Today’s focus is on donor receptions. You need to say thank you to your donors. And one of the best ways to do that is to invite them to something, like for a tour or to an event.
But a lot of fundraisers get too complicated with this. My advice is to go simple. Something like bagels in the morning in your conference room with the executive director is perfect. It’s that simple invitation to come out your facility hear an update and be appreciated that donors are after — they don’t need a fancy reception with a big dinner. A lot of them would rather have you spend those dollars on the mission that them. So think simple and mission-based.
What’s my favorite way my favorite way to do a donor reception? My favorite way is to invite your donors to your parking lot on a summer Friday afternoon for a hot dog or a burger or some barbecue. You put your executive director in an apron and a chef’s hat, have them flip burgers and just talk to the donors and say thank you as they come through the line. It’s cheap and easy. You throw your grill in your truck and you pick up some burgers and rolls over lunch. It’s easy but it’s greatly appreciated and it’s different. Everything is better in fundraising if it’s different. If you can stand out from the crowd, it’s so much better. So take that into consideration fundraisers, how can you be different and simple with your donor receptions?