In this tutorial, we’ll walk you through how to create a strategic stewardship card plan for your nonprofit using Handwrytten. You’ll learn how to segment your donors, write meaningful messages, time your outreach for maximum impact, and track results.

In short: Nonprofit stewardship, simplified.

Identify Your Stewardship Opportunities

Think beyond just thank-you cards. A well-rounded card plan supports the full donor journey, including:

• First-time gift acknowledgments
• Recurring donor milestones
• Major gift recognition
• Volunteer appreciation
• Event follow-ups
• Lapsed donor re-engagement
• Monthly impact updates
• Legacy donor touchpoints

Pro Tip: Don’t wait until year-end. Spread your stewardship touches throughout the year to maintain engagement and show ongoing appreciation.

Segment Your Audience

Tailor your card plan to donor type, giving behavior, or involvement. Common segments include:

• New donors
• Monthly/recurring donors
• Major donors
• Volunteers
• Corporate sponsors
• Event attendees
• Lapsed donors

Pro Tip: Use merge fields to add donor names, gift amounts, or references to the specific program they support. Handwrytten makes personalization easy, even at scale.

Build a Card Schedule (Include Seasonal Moments)

Consistency is key—but that doesn’t mean boring. Incorporate seasonality to make your cards feel timely and relevant. Here’s a sample schedule:

• January: “New Year, Same Impact” card to all donors
• April: Volunteer Appreciation Week thank-you
• June: Mid-year impact update
• August: Back-to-school encouragement for education programs
• November: Gratitude-themed Thanksgiving note
• December: Holiday or year-end card with warm wishes and thanks

Seasonal Example: “As the leaves change, we’re reminded of the transformation your support makes possible. Thank you for helping us bring warmth and hope to families this fall.”

Pro Tip: Tie seasonal cards to your mission. An animal shelter might highlight winter pet needs, while a food bank could spotlight holiday meals.

Choose the Right Card Designs

Choose cards that reflect your brand and tone. For nonprofits, we recommend:

• Branded logo cards for general use
• Mission-themed cards with custom artwork
• Seasonal designs for holidays and events
• Handwritten “From the Desk of” templates for leadership notes

Pro Tip: Handwrytten can help you create custom cards aligned with your brand.

Write Thoughtful, Impactful Messages

Your message doesn’t need to be long—it needs to feel sincere.

Example Messages:

First-Time Donor: “Thank you for joining the [Org Name] family! Your first gift is already helping [insert outcome]. We’re so grateful to have you on this journey with us.”

Recurring Donor Anniversary: “You’ve been a sustaining supporter for a full year! Thank you for your unwavering commitment to [cause]. Your generosity creates lasting change.”

Volunteer Appreciation: “Your time, energy, and heart make a world of difference. We couldn’t do this without you.”

Corporate Sponsor Recognition: “We are proud to partner with [Company Name]. Your support brings meaningful impact to our mission, and we’re thankful for your leadership.”

Pro Tip: Avoid overly formal language. Warm, human messages connect best.

Track Performance and Donor Response

Use your CRM to tag card recipients and track behavior after they receive a note. Look for patterns in:

• Retention rates
• Donation increases
• Engagement with events or emails
• Volunteer signups
• Reengagement of lapsed donors

Pro Tip: Add a QR code to track response rates.

Why Use Handwrytten?

Handwrytten makes nonprofit stewardship, simplified through a platform designed for heartfelt connection and scalable outreach:

•  Real pen-written messages (not printed!)
•  Automate campaigns for birthdays, anniversaries, and seasonal moments
•  Integrate with donor CRMs
•  Easily reuse and customize message templates
•  Domestic and international sending

Frequently Asked Questions

Can we create a branded card with our nonprofit’s logo and colors?
Yes! Handwrytten offers fully custom cards—reach out to our design team for pricing and design options.

How do we use Handwrytten for a donor campaign launch?
Include a pre-launch handwritten teaser or a follow-up thank-you. It adds a personal touch to automated appeals.

Can we schedule cards for donor anniversaries or birthdays?
Yes! Handwrytten allows you to schedule cards in advance, making it easy to celebrate donor milestones like gift anniversaries and birthdays automatically.

What’s the turnaround time for large batch sends?
Generally, cards are mailed within 1–2 business days—even for bulk campaigns.

In a noisy digital world, a handwritten card cuts through the clutter. It shows that your organization cares—not just about gifts, but about people. With thoughtful timing, relevant messaging, and the help of Handwrytten’s automation tools, you can turn routine gratitude into a powerful relationship-builder.

Because when it comes to keeping your community close, it should be nonprofit stewardship, simplified.

Ready to build your plan? Contact sales@handwrytten.com or browse card options to get started. We’ll help you craft a stewardship strategy that’s personal, practical, and lasting.

The post Nonprofit Stewardship Simplified appeared first on Handwrytten.

Below is a comprehensive guide to holiday outreach planning, including calendar-focused ideas, creative approaches, and ways Handwrytten can simplify your seasonal connection efforts.

October: Early Holiday Outreach Planning for Engagement

October marks the beginning of successful holiday outreach planning by creating early engagement. Use festive greetings or themed handwritten cards to warm up your audience and set a positive tone for your upcoming seasonal campaigns.

Who to contact:

• Existing customers and clients
• Referral partners and affiliates
• Social media followers and contest participants

Sample message: “Wishing you a Halloween full of fun and treats—just a little early holiday cheer from us to you!”

Pro Tip: Enhance your October outreach by pairing handwritten notes with small gift cards. Handwrytten’s platform makes adding gift cards seamless.

November: Gratitude-Focused Holiday Outreach Planning

Thanksgiving is central to any effective holiday outreach plan. Handwritten thank-you notes convey sincere gratitude and nurture meaningful connections with your most important contacts.

Ideal recipients:

• Loyal clients and customers
• Team members and employees
• Volunteers, donors, and key partners

Sample message: “We’re grateful for your support this year and wish you a joyful Thanksgiving.”

Pro Tip: Use Handwrytten’s bulk personalization tools to efficiently send heartfelt cards as part of your November outreach.

December: Peak Holiday Outreach Planning for Year-End Impact

December is the core of your holiday outreach campaign when thoughtful messages and gifts leave lasting impressions. Personalized cards help you stand out amid the seasonal rush.

Who to include:

• All clients and customers
• VIP donors and partners
• Vendors, freelancers, and remote teams

Sample message: “Wishing you peace, joy, and success this holiday season. Thank you for being a part of our story.”

Pro Tip: Include branded inserts or business cards with your cards to reinforce your brand. Handwrytten supports easy add-ons.

January: Continuing Holiday Outreach Planning Into the New Year

Don’t let your holiday outreach efforts end with December. January is an ideal time to re-engage past leads, dormant clients, and employees returning from the holidays with encouraging handwritten notes.

Target groups:

• Leads that didn’t convert in the past year
• Previous clients worth reconnecting with
• Returning employees and stakeholders

Sample message: “Here’s to a fresh start and a year filled with opportunity. Looking forward to working together.”

Pro Tip: Automate your January outreach with Handwrytten to maintain consistency and maximize engagement.

Holiday Gifting Tips to Complement Your Outreach Planning

Combine thoughtful gifts with handwritten notes to elevate your holiday gifting strategy and make your outreach unforgettable.

Gift and message combos:

• Cozy candles or treats paired with: “Wishing you warmth and joy this season.”
• Local products or branded merchandise with: “Thanks for being part of our community.”
• Donations in honor of recipients accompanied by: “Celebrating the season by giving back, thanks to your support.”

Pro Tip: Handwrytten integrates digital and physical gift cards that complement your handwritten notes, perfect for bulk gifting.

Bulk Holiday Outreach Planning Made Simple with Handwrytten

For large-scale holiday outreach campaigns, Handwrytten streamlines the entire process—making it easy to send personalized cards in bulk without sacrificing authenticity.

