In a perfect world, we wouldn’t need to worry about recovering lapsed donors.
You already know that it’s more efficient for nonprofits to focus on retaining the donors they already have than it is to acquire new ones.
But the reality is, with so much on a fundraiser’s mind, donor retention can sometimes slip through the cracks. After all, the average donor retention rate for nonprofits is 42.6 percent according to the Fundraising Effectiveness Project.
And even nonprofits with effective retention strategies will have some donors lapse over time!
So, you should have a robust plan in place for recovering lapsed donors. Here’s what you need to know.
Who should we target?
The first step is to examine the differences between your lapsed donors, and donors who continue to give year after year. Are there any characteristics consistent among your current donor base that your lapsed donors don’t have?
Maybe some of those lapsed donors weren’t people you should have been focusing on in the first place. Consider focusing on recovering lapsed donors with similar traits, goals, and motives as your organization.
Lapsed donors who resemble your ideal donor profile are more likely to give again.
Have you run A/B tests during past fundraising campaigns? It’s very possible that one of your messages was more effective in inspiring donors to give. Consider reaching out to donors who did not give after receiving the less effective appeal with the winning version.
However, drawing conclusions based on this information will be much harder if you have poor data hygiene!
It’s important to continue updating information for recently lapsed donors. Otherwise, you will have a much tougher time creating relevant materials or even getting in touch when you attempt to recapture them!
READ MORE: Finding supporters who fit your ideal donor profile.
Don’t be afraid to get personal.
Your lapsed donors will be much more excited to hear from you if they receive something that feels unique and personal when you reach out again.
Remember, this is someone who gave to your organization in the past, someone you had a relationship with. Think of recovering lapsed donors like reaching out to an old friend.
Your message should show that you really know them! Consider sending a handwritten note to really give your communications that personal touch. You can also attach a sticky note to the appeal with a short “we miss you” message.
If you are trying to recapture a high-level donor, take the time to call them or even meet in person.
And do your friend a favor and include a prepaid reply envelope in direct mail appeals so it’s easier for them to give!
What does a lapsed donor want to hear?
Appeals to lapsed donors should be casual and concise. Remind the reader of the impact their support made in the past. Thanking them for their support is critical, even if it’s been a while since they last donated.
Remind them they can still make a difference by renewing their gift today! The language you use can have a tremendous impact when recovering lapsed donors.
Why is this the case?
“Renew your gift” acknowledges that a donor has given in the past, which adds an extra personal touch.
READ MORE: Making your nonprofit’s call-to-action more attractive.
A three-part message.
You need to say three things when recovering lapsed donors.
“Thank you for your past support, we miss you!”
You don’t want lapsed donors to feel like they are receiving the same appeal as other donors on your list. Your communications need to feel relevant. The simplest way to do that is by thanking them for their gift of $X two or three years ago.
“Here’s all the great work we’ve been up to.”
Now that you’ve reminded them of their last gift’s impact, you can talk about everything you’ve accomplished since then.
The idea when recovering lapsed donors is to get them thinking, “Wow, this organization has been doing a lot of great work! I bet they could have accomplished even more if I had continued giving.”
“You can still make a difference, please consider renewing your gift.”
There are few things more powerful than a perfectly timed ask.
The goal is to have the lapsed donor receive the ask right as they were wondering how much more your organization could have accomplished had they continued giving.
READ MORE: How to thank and retain year-end donors.
More ideas for recovering lapsed donors.
When recovering lapsed donors, the goal is to secure a donation. This is not the time to persuade them to upgrade their gift from three years ago!
The dollar amount of their contribution is not that important right now. Consider using an ask string that places their last gift on the higher end. Lowering the bar might be enough to push a hesitant donor over the edge.
You can also experiment with out-of-the-box ways to generate excitement when recovering lapsed donors.
Have you tried using a giveaway or competition in your lapsed donor appeal strategy? If your nonprofit works to preserve nature, send lapsed donors who renew their gift a butterfly pendant to symbolize the donor/organization relationship’s new beginning!
Of course, the best strategy would be to have fewer lapsed donors to worry about in the first place.
But the world is not perfect. After all, you work at a nonprofit because you want to make the world a better place. And an effective strategy for recovering lapsed donors will help your organization achieve its goals and make a difference!
Want to learn more? Click here to chat with a member of the amplifi team!
