Feeling overwhelmed by survey responses? Stelter Content Specialist Team Lead Rachael Dealy joins us today with a five-step plan for dealing with all the data, maintaining momentum with leads that surface and showing genuine appreciation for your supporters’ time.
You asked. They answered. Now what?!
Thoughtful legacy surveys give your donors a chance to share what connects them to your nonprofit’s mission. They can also shed light on a person’s philanthropic priorities and the types of gifts they might be considering—or, better yet, ones they are ready to discuss now.
But once you’ve asked loyal supporters what they care about most, what should you do next? Well, you’re likely swimming in a pool of data. We recommend diving in—the water’s fine! Here are five steps that will help to maximize your survey results and move your donor relationships to the next level.
1. Shower the People With Love
Acknowledge the time and effort donors invested in answering your survey. This doesn’t have to be a heavy lift. You can repurpose your standard gift acknowledgment letter (or email), tailoring the messaging to emphasize how much their feedback means to you and your organization. (Hint: If you plan to follow step 2, mention that you’re in the process of analyzing results and tell them to be on the lookout for an exclusive report.)
Don’t worry if the donor has already received an automated thank-you through your survey platform. When you take time to provide a personalized thank-you note, you help to build and maintain trust and demonstrate that you genuinely value their input. Reinforce this by including your direct contact information and encouraging them to reach out with any questions they may have.
2. Surface Key Insights
Share a high-level summary of the results of your survey with everyone who participated. This could be a printed report (example below) or a link to a results dashboard that you send in an email. Incorporate insights that illustrate donor identities and like Dr. Russell James says, utilize social proof to show your donors that “people like me do things like this.” Highlight recurring themes that can help donors visualize their connection to your mission. Plant seeds by presenting—in aggregate—the types of gifts other donors are considering.
If you were lucky enough to receive compelling stories from participants about why they support your organization, ask if you can showcase what they wrote in your insight report and other marketing materials. This not only gives you a chance to deepen your relationships with your most impassioned donors, but it can also help others recognize how their values align with your mission. Authentic donor stories are a great way to demonstrate that your organization is trustworthy—and worthy of a legacy gift.
3. Dive Deep With Hot Leads
Your hot leads—those who have revealed or reconfirmed a planned gift, or those who are actively thinking about making one—deserve phone calls or direct emails with heartfelt invitations to connect. Study individual survey responses before your outreach and consider whether you need to update your cultivation strategy (or take the time to sketch one out). If you have a large shop, think about how these donors get assigned to portfolios (if they aren’t already) and how you can empower your gift officers to take the next steps in furthering relationships. If you are a small shop, look for creative ways to make your list more manageable. For example, set a quarterly, monthly or weekly outreach goal and divide your list accordingly.
You could also organize your prospects by geographic region (or neighborhood, if your list is local) to save travel time for in-person visits or look for easy opportunities to connect with them at upcoming events. If they aren’t immediately available to meet with you, ask if you can follow up with them at a time that takes their circumstances into account (ex. after their daughter’s wedding, after the big trip or after the holiday).
If they don’t give a reason for not being able to meet, provide some time increments (ex. “Would you be ready to meet with me in 3 or 6 months, or perhaps at this time next year?”) and immediately set a reminder so that you—or your predecessor—can follow through on the agreed-upon action.
4. Warm Up the Prospect Pool
Nurture relationships with warm leads—those who are most likely to consider a planned gift—by tailoring communications. Confirm that their contact information and communication preferences are correct in your database. Then, ensure these donors receive regular updates on how their contributions are making a difference. If your list of warm leads feels too deep, congratulations! You’re swimming in potential.
Once again, think about your shop’s capacity for taking on additional assignments, and look for ways to easily segment your list. For example, did several folks indicate an interest in a specific gift type, like a CGA? Educate them with a follow-up mailing about the benefits of life-income gifts. Did you learn about affinities that align with certain program areas? Find ways to personally share relevant information that matches their interests or invite them to join one of your nonprofit’s specialized email lists or social media groups.
Make it your mission to keep them connected to the good work you are doing, and once you’ve contacted all of your hot leads, map out a cultivation strategy for this group.
5. Clear the Water
Read the comments. All of them. If there are a lot, this is a great task to delegate—or to tackle in chunks on several Friday afternoons. You’ll find all sorts of clues about how you should proceed with the people who took additional time to write something in. Did anyone disclose or re-confirm a gift intention? Call them to say thank you! Take some time to check that their gift documentation is in order—or get that process started—and ask what you can do to help ensure their wishes are honored.
Try to look at negative comments as opportunities, and sort them by the kind of follow-up they require. This could be as simple as cleaning up your database (ex. updating an address, marking someone as deceased, or changing a preference) or picking up the phone to find out more about an issue they are having (and who you can connect them with to make sure it’s resolved).
Survey Says: It’s Time for You to Follow Up!
Following up with your survey participants is essential for maintaining momentum and showing genuine appreciation. A timely and thoughtful response effort not only keeps the engagement alive but also demonstrates respect for their time—and the value they bring to your organization beyond financial contributions.
Whenever possible, be transparent in your communications. Let participants know that their feedback helps you better understand philanthropic priorities. This will show loyal donors that their input can help shape future engagements with you, which might make them more likely to engage or notify you of their legacy gift.
As you put these follow-up strategies into action, we would love for you to share your experiences, thoughts and ideas in the comments. Your tips could be the springboard others need to dive into their data and elevate their fundraising to new heights.