From the course: Cause Selling: The Secret to Nonprofit Donations

Key tactics to securing donors

From the course: Cause Selling: The Secret to Nonprofit Donations

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Key tactics to securing donors

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- Where would nonprofits be without donors? Donor prospects are the lifeblood of nonprofit fundraising. Fundraisers everywhere know the same well, no money, no mission, and donors hold the key. I want you to be able to identify potential donors with the need, interest, shared values and passion for your cause, so I'm going to show you how to find those that love your work, but just haven't found you yet. Given that only about 40% of donors make repeat gifts, it is critical to maintain a pipeline of funding prospects. Today, I'm going to share the 10 key prospecting tactics to help fill your donor pipeline when used consistently. Let's take a look at each. Tactic number one, referrals. These are names given to you as leads by people who feel good about your organization and want it to succeed. The high efficiency in leveraging personal relationships makes using referrals powerful in prospecting. Tactic number two, center of influence. An extension of referrals, a center of influence is someone who believes in your work, has the ability to influence others, and gives you names of potential donors. Think about those who have the trust of many people through their various networks. Tactic number three, event prospecting. This involves bringing people together for an experience that highlights your work and provides you names, contact information, and more. Tactic number four, mail and email direct marketing. This marketing tactic involves sending a targeted list of at least partially qualified individuals and businesses a direct mail or email communication requesting a reply. Tactic number five, social media direct marketing. Let social networking work for you by sharing information and multimedia content which engage current and prospective donors. Tactic number six, warm calling. This is when you phone a prospect with whom you've had prior contact, the stronger the connection, the warmer the call. Tactic number seven, networking with fundraisers from different organizations and other influencers who share information about the nonprofit climate, their work, as well as their contact info. Tactic number eight, organization initiated prospecting where an organization uses prospecting tools for fundraising such as lead generation software and preassembled prospect lists. Tactic number nine, your organization's website. Make sure your site is easy to navigate and ask visitors to opt into email communications like newsletters. Crowdfunding, this is the practice of funding a project or venture, by raising money for a large number of people typically via the internet. A good prospector can become a great prospector by using these creative approaches to pave the road to financial success. Remember, successful fundraisers are prospecting constantly. Train everyone on your staff to see opportunities everywhere to build value and lasting relationships. Consider your current prospecting methods and identify two or three tactics to try. Over the next week, research how you might put these tactics into practice. Don't worry about coming up with a perfect plan. Keep thinking like a great fundraiser. You've got this.

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