Bulk campaign features:

• Upload lists with custom messages
• Select handwriting styles and card designs
• Add inserts like business cards or QR codes
• Include gift cards for added impact

Pro Tip: Schedule your campaigns in advance with Handwrytten’s automation tools to ensure your cards arrive at just the right moment.

Strategic holiday outreach planning combined with authentic messaging and the right tools helps you create memorable connections throughout the season. Handwrytten offers the perfect platform to bring your seasonal communication plan to life with ease and personalization.

Discover more at www.handwrytten.com or email sales@handwrytten.com to start planning your holiday outreach today.

Frequently Asked Questions

When should I start planning my holiday outreach?
Ideally, begin planning in early Q3 so you can finalize lists, create messaging, and schedule campaigns before the rush begins.

How can I personalize holiday messages at scale?
Use tools like Handwrytten to create customized handwritten notes for different audience segments while automating delivery.

Should I send holiday cards to clients I haven’t heard from recently?
Yes—holiday cards are a great non-salesy way to reconnect and keep your brand top-of-mind.

Can I include promotions in my holiday cards?
You can, but it’s best to balance value with sincerity. Include a discount code in a card that still centers appreciation.

What’s the best format for a holiday campaign using Handwrytten?
Plan multiple touchpoints: a thank-you in November, a holiday card in December, and a New Year note in January. Handwrytten allows scheduling all three at once.

The post Holiday Outreach Planning appeared first on Handwrytten.

Why Personalized Notes Matter in Nonprofit Work

Personalized communication helps nonprofits stand out and nurture relationships. In an age where inboxes are flooded and digital messages often go unnoticed, sending a handwritten note provides a personal, authentic experience. This physical gesture resonates emotionally with donors, volunteers, and partners, making them feel valued and appreciated. As a result, your nonprofit can stand out in a crowded digital space and leave a lasting impression on key supporters.

Ways Nonprofits Can Use Handwritten Notes

Now that we understand the importance of personalized communication, let’s dive into the various ways nonprofits can leverage handwritten notes to create meaningful connections:

Thank You Notes That Actually Get Read

Personalized thank-you cards leave a stronger impression than templated emails. They show supporters that their gift was noticed and appreciated, which strengthens your relationship with them.

Example Message: “Dear [Name], your support helps us continue feeding local families—and we couldn’t do it without you. Thank you for being part of our community.”

Pro Tip: Consider including a photo, impact stat, or a QR code linking to a heartfelt video message from your team. This added touch shows that you value the supporter’s impact.

Volunteer Appreciation That Feels Genuine

Volunteers are essential to a nonprofit’s success. Recognizing their efforts with a personal note boosts morale, makes them feel valued, and encourages continued engagement.

Example Message: “Thank you, [Name], for your incredible work at our event this weekend. Your dedication made all the difference!”

Pro Tip: Send notes immediately after volunteer shifts or events, or schedule quarterly check-ins with milestone recognition. By making these notes timely, you show volunteers their contributions are seen and appreciated.

Donor Re-Engagement and Lapsed Outreach

Reconnecting with past donors doesn’t have to feel transactional. A handwritten note adds warmth to your follow-up, transforming a simple outreach into a meaningful conversation.

Example Message: “Hi [Name], we’ve been thinking about you and wanted to share a quick update on the impact your last donation helped create.”

Pro Tip: Consider including a printed impact report, token gift, or hand-signed photo to reconnect in a thoughtful way. This shows added sincerity in your outreach.

End-of-Year Giving and Campaign Boosts

During peak fundraising seasons, your donors are often inundated with digital requests. A handwritten note can cut through the noise and help your campaign stand out.

Example Message: “We’re almost at our year-end goal—and your support could take us over the finish line. Thank you for believing in our mission.”

Pro Tip: Segment donors by donation history and tailor your messaging for higher engagement. Consider including a pledge card or pre-stamped return envelope to make it easy for donors to contribute.

Personalized Follow-Ups with Major Donors

A handwritten note can deepen relationships with top supporters and stakeholders. A thoughtful follow-up message after a meaningful conversation or event demonstrates your appreciation for their involvement.

Example Message: “It was such a pleasure connecting with you, [Name]. Your insights and passion are truly inspiring—we’d love to explore ways to collaborate further.”

Pro Tip: For a more personal touch, use a handwriting font based on your founder’s or executive director’s writing to add authenticity and create a stronger connection with leadership.

Additional Ways Nonprofits Can Use Handwritten Notes

In addition to thank-you cards and donor re-engagement, here are more ways nonprofits can use personalized notes:

• Event Invitations – Add a VIP touch to your next gala or community event by sending handwritten invites that make your supporters feel special.
• Monthly Giving Recognition – Surprise recurring donors with handwritten birthday or anniversary notes to thank them for their ongoing support.
• Corporate Sponsor Thank-Yous – Strengthen business partnerships with a note signed by leadership, showing appreciation for their corporate commitment.
• Board Member Welcome Messages – Onboard new board members with a warm, personalized introduction that sets the tone for a positive, long-term relationship.
• Campaign Updates – Keep top-tier donors engaged with short progress notes between major milestones. This helps keep them invested in the cause.

How Handwrytten Makes Personalization Easy

Handwrytten makes it simple to scale handwritten notes without the hassle of manual writing. Here’s how:

• CRM integrations (Salesforce, HubSpot, Zapier, and more)
• Triggered automation for donation milestones or birthdays
• Bulk sending for campaigns or event follow-ups
• Gift card enclosures for volunteer incentives or donor rewards
• International delivery for global donors and partners

With Handwrytten, personalized notes for nonprofits become a sustainable, impactful strategy you can use year-round. To learn more about how we can support your organization’s outreach efforts, visit our website at Handwrytten.com for additional resources, pricing details, and examples.

Ready to Start? Contact Us Today!

If you’re ready to get started or have specific questions about how Handwrytten can work for your nonprofit, don’t hesitate to reach out to our sales team at sales@handwrytten.com. We’re here to help you create meaningful connections that will drive loyalty, engagement, and long-term support for your cause.

FAQs: Personalized Notes for Nonprofits

How do we customize the message and branding of our notes?
You can choose your card design, insert your logo, and select from several handwriting styles—or even create a custom font based on your executive team’s handwriting. This ensures your notes align with your branding and feel personal.

Can we automate these notes from our donor database or CRM?
Yes! Handwrytten integrates with most major CRMs, allowing you to automate notes based on giving thresholds, birthdays, anniversaries, or other events. This streamlines the process and ensures timely communication.

Is there a minimum order requirement for non-profits?
No. Whether you’re sending one note or a thousand, Handwrytten scales to fit your needs. Bulk pricing is available for larger campaigns, making it affordable to send personalized notes at any scale.

Can we include donation return envelopes or inserts?
Absolutely. You can include marketing inserts, brochures, or return envelopes with your notes. Just upload your insert, and Handwrytten will print and include it, ensuring your communications are complete and effective.

Do you offer discounts or special pricing for non-profits?
Yes, we’re proud to support mission-driven work. Contact sales@handwrytten.com to learn about our nonprofit pricing and bulk rates. We want to make it as easy as possible for nonprofits to use handwritten notes as part of their engagement strategy.

The post Personalized Notes for Nonprofits appeared first on Handwrytten.

Why Personalization is the Heart of ABM

ABM isn’t about mass outreach—it’s about high-value, high-return engagement. Your goal is to influence buying committees, build trust with decision-makers, and nurture long-term relationships.

Personalized marketing isn’t just a buzzword in ABM. Research shows:

• 80% of customers are more likely to buy from a brand that offers personalized experiences (Epsilon).
• Personalized content generates 3x more engagement in B2B campaigns (Demand Gen Report).
• ABM campaigns that personalize communications at the account level outperform non-personalized efforts by up to 30% (ITSMA).

So, how do you move from automated “Hi [First Name]” emails to something that truly resonates?

