Donation management software is important for nonprofit organizations. These systems help you stay organized and maintain a database of previous contributors who are likely to give to your group again. However, it’s also imperative that you keep donor information up to date. If you’re contacting previous donors based on old donor data, you may not be getting the most out of your campaigns.
Having good data makes a better impression
While you may support an important cause, if you get in touch with donors based on outdated information, you aren’t necessarily putting your best face forward. In fact, you could come across as disorganized, which may deter your contacts from contributing. There’s another factor as well, The Connected Cause noted. If your contact information isn’t kept up-to-date, you may not be reaching previous donors at all. It can be hard to stay on top of individual donor information, especially if you have a large database, but it’s worth it to maximize the effectiveness of your fundraising campaigns.
What should you be keeping track of?
An effective donation management platform will help you keep your information organized, and help you eliminate inefficiencies, such as households with single donors or multiple donors, according to Nonprofit Technology Network. Rather than sending two or more mailings to the same address, combine the records so that these donors aren’t being overloaded with junk mail. The most effective platforms make it easy not only to track unique donors but these individuals’ relationships to one another. This way, when your organization gives them a call, you can pull up their information and know when they’ve given before, if they are related to other existing donors and if they have changed their address.
According to The Connected Cause, there are three vitals to keep track of donor data: who they are, why they give, and what they donate. But how do you keep on top of this information? First of all, it’s important to make sure all fundraising staff understand how to use the donation management system so they can make changes when the need arises. Additionally, the organization should come up with a plan for how frequently to access screening services to find new addresses and contact information. The National Change of Address is one of these.
With the proliferation of cloud-based software, you’ll likely be able to find a platform that fits your organization’s needs.
