Like dating, you have an ongoing relationship with your donors, and there is a right way and a wrong way to treat a donor— to keep them happy; to show you truly appreciate them; to “keep the romance alive.” Here’s how to treat your donors the right way to make sure they keep giving again and again!

Loyal donors are more likely to make a planned giving. Nurture your loyal donors who give once or twice, and they will give lifetime. In order to nurture your loyal donors, you need to thank them, recognize them, and steward them the right way!

The tone of your voice matters. That’s true in business, in life, and in fundraising. Have you given much though to how you sound to other people, and how they perceive the tone of your voice? If not, now is the time to start.

The planned giving world is inundated with so much legalese and technical jargon, a simple planned giving appeal letter usually reads like a privacy statement sent out by a credit card company. It’s enough to send a corporate lawyer straight to sleep — and those are the folks who write privacy statements! Appeal to emotion.

For years, these individuals have been in the background dressed up at your galas. They have introduced you and your staff to their peers and professional colleagues and have assisted at the registration tables for your events. They highlight articles in newspapers or trade journals relevant to your sector and share them with your communications and development staff. They may even go out of their way to send you marketing materials from other organizations that solicit their hard-earned dollars. But you need to acknowledge donor mortality.