
Years
Donors
Remaining
After 4
Years
Donors
Remaining
After 5
Years
1,000 20% 800 640 512 410 328
1,000 40% 600 360 216 130 78
1,000 60% 400 160 64 26 10
Donor attrition over 5 years »
@StevenShattuck
(1% increase in retention = $45,634 annually)

8. @StevenShattuck

9. @StevenShattuck
Why do donors leave?

10. • 5% - thought charity did not need them
• 8% - no info on how monies were used
• 9% - no memory of supporting
• 13% - never got thanked for donating
• 16% - death
• 18% - poor service or communication
• 36% - others more deserving
• 54% - could no longer afford
Why nonprofit donors leave »
https://www.linkedin.com/today/post/article/20140520191728-746287--
infographic-why-donors-stop-their-support
@StevenShattuck

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X

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Why do donors stay?

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Key drivers of donor commitment »
1. Donor perceives your organization to be effective in
trying to achieve its mission.
2. Donor knows what to expect from your organization with
each interaction.
3. Donor receives a timely thank you.
4. Donor receives opportunities to make his or her views
known.
5. Donor is given the feeling that he or she is part of an
important cause.
6. Donor feels his or her involvement is appreciated.
7. Donor receives information showing who is being helped.

15. @StevenShattuck
What is donor data segmentation »

16. @StevenShattuck
What is donor data segmentation »
• Treating donors uniquely based on recency,
frequency, type and amount of giving.
• not sending the same thank you letter to
everyone
• not sending the same appeal to everyone
• not sending the same anything to everyone!

17. Data Segmentation
for stories that retain donors
Data Segmentation
Powers Stewardship

18. 1. First-time donors
• </> $100
2. Monthly recurring donors
• monthly gift x12 < average annual gift amount
3. Lapsed donors (+2 years)
4. Volunteers who have not yet donated
5. Donors who share feedback / criticism
6. Donors who have interacted via social media
6 powerful buckets segments »
@StevenShattuck

19. Data Segmentation
for stories that retain donors
First-Time Donors

20. @StevenShattuck
Why $100? »
Source: http://afpfep.org

21. • Arrive within 48 hours
• Utilize their communication preference!
• Thank profusely
• Acknowledge the campaign / channel
• Tell how gift will be used / how others have been
• Preview future communications
• Invite for a tour
• Ask for feedback / send a survey
• Convert into monthly donors (based on gift size) and/or
volunteers
Gift acknowledgement principles »
@StevenShattuck

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Thank their socks off »

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Communicate their impact later »

27. @StevenShattuck
• first-time donors who get a personal thank you within 48
hours are 4x more likely to give a second gift (Tom Ahern)
• a three-minute thank-you call will boost first-year
retention by 30%. (Roger Craver / The Agitator)
• a thank-you call from a board member to a newly
acquired donor within 24 hours of receiving the gifts will
increase their next gift by 39%. (Penelope Burk)
http://www.nonprofithub.org/fundraising/excuses-need-call-every-new-donor
http://www.guidestar.org/rxa/news/articles/2010/how-to-increase-donations-by-39-percent.aspx
The personal touch »
http://www.clairification.com/thank-you-calls-ebook/

28. @StevenShattuck

29. Acknowledge donors differently »
@StevenShattuck
Above average gift amount
At or below average gift amount

30. Segment by giving channel »
@StevenShattuck
Website Direct Mail/Ad Event

31. Data Segmentation
for stories that retain donors
Monthly Donors

32. Monthly giving »
Source: Target Analytics, 2015 DonorCentrics US Recurring Giving Benchmarking Analysis
@StevenShattuck

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Monthly giving welcome »

34. @StevenShattuck
Don’t send the same 12 receipts »

35. @StevenShattuck
Don’t send the same 12 receipts »

36. • Always address them as monthly donors.
• Modest upgrade appeal depending on other
engagement signals
• “Your gift of $x does this. A gift of $x would do
this.”
• Don’t hesitate to make stand-alone gift asks.
• A unique appeal just for them.
@StevenShattuck
Monthly donors: upgrade »
https://bloomerang.co/blog/why-segmenting-your-sustaining-donors-is-crucial-for-growth/

