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5 steps toward a positive relationship

As nonprofits try to be more sophisticated in their fulfillment of mission, they can overlook the basics of what got them to the dance. Speaking during the Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP) International Conference on Fundraising,

Diana Ruano of Daryl Upsall Consulting International offered reminders on establishing and maintaining a relationship with donors.

Ruano said it is important to get it right from the start, and she offered a step-by-step look at that relationship. It has the following steps:

Step One: Regular donors recruited: Get it right from the start. It starts with good acquisition, and the rest of the process will be much easier and more effective.

Step Two: Welcome letter. Ensure that the monthly amount and contact information are correct. Explain what the donor can expect from the organization. Do not include an upgrade ask.

Step Three: The nonprofit registers the donor. Know all the touch points a donor has with the organization in a quantitative way.

Step Four: Welcome pack. Does the organization even have a welcome pack? If so, what is its objective? It should be an introduction to the organization and not a full plate. It should be full of quality of images, with color, and could even include a first-person story.

Step Five: Missed payment. What happens to those donors whose payments have not gone through? Are they entered into a clarification program?