<em>First</em> is foremost

The first communication you send after the first gift. 

Bear with me. Internet giving has changed what you do, but the thinking is the same.

Post

Some-one has decided to make a donation. They have seen your recruitment activity many times, and this time have decided to respond. They post the letter.

Then. “Have I made the right decision? I could have given the money to my niece. How do I know they will use my money wisely? Most importantly, will my gift make a difference?”

You need to answer all of these questions speedily. Within 48 hours? If necessary, get together the key people: in the post room; cashiers; supporter services and outgoing mail. Together, simplify the process.

If they get the ‘thank you’, and the answers to their questions, within three days, that would be good. Two weeks is not good.

Now, move on to internet giving.

On your website you have many ‘donate’ buttons. They click the button and use their credit card to make the donation. Within seconds an effusive ‘thank you’ comes back. Addressed personally to them. By a named individual. Ostensibly answering their questions.

I have done this many times, and always found it unsatisfactory. Has life moved on? Is this technical wizardry now what people expect? From Tesco, probably, but from your Charity?

The problem for me is that it is obvious that the person whose name is at the bottom of the email has no idea that I, me, have decided to support you.

So, you don’t know me. I want the charities I support to know me. To work to understand me, and my ‘why’, my story, their insight into me. I (the donor) believe that this can only be done by a real person, not a machine.

So, what to do.

What follows has no evidence to back it up, just a lifetime of experience working with donors.

First, of course send an immediate response. We have received your gift; we are very grateful; we will write to you soon. Be honest that it is an automated response.

Then, give them a day to reflect.

Then, a proper, full, response. (Still automated, of course.) From a real person who will know about their gift and be sincerely grateful to them. There are many ways you can personalise it. Here are just two that I know are effective.

1 – Have different letters for different amounts. “Thank you so much for your very generous contribution of £10” doesn’t cut it.

2 – Change the letter frequently. “You may be interested to know that only last month we…”

You will be able to think of dozens of other ways of engaging further the donor who has just supported you for the first time.

In short, use technology to increase the personal qualities of your response. Not to automate it and make it less expensive.

The most important communication you ever send to a donor is the one after their first gift.

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