Share the Love with Your Nonprofit Donors This Valentine’s Day
Valentine’s Day is less than two weeks away! As a holiday dedicated to expressing love and affection, it is the perfect time to share the love with your nonprofit organization’s donors. Think of your donors as your valentine this year. Forget the candy hearts, boxes of chocolates, and bouquets of flowers; instead, you can simply showcase your gratitude through words and actions!
Here are a few ideas for your nonprofit to celebrate Valentine’s Day and leverage this special holiday for nonprofit fundraising.
Keep the Spark Alive with a Phone Call
What is the number one tip given to couples hoping to cultivate a successful relationship? That’s right — communication! We have all heard that relationships can lose the “spark” as time goes on, and the same can happen with your donors. So, in order to keep that spark alive, it’s important to refer to the age-old relationship advice and keep up with your communication.
What does that mean for Valentine’s Day? Use this love-inspired holiday to make an active effort to build your donor relationships by communicating with them! Since most donor lists are large, you can split up the workload by utilizing your staff, board members, and volunteers to help reach out to donors this month.
The goal is to give each donor a personalized phone call to thank them for their recent donations and ask about their interests related to your nonprofit organization. In which ways are they interested in engaging with your mission this year? By offering a personalized expression of gratitude and a listening ear for their interests, you will help keep the spark alive in those relationships.
Embrace the Theme to Express Your Love
‘Tis the season for cheesy Valentine’s Day decorations! Everywhere you look this month, you’ll find red, pink, hearts, candy, and more! Why not embrace the theme for your own marketing? Get into the holiday spirit by utilizing symbols of love on your social media and in your email campaigns. Everyone enjoys seeing organizations get into the holiday spirit, so your donors will get excited about these festive expressions of love!
Schedule Your Love Letters
Relationships require a give and take by both parties involved. In the case of your donors, it’s time to evaluate this ratio. How often are you giving, and how often are you taking? In other words, how often are you thanking your donors without including a donation request?
This Valentine’s Day, in addition to your phone calls and marketing messages, it’s the perfect time to send a special love letter to your donors. Your “love letter” is an opportunity to thank them (again) for their ongoing support and express your appreciation without including a financial ask.
However, don’t stop there! To truly build a healthy and successful long-term relationship with your nonprofit organization’s donors, it’s essential to share the love year-round. Use this month to plan out and schedule ongoing “love letters” throughout the year to ensure that your donors feel your appreciation at ALL times.
Relationships are a two-way street, and Valentine’s Day is the perfect time to put in the extra effort to build the relationships with your donors. Do you need help strategizing for future donor engagement and retention? Strat Labs can help! Contact our team today to learn how we can support your nonprofit fundraising efforts.