- Identify the 10-15 major donors who have yet to give in 2011, assign them to board members for solicitation.
- Identify 50-100 donors who have yet to give in 2011 and make face-to-face visits to ask them for increased year-end gifts.
- Don’t let reluctant volunteers hold you back.
- Warm up your donors before the ask through snail mail and email.
- Make your appeal letter attractive and easy to read.
- Make your solicitation obvious and easy to find—in the first paragraph.
- Follow up the appeal letter with a phone call on a targeted group of donors likely to increase their gift.
- Plan one e-mail follow-up each week after the direct mail has been received, and at least two e-mail touches the very last two business days of December.
- Add to your prospect list for cultivation and solicitation next year.
- Make everyone assume a development role for 2012!