Episode #266
No time to steward your donors?
In today’s video, Shanon Doolittle brings you a quick and fun way to steward your donors during this Valentine’s Day week.
This week’s episode is short and a little bit on the goofy side. Enjoy!
You can find more donor stewardship strategies and action plans in the Donor Retention Project. Click over to Nonprofit Best Practices .com
If you have any stories or advice around quick ways to steward your donors, please share it with everyone else. Leave a comment under the video. Thanks.
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If you have any stories or advice around quick ways to steward your donors, please share it with everyone else. Leave a comment below. Thanks. 🙂
I’m going to take this idea a step further and ask some of the clients we serve to cut out a heart and write a little message thanking donors for their big hearts that allow them to enjoy our food bank, shelter,and hygiene center. Thanks for the idea….
Our donors are receiving Valentine cards, thanking them for the continued support. The Valentine includes a magnet that says “I (Heart) Airplane Noise” (we’re an aviation museum).
Yay! I love it, Patty. Hope your clients have fun crafting sweet messages!
And such a cute idea, Tara. Fun magnets are the best!
Also send a heart to TIME donors (those volunteers whom you depend on), including those who give pro bono service to the organization and gifts-in-kind. (I liked the video, but why is “bigfoot donor” assumed to be male?)
Awesome point, Susan. Time donors deserve special thanks year-round too! As to why I made Bigfoot male, great question. I might have been influenced by Hollywood as I watched Harry and the Henderson’s several times when I was younger. But you’re absolutely right, Bigfoot could totally be a lady. Thanks for the comment!
Shanon,
This is fantastic! (NOT goofy as Chris said) Since I am a retired teacher working for an educational foundation, it fits us perfectly! Some of the kids can make the Hearts. Why stop there….4 leaf clover in March, “We are lucky to have you on our team!” and for spring, a flower and “Thanks to you, we are blooming.” And so on.
Thank you!
Darlene
Shanon, you always have great ideas! Thanks for sharing…
Another way to appreciate our donors (stewardship), is to see what are our donors’ “interests” are and figure out a way to serve that interest. We figured out that PMP Training interests our donors thus providing such training was our way of donors’ stewardship. Some offered to pay the expenses! 🙂
Fabulous idea Shanon! I used to get the children’s valentine’s at the drug store (always tried to find some with a retro feel) and send those to donors and special volunteers. I ALWAYS got a great response from the recipients. They’d tell me how much they appreciated it or what fond memories the valentine stirred up. I think it’s always a good thing to have happy supporters. 🙂
The perfect and simple nudge to make a donor feel truly remembered and thought of. Thank you for the idea!
The idea is great and I love how Shannon does it in “real time” to show just how simple this is. But the most important thing that shines through this is her JOY. It should feel wonderful to send gratitude and it definitely does for her. Thanks for the inspiration!
LOVE IT!! Thanks Shannon
I love this idea Shannon! At first, I thought it was a little cheesy because I work for a international men’s fraternity and educational foundation, but then I totally got on board. I bought spring-looking thank you cards (no cutting required) and wrote in red marker, “Thank you for having a big heart for FarmHouse. Happy Valentine’s Day!” I sent 50 cards this morning to some of our favorite major donors and board members, and their wives. I’m hopeful they will bring a smile to their faces when they arrive in the mail. Terrific, simple idea! I always love your suggestions and positive energy!