Guidlines to proitize donors lists
How to prioritize donor lists? e.g. How do you divide lists between higher givers and lower givers and between regular donors and annual? Rabbi Dovid Wineberg
Answer:
In response to your question below, I will try to address this matter which is of great importance to all Shluchim involved in raising money, because this is at the core or professional donor cultivation which is a pre-requisite to building long term relationships and growing donors gifts from year to yearMy response is a general one, as there are always exceptions but here is the general approach worthwhile following, taking into account that you want it to be simplified:
Divide your entire list into three categories;
1. Mega potential donors - to be cultivated on a very personal 'retail' level.
2. Unit donors - to be cultivated frequently but on a more 'wholesale' level.
2. General mass donors - technical cultivation.
Detail:
1. Mega potential donors: are those who you keep an on-going personal, genuine and creative relationship. Making sure to activate one of the most important rules in general and specifically with professional cultivation "Always record your next step immediately" this has to be done religiously, consistently and with dedication of thought process, that's why we call it the 'retail' process. Usually this type of cultivation is done to just a few people, not more than 10 or so.
2. Unit donors: these are your donors who contribute at least one (or half) a unit annually. They are to be cultivated with a system to keep them informed regularly of what you're up to, accomplishments, new goals etc. of course not to overdo it and NOT to send long text, but rather pictures and captions and thanking them for making all this possible. These regular emails should be done so the donor really feels it's a personal email and not a mass one. You can do it by every once in a while adding something personal at the beginning or end of the email. Usually this type of cultivation is done to as many donors as you have, giving at least one (or half) unit, from my experience anywhere between 10/20 and 50 donors. You most certainly can send these emails to the Mega potential donors as well, ALWAYS with a personal note with it, so it's very clear that it's truly personal. The unit donors also must receive from time to time a phone call, either wishing them a good Yom Tov, inviting them to an event etc.
3. General mass donors: they are the ones who send in something for the Calendar, a High Holiday gift, Yahrzeit, Yizkor appeal, Yearend campaign, Raffle purchasers and of course the popular Charidy campaign, they are to receive several emails throughout the year, could be a quarterly email, again no long text rather impressive pictures and short captions and thanking them for being supporters of Chabad.
You will always be looking who from level 3 could and should be brought up to level 2, even though this donor is not yet a unit donor but does have the potential and therefore you want to do the cultivation as if he is already a unit donor, the same goes for bringing up a level 2 to 1 even if that person is not yet a Mega donor but does have that potential.
What's important is that numbers 2 and 3 should be planned in advance and put into your calendar at the beginning of the year so you set a good schedule of events for each category.
As mentioned in the beginning, this is a general good structure to follow, if you or any Shliach has any further questions I will be happy to address them.
The truth is that ANY structure, weather the one outlined above or one you want to do either in more or less detail, is ok as long as it's consistent with a plan for the full fiscal year.
Hatzlocho Rabo.