RKD Alpha Dog

Do you remember the “Choose Your Own Adventure” books? When the reader comes to the end of a passage, they must make a decision. Do they enter the dark cave or take the road that runs through the forest? Each decision takes the reader through a different part of the story and results in an unforeseen result. Donor retention strategies require the same decision making and risk taking. 
The Cave or The Forest?

According to the 2016 Fundraising Effectiveness Survey Report, the new donor retention rate for last year was a dreadful 26.6%. In a recent Gallup survey involving over 17,000 donors nationwide, 47% gave money to three to five nonprofit groups and 15% gave to six or more. Moreover, over 80% of donors say that they need to believe in the organization’s mission, and over 60% want to know exactly how their gift will be used. So the question is, what is your current retention rate and which path are you going to choose to improve it?
Choose Wisely...

By now, you know how important it is …

Planned Giving is all about relationship building and gaining trust with your donors. It is an integral part of your comprehensive fundraising strategy that cannot be overlooked. Take the short quiz below to get warmed up, then find out how well you are tapping into this fundraising strategy.
True or False? A recent study found that fewer than 9.5% of people who donate $500+ a year to a nonprofit had a charitable estate plan. Planned Giving can be referred to as deferred giving, legacy giving, and endowment building. One part of a successful planned giving program is learning what motivates donors. GivingUSA.org reported that total bequest giving in 2014 grew by 8%. For most U.S. charity organizations, 70-80% of planned giving dollars come from bequests. How Did You Do? Wondering how you did? If you answered “True” to all of the above, then you passed! Yes, all of the above statements are true. A study that tracked 20,000 Americans over 50 years old from 1995-2006 did in fact discover t…

Do you wish you knew what your donors are thinking? What did they think when they opened your most recent direct mail piece or email campaign message? It is practically impossible to break down what a donor feels about every single touch point, but we have a few insights that are helpful.
Will I make a difference?
In today’s world, donors have access to an unlimited amount of information about all nonprofit organizations and causes. Do not settle with publishing a communication piece that only talks about YOUR organization, YOUR programs, and YOUR achievements. An appeal that uses storytelling, compelling photos, donor-centric copy, interesting statistics, and a strong call to action will get the best responses and yield the best results. Think of every email, direct mail piece, or newsletter as an opportunity to have a conversation with each donor to deepen the connection and communicate how they have made an impact on your mission. Did I donate to the right cause?
Unfortunately, a few…