6 Leadership Marketing insights that will help ensure your message resonates with donors.

Igniting a connection with donors is key to the success of your research institution’s next Annual Appeal. Using marketing tactics that show leadership and highlight your Biomedical Nonprofit’s commitment to the greater good will help strengthen your message and invite more meaningful engagement with your brand:

Cultivate A Year-Round Donor Relationship
Many institutions put substantial focus on the Annual Appeal, relying on it as the ONE big ask of the year. While your Annual Appeal can be an important part of your overall funding plan, the most successful fundraising comes from building long-term relationships with donors. That means maintaining a year-round focus on providing helpful resources, information, and insights that demonstrate your institution’s expertise and dedication to its mission.

Ignite Their Passion For Your Work
Potential donors must feel inspired by your research before they will give. They need to understand why your institution is considered an industry leader, and how the work it does is advancing science and improving human health. Communicating these things takes time and must be done as part of a robust donor stewardship program. Your institution can better cultivate donors by getting to know them, learning what they are passionate about, and finding new ways to show that you share their values. If you do this well, potential donors will be excited to receive your Annual Appeal and view supporting your brand mission as a worthy challenge.

Present More Opportunities To Make A Difference
While many donors make contributions at the end of the year, part of building a vibrant donor stewardship program is presenting multiple opportunities throughout the year for donors to learn about your research findings and make contributions towards your progress. For instance, organizations like the Mount Desert Island Biological Laboratory mail both a spring and fall appeal, making sure the messages between the two are carefully linked.

Consider The Benefits Of Good Timing
If you are sharing meaningful communications, anytime (other than the peak summer months of July and August) is a good time to reach donors through the mail. However, when it comes to Annual Appeals, most organizations traditionally solicit and receive donations in the fall.

Nearly 40 percent of charitable gifts are reportedly made during the last two months of the year. But you have to wonder – is that because so many appeals are going out in the fall? Employing Leadership Marketing means not always following the crowd. With so many big-name charities (American Heart Association, Salvation Army, your local Food Pantry, etc.) all flooding mailboxes at the same time, you may benefit by reconsidering your institution’s timing.

Factor In Your Team’s Workload
Fall is often the busiest time of year for many, personally and professionally. If fall is your Annual Appeal time, take a look at the effectiveness of your campaigns over the past few years. Did your advancement team put forth the right amount of focus, energy and time? Talk with your staff about the process. If it has become a routine project, rather than a carefully planned and conceptual part of your development strategy, perhaps a different time of year would bring more energy and results!

Be Strategic About Timing
If you do decide that fall is your Annual Appeal time, it’s critical that your piece is more than a letter. (Part two of this post coming soon!)

As far as mailing, it’s smart to ensure that your Annual Appeal arrives several days before Thanksgiving or sooner. This gives donors the chance to respond right away, as many do. They may also file it aside with other appeals to evaluate and decide at year-end which organizations best align with their values.

Have a comment or annual appeal success story? I’d love to hear it. You can contact me, Karan Cushman, at 866-960-9220 or email karan@cushmancreative.com with thoughts or questions. I’m always here to help.