Speak to Their Hearts: The Power of Donor Personas

Hey there, hi, and welcome back to Let’s Talk Fundraising! Have you ever felt like you’re just throwing spaghetti at the wall with your newsletters and appeals, hoping something sticks? In this episode, we dive into a game-changing concept that can transform the way you connect with your donors: donor personas.

Join us as we break down what donor personas are and why they’re essential for effective fundraising. We'll explore how to create these personas, the steps to gather meaningful insights, and the magic that happens when you speak directly to your donors' hearts and passions.

Imagine crafting messages that resonate so deeply with your supporters that they feel you’re speaking directly to them. Learn how to celebrate the small victories, nurture a sense of belonging, and foster long-term loyalty with your donors. Whether you’re dealing with diverse donor bases or targeting specific segments, this episode will equip you with the tools to tailor your communications and inspire greater engagement and donations.

Grab a cup of coffee, settle in, and let’s unlock the power of donor personas together. Tune in to "Speak to Their Hearts: The Power of Donor Personas" and discover how personalized messaging can transform your fundraising efforts.

Transcript

Hey there, hi, and welcome back to Let’s Talk Fundraising! Today, we’re diving into something that could transform the way you connect with your donors: donor personas.

Now, be honest—have you ever felt like you’re just throwing spaghetti at the wall with your newsletters and appeals, hoping something sticks? Or maybe you just scrunched up your face, confused, because you’ve never heard of donor personas or donor avatars?

Well, you're in the right place. In the for-profit marketing world, this concept is often called your Ideal Customer Avatar, or ICA. It’s a little more straightforward than the terms we use in fundraising. The Ideal Customer Avatar is the one person who is, just as the name implies, your ideal customer. This person is your number one fan, the one who engages with all your content and supports every campaign.

But in fundraising, we don’t really have the same terminology about our donors being customers, so we’ve translated the term to Donor Personas or Donor Avatars. To keep it simple, we’re just going to refer to this as a Donor Persona for the rest of this episode.

Why should you care about creating a donor persona anyway? What goes into making one, and how do you know if you’ve got it right? And I can already hear some of you thinking, “My organization has such a diverse donor base—there’s no way one donor persona is going to fit everyone.”

Well, we’ve got the answers to these questions and so much more in today’s episode. Imagine being able to craft messages that resonate so deeply with your donors that they feel you’re speaking directly to their hearts. Imagine the increase in engagement, donations, and long-term loyalty you could achieve. It’s not just a dream—it’s possible with the power of donor personas. So, grab a cup of coffee, settle in, and let’s dive deep into donor personas. This is Let’s Talk Fundraising, and you won’t want to miss a moment.

So why do we want to create a donor persona? Can’t I just write to whoever?

Well, I suppose you could, but it’s probably not going to be very effective writing. Are you writing to somebody who has deep knowledge of your cause and your mission? Or are you writing to somebody that has never even heard of you before? The way you approach your communications with both of these people is very different. And if we’re writing to nobody, is anybody going to pay attention to what we have to say?

Or what if we’re writing a newsletter that has a bunch of different articles in it? The first article talks to us like we’re subject matter experts, the next article talks to us like we don’t have a clue what is happening, making our organization look a bit neurotic in our messaging. Not a cute look.

But too often, what I see is that when we don’t know who we are writing to, we start writing to our organization’s CEO. Their ideas and their messaging usurp the way we should be talking with our donors. Our organizational leaders are often talking to very different audiences than those in our donor base. They’re talking to other organizational leaders, partners, governmental agencies, and of course their staff. Some of their audience might be donors, but that group of people represents such a small percentage of our overall donor base.

The message our leadership is giving is generally from an organizational perspective. They’re talking about how great the organization is. They’re rolling off statistics, facts, and figures about the impact we’re having. They’re trying to impress, gain business, and position their organization as the best in the industry. That’s not messaging that resonates with today’s donors.

Now, that doesn’t mean that donors want to support the organization that is performing the worst. It doesn’t mean that donors don’t want to know facts and figures. We’re still looking at the same information, but from a different perspective.

While a partner organization or governmental agency is going to look at total figures, say you reduced homelessness by 10% last year, or you provided 1,000,000 meals to 50,000 families. They want to know what your impact is at scale.

Most donors aren’t able to have that kind of impact, and it makes their contributions feel insignificant to the overall picture.

Donors are motivated by what their individual impact can be. They want to know that their donation of $50 helped a family feed their children through the weekend. They want to know that their gift, whatever amount they gave, made a difference. And they know that their gift of $100 isn’t going to have a monumental impact. But is it enough to make a difference? Absolutely!

When we’re writing to our donors, our message resonates with them. It helps them feel engaged in a worthwhile activity, it nurtures them toward giving again, because their last gift made a difference.

