A key driver of donor commitment and loyalty is the donor’s perception of just how effective your organization is in achieving its mission.

No one buys a Chevy because GM needs the money. By the same token, donors don’t give because your organization has a need to balance its budget or meet your quarterly numbers.

Although many think otherwise, donor expectations aren’t usually driven by policy or programmatic details. Most often they’re propelled by far more general and emotional factors: the need for donors to feel good about themselves … the warm glow that comes from supporting a cause or helping another person … a desire to advance justice, end hunger, or even the wish to appear noble in the eyes of friends and peers.

Consequently, your job is to provide experiences and communications that that reinforce these expectations — and in the process make donors feel an integral part of your group’s success.

These communications and experiences are what distinguish yours from competing organizations. And they offer the best insurance you have that donors won’t drift away.

How do you achieve this?

Let’s start with two questions lurking in the back of every donor’s mind: “Why do you need my money?” and “Do my contributions make a difference?”

You could answer these questions with facts, statistics, graphs, pie charts, policy papers, and slick annual reports. But if you do, you’ll fail to make the essential personal or emotional connection you need.

Instead, answer with stories and photos and simple, clear copy about the youngsters helped, wildlife saved, refugees provided with sanctuary and homeless sheltered — all thanks to the donor’s help and generosity.

I’ve placed this subject in the Starting Over series because in addition answering the question of “what” to deliver, an essential element is selecting the means by which messages are delivered.

I’ve been somewhat stunned by the number of seemingly sophisticated organizations that seem to have ignored, forgotten or mistakenly done away with the good old-fashioned newsletter.

Too many spend too much time pondering social media, web techniques and other glow-in-the-dark techno wonders that I’m compelled to scream “it’s about time to also rediscover some basics”.

In my experience, the most overlooked and underutilized vehicle for conveying stories and showing the vitality of your organization’s mission is the simple four-page newsletter.

To get you “starting over” in a proper and profitable fashion, I recommend you order a copy of Tom Ahern’s Making Money From Donor Newsletters. Few tools are better suited for answering donors’ subconscious questions of “why do you need my money?” and “did it make a difference?”.

As I wrote in the Agitator review of Tom’s book, every chapter in this treasure trove is packed with ‘how to’ illustrations and guidance. You’ll discover that none of the skills required is difficult to master. If you can write a letter to your mother or your kid at camp you have it within you to write a dynamite donor newsletter.

Among the goodies you’ll discover:

• A newsletter mailed in an envelope produces 254% more revenue than a self-mailer. Nonprofits that unwisely view the newsletter as a cost center make this big mistake. As a result, the self-mailer has little perceived value and gets tossed.

• Run a small amount of teaser copy on the envelope. ‘Dear wonderful human being, the latest issue of your donor newsletter is enclosed.’ The teaser tells the recipient ‘this is not another request for money’ and will increase the opening rate.

• Send 4 pages, in standard format. In the U.S. and Canada, the standard-single page format measures 8 ½ X 11 inches. In the UK and Europe, it’s the taller and narrower A4. It’s important to understand you shouldn’t send your donors a big, thick production. As Tom notes, “They’ll reward you for being blessedly brief.”

• Include a reply envelope and a reply device. “These reinforce the idea that you need gifts and give responsive donors a convenient way to return a gift check.”

Plus, there’s so much more in Making Money From Donor Newsletters. You’ll amazed and amply rewarded.

And, for a quick guide on 3 changes that will boost your newsletter’s results  take a look at Steven Screen’s helpful video below thanks to the good folks at Movie Mondays.

Is your organization employing this basic, effective vehicle — and the right messages to go with it — that boosts donor commitment?

Please share your organization’s experience with the use of newsletter with the rest of us.

Roger

P.S. REMINDER  of the Agitator webinar series you won’t want to miss. In cooperation with DonorVoice our goal is to show you what, how and why to apply behavioral science in your everyday work. Session kicks off at noon Eastern time today and you can register for all of them on the links below:

• The Science of Ask Strings, Wednesday, September 14th at 12:00 noon Eastern:

DonorVoice’s newest staff member, Nick Ellinger, takes you through how to use the psychology of what you ask for to increase revenue and retention.

• Increasing the number of your donors’ gifts per year on Wednesday, September 21st at noon Eastern:

DonorVoice principal Josh Whichard brings his 15 years of nonprofit direct marketing            experience to bear on how to create an effective multi-gift program.

• Using behavioral science to get people to opt-in on Wednesday, September 28th at 12:00 noon Eastern:

DonorVoice principal Kevin Schulman and Dr. Kiki Koutmeridou PhD, the Chief Behavioral Scientist at DonorVoice, will walk through designing choices that make people click or check YES.

I’ll be on deck for all sessions to moderate and  prod. And remember, they’re absolutely free.