![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.qgiv.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/Stats-1024x569.png\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\nHere are 5 key takeaways that build upon that finding.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
1. Donors want to hear real stories about real people who benefit from a nonprofit\u2019s programs.<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\nDonors want to know about the people that benefit from your\nprograms. Notice that I didn\u2019t say they wanted to hear about your programs!\nIt\u2019s a fine line, but it\u2019s an important one. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
When donors give, they want to know that their gift will\nhelp real people. So, if you want donors to support your organization, show\nthem the people that will benefit from their gift! Remember: people give to\npeople, not organizations. Show them the people they help!<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Example<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\nWeak: \u201cBy donating to our holiday campaign, you\u2019ll help\nsupport our work in our county\u2019s schools.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Better: \u201cBy donating this season, you\u2019ll help get students\nlike Caroline the tutoring and after-school care they need.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
2. Donors prefer to hear from real people at your organization<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.qgiv.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/Individual-Stories-1024x371.png\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\nYour donors are inundated with emails and social posts from\nbrands, companies, and nonprofits. Use my personal inbox as an example: today\nalone, I\u2019ve gotten emails from more than 40 brands and at least three nonprofit\norganizations. Do you know how many emails from real people I\u2019ve gotten? One.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
We hear from companies and businesses all day, and we become\nnumb to seeing different brands pop up in our inboxes, on our social channels,\nand in our mailboxes. If you want to stand out, speak to your donors as a real\nperson.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Try this: next time you send a newsletter or appeal letter,\nchange the name of the sender from your organization\u2019s name to the name of a\nreal person. Or, instead of writing an appeal that refers to your organization\nas a collective \u201cwe,\u201d have a single individual write your appeal and sign it. This\npersonal touch will make your communications stand out from the crowd and will\nhelp your donors connect to your mission on a personal level.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Example<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\nWeak: \u201cAt our organization, we provide supplemental in-home health care to pediatric patients.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Better: \u201cEvery day, I go to work and see kids healing and growing where they\u2019re most comfortable\u2014their homes.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n
3.<\/strong> Donors want specifics before they decide to give<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\nWhen donors decide to give, they\u2019ll base a large portion of\ntheir decision on the story you\u2019ve told. But they\u2019re not totally committed to\ngiving yet; to get there, donors need to know some of the specifics about their\ngift. What will it accomplish? Who will it support? How are you going to use\nit?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In your donor communications, make sure donors understand the\ndetails by:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
- Including an impact statement for each suggested\ndonation amount<\/li>
- Using images to show donors the kind of people\nthey will help with their gift<\/li>
- Adding \u201ctrust indicators\u201d to your donation form\n(think Guidestar badges and testimonials)<\/li>
- Showing donors how others have benefitted from\nyour services<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n
There\u2019s a pattern here! Donors want to know who their gift\nhelps, how<\/em> their gift helps, and proof that their gift will make an\nimpact. <\/p>\n\n\n\nExample<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\nWeak: \u201cPlease donate to our holiday campaign!\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Better: \u201cBy donating this December, you\u2019ll provide more than hot meals for hungry members of our community\u2014you\u2019ll provide peace of mind.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.qgiv.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/Upgrades-1024x552.png\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\n4. Building multiple donation forms keeps your content relevant<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\nYou probably have several different campaigns, programs, or initiatives running at the same time. When you\u2019re sending donor communications about your different programs, resist sending all your donors to the same donation page! Instead, build different donation forms for different programs and for different segments of donors.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Here\u2019s why.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Pretend you\u2019re an animal rescue foundation raising money for\na badly injured puppy that needs medical care. You\u2019ve built a dynamite appeal\nletter and sent it to your donor base. A donor is smitten with the puppy and\nwants to donate to cover her medical bills. They click on the donate button and\nland on the same donation page they used to make their last gift. After a quick\nscan of your available restrictions, they choose \u201cwhere the need is greatest\u201d\nand wonder if the money will end up in the right place.