tribe of fools07.21
So in the past few weeks I’ve been trying to get 200 people to donate $35 in order to make our $7,000 budget. In order to do this I need to contact as many people as I can. Our donor ratio is approximately for every 10 people asked 1 person donates. As far as donor ratios go, that is a really good one. Most non-profits have a ratio or 20 to 1.
But in order to garner 200 donations I need to ask about 2000 people to donate. The only way to ask 2000 people is to contact people that I only talk to about once a year. What do I talk to them about once a year? I talk to them about donating. So in a sense it might feel like I don’t really keep in touch with them at all.
Each solicitation email I send is a personalized email directly to that person. So its not just a copy and paste email campaign. Obviously some details must stay the same but the emails are more than just solicitations. Ultimately I enjoy the fundraising campaign because it forces me to keep in touch with about 1000 people every summer. I get really nice updates from donors and non-donors alike and it keeps me connected with some people that I haven’t seen in almost 15 years. Its nice. But to some people there is still the idea that I’m only contacting them for money, and that’s not true… but yet it is true.
So here is a question I post to anyone reading this. How can I make these solicitations in the volume I need to and maximize the personal nature of the process? Some of you might think, “well that can’t be done”. Maybe. But it must be done. The asks need to be personal not only for efficiency but also to keep the relationship that Tribe of Fools has developed with a number of our supporters. So I ask again, how do I keep my volume up and the personal nature of the ask intact?
All comments are welcome.
Please post your opinions.
Terry
It would be easier if money just grew.
You have a few options:
1. Ask certain well-off people for more money, beyond $35. These are the types who can afford to help and are glad to, because they understand the value of what you do. (Kickstarter.com, for instance, gives you the option of presenting different funding levels. This might also give you the chance of reaching a larger funding base beyond your personal friends.)
2. Offer some sort of perk to funders. Perhaps they get invited to the cast party? Maybe they are able to do something especially fun during the performance they attend? Give them more than a tax write-off, give them happy memories that are worth the extra $35.
3. Stay in touch with your friends in ways other than the annual appeal for money. That way, when they get a generic appeal from you, they’ll be okay with it, and it won’t seem like your relationship with them is completely mercenary. Many fundraisers have calendars reminding them to contact donors just to chat about stuff from time to time.