Alia and Mark over at Sea Change Strategies are two super smart cookies, so when they have a new report out, I’m on it.
Their latest work of genius is The Missing Middle: Neglecting Middle Donors is Costing You Millions.
Middle donors are those giving between $1,000 and $10,000 annually. Focus on this group — despite their huge potential — is frequently absent because development professionals are often specialists in either lower dollar direct mail fundraising or higher dollar major gifts.
Alia and Mark discuss why ignoring this group is so perilous, and offer “8 Habits of Highly Effective Mid-Level Donor Programs.”
And guess what? Much of what’s included in this list is directly related to the kind of work that the marketing/communications side of the house does all the time.
Take Habit #5: Getting the Content Right, which includes sections on . . .
- The Carninal Rule: It’s Not About You
- Deep Substance
- A Consistent Narrative Across All Channels
- A Major Focus on Stewardship
- Branded Name
- Personal Point of Contact
- Reduced Ask Frequency
If your nonprofit isn’t focusing on middle donors, and if your development and marketing/communications departments are not working together seamlessly, here’s your chance. Read this report together, and see what you can make happen. Alia and Mark even include a 30-day plan to get you started.
