Prospect Hide-and-Seek: 6 donors hidden in your database

pexels-photo-262103You and your colleagues work hard to keep your donor database updated and current with the most accurate donor information, but we all know that sometimes less prominent prospects can get lost in there. While your loyal and active monthly donors, volunteers and major gift donors are front-and-center, there are plenty of other donors in your database who you may be overlooking and shouldn’t be.

Here are some of the important prospects playing hide-and-seek in your constituent management system:

  • Donors engaged in a corporate donation-matching plan – If you have donors who have participated in a matching gift program through their workplace, odds are they have a vested interest in your cause. They wanted to make an impact – double the impact, in fact!
  • Relatives of deceased donors – First and foremost, always make sure to send condolences and words of support to the loved ones of deceased donors. If the deceased constituent was a consistent donor, it’s very possible that their relatives will want to continue their legacy by volunteering or becoming an active donor.
  • Adult children of active donors – Philanthropy often runs in the family, and if volunteering or donating was a family activity for some of your constituents, the children may want to keep it up when they are grown as they are already familiar with your cause and feel connected to your mission.
  • Leaders at for-profit businesses who have organized volunteer efforts at your nonprofit – Who better to reach out to for an upcoming campaign than someone who has been directly involved in a volunteer effort? Many companies organize corporate outings that involve giving back to their local communities, so do some digging and see who the contact person was who took part last time and give them a ring. Something about your mission struck them enough to bring a group!
  • That person who is always engaged on social media – If your nonprofit is using social media to communicate with donors (and it should be!) then you can probably pick out those people who are ALWAYS liking, sharing and retweeting your posts. Those people are familiar, engaged and interested, so we encourage you to show them some extra attention.
  • Donors who always RSVP or answer your phone calls/emails – There are people who you call asking for donations, checking for updated information or inviting to an event who hang up on you. And then there are those who – whether they donate or not – always engage back. Those who are willing to RSVP to events (even if the RSVP is “No”) or who keep you updated on new contact information or their mailing address are definitely interested. It may just be that they are not in a financial state to donate, but if they are making an effort to keep the lines of communication open, then it is definitely in your best interest to keep communicating!

We all have stories of unexpected donors – so which unexpected donors have you found hiding in your database? We want to hear your stories! Wondering how to find those donors? Our Support Team is always ready and willing to lend a hand in segmenting your donors. Give them a call at: (800) 222-4096