Use Your Voice and Thank Your Donor, Ep #17

Episode 17

With Benjamin Johnson & Matt Hussey

Need some new ideas to make 2021 the best fundraising year yet? Matt and Ben delve into a few of the systems that Frontier uses to increase donor engagement and acquire new donors for their clients. They also answer listener questions from the mail bag. Buckle up for another great episode of Frontier FM!

You will want to hear this episode if you are interested in...

  • St. Patrick’s Day COVID pulse check [2:24]

  • Getting ready for Easter [6:20]

  • Donor engagement is at an all-time high [9:10]

  • Navigating economic inflation [11:53]

  • Why Broadcast Voice Messaging is a game changer [17:24]

  • A great way to find new donors [24:24]

  • How charities can maintain the momentum of 2020 [29:59]

  • Promoting anti-racism and equality through fundraising [32:10]


Stay ahead of inflation

As governments print more money to combat a COVID economy, it’s important for charities to stay ahead of inflation. The last thing an organization wants to do is take a loss because its operating costs rose. The best way to prevent that from happening is by communicating with donors. Develop a good process for upgrading recurring giving to combat the devaluation of gifts. The increase does not have to be large either. An extra $5 on a monthly gift of $50 can go a long way. The important part is the communication and allowing your messaging to reflect the larger numbers needed to support the cause.

A personal touch

Effective marketing is a system that goes beyond a single tactic. Like the old adage says, “There’s more than one way to cook an egg” and there is more than one way to lift donor engagement. Using Broadcast Voice Message (BVM) technology as a way to touch base with donors has been a surprisingly effective tool for the Frontier team. The ability to send a voicemail to a group of lapsed donors thanking them for their past contributions followed shortly by an email or direct mailer asking for their continued support has seen at least a 32% increase in donor response. In a time when donors can give to an organization without ever speaking to someone who works there, BVM is a great personal touch to let your voice be heard.

You’ve got donors

Some may be too young to remember AOL and the internet’s humble beginnings, but online platforms have come a long way since the days of dial-up. Especially for charities! Care2 is a social network designed to connect those who want to see change in the world with organizations working to make that change a reality. On the user side, it facilitates petitions that people sign based on what they're passionate about and the change they want to see. The service it offers charities allows Care2 to market the organizations cause directly to their members based on their petition preferences. From there, members can opt in to receiving communications from that charity in the hopes that they will become donors. Frontier has seen clients convert 1.65% of subscribers to donors which is an excellent number in the fundraising world. There is an upfront cost to consider and the time it takes to see results, but Ben reminds the listener that the best option to acquire new donors is not always the quickest or the cheapest.

Resources & People Mentioned

Connect With Frontier



Follow Frontier.FM on
Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts

Rosie Everett