If your data base tells you you have hundreds or thousands of donors, yet your bottom line isn't increasing fast enough, it may be time for a Know-Thy-Donor Program^™. Start with a Thank-a-Thon.

Stratify your existing donors by total annual contribution:

• $1,000 and above
• $500 - $999
• $250 - $499
• $100 - $249

Then put together a group of board and staff members who would be willing to phone these current donors personally. The main purpose of the call is to thank them for their gift. The caller needs to be certain that the donor knows how much you appreciate their support.

Here is a suggested outline of the call:

"Hello, Ms X. My name is Y. I'm on the board of the Z organization. You've been a loyal supporter for several/many years and we're calling to thank you. (Pause for response.) We're doing a little survey to learn what we could be doing better. Would you have a few minutes now for me to ask for your thoughts and advice?"

Suggested questions:

• What do you already know about our organization?
• What images come to mind when you think of us?
• How did you come to know about us or become involved with us?
• What do you like about being a friend/supporter of our organization?
• Where or how do you think weÌre really missing the boat?
• What advice do you have for us?
• What cues might we have missed from you?
• How better could we be telling our story?
• What could we be doing to involve more people?

Each call should end with an invitation to attend a Point of Entry^® and to bring others if they would like. If they agree to attend, follow up with a confirmation card and a reconfirmation call the day before. Offer to provide transportation if necessary.

Imagine, for example, that you have a team of five callers. In a given week, each caller reaches five people. If you debrief well, you'd have enough feedback to customize the next phase of the program.

I've seen board members get so excited about this that they recommend a buddy system for pairing a volunteer or staff with each donor (over a certain dollar amount) for a year. Imagine being a donor who hears from someone from their favorite charity at least five times a year—including invitations to a variety of special Free Feel-Good Cultivation Events^™.

When it's time for making the annual gift next year, as a donor you'd be hard pressed to say no to a request for a larger gift. And you might even feel connected enough to make a multiple-year pledge when asked. Especially if it would be doubled by a matching-gift challenge fund.

Remember, those names on your mailing list are your cherished donors, sending in small and medium-sized gifts on a regular basis. Show them the respect and care you would show your greatest treasures.

And then show them your stuff! Dazzle them with your Point of Entry: the Facts, the Emotional Hook^™, all the trimmings. Follow up within a week and get their feedback. How else might they like to become involved? Who else would they recommend you invite to a similar event?

Then deliver on what they are requesting. Follow through impeccably with feedback on all their suggestions. Thank them for sending that friend to the next introductory event. Find lots of reasons to have more contact with them. Keep thinking of what else you might do to be responsive to their unique concerns. Keep exceeding their expectations. (Let yourself enjoy this part. They will be happy that you are enjoying it.)

Keep this system going. Have your phoning team keep calling and interviewing more prior donors from your data base. Keep inviting them to Points of Entry. Keep re-educating and re-inspiring and thanking them, the more personally the better.

Stay focused on this Know-Thy-Donor system and you will see your contributions increase.

You will be cultivating your base of lifelong donors.