Customizing Follow-up for Event Registrants/Attendees
"Feeling gratitude and not expressing it is like wrapping a present and not giving it."
William Arthur Ward
Most of us have a friend or relative that we only hear from when they need or want something. That kind of relationship gets old quickly. There is even a term for it: "fair-weather-friend."
If your donors only hear from your nonprofit when you need something, your charity could quickly become that one-sided relationship.
A study found that showing gratitude to your donors can give those individuals an immediate 10% increase in happiness and a 35% reduction in depressive symptoms. What a boost for your donor!
Customizing The Follow-up With Emphasis On The Donor
When it comes time to thank your donors, it is not the time to pass along information about staff accomplishments, awards you have received, or even statistics related to your cause. Instead of thanking donors, this type of message becomes a report on activity, not a thank you.
The majority of donors are going to be interested in the results and it can be very easy to blur the lines between a thank you and an activity report. When you use a thank you to list your nonprofit's accomplishments, it becomes more about the charity and less about the donor.
Your donor, like you are, is incredibly busy. Make it clear from the get-go that you are thanking them. Liberally use phrases like "thank you," "because of you," and "you helped make this possible."
If you send out a newsletter, make sure it is filled with the word "you." Add a few stories that tell of the impact their generosity has made possible.
Let Your Donors Know The “End Of The Story”
If your nonprofit held a fundraiser for a specific cause, make sure you tell your donors how the story ends when you are thanking them.
When a nonprofit has a fundraising appeal, it is asking donors to fix something wrong. The follow-up to your donors is reporting back to let your donor know how their help made the fix possible.
Reporting back to your donors with a follow-up thank you is a matter of integrity. Your nonprofit could not do its valuable work without its donors.
Sending a follow-up that thanks those donors and reports back about the amazing things their donations made happen speaks volumes about the integrity of your organization.
Recognition Impact
According to eleventy Marketing Group, donors have the most positive reactions to these recognition efforts:
69% Personalized thank you email
67% Personalized thank you note sent to home
62% Sending information about specific programs related
The Importance Of Follow-Up After An Event
One of the biggest reasons to do a follow-up with registrants and attendees is donor retention. Following up after any campaign or event is an essential step for your nonprofit. A follow-up will strengthen the relationship between your nonprofit and donors.
When Should You Send An Event Follow-Up Correspondence?
If you send letters in the mail or via email, it is always the best policy to do so soon after the end of the event or fundraiser.
If your fundraiser covers a lengthy time, get your follow-ups out within two days after donations. If you have an event, you should also aim to get your follow-ups out within two days after the event concludes - two weeks at longest.
Tips On How To Effectively Do Follow-ups After An Event
Regardless of how you choose to follow up, first and foremost is to FOLLOW-UP!
Include specifics. A great thank you should include the donor's first name, the amount of the donation, how their gift made a difference, and an honest and sincere expression of gratitude.
Send a personalized email. The average worker gets 121 emails a day. Almost half of those emails are opened by a mobile phone. So keep it simple but direct. Make sure that when your donor has finished reading that email, they know that your nonprofit is grateful and that they have made a positive impact.
With FundEasy, this could not be simpler! The ability to quickly send event-branded emails is included with each of our three products!
Write a note. Handwritten notes are few and far between these days, and understandably so. If you have an exceptionally generous donor that played a significant role in your cause, take the time and effort to make a great impression on them with a handwritten note.
Make a call. A phone call is another personal way to thank a donor. Just make sure that it is a genuine thank you with no additional requests, just a sincere and heartfelt expression of gratitude.
Give them a shout-out on social media. Post a special message, photo, or video on your channels and tag a donor. Besides being a thank you, it can promote peer-to-peer sharing and some donors like public recognition.
Add donor profiles to newsletters. This is another great way to recognize and follow-up with those passionate donors publicly. They help to let the donor know how much you value them when you tell their story and the reason behind their support.
Create an online photo book or post-event page. A project photobook is another impactful way to thank and follow up with donors. It can take the form of a scrapbook-type collection of online images. Include images of the project as it developed and photos of those who benefited from the generosity of your donors.
Ask Your Attendees/Registrants To Fill Out A Post Event Survey. Knowing what worked and what didn't will help your nonprofit to customize the next event or campaign for your donors. If you receive a follow-up survey less than stellar, pick up the phone to further discuss concerns.
Suggestions to get your follow-up note started. Here are a few examples of ways to begin follow-up messages from the Future of Working blog.
“Some people don't donate because they assume everyone else is, and some take up the torch and run with it. Thank you for being the latter and for your kind and heartwarming donation.”
“We've got a lot of work ahead of us, and your donation has made it that much easier to get things done and thrust us forward. We thank you for your support and for your desire to help us succeed in this venture.”
“They say that money can't buy you love, and that's a fact. However, you have shown your love for others through your donation. Thank you for creating a way to help so many people.”
“You are one of the most extraordinarily supportive people that I have ever had the pleasure of knowing. Not only is your donation an amazing help, but it also goes to show what a big and kind heart you have.”
“People like you are an inspiration to all. Thank you for this generous act of giving. Today, your donation is a gift that could not be appreciated more.”
“You have worked hard for the money that you donated to us. We appreciate it and are thankful. Words are fleeting, and we want you to know that a simple "thank you" doesn't do justice to how deeply we appreciate your support.”
“Actions speak louder than words, and today you have shown this to be the absolute truth. The action of your donation evokes my utmost gratitude.”
“Our hearts have been touched by your readiness to fill the gap where it needs to be filled. Thank you for your donation and your significant help.”
Final Thoughts
Don't forget to thank any other people who helped make your fundraiser or event possible when thanking donors. Volunteers donate time, effort, and enthusiasm.
Sponsors donate products or funds, and yes, they get exposure, but it is a valuable relationship that strengthens ties to the community.
Following up with a thank you to your donors will keep your nonprofit out of that
"fair-weather-friend" zone and strengthen a crucial relationship.
If you'd like to learn more about our Attendance, Peer-to-Peer or Crowdfunding Products, please reach out! We'd love to chat.
Also, if you haven't joined already, we have an exclusive Facebook Group just for our customers! If you are a current FundEasy Customer and would like to join, go here to learn more and request to be added!
Crystal Hoag
This article was inspired by our customers and written to encourage your fundraising efforts. Although we work with nonprofits and events daily, our team members are not Event Consultants. We encourage you to consult with your event consultant, executive team, and/or affiliate organization before making any major changes to your events.