The answer is simple: you stand out in ABM with handwritten outreach that’s unexpected, tactile, and deeply human

The Power of Handwritten Notes in a Digital World

Digital Fatigue Is Real

Your prospects and clients are overwhelmed. Their inboxes are full, their Slack notifications are endless, and their attention is fragmented. As a result, cutting through the clutter is harder than ever. What works? A physical, thoughtful note that arrives in their mailbox.

Handwritten = High Impact

Handwritten notes feel intentional. They aren’t deleted or ignored—they’re opened, read, and remembered. Unlike mass emails, this kind of outreach builds immediate credibility and emotional connection.

Scalable with Handwrytten

Handwrytten allows you to automate handwritten outreach while maintaining the authenticity of a real pen. Thanks to CRM integrations, reusable templates, and automated delivery, you can personalize every message at scale—without sacrificing that personal feel.

Where to Use Handwritten Notes in Your ABM Campaigns

Top of Funnel: First Impressions That Stick

Use handwritten notes to follow up after a networking event, cold outreach, or social interaction. Rather than sending a follow-up email that gets buried, your note leaves a tangible, professional impression.

Example Message: “Hi [Name], It was great meeting you at [Event]. I’d love to continue our conversation and learn more about how we can support your goals.”

Middle of Funnel: Add a Human Touch to the Sales Process

After a product demo or proposal presentation, send a handwritten note to reinforce the value you’re offering. This way, you can re-engage leads who may be hesitating or comparing vendors.

Example Message: “Hi [Name], I really appreciated the opportunity to present our solution. I’m excited about the impact we could make together—looking forward to our next steps.”

Bottom of Funnel: Seal the Deal and Celebrate

Reinforce your brand’s values and commitment right before a deal closes. A note from an executive or account manager makes a powerful final impression.

Example Message: “Hi [Name], We’re thrilled to be moving forward with you. Your vision is inspiring, and we can’t wait to be part of the journey.”

Post-Sale: Strengthen Loyalty and Encourage Advocacy

After the sale, handwritten notes help keep the conversation going. In turn, they show appreciation, mark milestones, and create space for referrals or upsells.

Example Message: “Hi [Name], Thank you for your continued partnership. Your team’s success is our success, and we’re proud to support you every step of the way.”

Expand Use Cases: Thinking Beyond the Basics

Let’s take handwritten ABM to the next level by applying it across more creative, strategic touchpoints:

• Onboarding: Welcome new clients with a handwritten note from their customer success manager.
• Re-Engagement: Reconnect dormant accounts with a surprise note and value-based CTA.
• Executive Outreach: Send handwritten cards signed by your CEO or VP to high-value accounts.
• Gifting Campaigns: Pair notes with branded gifts or holiday packages for key clients.
• Customer Advocacy: Recognize top users, reviewers, or referral partners with thank-you notes.

Ultimately, these creative touchpoints help you stand out in ABM in ways your competitors aren’t even considering.

Integrating Handwritten Notes into Your ABM Tech Stack

Personalization at scale is no longer a dream—it’s a reality. With Handwrytten, you can:

• Sync with Salesforce, HubSpot, and other CRMs
• Automatically trigger handwritten notes based on workflows (demo completed, deal closed, renewal approaching)
• Customize each message with names, dates, and company references
• Track delivery and engagement using custom QR codes, URLs, and follow-up automations

By doing so, you ensure that every step of your ABM journey is enhanced by personal, strategic touchpoints.

Measurable Results: ROI You Can Feel

Handwritten notes don’t just feel special—they deliver quantifiable value. Brands using Handwrytten in ABM campaigns have reported:

• Increased engagement rates
• Faster deal progression
• Higher renewal and upsell rates
• More client referrals and social sharing

Clearly, personal touches make a powerful impact. And when they’re systemized and measurable, they become a repeatable competitive advantage.

Best Practices for Effective Handwritten Outreach

To make the most of your handwritten campaigns, follow these simple best practices:

• Keep it brief and genuine (1–3 sentences is often enough)
• Include a specific detail to show the note is personal
• Use handwriting that’s readable and clean—Handwrytten takes care of this with human-like fonts
• Add a call to action, even if it’s simple (e.g. “Looking forward to our next conversation.”)
• Time it thoughtfully (after meetings, events, or major milestones)

Altogether, these small actions create a big impact—and help you truly stand out in ABM with handwritten outreach.

Final Thoughts: Personalization That Builds Pipeline

ABM is about connection. It’s about showing key accounts that they’re more than just names on a list—they’re valued partners.

Handwritten notes add warmth, emotion, and sincerity in a way no automated email ever could. When used strategically, they drive loyalty, engagement, and revenue.

So if you’re looking to stand out in ABM, Handwrytten offers the perfect blend of personal and scalable.

Ready to Transform Your ABM Outreach?

Break through the noise. Be remembered. Deliver experiences your accounts won’t forget.

Handwritten notes give your ABM strategy the personal edge it needs to truly stand out.
With Handwrytten, you can create authentic, memorable outreach that strengthens relationships at every stage.

Ready to make your connections count?
Visit www.handwrytten.com or contact us at sales@handwrytten.com to get started.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do handwritten notes compare to email or direct mail in terms of ROI?
Handwritten notes have a higher open rate than standard direct mail or email. While emails can be deleted and mailers tossed, a handwritten note is almost always opened, read, and remembered—leading to stronger engagement and increased conversions over time.

What if I don’t have time to write notes myself?
That’s exactly where platforms like Handwrytten come in. They allow you to send personalized, handwritten notes at scale without ever picking up a pen. You can automate the process while still maintaining the personal touch.

Can I include branding or inserts with my handwritten note?
Yes. With Handwrytten, you can include your logo or even add branded gift cards and small enclosures. This adds another layer of impact and reinforces your brand experience.

Are handwritten notes effective for industries outside of B2B tech?
Absolutely. While B2B tech companies use ABM frequently, handwritten outreach is powerful in industries like real estate, finance, healthcare, and non-profits—anywhere relationships drive results.

How do I measure the success of a handwritten note campaign?
Trackable links, QR codes, or unique URLs included in the note can help measure engagement. You can also monitor follow-up responses, meetings booked, or revenue influenced to evaluate ROI.

The post Stand Out in ABM with Handwritten Outreach appeared first on Handwrytten.

Before the Conference: Make a Memorable First Impression

Getting in touch early sets the tone for a meaningful interaction later. Whether you’re scheduling meetings or inviting attendees to your booth, handwritten notes help you elevate your conference outreach by building anticipation and rapport.

Example messages:

• “Looking forward to seeing you at [Conference Name]! Stop by Booth 1228—we’ll have coffee and conversation ready.”
• “We’re both attending [Conference Name]—let’s make time to connect. I’d love to hear more about your work with [company/project].”

Pro Tip: Include a branded insert or a QR code with your calendar link, a free download, or an event map highlighting your booth.

During the Conference: Strengthen Real-Time Connections

Don’t wait until after the conference to follow up. By sending notes during the event, you strengthen new connections while the interaction is still fresh—helping to elevate your conference outreach with real-time relevance.

How to use notes mid-event:

•  Recap a panel conversation
•  Follow up on a booth visit
•  Reinforce a potential partnership

Example message: “Enjoyed our conversation at the [panel/networking event] about [topic]. Your perspective on [industry trend] stuck with me—let’s reconnect soon.”

Pro Tip: Make it personal. Jot a few details from each conversation—what stood out, what you discussed, or something memorable. That extra effort turns a simple note into a true connection.

After the Conference: Stand Out from the Post-Event Noise

Post-conference follow-up is where most connections fall flat. Set yourself apart by sending a handwritten thank-you that shows your appreciation and interest in building the relationship.

Ways to follow up:

• Following up with qualified leads
• Thanking booth visitors or demo attendees
• Reconnecting with dormant contacts
• Showing appreciation to event organizers and speakers

Example messages:

• “Thanks for stopping by our booth at [Conference Name]. I really appreciated your insights on [topic]—looking forward to finding ways we can support your team.”
• “Great to meet you at [event]. Based on our conversation, I think [your company] can help you achieve [goal]. Let’s continue the discussion.”

