Halloween is a great time to write about the bogeymen of nonprofit development. At first, these gremlins might appear harmless annoyances, but if allowed to become bogeymen, they can scare away donors and kill your nonprofit. What are these three bogeymen, and how can they be exorcized?
Bogeyman #1: Stopping New Leads
The first bogeyman thrives when you stop developing new leads.
New leads must flow into your nonprofit to grow support, expand your donor base, and replace former members who did not renew. This flow of leads must be continual for your organization to remain vibrant. When an organization diminishes lead generation activities, it allows this bogeyman to reside at your nonprofit; without new leads, programs will atrophy, community involvement will atrophy, and the mission will starve. Exorcize this fury before it makes a home! Always have a development and marketing plan that is forward-facing, engaging, and will bring in high-quality leads.
Bogeyman #2: Trivializing Your Donors
The second bogeyman reveals itself when donors (and potential donors) are trivialized by development staff.
Recently, the Development Director of an environmental nonprofit mentioned her organization was not attending a celebrated annual community event because “it always had the same people, and they would just be preaching to the choir.” I was momentarily stunned because she was missing a superb low-hanging fruit moment for engaging with donors and nurturing future members. This nonprofit had a bogeyman!
The occasion was a community favorite that had an attendance of over 3,500 people each year. It had a well-attended history dating back over three decades. The audience was passionate about environmental issues and in line with the nonprofit’s mission. The event cost nothing for the nonprofit and offered direct contact with individuals from ages 1 to 100, with attendance weighted toward retired folks. The only investment for this organization was setting up a tabletop display, 8 hours from a staff member or volunteers, and any communications they chose to send. This was a low-investment, high-engagement opportunity to interact with a receptive audience and nurture future donors/members.
At the end of the day, the nonprofit had passed up an opportunity to shake hands with 350 individuals, with half being new leads who signed up for an e-newsletter Plus, there were two dozen new volunteer signups. (As reported by the nonprofit who was able to use their space).
When your donors are “cheapened” they open the door to a bogeyman that will create havoc and confusion within your organization. Exorcize this nightmare by not just working for your mission; but working toward your mission, being involved in what your supporters are interested in, and being a part of their life experiences.
Bogeyman #3: Being Unresponsive
A third bogeyman appears when nonprofits are unresponsive.
If a prospective donor inquires about participating in your nonprofit, you should answer, right? Sadly, many organizations do not respond. Just from my own experiences, I have been frequently disappointed by unresponsive nonprofits. I “get it” that people are overworked, which is why I encourage fundraisers to create an FAQ page that answers the most common questions that prospective donors have
When an organization is unresponsive, it communicates to the donor (or prospective donor) that they are not crucial to the organization’s mission. What is frightening is that the bogeyman does not just move into your office – it moves into the individual’s mind and affects the perception of your nonprofit. When that person wants to write a check to help a good cause, they think of your non-responsive nonprofit, then they’ll write a check to your competitor.
Exorcize these phantasms by keeping the flow of leads open, being engaged with your audience, and always being responsive to people who are interested in your mission.