You Mail Your Donors How Often?!

Are you nervous about the number of emails or direct mail appeals you send to your donors? Do you find yourself asking, “Am I overdoing it?” or “Will I lose my shirt if I add one more direct mail appeal to the schedule?” 

If these questions have been gnawing at you, you've landed on the right post. Today, we're here to put your concerns to rest and show you how to tread the fine line between staying top-of-mind and overwhelming your donors with correspondence.

Understanding Your Donors

Contrary to popular opinion, donors are not annoyed by frequent communication from the organizations they support. In fact, it's quite the opposite! 

Donors want to know how their contributions are making a difference, they want updates, and they want to feel engaged and connected. 

A quick internet search will show you there’s no shortage of studies that prove donors prefer more communication about how their donations are used. And it's not just about information - they also appreciate acknowledgment and gratitude for their contributions. 

Reaching Out More - The Right Way

However, it's crucial to understand that more communication doesn't mean mindless spamming. It means strategically curated, thoughtfully timed, and personalized correspondence that respects the donor's preferences. 

Here's how you can do that:

1. Content is King: Make your communications rich with stories of impact, updates about your projects, or anything else your donors would love to know. Show them the real-world difference their donations are making. Make them feel like they're part of your mission.

   
   

2. Personalize, Personalize, Personalize: Take advantage of automation tools to segment your donors based on their preferences and engagement levels. Use their names in emails and direct mail appeals and tailor the content to suit their interests and past donation patterns. 

   
   

3. Respect their Preferences: Some donors might prefer a weekly update; others might want to hear from you only once a month. Consider adding an option to choose how often they want to hear from you and stick to their preferences.

   
   

4. Timing is Everything: Understanding the best time to send your emails can significantly impact your open and response rates. There’s research that suggests Tuesday and Thursday mornings often see the highest email engagement, but it's important to experiment and find what works best for your unique donor base. Additionally, ensure you're sending time-sensitive or seasonal emails (like end-of-year giving) at appropriate times to maximize their impact.

   
   

5. Keep Testing: It's important to keep analyzing your results to understand what works best for your donor base. Try A/B testing with different email content, subject lines, and send times to gauge what gets the best response.

   
   

Your Donors are Your Partners 

In the end, the key to a successful direct response fundraising strategy is to remember that your donors are more than just email addresses or checkbooks. This is a core principle for our team at The Bowie Group. 

Never forget that your donors are your partners in making a difference. Keeping them informed and engaged is not an annoyance - it's an integral part of maintaining and nurturing these important relationships.

So, the next time you find yourself wondering if you're emailing your donors too frequently, remember: your donors want to hear from you. But make sure when they do, it's worth their while.

Remember, communication is the bridge between you and your donors. Don't shy away from walking that bridge more often!

Need help crafting an outreach strategy and content calendar that informs, motivates, and engages your donors? Drop us a line at www.thebowiegroup.ca!