Five January ideas to boost your midlevel program

Congratulations! You’ve survived another year-end fundraising cycle. Now that the last mailed year-end checks are trickling in, it’s time to shift your focus from solicitation to retention—and January is the perfect opportunity to invest in the donors who will power your program all year long.

1. Solicit testimonials from midlevel donors. One client of ours sends an email to midlevel donors each January asking for testimonials that they can use in future solicitations. Many midlevel donors appreciate the opportunity to make non-monetary contributions, and this effort has yielded wonderful messages and powerful stories that have been incorporated into appeals.
2. Remind renewing donors of their benefits. Our research has found that many, if not most, midlevel donors are not fully aware of the benefits of giving at the midlevel. Whether the benefits are tangible, like a magazine subscription, or intangible, like invites to events, a reminder is a nice cultivation touch that could pay off in higher engagement and retention.
3. Turbocharge your cultivation calendar. We just worked with a major health organization whose donors expressed frustration that the constant drumbeat of appeals made them feel like ATMs. Research suggests that most of your donors are looking for something more than an arms-length connection, and your cultivation calendar should serve to meet that expectation. Mix it up: Send success stories and impact reports. Send a card on the anniversary of the donor’s first gift; it’s one of the most impactful cultivation touches out there, yet one that few organizations offer. Invite them to town halls or webinars with your CEO. Do the research to understand your donors’ expectations and then work to exceed them.
4. Pow-wow with your major gifts and planned giving colleagues. Research suggests that your midlevel donors are potential major-giving prospects and excellent planned-giving prospects. Review your business rules together to ensure your donors don’t fall through the cracks if they are moved into major giving portfolios. And share content ideas with your colleagues. Much valuable content – things like impact reports and program updates – gets siloed unnecessarily. It’s in your colleagues’ long-term interest to help support a healthy midlevel tier!
5. Do a little data hygiene. Every year, new midlevel donors come onto your file, and others drop off or advance to major giving. Make sure your mailing lists (both email and postal) are up to date with the latest data.

In addition to these five, what do you do in January or February to get your program on a successful path for the year? Share your ideas with us, and we may re-share them in a future post!