Tips for Boosting
Your Supporter Loyalty and Retention
Supporters who buy products from your organization are likely to buy from it again—you just need to remember to ask.
Post Date: Jul 6 2021
If you are new to product-selling as a way to raise money for your organization, then you may not know that long-term relationships with your base of supporters and community sponsors are the key to fundraising success. Very simply put, supporters who buy products from your organization are likely to buy from it again—you just need to remember to ask, and being first in line for their donation dollars helps this type of fundraiser!
Investing time in nurturing and building supporter relationships can lead to a big pay off. Efforts like follow-up communication after the fundraising sale and early outreach have a snowball effect over time. These efforts make a product-selling fundraiser more efficient and result in a nest egg of loyal fundraising ‘customers.’
In fact, Terri Lynn’s signature nuts, chocolates, and savory snack mixes have been proven to generate repeat support to organizations of all sizes. The generous sizes and unmatched quality of Terri Lynn products are designed to delight supporters, encourage larger purchases (with larger profit to you), and prompt them to gift products to their friends and family. Here’s what one of Terri Lynn’s fundraising partners had to say:
We look forward to our Terri Lynn Fundraiser every year! Our customers keep coming back and asking for more.
Finding brand new supporters is certainly worthwhile, too, but it usually requires more time and resources than reaching out to ones you already know.
So what are some ways your organization can hold on to its current supporters for the long-run, and increase your supporter retention rate? Here are five constructive tips to build relationships with your biggest fans and encourage repeat customers year after year.
Get Personal With Your Thank You’s
Saying thank you is one of the most impactful ways your organization can increase supporter retention. A simple message of appreciation goes a long way in recognizing a supporter’s dedication to your cause.
To make a thank you even more well-received, make it as personal as possible—including the name of the supporter, the amount of support received by their purchase, and the goal they are helping your organization achieve with the money you are raising with profits from the sale of the Terri Lynn products.
Reach out through email, phone, or hand-written letters by your team. (Terri Lynn’s Online Store Program provides an easy & convenient way to see the profit from all of your organization’s orders in an online dashboard, plus send a personal thank you message to supporters right from your email address with one click of a button.)
Don’t forget to train your sellers to thank supporters in-person when they make a sale, too! Give them information to share with specifics about how the funds will be used to advance your organization’s cause. Collect supporter’s contact information at the time of the sale so the supporter will be included on future newsletters promoting other events about your cause.
Getting on a first name basis with your supporters and including them in your fundraiser’s story will help foster a long-term feeling of community.
Looking for extra ways to show your thanks? See this post for more creative thank you ideas.
Follow Up Quickly
Don’t leave your supporters in the dark for too long. Follow up within a week of your fundraiser with a specific story about how their purchase makes a difference for your cause. Why not continue your fundraiser long after the face-to-face selling event is over? Send an email or post a link on social media promoting the continuation of your fundraiser with a virtual Terri Lynn Online Store by using the free marketing materials in our Promotions Kit.
Even if you haven’t allocated the earnings generated from your fundraiser yet, you can still let your supporters know about future plans with the profits from the fundraiser you held. Quickly and continually sharing information about the programs you have in motion can assure your supporters that their contributions are being put to good use. It might even encourage them to purchase more in the future!
Tip: To follow up with your supporters, you’ll need a way to contact them. Be sure to ask for an email address or phone number when someone makes a supporting purchase. Then, store your fundraiser’s contacts in an organized and accessible place, such as an address book, spreadsheet, email group, or a CRM (customer relations management tool).
Make Your Fundraiser Event Memorable
Think back...prior to the pandemic, what annual events do you recall looking forward to attending? Was it a carnival with lots of exciting games and prizes to be won? Or a favorite concert series in a local outdoor amphitheatre? What makes these events something you enjoy attending?
Memorable fundraising events lead to higher supporter retention rates the same way people enjoy attending their favorite annual event. When you build connection and nostalgia around your fundraiser, you’ll keep your audience interested year after year, and event after event.
Which activities or incentives can you include that will ensure your guests are enjoying themselves? It might be:
- live music
- contests
- raffle giveaways
- games
- or even recipe demonstrations with the Terri Lynn products you’re offering for sale.
The more unique experiences you offer, the more you’ll stand out in your supporters’ minds as a special can’t-miss event.
Ask Your Supporters for Feedback or Advice
There’s a funny saying that goes something like this,
If you want money, ask for advice; and if you want advice, ask for money.
While that may not be 100% accurate, it does highlight how most people love to be asked for their advice or their opinion.
When you host an event or make a specific outreach effort (like an email campaign) try asking for feedback from your members & supporters.
- Ask what they enjoyed most.
- What they would like to see in the future.
- What they’re planning to do with the fundraising products they purchase.
Giving your supporters an opportunity to let their voices be heard will keep them engaged and invested in your cause, and recap their favorite moments from the fundraiser. This higher level of engagement will lead to more involvement and support for your cause.
You will also receive the added benefits of gaining more new close-in fundraiser ideas and community feedback about your overall organization and your fundraiser.
Recruit Your Supporters as Volunteers
What better way to increase supporter retention than by recruiting your fans as volunteer sellers, or even permanent members to your organization? You might be surprised at how many are willing to help, while also continuing to purchase their favorite snacks and mixes during your product-selling fundraiser event.
One benefit is that they’ll already know about Terri Lynn’s line of premium products, and can share their personal favorites with new customers. They’re also likely to know more about your fundraiser’s cause, and can lend stories about their own great experiences. Finally, recruiting your supporters as volunteers offers a chance to establish deeper and more meaningful relationships—and you just might find that these volunteers either remain your best customers over time or become active members in your organization.
Terri Lynn is Here to Support You, Too!
Finding ways to retain supporters while also growing your organization can be a lot to handle. At Terri Lynn, we’ve created free forms, flyers, guides, and our custom Online Store platform to make raising funds easier than ever. These tools are designed to help you increase sales, maximize your profits, and develop a delicious and memorable event in no time.
We also have a team of Dedicated Fundraising Experts on hand to answer your big questions about fundraising success. Whether you’re in need of general fundraiser tips or information about our Terri Lynn programs, you can visit our Contact page, or call us at 1-800-323-0775. Let us help you get started today!