Soapbox Engage Blog

The burning question that is always on a development professional's mind is, "How do I get more donations?" Especially when the economy is looking a little suspect or your current donations take a bit of a dip.

It's more challenging to attract new donors because people are busier, and there's more "noise" to cut through to grab their attention. But don't get discouraged! Many nonprofits are using a mix of old and new strategies to keep the donations coming in.

We rounded up some of the best, proven ways you can connect with current and potential supporters and get people to donate to your cause.

Table of Contents

1. Tell stories and encourage dialogue with your donors
2. Mobile-friendly websites and easy online donations
3. Consistent branding across platforms
4. Multiple giving options
5. Always say thank you

1) Tell stories and create a dialogue between you and your donors

We've mentioned before that people love stories. Humans are wired to connect with a good story that draws them in and allows them to connect and feel. It's one way to create a dialogue between you and your supporters.

Many fundraising experts agree that storytelling can make or break your fundraising. It's an effective way to create an interactive and bonding dialogue between you and your supporters.

Instead of just sharing facts, figures, and information, tell a story! Connect the data and facts to real people and practical ways you're making a difference in the world. Not only does this prevent the recipients of your services from becoming a statistic, but it also proves to your donors that their money is making a difference.

One part of the story dialogue that many nonprofits forget is the follow-up. Don't just tell your supporters that you reached a fundraising milestone; circle back several months later to offer stories and updates about how that project is going! Those follow-up stories really engage donors, increase your trustworthiness, and inspire them to continue giving to other fundraising campaigns.

2) Make sure you're mobile-friendly and make online donations a breeze

Did you know that 54% of donors prefer online giving? With that in mind, do you have a custom online donation page that is easy for your supporters to navigate? This is one of the easiest and most effective ways to increase your donations.

The easier it is for people to donate, the more likely they are to give. Make sure your donation page includes your logo and essential information about your nonprofit and your particular fundraising campaign.

While we're on the subject of donation pages, is yours mobile friendly? Since most of us are dependant on our smartphones, it's no surprise that about half of all website traffic comes from tablets and other mobile devices. Having a mobile-friendly donation page is not just a luxury in the digital age; it's practically necessary.

Mobile-friendly websites adjust automatically to fit any size screen, and they're much easier to navigate on different devices. This creates a far more enjoyable user experience, which means people are more likely to stick around and make a donation.

3) Consistent branding across all platforms makes a difference

Building trust with your supporters is a crucial ingredient to getting more donations. One of the easiest ways to do this is to be consistent with your branding across your website, social media, and other online presence.

When your brand is consistent and recognizable, people feel more confident investing in your cause. It also helps reassure them that they're in the right place if they move from one online page to the next. For example, if someone clicks on your Facebook post and navigates to your website, seeing your logo on both pages confirms they're in the right place.

Creating brand consistency doesn't need to be a complicated process. Add your logo to each page of your website and across all social media. This lets viewers know they haven't left your site--this is especially important for your donation page. Use customizable templates that allow you to set the colors and fonts to match your overall branding.

4) Offer multiple giving options

Another great way to encourage more donations is to offer a wide range of giving options. We're not talking about just accepting all major credit cards (though that's part of it). Offer as many different ways to donate as your organization can manage.

Not only does this boost your donation potential, but it's also an easy way to create a positive giving experience for your supporters, which can result in long-term engagement.

In addition to the regular fundraising events, appeal letters, and other giving methods, create a recurring giving option so supporters can donate on a recurring basis (monthly, quarterly, or even annually). Adding a recurring donation option to your online donation form can help people give more over the long term compared to one-time gifts.

Another great giving addition is to bring mobile swipers to your fundraising events. Very few people carry cash these days, so only accepting cash donations can really limit your fundraising potential. Offering mobile swipers and readers allows people to give on-site by credit or debit card.

5) Always say thank you

Over and over, research proves that thanking your donors improves donor retention. One study indicates that sending a personal thank-you within 48-hours leads to a 400 percent increase in renewal rates!

Make sure your team is equipped and ready to say thank you after each donation. Write a quick hand-written thank you note, and be sure to send letters and emails to update supporters about the projects they invested in.

Many nonprofits are getting very creative with their thank-you and donor recognition! Shout-outs on social media are becoming a popular way to spotlight donors throughout the year. Even if you add those donor appreciation practices, nothing can replace a personalized note or phone call to show your appreciation in person.

Overall, paying attention to the little things can lead to significant fundraising results. We're confident that implementing these 5 strategies will boost your donations without adding more fundraising events to your schedule.

Here are three more resources to help you boost your fundraising efforts.

• Surefire Ways to Improve Your Nonprofit Storytelling: The best communicators are great storytellers. They help you feel as though you've been somewhere, even if you never left home. While storytelling requires time and energy, it is certainly a worthwhile investment for any organization, especially those with volunteers, donors, and other supporters. Head over to this blog to boost your storytelling skills!
• The Nonprofit Fundraising Guide for Every Development Professional: Great fundraising really is a learned skill, and excellent development professionals take the time to hone their craft. And they back their skills with a strong fundraising plan. We know that time, energy, and money are precious commodities for development professionals, so we created this nonprofit fundraising guide to help you build an excellent fundraising plan that fits your organization's strengths and mission.
• How to Write Event Descriptions for Your Fundraisers and Nonprofit Events: A good event description is critical to attracting people to your fundraisers and events. Most people want to know exactly what to expect and feel confident it will be worth their time and energy to attend. With a bit of an understanding of your ideal audience and what details to highlight, you'll be able to write an event description that has people lined up out the doors!