Pro Tip: Pair your note with a small gesture—a gift card, a product sample, or a custom one-pager based on your discussion..

Additional Ways to Elevate Your Conference Outreach

Reconnect with Existing Clients

Conference time is a great excuse to check in with current clients. Reference something from the event or simply express appreciation for their continued partnership.

Thank Event Partners and Speakers

Show gratitude to those who helped make the event possible. A quick, genuine thank-you note is a simple way to leave a lasting impression.

Welcome New Contacts with a Personal Touch

Use notes to welcome new faces you met or were introduced to at the event. Even a few lines can help lay the foundation for future collaboration.

Pro Tip: Mention their role or how you met to personalize your message even more.

Automate and Scale Your Outreach with Handwrytten

Want to elevate your conference outreach without handwriting hundreds of cards? Handwrytten lets you:

• Automate your outreach through CRM integrations
• Add personalized inserts, business cards, or QR codes
• Choose from hundreds of cards, including branded options
• Send notes domestically and internationally

With robots that write just like you, we help you keep the personal touch—without spending hours doing it.

Elevate Your Conference Outreach from Start to Finish

Whether you’re sending invitations, thanking attendees, or following up after the event, handwritten notes offer a standout strategy to elevate your conference outreach. They create real moments of connection in an increasingly digital world.

Explore more at Handwrytten.com or email sales@handwrytten.com to learn how to make your next event more memorable—and more successful.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use handwritten outreach to drive booth traffic before a conference starts?
Yes! A handwritten note sent in advance can include your booth number, a special giveaway teaser, or a personal invitation to stop by. It helps your brand stand out before attendees even hit the expo floor.

What if I don’t have addresses for the people I want to reach?
No problem—Handwrytten’s address collection tool makes it easy. Share a custom link where your recipients can securely enter their mailing info, and we’ll take it from there.

Can handwritten notes be used to reconnect with people I didn’t get to meet?
Yes! If you missed a planned meetup or admired someone’s panel but didn’t connect, a handwritten note shows initiative and genuine interest. It’s a classy way to introduce yourself post-event.

How long should a handwritten note be after a conference?
Short and thoughtful wins. Aim for 3–5 sentences that are warm, specific, and relevant. It’s not a sales pitch—it’s a relationship builder.

Can I include a call-to-action in a handwritten note?
Definitely. Whether it’s scheduling a follow-up call or inviting them to download a resource, a gentle CTA can guide next steps—just keep it conversational and low-pressure.

The post Elevate Your Conference Outreach appeared first on Handwrytten.

Product: Build Emotional Value Into What You Sell

Think beyond the product itself. What surrounds it? What makes the experience feel special, trustworthy, or memorable?

How Handwrytten Enhances the 4 P’s of Marketing starts here: you can’t just offer value, you have to show that you care. A handwritten note included with a purchase, a follow-up after a service, or a personal welcome message builds trust and connection.

Ways to apply:

• Retail: Add a note inside each package for first-time buyers or VIP customers.
• Subscription boxes: Personalize renewal milestones or monthly themes.
• Healthcare providers: Welcome new patients or follow up after an appointment.
• Automotive: Include a handwritten message in glove compartments after service or purchase.

Sample messages:

• Thanks for your order, [Name]! We hope this piece brings you joy. Questions? We’re always here.
• Your subscription means the world to us! Month #6 is on us—thank you for being part of the journey.
• We’re honored you chose us for your care. Here’s to a healthier, happier you.

Pro tip: Emotional value isn’t just built into the product—it’s built into the experience. A handwritten note can transform a simple transaction into a memorable moment that boosts satisfaction, trust, and long-term loyalty.

Price: Reinforce Value Through Emotional Connection

People don’t just pay for products—they pay for how those products make them feel. One of the most effective ways to justify your pricing is to increase perceived value through thoughtful customer care.

And this is where a thoughtful marketing strategy really makes a difference. Whether you’re offering premium services or subscription plans, customers are more likely to spend—and stay loyal—when they feel seen.

Ways to apply:

• Financial services: Send milestone messages for loan approvals, anniversaries, or payment completions.
• Boutiques & salons: Thank high-spending clients with personalized cards and loyalty gifts.
• B2B companies: Show appreciation for multi-year clients with anniversary messages or handwritten annual recaps.

Sample messages:

• Congrats on paying off your loan, [Name]! We’re so proud to have been part of your financial journey.
• Loved seeing you again this week! Thanks for trusting us with your glow-up. Can’t wait for next time!
• Happy 3-year anniversary as a client! Your partnership is incredibly meaningful to us.

Pro tip: Customers are more willing to pay when they feel valued. Use handwritten notes to highlight milestones, express gratitude, or recognize loyalty—small gestures that make your pricing feel like a premium experience.

Promotion: Break Through the Digital Clutter

Email inboxes are overcrowded. Social ads blend into the scroll. But handwritten notes? They’re opened, remembered, and shared.

Personal outreach is a powerful promotional tool—and it’s often overlooked. Use Handwrytten as a strategic channel for direct response campaigns, lead nurturing, upsells, or surprise-and-delight promotions that actually get noticed.

Ways to apply:

• Real estate: Reach out to warm leads with a handwritten invite to tour a home.
• Nonprofits: Thank donors with a heartfelt note + a QR code to their impact story.
• Event marketing: Send notes post-conference to move conversations forward.
• Retail: Promote a seasonal collection or exclusive offer with a personal card.

Sample messages:

• Hi [Name], I thought of you when this new property hit the market—it’s your style all the way. Let’s chat?
• Your donation is already making waves. Scan the code to see the lives you’ve changed.
• Great meeting you at [Event]! Here’s a little something to keep the momentum going—15% off your next order.

Pro tip: Add QR codes, personalized URLs, or gift cards to drive action without losing the personal feel.

Place: Deliver Connection Anywhere

Marketing isn’t just about where you sell—it’s about where and how you connect. In today’s hybrid, global world, your presence has to travel.

This last pillar in the 4 P’s of Marketing is all about extending your brand’s reach without losing its humanity. Handwritten messages let you deliver a meaningful experience anywhere—across states, time zones, or borders.

Ways to apply:

• Online brands: Add an offline component to surprise customers.
• Remote teams: Celebrate birthdays, anniversaries, or work wins with personal messages.
• International clients: Use our global delivery to stay connected beyond borders.
• Service businesses: Mail handwritten reminders or re-engagement notes.

Sample messages:

• Even though our brand lives online, we wanted to show our gratitude the old-fashioned way. Thanks for being here.
• Happy 2-year work anniversary, [Name]! You’ve made an amazing impact—cheers to many more.
• Hi [Name], just checking in—we haven’t seen you in a while and hope all is well! Here’s 10% off your next visit, on us.

Pro tip: In a digital-first world, physical touchpoints stand out. Handwritten notes help your brand show up meaningfully—no matter where your audience is—building stronger connections across distance and time.

Bonus: Industry-Specific Mini Ideas

Hospitality:

• Post-stay thank-you cards for VIP guests
• Loyalty rewards with a personal touch
• Anniversary messages for repeat travelers

Pro tip: Personal touches in hospitality create unforgettable experiences. Send handwritten notes to VIP guests or celebrate milestones with a thoughtful message, and watch loyalty grow.

Veterinary & Pet Services:

• Pet birthday cards
• Sympathy notes after pet loss
• Welcome messages for new clients and pets

Pro tip: Make every pet’s journey special. A birthday card for a pet or a sympathy note after a loss shows clients you care beyond just the service, creating lifelong bonds.

Education & Coaching:

• Congratulate students on course completions
• Encourage mid-program with motivational notes
• Thank referrers with handwritten gifts

Pro tip: Handwritten notes are powerful motivators. A congratulatory message or a mid-program check-in can inspire students and clients, while a thank-you note strengthens referral relationships.

Why This Matters

Authenticity can’t be automated—but with Handwrytten, you can scale it. Incorporating handwritten notes into your marketing strategy doesn’t just enhance the 4 P’s—you elevate them.