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Alternatively, pretend the same donor clicked on a donation\nform that includes an image of the puppy and a note about how their gift will\nhelp her recover more quickly. They don\u2019t have to choose from a list of\nrestrictions; the intro content already explains how their gift will help the\ndog.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In which scenario is the donor more likely to complete their\ngift?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Building unique campaign donation forms can help you create\na better donor experience for your supporters. It also lets you target your\ndonation forms\u2019 messaging to different donor segments (think one-time vs.\nrecurring donors, high-capacity donors vs. the general public, etc.). It can\neven make attribution easier!<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Example<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\nWeak: \u201cPlease choose which program you\u2019d like to support\nwith your gift.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Better: \u201cYour donation will go directly to this program!\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n
5. Peer-to-peer fundraising can be a valuable donor acquisition tool<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\nCampaign Monitor\u2019s study revealed a disconnect between the\nway donors and nonprofits approach events. Nonprofits tended to perceive events\nas a valuable way to find new donors. Donors, though, said they didn\u2019t prefer\nto find new nonprofits by attending events.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Peer-to-peer fundraising bridges the gap between donor\npreferences and nonprofits\u2019 expectations. This particular fundraising style\ninvolves recruiting existing donors, volunteers, and other supporters to raise\nmoney on your behalf. They\u2019ll build their own fundraising pages, tell their\nfriends and family why they\u2019re passionate about your cause, and ask them to\ndonate, which:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
- Helps raise your visibility and get your message\nin front of people who you may never reach otherwise;<\/li>
- Creates tons of opportunities to expand your\ndonor base when others support your fundraising participants (be sure to have a\nstrong donor retention system in place!);<\/li>
- Strengthens your relationship with participants;\nand<\/li>
- Gives you opportunities to identify more real\nstories from real people that you can tell in future campaigns.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n
Remember, donors want to hear real stories from real people.\nWhat better way to share those stories than to let others tell your stories for\nyou?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Want to Know More?<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\nAt Qgiv, we\u2019re donation form nerds. If you want to know how\nto tailor your donation forms to match your donors\u2019 communication preferences,\nwe can show you! Take a look at our donation\nform check-up checklist<\/a>, then ask us for more\ninformation (or see a demo!)<\/a> about how you can use Qgiv\u2019s tools to create a\ngreat donor experience.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Weak: \u201cBy donating to our holiday campaign, you\u2019ll help\nsupport our work in our county\u2019s schools.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Better: \u201cBy donating this season, you\u2019ll help get students\nlike Caroline the tutoring and after-school care they need.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
2. Donors prefer to hear from real people at your organization<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\nYour donors are inundated with emails and social posts from\nbrands, companies, and nonprofits. Use my personal inbox as an example: today\nalone, I\u2019ve gotten emails from more than 40 brands and at least three nonprofit\norganizations. Do you know how many emails from real people I\u2019ve gotten? One.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
We hear from companies and businesses all day, and we become\nnumb to seeing different brands pop up in our inboxes, on our social channels,\nand in our mailboxes. If you want to stand out, speak to your donors as a real\nperson.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Try this: next time you send a newsletter or appeal letter,\nchange the name of the sender from your organization\u2019s name to the name of a\nreal person. Or, instead of writing an appeal that refers to your organization\nas a collective \u201cwe,\u201d have a single individual write your appeal and sign it. This\npersonal touch will make your communications stand out from the crowd and will\nhelp your donors connect to your mission on a personal level.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Example<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\nWeak: \u201cAt our organization, we provide supplemental in-home health care to pediatric patients.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Better: \u201cEvery day, I go to work and see kids healing and growing where they\u2019re most comfortable\u2014their homes.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n
3.<\/strong> Donors want specifics before they decide to give<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\nWhen donors decide to give, they\u2019ll base a large portion of\ntheir decision on the story you\u2019ve told. But they\u2019re not totally committed to\ngiving yet; to get there, donors need to know some of the specifics about their\ngift. What will it accomplish? Who will it support? How are you going to use\nit?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In your donor communications, make sure donors understand the\ndetails by:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
