One thing that every non-profit knows is that donors are crucial and essential to success. And this means that every non-profit has struggled with donor retention. Successfully keeping donors engaged is necessary for keeping an organization going, and social media such as Twitter has made it easier than ever to reach out and connect with donors.
Ronn Torossian, CEO of 5WPR, shares five secrets of using Twitter that will keep your donors engaged so that they continue to donate throughout the year.
1. Look through all of your donor communications
Donors want to feel like they are a part of your success, not just the golden goose. It is beneficial to look through every communication that you have shared with donors and track how many times you have asked them to donate versus how many times you have shared news on the progress of your organization. Which is higher? Sharing more news about your organization helps to engage donors and keep them interested. A quick update on Twitter will instantly connect and share with your donors.
2. Ask donors why they give to your organization
If you want a donor to take interest in you, then you need to take interest in your donors. Determining the reason that a donor gave the first time, or continued giving the tenth time, can help you to retain them and will also show your donors that you have an interest in them. A survey on Twitter is simple and can get quick results.
3. Keep in continuous contact
When someone donates money, they want to be sure that their contribution is being utilized. This is why keeping in constant contact with your donors is essential. This does not mean spamming their inbox with three messages a day, but rather keeping them updated on salient and important information. Posting on Twitter about a relevant accomplishment of your organization is a quick way to do this without shoving it in your donors’ faces.
4. Reach donors “off peak”
Donors are inundated with donation requests and other communications during peak seasons such as around the holidays. Think about all the times you are asked for donations during these times. Chances are that you cannot even remember the organizations that asked you to make a donation. Donors are much more likely to hear you and pay attention if you are able to contact them when they are not overwhelmed by countless requests for donation. A quick tweet during the off peak time can quickly communicate with donors.
5. Inspire and connect with donors
Donors often feel that nonprofits are soliciting more than the value that they provide. Consequently, many donors lose interest quickly. It is important for you to communicate salient and inspiring information to donors to keep them engaged with your organization. Twitter makes this connection a breeze because it is so quick and easy to write a quick tweet updating everyone on the feed.