Donor development
Laura Greenfield looks at using your database of attenders to find the donors to help support your organisation. This article was first published in JAM (Issue 54 / April 2014).
Article snippet:
The people who donate money to your organisation are among your most devoted fans. Your donors don’t just care enough to buy tickets: they care so much they are happy to pay ‘over the odds’ to do so.
Donors tend to share some key characteristics: they are loyal, engaged and enthusiastic. At the moment it seems as though almost all arts organisations are attempting to identify new potential donors, and being able to pinpoint the audience members who share these characteristics is an ideal starting point. These groups are the most likely to sign up for regular giving or membership if you ask them and while more people will always say ‘no’ rather than ‘yes’, focusing on the people in this group will give you the best chance of success.
If you can identify individuals who are not only dedicated but also wealthy, then you have a pool of prospects that may be able to make major and transformative gifts.
To read the full article download A few of our favourite fans.