Is Digital the Best Solution for Your Donor Recognition Needs?
While digital is clearly the direction all industries are moving, it might not be the total solution to your donor recognition needs. Trends in donor engagement continue evolve, which is impacting the strategy behind donor centers. Over the years, many partners have inquired about all-digital donor centers. However, after meeting with our strategists they usually decide on a different, more tailored approach.
With over 40 years of experience working on donor engagement projects, we work with our partners to find the perfect blend of digital and architectural elements to fulfill their donor recognition needs.
Architectural and digital elements each play a particular role when it comes to donor engagement. Here are a few points to consider when creating your center and determining what approach best fits your philanthropic goals:
1. Determine Objectives and Goals
When starting the process of creating a donor engagement center, it is critical to clearly outline your goals and objectives. What you are hoping to achieve, and your long-term vision, will impact how the center takes shapes and what offerings it provides.
It is imperative to ensure that it is part of a larger strategic communications plan. This focus and attention will result in a thriving donor center, and it will support your mission, increase donations, improve donor retention, and enhance your culture of philanthropy. When deciding between an all-digital, or a hybrid approach, your decision must be backed by a larger strategy with specific goals and objectives.
2. What Do Your Donors Need?
The intended purpose of recognition is to honor and inspire donors. When creating your goals and objectives for the center, consider what has been promised to donors through their gift, as well as what would leave them feeling recognized and inspired.
Many transformational donors want permanency in their recognition. These gifts can be part of their legacy, and they want to feel they are a part of the organization. This can’t be accomplished with an all-digital focus in an effective way, as the recognition is not always visible. A hybrid approach, involving architectural more “permanent” elements with the digital, could be something that aligns with your strategy, while also showing your gratitude for the incredible donors who support your mission.
3. Digital Elements Can Enhance a Center
Digital elements allow for efficient and easy updates, as well as recognizing donors in real time, sharing their impact and telling stories. These elements offer a complimentary opportunity to include up to date information and the ability for a variety of content, further supporting the strategy behind the organization’s goals and objectives.
The use of digital content helps build an emotional connection through photos and videos. Telling the story of a family or person whose life has been impacted by a donor’s generous gift will resonate with your audience and inspire potential future gifts. It also provides an opportunity for use across multiple platforms, such as social media, websites or newsletters. There is no need to create an entirely new strategy around content for a center, when it can enhance an already created strategic communications plan.
4. Set the Stage for Long-Term Success
A donor engagement center is a long-term commitment, and something that can evolve with an organization over time. In order to ensure you are set up for long-term success, you must have the resources and structures in place to fulfill your goals.
When creating your system, all elements must have a definitive purpose and cannot be included just for the sake of fitting in with what may be perceived as “state-of-the-art.” Digital centers require continuous updating and attention, while also requiring support from an IT team. There needs to be a support plan in place should the system stop working or require technical attention. Not only do you need a strategy around the content, you also need to prioritize keeping the screen up to date and functioning properly.
The BrookGlobal team is equipped to work with facility and IT teams to ensure the system is setup for success to work alongside IT systems and software already installed. Our experience and knowledge will allow for easy execution and implementation to support teams that are already running at full capacity.
5. Creating a Philanthropy Center
This is more than just a list of donors, it can become a center of philanthropy. This is an opportunity to not only recognize those that support and have an impact on your mission, but also an opportunity to inspire and share stories. It can be used as a fundraising tool, to share donor impact now and in the future.
Looking beyond the list will turn your investment into something larger, creating a communications opportunity to share your message and engage your audience.
6. Your Strategic Partner in Philanthropy
Our team can work with you to provide a donor engagement center that will be the right long-term fit for your organization’s philanthropic goals. Our team of experts will create a center that aligns with your needs, while supporting your objectives with the perfect blend of digital and architectural content opportunities.
Along with this approach, we understand that flexibility is key in recognizing donors. Our Brook Easy Change system allows you to update your donor center regularly, without compromising design, functionality or results. We are able to recognize donors with a permanent installation, while also having the flexibility to change and update the center as needed.
To meet with one of our strategists to discuss the perfect approach for your donor engagement center, book an online meeting today!
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