Here’s how you:

• Transform your product into a memorable experience.
• Reinforce your pricing by adding emotional value.
• Make your promotions feel personal and unforgettable.
• Deepen your presence in the customer’s heart and mind.

And the best part? You do it in a way that’s automated, scalable, and accessible—no matter where your customers are.

Put Handwrytten to Work for You

You don’t need a big team or a huge marketing budget to create memorable customer experiences.
What you do need is consistency, authenticity—and the right tools.

That’s where Handwrytten comes in. Whether you’re looking to retain clients, boost referrals, or simply make your brand more human, we make it easy to scale personal touches that leave a lasting impression.

Ready to get started?
Visit www.handwrytten.com or reach out to our team at sales@handwrytten.com for a custom solution that fits your goals.

The post How Handwrytten Enhances the 4 P’s of Marketing appeared first on Handwrytten.

To understand how comfort marketing works, let’s break it down through the 3Cs: Content, Cadence, and Channel. 

Content: What is Comfort Marketing? 

Comfort marketing is rooted in the idea of providing emotional reassurance to clients. It’s about offering support, empathy, and stability when clients may feel uncertain or anxious. The beauty of comfort marketing lies in its simplicity: It doesn’t ask for anything in return, such as a sale or referral. Instead, it seeks to create a moment of connection, demonstrating that your brand cares about the client’s well-being. 

Examples of comfort marketing include: 

• Handwritten notes offering words of support after major events like wildfires, floods, or economic disruptions. 

• Messaging that reassures clients that your brand will remain strong and stable, even in times of crisis. 

• A simple acknowledgment of challenges, like inflation or tariffs, along with a promise that your brand will continue to stand by them. 

These messages are intended to provide comfort, letting your clients know you’re thinking of them during tough times. 

Cadence: How Often Should You Reach Out? Is Follow-Up Necessary? 

The timing and frequency of comfort marketing outreach are crucial. It’s important to strike a balance between offering reassurance without overwhelming your clients with too many messages. Comfort marketing is about being thoughtful and strategic—reaching out at just the right moment when clients need it most. 

How Often Should You Reach Out? 

Comfort marketing doesn’t require constant outreach. Instead, it’s about reaching out at key moments. For example, after a significant event or change, such as: 

• A natural disaster that has affected the community 

• Economic shifts that may impact your clients’ businesses 

• Political or social events that create a sense of uncertainty 

These are the moments when a message of comfort can have the most impact. Reaching out after such events shows that you’re aware of your clients’ circumstances and are offering support, not a sales pitch. 

Is Follow-Up Necessary? 

While it’s not essential to follow up with every message, you can consider it when the client responds or engages with your initial message. A follow-up message could be a simple check-in, but make sure not to turn it into a marketing pitch. The goal is to keep the relationship human, not transactional. 

Channel: Is Text, Email, or Handwritten Notes the Right Approach? 

Comfort marketing is all about delivering the right message through the right channel. Different types of messages resonate differently depending on the medium, so it’s important to choose the right channel for the situation. 

Text Message 

Text messages can be a quick and informal way to reach out, but they may not always convey the level of empathy or thoughtfulness that comfort marketing demands. While effective for shorter, more immediate messages, text is best suited for minor disruptions or quick check-ins, such as after a brief service issue or small market shift. 

When to use: A quick, supportive message after a small setback, like a service disruption. 

Email 

Email is a more formal communication channel and can allow for a deeper, more detailed message. This is the ideal channel when you need to provide reassurance about larger events, such as changes in the economy or major disruptions like political shifts. It’s also a great platform for explaining how your business is adapting to challenges, while still focusing on the well-being of your clients. 

When to use: For sending updates on business continuity, economic shifts, or larger crises that might affect your clients. 

Handwritten Notes 

Handwritten notes are the gold standard in comfort marketing. They show a level of personal investment and attention to detail that emails and texts simply can’t match. A well-crafted handwritten note can go a long way in demonstrating that you genuinely care about your client’s well-being. The tactile nature of a handwritten note also makes it feel more sincere, as it requires more effort than an email or text. 

When to use: After major life events, disasters, or shifts in the market, when you want to offer deep emotional reassurance and show that you’re there for your client. 

The Power of Comfort Marketing 

Comfort marketing is a simple but powerful approach to building client relationships. By focusing on content, cadence, and channel, businesses can offer clients the emotional support they need during times of change or uncertainty. This strategy isn’t about asking for anything in return; it’s about being there for your clients, demonstrating that your brand is a source of stability and reassurance. Whether it’s through a thoughtful handwritten note, a compassionate email, or a quick text, comfort marketing builds trust and loyalty, strengthening your brand’s relationship with its clients. 

The post Comfort Marketing: A New Strategy for Building Client Loyalty appeared first on Handwrytten.

Why Valentine’s Day Marketing Matters

Valentine’s Day is one of the most celebrated holidays, offering a chance to connect with customers emotionally. Engaging with your audience during this time can:

• Foster customer loyalty by showing appreciation.
• Boost brand visibility through unique campaigns.
• Drive sales with timely promotions and offers.
• Create memorable experiences that keep your business top-of-mind.

The key to success is to design campaigns that align with your brand while making customers feel special and valued.

Creative Valentine’s Day Marketing Ideas

Handwritten Valentine’s Cards

Nothing says “we care” like a handwritten note. Sending Valentine’s Day cards to customers can create a personal connection that digital marketing often lacks.

How it works for different businesses:

Retailers: Include a handwritten card with online orders during February.

Service Providers: Send cards to top clients thanking them for their loyalty.

B2B Companies: Use cards to nurture leads or reconnect with past clients.

Example: A boutique clothing store could send a card that says, “Roses are red, violets are blue, we love having customers like you!” Add a discount code to sweeten the gesture.

Social Media Contests and Giveaways

Valentine’s Day is perfect for interactive campaigns. Contests encourage engagement and increase your social media reach.

Ideas for different businesses:

Restaurants: Ask followers to share their favorite Valentine’s Day dish for a chance to win a free meal.

Fitness Centers: Run a photo contest encouraging couples to share how they work out together.

E-commerce: Offer a prize for the best story about a gift they’ve bought from your store.

Tip: Pair the contest with a branded hashtag to increase visibility.

Limited-Time Promotions

Valentine’s Day-themed promotions can drive urgency and sales. Create offers that align with the holiday’s theme.

Ideas for different businesses:

Spas: Bundle couples’ massages or skincare treatments with a Valentine’s Day discount.

Flower Shops: Offer special packages that include flowers, chocolates, and a handwritten card.

Subscription Services: Provide a “Buy One, Gift One” offer to encourage sharing.

Example: A subscription box service could promote, “Share the love! Subscribe this month and send a free gift to a loved one.

Customized Products or Services

Offering personalized options adds an extra layer of thoughtfulness to your Valentine’s Day marketing.

Ideas for different businesses:

Jewelry Stores: Engrave customers’ names or special dates on products.

Food & Beverage Brands: Create Valentine’s-themed packaging with heartfelt messages.

Tech Companies: Offer Valentine’s Day-inspired skins or accessories.

Example: A bakery could allow customers to customize cookies with messages like “Be Mine” or “You’re Sweet.”

Charity Campaigns

Show your business’s heart by giving back to the community. Use Valentine’s Day as an opportunity to support a cause that resonates with your audience.

Ideas for different businesses:

Retailers: Donate a portion of February sales to a charity.

Health & Wellness Brands: Partner with a nonprofit to offer wellness services to those in need.

B2B Companies: Match customer donations to a charitable organization.

Example: A local coffee shop could run a campaign like “Share the Love: For every coffee sold on Valentine’s Day, we’ll donate $1 to a local food bank.”

Exclusive Valentine’s Day Events

Host events that bring customers together and create memorable experiences.

Ideas for different businesses:

Restaurants: Plan a romantic dining experience with a special Valentine’s menu.

