This article is the second in a three-part series – check out the first article.
Picture this. You spend weeks preparing the best party ever. You got all the right decorations and poured over the menus and playlist. The place is looking great, and you can’t wait for the event to start. The event date comes around and…
A handful of people show up, these being your mom, best friends, and significant other.
What went wrong?
Let’s pretend your monthly giving program is said party, humour me. Why aren’t people signing up?
The first step is making sure your structure is sound. In the party example, think about organizing the party and making it attractive. This translates into monthly giving by ensuring you have a full program built out, one that has its own personality based on your donors. Additionally, it has a standalone monthly giving page, not just a toggle switch on your existing donation form. For a more detailed breakdown of how to set up a strong monthly giving program, read the first article in this three-part series here.
The second step is the guest list. Will you invite everyone to the party? While the party might be visible to all (ie, your monthly giving option is publicly available), you will want to take the time to curate who you will be directly inviting and how you’ll do so.
Why shouldn’t I just invite everyone?
I will answer this question with another question. Do you think everyone likes the same kind of party? The answer is no.
Your monthly giving program will speak to a certain type of person: someone who shares your values, your worldview, and who supports your cause. This is where segmenting your list comes in handy.
Here are a few factors to consider when building your guest list:
- Acquisition source: Not every type of donor is a likely monthly giving candidate. Those who donated in memoriam, or through a peer-to-peer campaign, are less likely to be committed to you, yet. Before jumping to the monthly giving ask, build a relationship with them and test their interest in supporting you again.
- Loyalty and frequency: The longer a donor has been with you, or the more frequently they give, the better the candidate they are for your monthly giving program.
- Financial capacity: While not a requirement, donors whose annual giving amounts to around $100 have demonstrated a certain level of financial capacity. Inviting them to donate $10-$15 a month should be accessible and will still increase their annual giving.
Create separate segments based on acquisition source, donor loyalty, and donation amounts. These will make the next step easier. Trust me!
Personalizing your invitations
Let’s compare two scenarios.
One: You receive a notification on LinkedIn inviting you to follow a page. You don’t really remember the person inviting you, and the name of the page isn’t ringing any bells.
Two: Someone you met a while ago pops up in your DMs. In their message, they remind you where you met and include a funny story that helps jog your memory. Next, they bring up this new initiative they’re working on that is very much aligned with something you had talked about when you first met. They mention how they thought of you, given your interest in the topic, and invite you to follow their new page to boost visibility and awareness.
Which of these two scenarios is most likely to get you to at least visit the page, and, even better, follow it? The second one. Now, which one sounds like most nonprofits’ invitations to donate monthly to their cause? The first one.
Everyone prefers a personal invitation; a message that makes them feel like you are inviting THEM. This doesn’t mean you must write an individual email to everyone, although, this would probably generate the best results.
You can use your segments to personalize your mass messages. You can do so by:
- Mentioning how your donor first donated
- Including the number of years they have been supporting you
- Speaking to their interests according to the campaigns they’ve supported
This goes beyond automating the FIRST NAME field in your email. When you put effort into making your donors understand why you are inviting them in particular, they are more likely to respond.
How else can I get more monthly donors?
Monthly giving is an invitation to join a community, and building up a community takes time and consistent effort. Try to think of the different communities you are part of. What attracts you to them? What made you join?
Here are a few strategies to help get more people to join.
Use community storytelling
Donors are drawn to programs where their peers are already hanging out. By sharing stories from your existing monthly donors, you are showing them exactly that. Community storytelling is a great way to show your non-recurring donors who else has already joined the party. This approach is called social proof. It builds trust while also acting as a great stewardship strategy (more on this in part 3 next month).
Talk about your program often
If you only send out one invitation, don’t be surprised when your mom is your only guest. People need to hear about your monthly giving program often, and in different ways. This means mentioning it on socials, in emails, on your website, during phone calls, and in-person gatherings.
What about automation?
Nonprofits are busy, which is where automation can play a role. Here are a few automations you might consider:
- Include an invitation to join your monthly program in your donor welcome series. Have it be at least 2 months after their first gift.
- Have an automated email sent out after a donor makes a certain amount of donations.
- Get a donation page that automatically prompts donors to consider a monthly gift when they make a donation over $100. (Donorbox does this).
However, one of the best ways to invite your donors to join your monthly giving program is through one-on-one conversations, no matter the format. Take the time to get to know their motivations and interests before popping the question: will you do us the honour of becoming a monthly donor?
These strategies will help you grow your monthly giving program, but the next step is about keeping your community alive through stewardship. Stay tuned for part 3 in this series, coming next month!
Want expert support to build your monthly giving program? Book an exploration call with Katherine of Just Be Cause Consulting today.
The views expressed in this article are the author’s alone and do not necessarily represent those of CharityVillage.com or any other individual or entity with whom the authors or website may be affiliated. CharityVillage.com is not liable for any content that may be considered offensive, inappropriate, defamatory, or inaccurate or in breach of third-party rights of privacy, copyright, or trademark.
