How I would reach out to a lapsed donor before December
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Hi Reader, Reaching out to someone who gave last year and then went quiet can feel awkward, like you're about to ask why they stopped. I get it. But most of the time there's an ordinary reason (they got busy, they forgot, or the gift hasn't been recorded yet), and a short, friendly message is usually all it takes. Here's how I would approach it before December. Pull the list of donors who gave last year but not this year Filter your database for anyone with a gift last year and nothing so far this year, then sort by last gift amount, largest first. I'd start with the top 20. That's enough for one round of outreach, and it covers the donors whose gifts mattered most. Check before you write (5 minutes per name) Look at their giving history and any notes. Sometimes a gift is sitting in a donor-advised fund or a matching gift program and hasn't been recorded yet. You don't want to send a "we haven't heard from you" message to someone who already gave. Send an update, not an ask The reality is that a first message that jumps straight to the ask is easy to ignore. The key here is to start low-pressure and build from a place of trust. Here's what I'd send: "Hi [Name], I was looking back at what your gift made possible last year, and I wanted to share [one specific update]. No need to reply, but I'd love to hear how you're doing." Keep it to three or four sentences. I'd send it as a personal email, and for your top five donors, a phone call or a handwritten note. Follow up once If nothing comes back, send one more short note about two weeks later with a different update. Then include them in your year-end appeal as usual, with a personal line at the top. I'd aim to send the first messages between October 19 and October 30, and finish the follow-ups by November 13. Skip the guilt I'd leave out "we miss you" and "we noticed you haven't given this year." Those put the focus on the gap instead of on what the donor helped make happen. Try it with just five names this week and let me know how it goes! Reply to this email and tell me what you hear back. You've got this! Cheers, |