Nonprofits sell a feeling. It’s the warm feeling that a donor has done something beneficial, useful, important, good, and proper by engaging in a philanthropic act. 

Creating these feelings is the job of your communications. Your newsletter, thank you notes, solicitation letters…

Do you view your newsletter as getting in the way of fundraising? Or more directly, a pain in the butt?

Or…an opportunity to hit the jackpot and open the floodgates to loyal donors and more money?

Did you know that regular communications with your donors is a guarantee of fundraising success.

And that your newsletter can be one of your best fundraising tools?

How often do you communicate with your donors?

And the big question, what is the quality of your communications?

Humm…

As you know from your own mailbox, many donor newsletters are borderline painful – they go right in the recycling bin.

Research shows however that people want them, whether they read them or not. I’m guessing it lets them know you’re still alive.

Pitiful.

What would happen if their heart skipped a beat when they read something that you sent?

If they got excited about an achievement, or maybe they welled up.

How much more money could you raise? ALOT! 

This 1 tip will absolutely boost your fundraising results

Deepening the feelings of loyalty donors have toward your nonprofit is the quickest way to increasing your results.  

Here’s one simple way among many that you can achieve this.

Set aside some time with staff and volunteers, the people that spend the most time with those you serve.

Paint a vivd picture of the world without your nonprofit.

. . . the teens that turned to crime to survive . . .the veterans who struggled and failed to get through the maze of government forms to receive their benefits, so now they end up living in poverty.

Create an image that no one would ever understand – or feel – if they weren’t immersed in it every day like you are.

This world without your nonprofit will invoke deeper emotional feelings on people.  

And it builds loyalty toward your nonprofit.

When you begin your letters or emails, consider a lead where you explained what it would be like if you didn’t exist and donors couldn’t support you?

Then introduce the role the donor plays and how they can help change that scenario. You’ll raise more funds this way.

Donors will feel a stronger connection to your nonprofit when they clearly “see” what the world would be like without their gift.  

They’ll be more inclined to give and to give generously.

Now what?

What step can you take right now to ramp up your communications and raise more money?

Decide this very minute that you’ll begin sending out newsletters (if you don’t already), or send them more frequently or consistently.

Most importantly, reframe your idea of donor communications from an interruption of the “real” work of fundraising, to an opportunity to create the most loyal donors ever and raise all the money you need.

Do you send out a newsletter? enews, hard copy, or both?