Now, imagine telling your donors that we raised $1,000,000 last year. But we are such an incredible organization, that all the money we raised was only 5% of our total revenue. Aren’t we great for bringing in all this other revenue? What’s the messaging here?

Well as a donor, what I’m hearing is that my $50 donation, heck, my $10,000 donation doesn’t mean all that much to you. My substantial gift is only 1% of the money you got in donations. And if the million dollars you raised was only 5% of your total revenue, that must mean you’re bringing in about $20,000,000 dollars a year. So what you’re telling me is that my $10,000 gift, is only 0.05% of your total budget. If I don’t give it again next year, you’re not going to miss it. Think about how losing 0.05% of your household income would impact your finances. In America, the median household income is about $75,000 annually. That would be the equivalent of decreasing your total income by $37.50. How’s that going to impact you?

It's not.

And these are the kind of missteps that happen when we are trying to impress our donors with our organizational communications. This is why we have to be speaking to our donors, rather than trying to speak to our CEO’s audience, or to anybody and everybody, which is essentially speaking to nobody.

When we write to our donors, we deliver messaging that they care about. Because of their $50 gift, the cat who was found infested with fleas and brought into the shelter, was able to be nursed back to health and has found her forever home, and the family named him “Nipper” not only from biting the fleas but because of the way he playfully bites your hand when you pet his belly. Because of their gift, the library was able to get 10 copies of the latest popular children’s book so one of them could make it into the hands of six-year-old Sarah who discovered how cool bugs are and now wants to be an entomologist. Because of their gift, 8-year-old Bobby got to go to day camp this summer where he had his breakout role as Tree #3 at the end-of-summer play; you’ve never seen a tree rustle with more enthusiasm or excitement!

These are the kinds of stories that warm hearts and show individual donors that their gift is indeed having an impact. When you’re speaking to your audience, in a way that matters to them, your donor retention improves because they are engaged in what you’re saying.

But when I have one donor persona, what about all of my other donors? Well, your donor persona is representative of a group of people. When you’re talking to a like-minded group of people, individuals will recognize themselves in the message you’re talking about. The donor persona can also act as a mile marker for where your donors are on their journey with you. The way you talk to your annual fund donors is probably going to be slightly different than the way you talk to your major gift donors, which will probably be different than the way you talk to people who have left your organization in their will, which is different than how you talk to people who have never donated to you.

The purpose behind having a donor persona is to be able to have a tailored message to the audience that you’re speaking to. And that’s where one of the major differences between an Ideal Customer Avatar and a Donor Persona emerges. While with the ICA, you’re looking to make a sale over and over again, with the Donor Persona, you’re building a relationship with the individual that should deepen over time.

When I’m developing a Donor Persona, I like to imagine that it is a single person at different stages in their life. Starting with somebody who has never given to our organization, and that’s who I’m talking to for my donor acquisition. Once they’ve made their first gift, they may hang out in annual giving for a few years, and how do I talk to them while they are in that stage of life? Then what happens to make them move from an annual fund donor to a major gift donor? And what deepens their relationship further, turning them into a planned giving donor?

So what exactly goes into creating a Donor Persona? Start by analyzing your existing donor database. Look into their demographics, are they male or female? Do you know how old they are? Whatever information you have on your donors, look at it in totality, but then also look at it by segment: first-time givers, multiple-time donors, major givers, planned givers.

Next, reach out to 3-5 people from each segment and conduct in-depth surveys about them. This is where the magic happens. When you talk to your donors, you’re not just collecting data—you’re learning their stories. Find out what inspired them to give their first gift. Was it a personal connection to the cause, a compelling story they read, or an impactful event they attended? Ask what motivated them to keep giving. What makes them stay connected and continue supporting your mission?

Why did they decide to go all in on their major gift to your organization? And why was it important for them to leave your organization in their will? These questions dive into the heart of their philanthropy, uncovering the deep-seated values and experiences that drive their generosity.

Ask about their family life, are they married, do they have children? What are their hobbies? What do they do for work? Did they grow up in the town your organization operates out of, or why did they move there? Ask them anything and everything that helps build a full picture of who this person is at this stage in their life.

Once you’ve completed your research, start looking at their answers. Are there common themes or threads that you see running through different people in the same stage of giving? How about similar themes that run throughout all of your donors? When you find themes that are of a similar vein, those are the things you want to include in all of your donor personas, so write them down in your singular profile. When you find themes that are to a specific group, write those down in your stage of giving profile.

The next thing I want you to do is take all of the information that you gathered and write a one-page description of everything you know about this donor. You can start with demographics, like where they live, how old they are, are they married or single, with kids or without, or what they do for work. Then get into their personalities, are they funny, sassy, thoughtful, introverted? What do they like to do for fun? If there was a detail one person shared about themselves that you think would be relevant, feel free to include it if it makes them more interesting to you. And it’s not about saying one person is more interesting than another, it’s about making these Donor Personas feel like a fully fleshed out human. Somebody that you’ve gotten to know. Somebody that you want to talk to. Cause if you don’t want to talk to them, they’re going to be able to feel that in your communications to them.

