The Digital Donor Engagement Network

1. Donor personas (Individuals)

Using your organization’s data to develop donor personas – fictional representations of your ideal supporters – enables you to understand their specific characteristics, motivations, and preferences. The basic premise of this burgeoning nonprofit strategy is to segment your constituency by its unique donor groups to resonate more personally and effectively with each one.

Since Individuals find your organization through organic sources like search and social media – primarily being influenced by people employed by your nonprofit – it’s helpful to know what draws them in. If you want them to spread the word about your mission (and move to Socializer), make it relatable to them and other like-minded individuals.

Here are a few ways donor personas can improve your connections:

• Targeted outreach – If a persona is driven by environmental concerns, you can highlight your organization’s environmental impact and sustainability efforts.
• Resource allocation – Instead of a one-size-fits-all approach, you can allocate your engagement resources to strategies that have proven effective for each persona.
• Continuous improvement – If a certain approach resonates well with a particular persona, you can continue those efforts. If not, you can adjust accordingly.
• Donor retention – If a persona prefers hands-on involvement, you can invite them to volunteer opportunities or special events.

Connection win: You show each supporter how their contributions make a difference in their area of interest, and they see how your work aligns with their values.

You might wonder, “How can I do this for donors I don’t know much about?”
DonorPerfect has a solution for that. It integrates with state-of-the-art research tools from DonorSearch that report on your supporters’ wealth, giving capacity, philanthropic activity, nonprofit affiliations, and more.

2. Constituent relationship management (Socializers)

Constituent relationship management (CRM) is a crucial nonprofit solution for managing relationships with supporters. The reporting and analytics features of a CRM system are invaluable for enhancing donor engagement, particularly for Socializers. These tools help you understand their unique characteristics and behaviors, enabling you to leverage their influence more effectively.

These tools make it easy to tell what percentage of your supporters were influenced by someone they know, what communication channels they prefer, and if they share common characteristics. For example, with the Custom Report Builder and Dashboard Analytics included in DonorPerfect CRM, you can segment your constituency into distinct groups based on shared characteristics and identify behavior patterns to determine the best engagement strategy.

Here are a few ways a CRM can improve your connections:

• Integrated online forms: Automatically collect data about your donors’ connections with each other. For example, you can customize your online form with a field asking how they heard about your organization or the name of their event plus one.
• Email marketing: Create email campaigns that emphasize community and social connection. Highlight the social aspects of your organization, such as community events and opportunities for group involvement.
• Contact management: Track social interactions, event participation, and referral activity to gauge the effectiveness of your strategies.

Connection win: You can leverage social circles to strengthen community impact.

Included with DonorPerfect, Constant Contact email marketing features make it easy to segment and sync donor lists based on your messaging criteria – by donor persona, preferred communication channel, number of interactions, etc.
We joined forces with Constant Contact to show you how to master your nonprofit email campaigns in a free webinar recording!

3. Thought leadership (Broadcasters)

Your nonprofit’s Broadcasters likely have strong beliefs they aren’t afraid to share on their platform. They’re interested in the big picture of systematic change and keen on learning about the origins of your mission, reading about the laws that have shaped its course, and hearing from experts with a knack for identifying new trends.

To engage Broadcasters effectively, position your organization as a thought leader by regularly publishing insightful articles, research findings, and opinion pieces highlighting your expertise and impact. Thought leadership not only educates your audience but also builds trust and credibility. Attending events and conferences can further establish your organization as a leader, showcasing successful partnerships and the positive outcomes they generate.

Here are a few ways thought leadership can improve your connections:

• Events and conferences: Participate in industry events to network and share your insights on the broader societal impact of your mission.
• Lead magnets: Create content that speaks to the broader societal impact of your mission, offering free downloads in exchange for email addresses.
• Regular publications: Regularly publish articles, research findings, and opinion pieces on your nonprofit website to highlight your expertise and impact.
• CSR initiatives: Position your organization as a leader in corporate social responsibility (CSR) by showcasing successful partnerships and the positive outcomes they have generated.
• Referral incentives: Identify which incentives motivate Socializers to bring in new supporters.

Connection win: You attract people passionate about systematic change and eager to share your mission with a wider audience.

Nonprofit storytelling initiatives provide a foundation for your thought leadership efforts, including speaking engagements and lead magnets. The content you use to tell your mission’s impact stories, like beneficiary quotes and program outcomes, can be leveraged as proof of your expertise.

4. Contact management (Partners)

Contact management features are essential for nonprofits to enhance donor engagement, particularly with Partners—corporations interested in collaborating with your organization. These features help you manage and nurture relationships, ensuring you can leverage their support effectively.
Using contact management tools, you can keep detailed records of your interactions with each partner, track their preferences and interests, and schedule timely follow-ups. This personalized approach enables you to strengthen relationships, create customized partnership proposals, and highlight the mutual benefits of collaboration. Additionally, these tools can help you identify opportunities for engagement and keep your partners informed and involved in your activities.

Here are a few ways contact management features can improve your connections:

• Detailed records: Maintain comprehensive records of all interactions with each partner, including meeting notes and recordings, email and letter attachments, and contact type to ensure personalized and informed communication.
• Customized proposals: Create tailored partnership proposals that align with each corporation’s values and goals, highlighting the mutual benefits of collaboration.
• Timely follow-ups: Schedule and assign follow-up reminders to ensure timely communication, demonstrating your commitment to the partnership.
• Event invitations: Identify opportunities to involve your partners in events, campaigns, or CSR initiatives that align with their interests and objectives.
• Relationship insights: Use data from contact management tools to gain insights into the preferences and engagement patterns of your partners, enabling you to refine your strategies and enhance their experience.

Connection win: You can build stronger, more personalized relationships with corporate partners to ensure continued support and collaboration.

The DonorPerfect Contact Manager creates automatic entries to track emails and mailings, displays follow-up assignments on your dashboard, and allows you to link entries to a specific gift or pledge. You can even run reports specific to your contact efforts and Moves Management activities.

5. Social proof (All levels)

Social proof is a powerful tool to improve donor engagement across all levels of your Donor Network – so much so that 93% of Millennials put their trust in it. It demonstrates the impact of your work and the satisfaction of your current supporters, making it easier for potential donors to see the value and effectiveness of your initiatives. This approach leverages the human tendency to follow the actions of others, especially those they trust or admire, creating a compelling case for support.

Here are a few ways social proof can improve your connections:

• Impact stories (Individuals): Share stories from individual donors and beneficiaries to illustrate the personal impact of your work. This helps potential donors relate to the experiences of others and feel more confident in their decision to support your cause. Positive feedback can persuade new supporters to contribute.
• Testimonials (Socializers): Highlight involvement from friends, family, and colleagues within your donor community. Use social media platforms to share stories, and encourage supporters to share their experiences with their connections.
• Endorsements (Broadcasters): Broadcasters are likely to be impressed by involvement from respected individuals and institutions because they strengthen their confidence in your organization. Recognize and publicize involvement from prominent supporters, making them easily shareable with a wider audience.
• Case studies (Partners): Highlight successful collaborations with partners, illustrating their value and positive outcomes, as compelling evidence of the benefits of partnering with your organization.

Connection win: You create a compelling narrative about the positive impact of your work, and potential supporters get a glimpse into their experience with your nonprofit.

DonorPerfect partners with Givecloud to go above and beyond modern donation forms. This powerful integration shows donors how others are contributing and interacting with your nonprofit to build trust and increase donations.