Looking to enhance your nonprofit’s donor experience? In this episode of our podcast, Kacey Crawford and Kristin Priest of Allegiance Group + Pursuant discuss the power of concierge giving programs.
In today’s economy, maintaining strong relationships with donors is more important than ever. That’s where concierge giving comes in. By providing a hyper-personalized experience, you can gain insight into your donors’ preferences and leverage that data to strengthen your donations.
Donors with the potential to give a transformational gift within the next five to 10 years can often be found in your major gift officer’s portfolio. Concierge giving can be the bridge that takes mid-level donors to the next level quickly and more efficiently. But how do you identify which donors to target with concierge service? Kacey and Kristin share their tips for using data to sniff them out:
- Outliers: Premium service is often given to donors who give a certain amount to an organization, but what about the ones who are just below that threshold? Tapping into this group and offering them concierge service could lead to transformational gifts in the future.
- Net Worth and Discretionary Spending: Your concierge program will be kicked off by using data to identify high-net-worth donors and those with a high discretionary income.
- Similar Giving: Do you have donors who give to organizations that are like yours? Look into that and see if offering an elevated experience will lead them to work more with your organization.
- Political Affiliations: Donors with strong political beliefs are more likely to donate to causes they support because of their strong passions and belief systems. Leaning into this and endearing them to your organization can lead to an increase in giving.
- Channel Responsiveness: Using data to track which channel your donors and potential donors use most will make your program more efficient and effective.
Once you’ve identified your target audience, remembering that these donors are also customers is paramount to success when creating a concierge giving service for your organization.
“Donors are simply expecting a higher level of customization from all brands they interact with,” Kristin explains. “From their favorite storefront to subscription services to the nonprofits they love and want to align themselves with and see themselves as a part of that community.”
To make a concierge program successful and scalable, you can repurpose or level up practices you are probably already implementing. Here are some ways to start:
- Voice Broadcasting: A pre-recorded voicemail from a leader in your organization sharing an update or saying thank you will put a face or a name to your cause.
- One-on-one Phone Calls: Personal phone calls from a leader or board member from your organization to a new or existing donor about the importance of their donation can leave a memorable impact.
- Virtual Events and Experiences: Just because COVID restrictions have eased, a lot was learned from virtual events and experiences, and you can continue to utilize them to engage non-local supporters.
- Preferred Seating: Preferred or VIP seating at events can make your donors feel special and like they are an essential part of your organization and event.
- Hand-written Note Cards: The art of the thank you note is not lost. Taking the time to personally write your donors a thank you for their contribution will stand out and make an impression.
- Client-issued Survey: A survey allows organizations to gain first-hand insights into their donors’ preferences, which can be used to heighten their experience with you.
As donors become more selective with their giving, nonprofits have an opportunity to build relationships with new donors and strengthen relationships with existing donors through concierge giving. By leveraging data and leveling up personalization, you can create meaningful experiences for your donors that will allow you and your organization to continue the work you do.
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