I love subscriptions. I have for years. I started out my direct mail and fundraising career working on subscriptions and loyalty programs. Subscriptions are great!
And they certainly have and continue to have a huge impact on recurring gifts. They’ve allowed people to become much more comfortable paying for things automatically. They’ve opened up automated giving to younger donors. But in my view, that’s where it ends.
Why?
Just look at this wonderful image, created by my colleagues Steven Screen and Jim Shapiro at The Better Fundraising Company. (Subscribe to their email list, and you’ll receive a great infographic to your inbox every week.)
Credit: The Better Fundraising Company
This picture is worth a thousand words. As a variation: A recurring gift is not the same as a subscription to the latest fresh food box or streaming service because the donor:
- Sets the price.
- Does not expect anything tangible in return.
- Decides why they want to support your organization and why they want to help your mission.
You, as the fundraiser, must help the donor understand just how much it takes to make a difference and just how important their (recurring) gift is. You must express your continued gratitude by sending them pictures, videos and stories on just how much they help!
You are tasked to find ways to recognize, cultivate and engage (recurring) donors so they continue to feel special. Making them feel part of a community helps.
Having a subscription focus certainly helps set up the technical parts of how donors can best make their donation and how best to pay, but there’s more to it than that.
Your thank yous, ongoing engagement and stewardship activities play a major role. They determine why recurring donors keep on giving. They help upgrade them to higher levels and make extra gifts.
Rather than think of a recurring gift as a monetary transaction or a subscription, think of it as a long-term relationship without the donor having to make a purchase. How can you make your recurring donors feel special and how can you as a fundraiser shine by doing exactly that?
First posted by NonProfit PRO Today on April 5, 2021.
