How Nonprofits Can Avoid Donor Fatigue
It’s not easy being a nonprofit. For organizations that prioritize impact over revenue, finances are an ongoing concern. The needs are constant, therefore the communications also tend to be constant. Without a thoughtful strategy, over time, this stream of asks can cause even the most aligned supporters to disengage.
It’s like writing a message in all caps: IT FEELS VERY URGENT AT THE OUTSET … but by the time you reach the end, your eyes are tired and somehow you care less than when you began.
This phenomenon is called donor fatigue.
What is Donor Fatigue?
Donor fatigue is often to blame for supporters’ gradual decline in engagement as well as diminished responsiveness to your nonprofit’s asks. It occurs most often when supporters fail to perceive a connection between their support and your organization’s impact.
When audiences experience donor fatigue, they might open your emails less, scroll past your social posts, or donate smaller amounts … if they donate at all.
Nonprofit Marketing Funnels
To understand donor fatigue and how we can address its causes, it can be useful to think of a marketing funnel. Marketing funnels are made up of three phases:
The top portion is “awareness.” This phase is geared toward getting your message out and attracting new donors.
The middle of the funnel is “consideration.” For nonprofits, this is the time to engage with potential donors and nurture relationships.
And the bottom of the funnel—where we tend to spend most of our time—is “conversion.” This is where prospects become donors, and dollars become impact.
Funnel Tips To Combat Donor Fatigue
Unfortunately, many nonprofits spend a disproportionate amount of time at the bottom of the funnel. When you need the money and you need it now, it can be tempting to remain crouched there waiting for the donations to pour through.
The problem with this strategy is that, as donor retention decreases, eventually the donations slow down. The constant pressure to convert causes your supporters to experience donor fatigue, and without replenishing the funnel, your fundraising dries up.
Below are some suggestions for how you can use each phase of the Marketing Funnel to engage with donors, maximize fundraising, and keep the support flowing.
Top of Funnel
This is where you focus on building brand awareness and engaging new supporters. One way to avoid donor fatigue is to ensure that your message is constantly reaching fresh ears and eyes.
Tip #1: Develop a consistent brand (including messaging, personality, and tone of voice) to control your identity and build trust with audiences.
Tip #2: Invest in content that creates value for your audiences and attracts them to your organization’s various platforms.
Tip #3: Leverage your social media channels to get the message out and reach new people.
Tip #4: Set aside a portion of your marketing budget for digital ads (on social and Google) to drive awareness and promote your highest-performing content.
Mid-Funnel
This is where you focus on engaging with prospects and nurturing relationships with existing donors. It’s important to make sure that even donors who convert find their way back into the funnel. You can accomplish this by showing your appreciation, providing value, and keeping them updated with new and relevant news.
Tip #1: Keep your supporters informed and engaged via a regular newsletter and social channels.
Tip #2: Show your appreciation for donors by hosting regular/semi-regular events in their honor.
Tip #3: Set aside time to personally reach out to donors and let them know how much they are appreciated.
Tip #4: Invest in a Customer Relationship Management (CRM) tool to help you keep track of your various donor segments and customize the content they receive.
Bottom of Funnel
The goal of all of this is to get donors back down to the bottom of the funnel, where their donations become the fuel that power your organization’s impact.
Thoughtful campaigns and effective calls to action are a big part of this. You’ll also want to make sure your website and donation process are as intuitive as possible.
Remember though that just because they’ve reached the bottom of the funnel doesn’t mean you’ve reached the end. As important as getting the donation is making sure you have systems in place to follow up and feed donors back into your funnel, where you can continue to nurture them, provide value, and ensure a supportive and mutually beneficial relationship for years to come.
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