37. Data Segmentation
for stories that retain donors
Lapsed Donors (+2 years)

38. • Isolate donors who haven’t given in 2+ years
• Remove from direct mail sends
• Send a lapsed donor survey
• Invest in data services:
• NCOA (they moved)
• Deceased Suppression Processing
(they died)
Lapsed donors »
@StevenShattuck

39. 2 common “one and dones” »
@StevenShattuck

40. • Memorial donors
• Thank (if you can), then isolate
• Peer-to-peer donors
• Have first gift acknowledgement come from
fundraiser, not benefiting org
• (Re)introduce the charity
• Explain why fundraiser supports it
• Ask for donor to continue support
@StevenShattuck
https://bloomerang.co/blog/3-tips-for-improving-p2p-donor-retention/
2 common “one and dones” »

41. Data Segmentation
for stories that retain donors
Volunteers Who Have Not Yet Donated

42. Lowest of low-hanging fruit »
@StevenShattuck
http://www.fidelitycharitable.org/docs/Volunteerism-Charitable-Giving-2009-Executive-Summary.pdf
• Volunteers are 10x more likely to donate than
non-volunteers.
• Get to know their goals for volunteering, then
translate it into donation impact.
• Ask for an appropriate amount (can be a
monthly commitment).
• Convert into fundraisers!

43. @StevenShattuck
http://www.slideshare.net/socialogilvy/why-do-people-share-on-social-media-global-survey-results
Use social media to say thank you »

44. Use social media to say thank you »
@StevenShattuck

45. @StevenShattuck
Use social media to say thank you »

46. @StevenShattuck
Convert into fundraisers »

47. Data Segmentation
for stories that retain donors
Donors Who Have Shared
Feedback / Criticism

48. • Send a survey to new donors
• Boosts retention even if they don’t respond
• Respondents signify high-engagement
• Email confirmation is a great place to include
• Google Forms or SurveyMonkey
Survey »
@StevenShattuck
http://t.co/XMUTnvjThP
https://bloomerang.co/blog/23-questions-to-ask-donors-and-prospects/

49. • “Why do you give?”
• “What’s your connection to the cause?”
• Group similar answers together into
segments
• Tailor communication accordingly
Secret sub-segment »
@StevenShattuck

50. Keep donors happy »
@StevenShattuck
Source: Target Analytics, 2009 DonorCentrics US Recurring Giving Benchmarking Analysis

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56. Data Segmentation
for stories that retain donors
Social Media Users

57. Proactively collect social contact info »
@StevenShattuck
missed opportunity?

58. Encourage bragging »
@StevenShattuck

59. Respond to their bragging »
@StevenShattuck

60. Ask for likes in confirmation »
@StevenShattuck

61. Save social info in database »
@StevenShattuck

62. Leverage them later »
http://socialmediatoday.com/sashattuck/2431046/how-college-used-social-media-raise-465k-one-day
@StevenShattuck

63. http://socialmediatoday.com/sashattuck/2053261/how-nonprofit-raised-41k-twitter-24-hours-without-trying
@StevenShattuck
Leverage them later »

64. Other engagement signals »
@StevenShattuck
• Upgrade /
Downgrade + -
• Event attendance +
• Opens email +
• Clicks emails +
• Unsubscribes
from email -
• Changes
communication
preferences +
• Changes contact info
• Has inbound
interactions +
• Has soft credits +

65. • Treat your constituents differently!
• Multiple versions/variations:
• thank you letters (outcomes)
• appeals (uses)
• newsletters (interests)
• stewardship pieces (stories)
• Survey early and often
• Data is king
Final thoughts »
@StevenShattuck

66. https://bloomerang.co/resources
•Nonprofit Wrap-Up
•Bloomerang TV
•Bloomies
•Daily blog post
•Weekly webinars
•Downloadables

67. Questions?
steven.shattuck@bloomerang.co
@StevenShattuck
Free eBook »
@StevenShattuck
https://bloomerang.co/resources/guides/the-art-and-science-of-retaining-digital-donors/