Fitness Studios: Offer partner yoga or dance classes.

Retailers: Host a crafting night where customers can create Valentine’s Day cards or gifts.

Example: A bookstore could host a “Blind Date with a Book” event, where customers pick wrapped books with enticing descriptions.

User-Generated Content Campaigns

Encourage customers to share their love for your brand by creating content that features your products or services.

Ideas for different businesses:

Fashion Brands: Ask customers to post photos wearing your products with a Valentine’s theme.

Home Decor Stores: Invite customers to share how they’ve styled your products for Valentine’s Day.

Pet Services: Run a campaign where customers share how they “love” their pets with your products.

Tip: Feature user-generated content on your website or social media to strengthen customer connections.

Email Campaigns with a Personal Touch

Send Valentine’s Day-themed emails to remind customers you’re thinking of them.

Ideas for different businesses:

E-commerce: Share a curated list of gift ideas for Valentine’s Day.

Professional Services: Send a thank-you email with a message of appreciation.

Hospitality: Offer exclusive deals for Valentine’s Day getaways.

Example: An email could say, “This Valentine’s Day, we want to thank you for being part of our family. Use code LOVE20 for 20% off your next order.”

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) About Using Valentine’s Day  Marketing

Why should businesses send Valentine’s Day cards to customers?

Valentine’s Day cards are a thoughtful way to show appreciation and foster emotional connections. They help businesses stand out, increase customer loyalty, and create a memorable brand experience.

How can I use handwritten Valentine’s Day cards in my marketing?

You can include them in orders, send them to top clients, or use them as part of a larger campaign, such as a loyalty program or promotion. Add personalized messages or offers to make the cards even more impactful.

What should I write in a Valentine’s Day card for customers?

Keep it simple, heartfelt, and on-brand. Express gratitude, acknowledge their importance to your business, and include a friendly, positive message.

Why Handwrytten Is the Perfect Solution for Valentine’s Day Marketing

Handwrytten’s innovative technology takes the effort out of sending handwritten cards while maintaining authenticity. Here’s how it works:

1. Type or Craft Your Message: Write your note yourself or use Handwrytten’s AI to perfect the message.
2. Choose a Card Design: Select from a beautiful range of designs or upload your custom branding.
3. Scale with Ease: Handwrytten’s robots write each card individually, ensuring a personal touch for every recipient.

With Handwrytten, you can create positive impressions, strengthen customer relationships, and build long-lasting bonds—all while scaling your outreach effortlessly.

Valentine’s Day is your chance to show customers how much they mean to your business. Whether it’s through handwritten cards, engaging campaigns, or thoughtful gestures, the effort you put into this season will leave a lasting impression. With Handwrytten, you can elevate your Valentine’s Day marketing and connect with your customers in a meaningful way. Start crafting your campaign today and let Handwrytten help you spread the love—one handwritten card at a time!

The post Love Your Customers: Creative Valentine’s Day Marketing Ideas appeared first on Handwrytten.

Nonprofits are always looking for new ways to raise funds and increase donations. These 6 nonprofit marketing ideas for the new year can be incorporated into your marketing plan and help you achieve success in 2022.

Drive Donor Memberships and Recurring Donations

Recurring donation programs have skyrocketed in recent years, and for a good reason. They provide a steady and dependable stream of revenue for nonprofit organizations. However, instead of hoping donors will renew their gifts from year to year, nonprofits can offer the mechanism for donors to “set it and forget it”. 

These monthly recurring donations often result in a higher average gift for the long-term and provide opportunities for nonprofits to maintain a relationship with the donor throughout the entire year. Instead of only a single acknowledgment following a one-time gift. In fact, “recurring donors give 42% more per year than one-time donors”, according to Matchpro.

Encouraging donors to move from an annual to a monthly gift can be challenging. It also requires intentional efforts and cultivation from your nonprofit organization. However, for donors currently giving less than $100 annually, a well-crafted letter or digital marketing campaign is effective to present the benefits of transitioning that gift to a monthly donation. 

These messages should lead with the benefits. This includes equipping your organization to do good work consistently, reducing the burden on donors to give a larger amount all at once, and enabling the organization to plan better, and anticipate the resources available.

For donors giving more than $100, a personalized, handwritten letter, such as the ones made by Handwrytten, sent via first class mail elevates the solicitation experience and reinforces that the nonprofit values the relationship.

A personalized, handwritten letter sent via first class mail elevates the solicitation experience and reinforces that the nonprofit values the relationship.

6 New Year’s Marketing Resolutions for Nonprofits 

Taking stock of your past marketing efforts can help guide future choices in 2022 and promote engagement with donors. By committing to taking each year for re-evaluation, your nonprofit will continue to be successful. 

These six marketing resolutions for nonprofits are a terrific starting point in revamping your fundraising struggles. 

1. Use Social Media
2. Use Mobile-Friendly Websites with Videos
3. Clean Up Your Contact Database
4. Analyze the Data 
5. Use and Expand SEO Efforts 
6. Enhance the Experience for the Target Audience 

1. Use Social Media 

Today, if you want to make a mark in the world, your nonprofit requires social media accounts. Whether it is LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook, or Instagram, more than ever, online users are using social media as the way to give online. 

The Giving Report outlines several trends in online giving. The top social media platform that inspires consumers to donate is Facebook, measuring a significant 56%, with Instagram in second place at 20%. 

These two popular networks account for inspiring 76% of the users to donate, making it necessary to join the ranks of social media to remain successful.   

2. Use Mobile-Friendly Websites with Videos

While nonprofits will see website traffic from desktop computers often, more individuals are using mobile devices, including smartphones and tablets. These devices can make viewing web pages challenging if they are not optimized correctly. 

Ensuring that visitors can navigate through the home page and donation forms with ease will minimize frustration and lower your bounce rate. The easier your website is for mobile users, the higher chance they will donate before leaving your site. 

Additionally, using videos in social media platforms can grab a viewer’s attention immediately when compared to providing a post for them to read through. A typical online user will watch up to 100 minutes of online videos every day. This statistic is 25% higher than data reported only two years ago, making videos even more essential for a successful online presence. 

3. Tidy Up Your Databases

After each fiscal year, tidying up any straggling details will help your first quarter move smoother. 

• Work through your donor database and verify information or make any necessary changes. 
• Ensure all donations and gifts are recorded accurately for easy reporting.
• Consider merging data into programs to save time and overhead costs.

Not only will your nonprofit be better prepared for the coming year, but correct and efficient ways to access data information can help when adjusting your marketing goals and processes. 

4. Analyze the Data 

Collecting information from donors and website hits will not help your nonprofit if you do not analyze it for possible adjustments. Whether you have staff on-hand to examine your data or hire a third-party for recommendations, moving towards improvement each year is critical to keep on top of the newest trends in the nonprofit sector. 

5. Use and Expand SEO Efforts 

Google and Bing can be two of the best SEO tools for your nonprofit organization. Exploring Google Analytics and Bing Places for Business will help digital users find your nonprofit easily, therefore increasing the chances for online donations.  

Thankfully, these platforms are relatively easy to navigate, but there are third-party companies that specialize in using SEO tactics and can help improve your marketing efforts online using them. 

6. Enhance the Experience for the Target Audience

There are few better places to tell your nonprofit‘s story and demonstrate your impact than your website. The organization’s website serves as the marketing hub-the place where all other marketing activities culminate in one desired action-making an online donation. 

Naturally, a website has other uses. It’s a lifeline for forms and surveys, event sign-ups, volunteer recruitment, and event calendars. But its primary benefit is serving as the mechanism for financial support. According to a 2020 charitable givingreport, 13 percent of all funds raised came from online donations, the largest share as a percentage of total giving in the report’s history.

Optimizing your website to enhance the audience’s experience will increase the response for online giving. Every website platform is different. Some have built-in online giving capacity, and others require third-party tools like PayPal, Snowball Fundraising, or DonorBox. Regardless of the software you use, the online giving experience must include several site components.