- Including an impact statement for each suggested\ndonation amount<\/li>
- Using images to show donors the kind of people\nthey will help with their gift<\/li>
- Adding \u201ctrust indicators\u201d to your donation form\n(think Guidestar badges and testimonials)<\/li>
- Showing donors how others have benefitted from\nyour services<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n
There\u2019s a pattern here! Donors want to know who their gift\nhelps, how<\/em> their gift helps, and proof that their gift will make an\nimpact. <\/p>\n\n\n\nExample<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\nWeak: \u201cPlease donate to our holiday campaign!\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Better: \u201cBy donating this December, you\u2019ll provide more than hot meals for hungry members of our community\u2014you\u2019ll provide peace of mind.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n4. Building multiple donation forms keeps your content relevant<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\nYou probably have several different campaigns, programs, or initiatives running at the same time. When you\u2019re sending donor communications about your different programs, resist sending all your donors to the same donation page! Instead, build different donation forms for different programs and for different segments of donors.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Here\u2019s why.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Pretend you\u2019re an animal rescue foundation raising money for\na badly injured puppy that needs medical care. You\u2019ve built a dynamite appeal\nletter and sent it to your donor base. A donor is smitten with the puppy and\nwants to donate to cover her medical bills. They click on the donate button and\nland on the same donation page they used to make their last gift. After a quick\nscan of your available restrictions, they choose \u201cwhere the need is greatest\u201d\nand wonder if the money will end up in the right place.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Alternatively, pretend the same donor clicked on a donation\nform that includes an image of the puppy and a note about how their gift will\nhelp her recover more quickly. They don\u2019t have to choose from a list of\nrestrictions; the intro content already explains how their gift will help the\ndog.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In which scenario is the donor more likely to complete their\ngift?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Building unique campaign donation forms can help you create\na better donor experience for your supporters. It also lets you target your\ndonation forms\u2019 messaging to different donor segments (think one-time vs.\nrecurring donors, high-capacity donors vs. the general public, etc.). It can\neven make attribution easier!<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Example<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\nWeak: \u201cPlease choose which program you\u2019d like to support\nwith your gift.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Better: \u201cYour donation will go directly to this program!\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n
5. Peer-to-peer fundraising can be a valuable donor acquisition tool<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\nCampaign Monitor\u2019s study revealed a disconnect between the\nway donors and nonprofits approach events. Nonprofits tended to perceive events\nas a valuable way to find new donors. Donors, though, said they didn\u2019t prefer\nto find new nonprofits by attending events.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Peer-to-peer fundraising bridges the gap between donor\npreferences and nonprofits\u2019 expectations. This particular fundraising style\ninvolves recruiting existing donors, volunteers, and other supporters to raise\nmoney on your behalf. They\u2019ll build their own fundraising pages, tell their\nfriends and family why they\u2019re passionate about your cause, and ask them to\ndonate, which:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
- Helps raise your visibility and get your message\nin front of people who you may never reach otherwise;<\/li>
- Creates tons of opportunities to expand your\ndonor base when others support your fundraising participants (be sure to have a\nstrong donor retention system in place!);<\/li>
- Strengthens your relationship with participants;\nand<\/li>
- Gives you opportunities to identify more real\nstories from real people that you can tell in future campaigns.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n
Remember, donors want to hear real stories from real people.\nWhat better way to share those stories than to let others tell your stories for\nyou?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Want to Know More?<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\nAt Qgiv, we\u2019re donation form nerds. If you want to know how\nto tailor your donation forms to match your donors\u2019 communication preferences,\nwe can show you! Take a look at our donation\nform check-up checklist<\/a>, then ask us for more\ninformation (or see a demo!)<\/a> about how you can use Qgiv\u2019s tools to create a\ngreat donor experience.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
<\/figure>\n\n\n\nYour donors are inundated with emails and social posts from\nbrands, companies, and nonprofits. Use my personal inbox as an example: today\nalone, I\u2019ve gotten emails from more than 40 brands and at least three nonprofit\norganizations. Do you know how many emails from real people I\u2019ve gotten? One.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
