{"id":29669,"date":"2023-03-13T16:15:30","date_gmt":"2023-03-13T20:15:30","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/test.donorperfect.com\/nonprofit-technology-blog\/?p=29669"},"modified":"2025-09-15T11:15:07","modified_gmt":"2025-09-15T15:15:07","slug":"5-steps-to-build-donor-personas-for-better-relationships","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/test.donorperfect.com\/nonprofit-technology-blog\/fundraising-software\/5-steps-to-build-donor-personas-for-better-relationships\/","title":{"rendered":"5 Steps to Build Donor Personas For Better Relationships"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Personalization has long been a trend in marketing and fundraising. We receive emails addressed to us by name; we receive targeted ads based on our online activity; and we expect to see content relevant to our interests and behavior. Your donors get this special treatment everywhere else, so they expect it from your organization, too.\u00a0<\/p>\n

But that doesn\u2019t mean you need to spend money on artificial intelligence or spend hours researching every individual on your mailing list. One of the best-kept secrets of growing nonprofits is a marketing tactic called donor personas \u2013 fictional profiles of your ideal constituents that are based on your actual data.<\/p>\n

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What is a donor persona?<\/h2>\n

A fictional profile of your ideal constituents that is based on your actual data.<\/p>\n

\"Donor<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

Defining specific identities within your donor base allows you to send tailored engagements that ring true with each type of supporter you have. Sure, a fundraising CRM like DonorPerfect can help you insert personal information like gift amount or volunteer hours into your emails, but these details don\u2019t speak to who your donors are as people. Why do they give? Why are they connected to your cause?<\/p>\n

Let\u2019s look at the steps your nonprofit can take to develop donor personas and incorporate them into your fundraising strategy.<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/section>\n

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1) Identify your most valuable donor segments\u00a0<\/h2>\n

Start by selecting groups of donors that are meaningful to your organization. Think about who tends to give most or most often, or who you would like to hear from more frequently. The more specific you can get, the better \u2013 this will help you discover where your donor groups intersect. Talk with your team about your fundraising goals \u2013 which groups are you actively trying to grow?<\/p>\n

For example, maybe you want to develop a persona that represents millennials who give often so that you can understand what motivates their philanthropy, incorporate that into your outreach, and hopefully gain more of them. Maybe this aligns with your goal to increase individual online donations by 25% over the next five years.<\/p>\n

Here are some ideas to start with:<\/h3>\n