Online Giving Starts on the Home Page

When potential donors land on your home page, you have a mere second or two to form an impression. The donor will then decide if they want to stick around to learn more. Therefore, your home page should be visually appealing with clear messaging. What you do, who you do it for, and why it matters should all be noted. In addition, the navigation should be easy to use. The link to give online needs to be in at least two different places. 

The Donate Page Needs More Than a Form

Don’t mistake assuming that they are ready to enter their credit card when someone gets to the donate page. The “abandoned cart” rate used for business commerce metrics applies here, too. There’s an extremely high percentage of website visitors who decide they are not ready to commit. 

The online donation page avoids this pattern and demonstrates such impact and needs compelling a donor to give. Your online giving page should have emotion-evoking photos with captions, a restatement of your purpose, and impact statements that show the outcomes of your work. 

The donation form should be as simple as possible with the fewest fields required, showcase security features, and be mobile-friendly. And, the confirmation page should instruct the donor on what to expect next-an email acknowledgment, handwritten letter from a board member, receipt, etc. 

Send Handwritten Letters Online In Bulk 

In some instances and for specific uses, handwritten notes for nonprofits marketing is still very much a viable solution for nonprofits to raise money. However, executing a digital marketing mail campaign takes intentionality and planning. 

Using Handwritten Letters 

Many potential donors receive dozens of typed requests every year for support from many nonprofit organizations. While they look professional and come from a reputable source, choosing a handwritten note can add a more personal touch. 

Handwriting is a lost art form in many industries. This marketing style can have the reader spend more time glancing at your letter and identifying with your organization. Written letters exhibit a sense that the sender took time out of their day to send an individualized note.

However, manually writing hundreds of letters can take time. Handwrytten can replicate handwriting styles to automate the process, saving you time and still connecting to your target audience. 

Use Corporate Partnerships to Enhance Visibility

Another profitable strategy is to seek out corporate partnerships. 

The partnerships between corporations and nonprofit organizations are vital to communities. Companies want to show their customers they care about local causes and invest in their neighborhood needs. Likewise, nonprofits rely on corporate partnerships and sponsorships to produce events and programs that deliver their clients’ services. 

These sponsorships also provide much-needed visibility. As a result, companies are often willing to spend their advertising dollars on promoting the nonprofit event or program where they attach their name as a sponsor.

Finding the right corporate sponsorships is vital. However, nonprofits should avoid targeting the largest company in town simply because they can say yes. Instead, the best marketing strategy is to identify the companies that match based on other factors-employee relationship, overlap in customer/donor bases, and related causes. 

Once nonprofit leaders identify potential corporate partners, creating a professional and informative corporate sponsorship proposal is critical. This personalized outreach should follow a personal conversation. Most importantly, the proposal should focus on the business’s benefit, not the organization. 

Final Thoughts

As you consider which of these marketing trends to implement in your own nonprofit, consider which ones might inspire you if you received them from your own charity of choice? And, don’t feel rushed to implement them all at once. The customizable options provided by Handwrytten are a great starting point. 

As you begin marketing your nonprofit in 2022, take time to audit what content worked in 2021, record your baseline metrics, and set goals for the year ahead. Then, experiment with a mix of strategies you’ve used before and incorporate something new when you can. 

Remember that donors hear from multiple organizations at once. The message you present must be memorable and meaningful. Support your organization’s purpose with stories of those impacted, along with facts and figures.

The post 6 Nonprofit Marketing Ideas for the New Year appeared first on Handwrytten.

The secret to achieving this vision lies in learning how to increase donor retention for your nonprofit. In this blog post, you’ll discover strategies and insights to help you increase donor retention, build lasting relationships, and ultimately, ensure the long-term success of your organization.

Key Takeaways

• Donor retention is a key component of successful fundraising initiatives.
• Organizations must focus on strategies to increase donor retention, such as personalizing communication and offering recurring giving options.
• Assessing donor data and tracking key metrics can help organizations identify areas for improvement in their donor retention strategy.

Understanding donor retention

Organizations with a lower donor retention rate must devote considerable resources to donor acquisition. Information from the Nonprofit Quarterly says that it typically costs about 5x as much to acquire a new donor as it does to do business with a current one. Quite frankly, that is a baffling number to consider.

Let’s just imagine that it takes you $10 per annum to maintain a single donor by sending them custom handwritten notes. You build a stronger relationship with them, understand who they are better, and integrate them into your nonprofit at a deeper level.

On the flip side of the coin, you can spend $50 per annum to acquire a new donor. This doesn’t take into account what it costs for you to develop a greater understanding of who they are and how their mission in life relates to yours. It also means you must be much more hands-on with your communication. Otherwise, you may lose them and have to spend another $50 to acquire another donor!

Now scale this to 10, 100, 1000 donors – there are thousands of dollars and hundreds of hours of your time being lost due to a lack of emphasis on retaining your donors.

The labor-intensive endeavor of donor outreach requires nonprofits to continually strive to secure new donors to advance their mission and make up for the loss of former donors, constantly keeping them on the backfoot, both in terms of time and financial resources.

Gaining insight into your donor retention rate is integral to the nurturing and maintenance of donor relationships, playing a key role in the overall success of a nonprofit organization.

The current state of donor retention

According to the Fundraising Effectiveness Project 2020 Fourth Quarter Report, the overall donor retention rate in 2020 was 43.6%, while the new donor retention rate was 19.2%. Compared to 2019, these numbers were about 4.1% lower.

These numbers highlight that retaining donors is a primary challenge faced by numerous nonprofits. There are a plethora of reasons nonprofits may struggle with donor retention, with some of the most prominent reasons being a lack of engagement and communication.

Implementing donor retention strategies such as:

• Thanking donors in various ways
• Creating feedback loops through surveys
• Sharing impact stories
• Tailoring communication to the donor’s interests

can lead to increased donor retention rates. By focusing on these strategies, your nonprofit can overcome retention challenges and enjoy long-term success.

The role of donor retention in fundraising

As we’ve already established, donor retention plays a significant role in an organization’s overall fundraising strategy, providing long-term financial stability and a more cohesive donor base at the same time.

A well-executed donor retention plan can result in a stable and reliable source of funding, which ultimately allows organizations to focus on achieving their mission.

The bottom line

Donor retention is essential for the success of nonprofits. By implementing effective strategies and continuously assessing and improving your efforts, you can increase donor retention rates and build strong relationships with your donors. This not only benefits your organization in the long run but also has a positive impact on your mission and the lives you are working to change.

One of the easiest ways to establish a better relationship with your current clients is by using Handwrytten’s handwritten notes. We offer high-quality, personalized handwritten notes that can be sent to donors automatically, showing them your appreciation and strengthening their connection to your organization.

Assessing your organization’s donor retention rate

Ok – so we get that having a high donor retention rate is important. It saves your nonprofit money and connects you with your donors to a greater level. So, how can you determine if you have a healthy donor retention rate?

Evaluating your organization’s donor retention rate requires calculating the percentage of donors who continue to donate beyond their initial contribution. To calculate your donor retention, divide the number of repeat donors in the current year by the number of donors from the previous year.

For example, let’s say that you had 200 total donors last year, but only 100 of those 200 donors were recurring donors. That means that only 50% of your donors were ‘retained’, hence, a 50% retention rate.

Knowing this rate helps organizations identify areas for improvement and implement strategies to increase donor retention.

The most important factors affecting your donor retention rates

Several factors can influence donor retention rates, including communication, donor involvement, and donation options.

Communication is key in retaining donors, as it allows organizations to continually engage and inform donors about their impact. By personalizing communication and offering multiple channels for donors to stay connected, organizations can enhance donor retention rates. Without consistent communication, donors may lose interest in your cause.

Donor involvement is another crucial factor in donor retention. Organizations must strive to involve donors in various ways, such as volunteering opportunities or special events, to maintain a strong connection and sense of ownership with the organization.

