Often, there are communities with problems, an individual with solutions and other individuals with the funds to make these solutions a reality. The crowdfunding industry brings them all together on a convenient, safe and secure online platform. Every crowdfunding India website runs on the idea of collecting small amounts of money from a large audience to pool in enough to fuel a single project or solution.
This idea has been working wonders for people with a variety of causes. Crowdfunding soon became an effective tool for empowerment. An NGO can offer solutions to an affected or underprivileged community by using crowdfunding to tell stories and unite a large population of concerned givers. A patient who cannot pay for her expensive chemotherapy or organ transplant can bring together her loved ones to make her recovery a reality.
This alliance is felt by every single person involved in the cause, and they are all involved equally; the campaigner, the donor and the beneficiary. This is why engaging a donor is so much more than simply asking for a donation and receiving it. Especially for nonprofits, crowdfunding can be the ideal platform to find recurring donors.
Crowdfunding India can also be a valuable tool to help build donor relationships!
Every donor-campaigner relationship is built on a foundation of trust. Never try to be vague or beat around the bush. Be sincere with your stories and transparent with your fund utilization plans. Donors need to feel that what they’re hearing is straight from the heart.
Donors also need to feel involved. When they make a donation, it’s under the belief that their donation is going to make a difference, and they’re eager to see this impact. Appreciate every contribution, big or small and keep your donors in the loop with constant updates. Celebrate a milestone or a success with them! These steps help retain donors and encourage them to naturally find you new ones as well.
Let your donors rely on the stability of your organization, its management and its direction. Building confidence is a valuable step to retaining donors and building a healthy relationship with them.
Keep in touch with them. Make sure your conversation is a year-round one, and not one that arises only when you’re running a campaign for a project. Ask for feedback. Discuss your plan for future projects; discuss their involvement beyond just making a donation on your fundraiser.
Offering rewards can be a good idea, but tread carefully. A review showed that 86% of donors weren’t keen about the token gifts they received, so forget about the T-shirts and keychains. However, donors are known to be largely appreciative of thank you notes and personalized emails.
These are some of the steps you can follow to start engaging more with your donors. Once you have built a good number of relationships, make sure you keep a tab on them. How many donors have you managed to convert to recurring? What amount do they tend to donate? What causes and projects interest them? When was the last time you communicated?
Don’t stop looking for donors! Crowdfunding India is only one of the platforms where you engage with donors. Build a sincere and informative tone on social media. Make sure you mirror the same approach you take with donors on platforms like Facebook and Instagram. Approach relevant users who may be interested in your cause. Soon, you’ll be getting involved in some interesting conversations!