Once you have your Donor Persona fleshed out and filled with all the juicy details of this person, give them a name. Each name carries a certain energy with it. Katie is very different from Susan; even Matt is different from Matthew. So give your person a name. Next, hop online and find a picture of a person that you think looks like your donor. I highly recommend you use one of those free stock photo websites to find pictures of people you don’t know rather than taking pictures from social media. The reason you want to find somebody you don’t know is that you want to be able to project this identity you’ve created onto their image. If you grab a picture of your mom, your brother, your third-grade teacher, or your favorite celebrity, you know too much about them, and you’ll bring that background and knowledge into your communications.

Create a one-page profile for this person. At the top, put their name and photo, and what stage of giving they are in. Then put 5-7 of the most important details about them at the top in bullet points. And flesh out the rest of the details about them in a narrative below.

Then repeat this step for each Donor Persona segment you’re talking to. As the Donor Persona progresses from first-time donor to repeat donor, update the bullets at the top to reflect the key events that happened in their life between the two phases. Update any relevant information, like maybe age or marital status. Then flesh out the narrative about each person, talking about the life changes they’ve experienced, how they have engaged with your organization, and any changing values they have, specifically noting why their values changed. And repeat this step for each segment you are working with.

And what about their photo? It’s going to be hard to find a series of photos of a single person aging naturally on a stock photo website. Well in this age of Instagram and TikTok filters, and online AI tools it’s easy to age progress somebody. So upload the photo and watch them physically transform as their relationship with the organization progresses.

Now that you have your donor personas created for each of your segments, it’s time to put them into action. When you’re writing a news story, social media post, appeal letter, or any other communication, read through their profile and imagine how your piece is going to resonate with them. Why do they care about what you have to say? Humanize your piece by making it relevant to them.

Use these personas in your strategy planning. Are you making sure to have regular touchpoints with each persona throughout the year? Add this as a line on your content calendar – which persona is the piece targeted to?

Here’s a practical example. Suppose you’re planning an end-of-year appeal. Look at your donor personas and think about how each segment will respond. For your annual fund donors, emphasize how their continued support helps sustain your ongoing programs. Share a heartfelt story that demonstrates the tangible impact of their regular contributions. For your major gift donors, highlight a specific project or initiative that their substantial gifts can significantly advance. Show them the vision and invite them to be a part of something transformative. And for your planned giving donors, speak to their legacy. Illustrate how their foresight ensures the longevity and stability of your mission, touching lives for generations to come.

In the end, creating and using donor personas isn't just about segmenting your audience. It’s about deepening your relationships with your supporters, one story at a time. When you know who you’re talking to, you can speak to their heart, their passion, and their reason for giving. This isn’t just another task on your to-do list; it’s a powerful tool to connect, engage, and inspire your donors.

Think about it: every donation, big or small, is fueled by a story. Behind every check, there’s a personal connection, a moment of inspiration, a spark that ignited the desire to make a difference. When we craft our communications with a donor persona in mind, we’re not just sending out generic messages. We’re speaking directly to individuals who have their own unique experiences and motivations. We’re validating their emotions and showing them that their contributions are valued and impactful.

Donor personas help us craft messages that resonate deeply. They allow us to celebrate the small victories that mean the world to our supporters. Whether it’s a $20 donation providing art supplies for a children’s program or a $5,000 gift funding a critical community project, every story matters. And when we share these stories, we’re not just reporting back; we’re inviting our donors to see the tangible impact of their generosity.

Let’s not forget, this approach also nurtures a sense of belonging and loyalty. When donors see that their contributions are recognized and that they’re part of a larger narrative, they’re more likely to stay engaged. They’ll look forward to your updates, eager to see the next chapter in the story they helped write. This ongoing engagement fosters long-term relationships, turning one-time donors into lifelong supporters.

And it’s not just about keeping your current donors happy. Well-crafted donor personas can also help you attract new supporters who resonate with your mission. By understanding the traits, interests, and values of your ideal donors, you can create targeted outreach strategies that appeal to like-minded individuals who haven’t yet joined your cause.

So, take the time to develop your donor personas. Dive into the data, have those meaningful conversations, and uncover the stories that drive your supporters. Use this insight to tailor your communications, making every message count. Watch how this personalized approach transforms your fundraising efforts, creating deeper connections and more meaningful engagements.

Keep believing in the impact you can make, one personalized message at a time. Remember, it’s not just about raising funds; it’s about building a community of passionate individuals who are united by a shared vision. Your work matters, your stories matter, and with the right approach, you can inspire your donors to become lifelong champions of your cause. Let’s make every interaction a testament to the incredible power of giving and the profound difference we can make together.