Donors want praise for the accomplishments of the mission. You enjoy having your boss praise you for a job well done. The donors want the same thing.
Contrary to popular belief, they did not give you money. They think they are giving you a way to change lives. If you work for a parochial school, the donors want a student’s life. How did they do that?
Some will say that the teachers or a volunteer changed the student’s life. However, if you take the donor’s gift out of the process, the student leaves the school because the tuition is too high. Without the student, who will the teacher or volunteer serve? Without the student, do you need the teacher or volunteer?
Donors are a critical part of the process. The volunteers and teachers are equally important and deserve equal credit. Developing a student is a team sport. Honor all of the team members.
The teachers and volunteers receive credit. Students tell their parents about what happened at school. Peers tell other peers about the good job that someone did. Peers tell the board and administration about successes. Everyday everyone except the donors receives feedback.
What should we tell the donors? Remembering that they want students’ lives to change, we should tell them about the changes. The changes are different from a story about a child who loves to get up and go to school. That is good and important. It says the child is probably engaged in the learning process.
The donors want to know about the life changing (not better grades and happy students). How has the student changed? Is he better behaved? Is she more emotionally stable? Is he more confident? Is she more optimistic? Does he have hope for the future? Is she now a person of impeccable character? Those are life changes. That is what the donor is paying for.
Next Step:
Weekly, collect the small changes that the teachers, volunteers, and parents notice in the students.
Monthly, send a newsletter to the donors and volunteers that highlight two life-changing observations (one short paragraph each).
Remind them that they make those stories possible through their help and prayers.
Remember it is a newsletter so leave out the giving envelope and an “Ask”. If it opens their heart to give, they know where to mail the check or can find the PayPal button on your website.
They will be happy to hear another story every month. Good news is always a welcomed message. After a few months, the donors will look forward to your newsletter. They will develop a habit of reading your mailings. When you make an “Ask”, they will read and respond to it differently.
Do it and the donors will feel better and be more generous. Do it and the donors will be more loyal. Do it and fundraising will be easier. Do it and the school will be more sustainable. Do it and enrollment will increase (your donors will have life changing stories to tell their friends). Do it and everyone will be happier.
Remember to do it every month. In July when school is out, the newsletter can talk about how you are looking forward to the next school year and how all of the lives they support will change. Inspire them with what they can do and spend the rest of the year congratulating them on what they accomplished.
As always, contact us if you want help. We use a special process that offers a guarantee. For more information about our process and guarantee, you can click here.
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