Personalisation and Donor Segmentation: A Starter Guide for Non-profits

Are you tired of juggling spreadsheets and feeling overwhelmed by donor data?

Do you have a data tracking or recording system in place?

Do you know how to find all your mid-level donors from the past 12 months?

Do you keep birthdays (not the year but the actual day) or key anniversary dates of your high-level donors?

Can you tell me from the click of a button who hasn’t given in the past 2 years but had given over $10,000 in the years prior?

A good CRM system can be a game-changer for nonprofits. CRM and databases can be scary for many within the non-profit sector, I often see it with the fundraisers, marcom staff or charity founders I work with, they feel ashamed of their homemade or makeshift database or their poor use of a good database they inherited with their role.

I often say that CRM’s role is to alleviate your job not to give you headaches and nightmares.

In this post, I’ll share how using data to tailor your communications can create a more meaningful experience for your supporters.

By the end, you’ll have a better understanding of how a CRM can streamline your communication process, grow donor relationships and engagement, and ultimately drive more donations for your cause.

Let’s get started!

1 – Understanding Your Donors

How well do you know your donors?

If you answered, “pretty well”, then I’d like to know if that information is registered somewhere within your organisation. Gathering data is the first step in personalisation. It’s essential to know your donors on a deeper level.

Do you have a mechanism in place to register their interests, preferences and points of contact within your charity? 

Do you keep track of every single conversation you have with them, every email you send and every call or meeting?

This information is essential if you want to segment your donor base into distinct groups with similar characteristics.

Here are a few key strategies to segment your donors:

• Demographic segmentation: Group donors based on factors like age, gender, location, and income level.

• Giving history segmentation: Categorise donors by their past donation behaviour, including amount, frequency, and type of donation.

• Interest-based segmentation: Segment donors based on their specific interests or areas of passion that relate to your cause. Keep notes after meeting them and make sure to add the information to their record. Add tags or segment your list accordingly.

• Engagement segmentation: Group donors by how actively they engage with your organisation, such as their email open rates, social media interactions, or event participation. 

For each segment and sub-segment, you’ll want to create a tag on your database to extract each group of supporters separately and send them a personalised message or contact them with the relevant information handy.

2 – Optimising Donation Forms for Personalisation and Segmentation

To further enhance personalisation, start collecting useful data directly from your donation forms or pages. 

Keep the form simple but include optional fields where donors can share their preferences, interests, or reasons for supporting your cause. 

You can also offer multiple giving options, such as recurring donations, specific projects, or emergency appeals, allowing donors to choose what resonates most with them. 

Additionally, use post-donation thank-you pages or emails to gather feedback or invite them to update their communication preferences. 

This insight will enable better segmentation and ensure that your future communications and campaigns are highly targeted and relevant.

Donorbox calls them “Donor Moments” and these are crucial to capture all sorts of information about your donor and make sure your next conversation with your donor is meaningful.

3 – Tailoring Your Messaging

Once you’ve segmented your donors, you can begin tailoring your messaging to suit each group. This allows you to communicate with them in ways that feel more relevant and personal:

• Personalised communication: Address donors by name and refer to their specific interests or past contributions.

• Targeted appeals: Develop fundraising appeals that speak directly to the unique motivations of each donor segment.

• Relevant content: Share content that is tailored to your donors’ specific interests and concerns.

• Personalised offers: Provide exclusive perks or opportunities for donors based on their giving history or engagement level.

Segmenting and personalisation come into full play when you’re preparing your End-of-Year or Year-end campaign for example. You will want to address each group with their own individual message.

Personalisation: The Key to Fundraising Success

In today’s competitive fundraising landscape, standing out is more important than ever. Personalisation is your secret weapon for building stronger relationships, increasing donor engagement, and ultimately achieving your fundraising goals.

By understanding your donors on a deeper level and tailoring your messaging and offers, you can create a more meaningful and impactful experience for each supporter.

Remember: People are more likely to give generously when they feel seen, appreciated, and connected to the cause they’re supporting.

Remember (bis): There is no point in segmenting your list if you’re not going to use the information recorded in future communication.

Remember (ter): Always ask yourself: Do I need to keep that information? Will it be useful in the future? Is it the kind of information your donor would not mind seeing kept in your database? Depending on your country’s law, your donor can request all the information on their person being kept on your database. So be mindful of the data you keep for each record. The right of access to personal data is one of the data subjects’ rights provided for in Chapter III of the GDPR among other rights. 

Ready to take your fundraising to the next level? Start implementing personalisation strategies today and watch your results soar!

Need help?

My specialised online fundraising services for non-profits go beyond fundraising. It’s about setting up your organisation for success, using the right tools and platforms to inspire action and foster a dedicated community of supporters.

Together, let’s transform your online platform into a powerful tool that amplifies your impact and drives results.

Book a free call to learn more and embark on your journey towards a more impactful and engaging online presence.

Here’s what I can help you with:

• Compelling copywriting and content writing: Create captivating website copy, engaging blog posts, and effective email marketing materials that resonate with your audience.
• Strategic email marketing: Design targeted email campaigns to nurture leads, build relationships, and foster ongoing supporter engagement.
• Streamlined online donation set-up: Simplify the process for your supporters to donate online, maximising your fundraising potential.
• Website creation tailored for non-profits: Develop a user-friendly and visually appealing website that showcases your mission, stories of impact, and opportunities to get involved.

Thank you for your dedication to driving positive change. Let’s embark on this digital journey and amplify your charitable endeavours together!