Dear Kim:
How can we turn visitors to our community center into donors?
What is the best way to prospect and cultivate the thousands
of people from the general public (event attendees, clients
of tenants, tourists) who pass through our doors, in order to
capture more revenue and build our existing base of community
donors? What percent of response can we expect?
Don’t Leave Just Yet
Dear Just Yet:
There are a number of ways to turn some of your visitors into
donors, and I will suggest a few here. I think a great way to
see how this is done is to go to museums, park headquarters,
historical sites and so on and see how they do it. Walk in and
note how obvious it is that donors are important to the functioning
of the organization and how much you are encouraged (or not)
to become a donor. You will find that the main variable, as
it is in all fundraising, is the personal touch. The people
stationed at the reception area need to be friendly, outgoing,
and they need to invite people to look around, ask questions,
and then they need to invite people who seem interested to consider
donating.
As I travel the country and visit many kinds of places that
could use extra money, I see the difference the front desk people
make. Sometimes they are reading a book or chatting with each
other and glance at visitors as if identifying the source of
a bad smell. Other times, the person makes sure to smile at
everyone, and even to initiate conversation, “Let me know
if I can answer any questions,” or “Don’t
miss the wonderful mural on the third floor.” So the primary
way to convert visitors into donors is to train all the people
who work in your community center to do that.
To help your workers, though, you need several visual reminders
that your community center depends on the donations of visitors
for its financial health. A large poster or banner that outlines
giving possibilities should be prominently featured. A Plexiglas
box (so that people can see money already in it) should sit
at the front desk to receive spare change. A cheap but attractive
brochure should be handed to everyone and should be available
in plastic holders at key points in the center. Where possible,
programs and rooms should be identified as having been paid
for by individual donors.
The vast majority of people who pass through your community
center will not become regular donors. An acquisition rate of
2-3% would be good. However, if you also have an e-newsletter
that people can sign up for at the center, you can then convert
more of them later.
In terms of straight revenue, consider a gift shop or gift
items. Any item that you sell should go out with a brochure
about your community center.
You are smart to be thinking about how to invite everyone who
comes through the door to be a donor.
Good luck!
Kim Klein
