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Small Shop Strategies

Rachel Bearbower’s 4 Templates That Every Nonprofit Leader Needs To Connect More With Donors And Raise More Funds

#054 – Rachel Bearbower is the founder and CEO of Small Shop Strategies, a nonprofit consultancy focused on coaching nonprofit leaders how to detangle their systems, so they can focus their time and energy on building relationships and raising more for their causes.

In just 3 years, Rachel has built a community where over a hundred nonprofit leaders are showing up for themselves and learning how to boldly fundraise, tell better stories and become even more impactful changemakers.

In today’s episode, Rachel shares the 4 templates every nonprofit leader should have locked and loaded and ready at all times to maintain connection with their donors:

#1 An immediate automated thank you note or receipt;

#2 Within 24-48 hours a heartfelt quick personal email that is NOT the receipt from your CRM that lets your donor know the gift was received and appreciated;

#3 An email or video depicting the impact of their gift and reminding them that you did what you said you were going to do with their gift; and

#4 A Connection email – Ask for their opinion / Send them an article / Find out why they gave

Rachel emphasizes how important it is to ditch transactional relationships and develop real meaningful relationships with your donors – connect donors to the mission, connect them to what their gift actually did.

“Donors don’t want to fund the process. They want to fund the impact. And so you, the organization, you are the process, and so you wanna remove yourself. So instead of saying, help us buy new uniforms, it’s, you can provide a kid with a new uniform.”

Be sure to stick around until the end to hear now being a farmer in training helps Rachel be a lifetime learner and makes her a better nonprofit consultant.

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Resources

  • Website
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  • Free Thank You Note Template
  • Zapier
  • Loom

4 Key Takeaways  

#1 The best way to connect more and raise is to have a plan;

#2 Communicate as quickly as possible after the donation comes in;

#3 Automate and personalize your communication; and

#4 Make your communication about the donor instead of your organization.

Show Notes

**Click the time stamp to jump directly to that point in the episode

[2:56] The way to get good at thanking, connecting, building relationships, and raising more is having a plan
[5:01] Donors get buyer's remorse as soon as they hit DONATE.
[6:12] Send an immediate automated Thank You note from your CRM
[7:39] Organizations get tripped on being perfect
[8:44] Send a heartfelt Thank You in within the first 24-48 hours of the gift.
[12:30] FREE Thank You Template
[15:34] You're creating those connections because you're meeting the donor where they're at…
[19:11] Connect the donor's gift to an outcome
[21:43] Remind the donor that you did what you said you would do
[24:56] Donors don't want to fund the process. They want to fund the impact.
[30:21] The best time to ask someone for a second gift or a third gift is eight to 12 weeks after their original gift.

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Posted in PodcastTagged communication, donors, fundraising, Groupfinity, Rachel Bearbower, relationship building, small nonprofits, Small Shop Strategies, volunteers
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