Wait, you want me to ask a donor who just gave to give monthly? Does that work?
YES, it absolutely works!
As you know, the key with new donors especially is to get them ‘in the fold’ as soon as possible. That means that you have to ask them to give another gift as soon as possible. Research shows that the longer you wait, the less likely you’re going to get another gift.
So, here’s what I recommend:
for new donors: Send a highly personalized thank you note right away (preferably within 48 hours of receipt of the donation).
then within the first month (but preferably within the first two weeks), send another thank you letter with an invitation to join the monthly giving program.
Here’s a template you can use. Of course, feel free to make it your own.
Thank you so much for your gift of xx$mrgxx to [name of organization]!
[Focus on why the gift is important for you and the impact it’s making on the people/animals/mission you serve].
That’s why I’d like to invite you to join a privileged group of special supporters, called [name of program].
[Focus on benefits and ease of program for donor]
When I shared this at one of my presentations, people said, wow, this does not feel invasive at all. This is a very nice invitation. The donor feels privileged to receive it.
Does this feel invasive to you?