We hear from companies and businesses all day, and we become\nnumb to seeing different brands pop up in our inboxes, on our social channels,\nand in our mailboxes. If you want to stand out, speak to your donors as a real\nperson.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Try this: next time you send a newsletter or appeal letter,\nchange the name of the sender from your organization\u2019s name to the name of a\nreal person. Or, instead of writing an appeal that refers to your organization\nas a collective \u201cwe,\u201d have a single individual write your appeal and sign it. This\npersonal touch will make your communications stand out from the crowd and will\nhelp your donors connect to your mission on a personal level.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Example<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Weak: \u201cAt our organization, we provide supplemental in-home health care to pediatric patients.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n Better: \u201cEvery day, I go to work and see kids healing and growing where they\u2019re most comfortable\u2014their homes.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n When donors decide to give, they\u2019ll base a large portion of\ntheir decision on the story you\u2019ve told. But they\u2019re not totally committed to\ngiving yet; to get there, donors need to know some of the specifics about their\ngift. What will it accomplish? Who will it support? How are you going to use\nit?<\/p>\n\n\n\n In your donor communications, make sure donors understand the\ndetails by:<\/p>\n\n\n\n There\u2019s a pattern here! Donors want to know who their gift\nhelps, how<\/em> their gift helps, and proof that their gift will make an\nimpact. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Example<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Weak: \u201cPlease donate to our holiday campaign!\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n Better: \u201cBy donating this December, you\u2019ll provide more than hot meals for hungry members of our community\u2014you\u2019ll provide peace of mind.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n You probably have several different campaigns, programs, or initiatives running at the same time. When you\u2019re sending donor communications about your different programs, resist sending all your donors to the same donation page! Instead, build different donation forms for different programs and for different segments of donors.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Here\u2019s why.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Pretend you\u2019re an animal rescue foundation raising money for\na badly injured puppy that needs medical care. You\u2019ve built a dynamite appeal\nletter and sent it to your donor base. A donor is smitten with the puppy and\nwants to donate to cover her medical bills. They click on the donate button and\nland on the same donation page they used to make their last gift. After a quick\nscan of your available restrictions, they choose \u201cwhere the need is greatest\u201d\nand wonder if the money will end up in the right place.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Alternatively, pretend the same donor clicked on a donation\nform that includes an image of the puppy and a note about how their gift will\nhelp her recover more quickly. They don\u2019t have to choose from a list of\nrestrictions; the intro content already explains how their gift will help the\ndog.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In which scenario is the donor more likely to complete their\ngift?<\/p>\n\n\n\n Building unique campaign donation forms can help you create\na better donor experience for your supporters. It also lets you target your\ndonation forms\u2019 messaging to different donor segments (think one-time vs.\nrecurring donors, high-capacity donors vs. the general public, etc.). It can\neven make attribution easier!<\/p>\n\n\n\n Example<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Weak: \u201cPlease choose which program you\u2019d like to support\nwith your gift.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Better: \u201cYour donation will go directly to this program!\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n Campaign Monitor\u2019s study revealed a disconnect between the\nway donors and nonprofits approach events. Nonprofits tended to perceive events\nas a valuable way to find new donors. Donors, though, said they didn\u2019t prefer\nto find new nonprofits by attending events.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Peer-to-peer fundraising bridges the gap between donor\npreferences and nonprofits\u2019 expectations. This particular fundraising style\ninvolves recruiting existing donors, volunteers, and other supporters to raise\nmoney on your behalf. They\u2019ll build their own fundraising pages, tell their\nfriends and family why they\u2019re passionate about your cause, and ask them to\ndonate, which:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Remember, donors want to hear real stories from real people.\nWhat better way to share those stories than to let others tell your stories for\nyou?<\/p>\n\n\n\n At Qgiv, we\u2019re donation form nerds. If you want to know how\nto tailor your donation forms to match your donors\u2019 communication preferences,\nwe can show you! Take a look at our donation\nform check-up checklist<\/a>, then ask us for more\ninformation (or see a demo!)<\/a> about how you can use Qgiv\u2019s tools to create a\ngreat donor experience.<\/p>\n\n\n\n3.<\/strong> Donors want specifics before they decide to give<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n
<\/figure>\n\n\n\n4. Building multiple donation forms keeps your content relevant<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n
5. Peer-to-peer fundraising can be a valuable donor acquisition tool<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n
Want to Know More?<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n