Finally, offering a variety of donation options can also impact donor retention rates. By providing donors with convenient and flexible ways to donate, organizations can make it more likely for donors to continue giving in the future.

Donor recognition is also crucial in cultivating relationships with donors and inspiring them to continue their support. By providing various giving options, such as recurring gifts or one-time donations, organizations allow donors to choose the method that best suits them, which can help boost donor retention rates.

5 effective donor retention strategies

Having grasped the importance of donor retention and the factors that most strongly influence it, let’s explore five effective strategies designed to enhance donor engagement and foster long-term support:

1. Personalizing donor communication
2. Encouraging recurring giving
3. Building strong donor relationships
4. Utilizing donor management software
5. Using handwritten notes for donor retention

Personalizing donor communication

Personalizing donor communication involves segmenting donors based on shared characteristics or behaviors, such as age group or giving frequency. This seems like an extremely basic concept to understand (and it is!), but it is crucial to establish a solid baseline of understanding who your donors are.

By tailoring messages to specific donor segments, your nonprofit can increase the likelihood of engaging donors in a manner that resonates with them and their lived experiences. This personalized approach makes donors feel appreciated and valued beyond a monetary transaction.

Personalizing your communication with individual donors begins with having a well-maintained donor database. This should include information and records, including:

1. Updated donor contact information
2. Important dates, like anniversaries or birthdays
3. Donor interests
4. Donations
5. Connections with other donors, if any

When you have this information isolated to a finite location, like a spreadsheet, it becomes infinitely easier to understand and segment your donors based on different metrics.

Once this has been created, pick and choose between sending your donors handwritten thank-you notes, impact stories in newsletters, and other personalized touchpoints to create a sense of personal connection between your organization and them. Incorporating visual storytelling elements, such as photos and videos, can further enhance donor communication and foster lasting relationships.

Encouraging recurring giving

Offering recurring gift options is another effective strategy for promoting donor retention. Providing donors the convenience of becoming long-term supporters with a single, one-time donation can increase donor retention rates. Corporate philanthropy, such as matching gifts, can also be facilitated through recurring giving options, offering additional incentives for donors to commit to long-term support.

To encourage first-time donors and existing donors to join a recurring giving program, organizations can:

• Identify existing donors who have already contributed multiple times
• Provide them with exclusive nonprofit rewards
• Recognize donors who opt for recurring gifts through targeted communications and expressions of gratitude

These strategies can help retain donors and motivate them to continue their support.

Building strong donor relationships

As aforementioned, fostering strong donor relationships is crucial for long-term donor retention. Keeping donors informed about the organization’s progress, successes, and challenges through regular updates, such as monthly or quarterly reports, can help build trust and loyalty. Sharing impact stories that emphasize the positive effects of the organization’s efforts can also inspire donors to continue their support.

Providing opportunities for donor involvement, such as volunteer events and other activities, can further strengthen relationships and encourage long-term commitment. Engaging with donors through email, social media, or other platforms can create a sense of community and connection, ultimately leading to increased donor retention rates.

Why you should utilize donor management software

Next, let’s discuss the value of using donor management software to enhance donor retention rates. Donor management software can help organizations streamline and automate tasks related to donor communication, tracking donations, and managing relationships.

By centralizing all donor information and records in one convenient location, organizations can easily access and analyze data to understand donor patterns and behavior. This insight allows for more personalized outreach and targeted strategies to increase donor retention.

Additionally, donor management software can also help automate processes such as donation thank-yous, recurring gift reminders, and acknowledgment letters.  Handwrytten’s software integrations allow us to do this for you too, making sending handwritten cards a breeze. This frees up time for organizations to focus on other aspects of their fundraising efforts while still maintaining personalized communication with donors.

Selecting the right software for your organization

The selection of donor management software should take into account features like donor segmentation, automated donation processing, and reporting capabilities. The user interface and ease of use should also be taken into account, as well as compatibility with other systems and the quality of customer support provided by the software provider.

Choosing the right software can not only help streamline your donor retention efforts but also provide valuable insights about your donor base, allowing you to make data-driven decisions and improve your overall fundraising strategy.

Some of the most popular donor management tools we know that our clients use include:

• DonorSnap
• Bloomerang
• Donorbox

Ultimately, the right donor management software will enable your organization to better manage and engage with donors, resulting in increased donor retention rates.

Maximizing the potential of donor management tools

In addition to tracking key donor retention metrics such as donor retention rate, repeat giving, and upgraded giving donor management tools can also help automate personalized communication, monitor donor engagement, and create a more seamless donor experience. By maximizing the potential of these tools, organizations can better understand their donors, implement more effective retention strategies, and ultimately, increase donor retention rates.

Monitoring and adjusting your donor retention strategy

Continuously monitoring and adjusting your donor retention strategy is vital to ensuring long-term success and growth. Regularly reviewing donor retention metrics and analyzing donor data can help identify areas for improvement and inform adjustments to your strategy.

Additionally, actively seeking feedback from donors through surveys or personal outreach allows for a deeper understanding of their motivations and preferences. This information can be used to tailor communication and engagement efforts, further solidifying relationships with donors.

Incorporating new tactics and experimenting with different strategies can also provide valuable insights and help optimize donor retention rates. By continuously evaluating, adapting, and improving your approach to donor retention, you can foster lasting relationships with donors and drive continued support for your cause. After all, happy donors equal loyal donors!

Tracking key donor retention metrics

The success of your donor retention efforts can be effectively gauged by tracking key metrics, including donor retention rate, donor lifetime value (LTV), and donor attrition rate. These metrics can provide valuable insights into the effectiveness of your strategies, as well as areas that may require improvement.

As we’ve already discussed, the donor retention rate measures the percentage of donors who continue to support your organization over time. A higher donor retention rate indicates strong relationships and a more loyal donor base.

Donor LTV quantifies the total value a donor contributes to your organization throughout their lifetime. By tracking this metric, organizations can better understand the impact of their retention efforts and identify areas where they may be losing potential lifetime value from donors.

Finally, the donor attrition rate measures the percentage of donors who stop supporting your organization. Tracking this metric can help identify any red flags or areas for improvement in your retention strategies.

Learning from lapsed donors

Now that we understand how and what metrics to track, let’s discuss a specific group of donors: lapsed donors.

Learning from lapsed donors is crucial for identifying areas for improvement in your donor retention efforts. By engaging with lapsed donors and gaining insight into their motivations and reasons for lapsing, organizations can make informed adjustments to their donor retention strategy.

Examining data on lapsed donors can help organizations discern patterns and trends in donor behavior, as well as gain insight into why these donors have lapsed. By sending targeted communications to donors who have not given recently and demonstrating gratitude to former donors, organizations can motivate them to resume their support.

Summary

In conclusion, mastering donor retention is the key to ensuring the long-term success and sustainability of your nonprofit organization. By understanding the importance of donor retention, calculating your retention rate, implementing effective strategies such as personalizing communication, encouraging recurring giving, and utilizing donor management software, you can build lasting relationships with your donors and secure their ongoing support. Continuously monitoring and adjusting your donor retention strategy will ensure that your organization remains on the path to growth and success.

How Handwrytten can help increase your donor retention rate

Handwrytten’s automated handwritten notes and cards can be a valuable tool for organizations looking to improve their donor retention rates. By personalizing communication and showing gratitude to donors, Handwrytten can help organizations strengthen donor relationships and encourage long-term commitment.

In addition, Handwrytten’s integration with various donor management software platforms allows for seamless tracking and personalization of donor communications, making it even easier for organizations to implement a successful donor retention strategy. By utilizing Handwrytten’s services, organizations can elevate their donor retention efforts and ultimately ensure the lasting support necessary to achieve their mission. So why wait? Start using Handwrytten today and see the positive impact on your organization’s donor retention rates!

Frequently Asked Questions About Donor Retention

What is a good donor retention rate for nonprofits?

The average donor retention rate for nonprofits is 40-45%, meaning that if 100 donors gave to your organization last year, only around 40-45 of them will donate again in the coming year. This is a good baseline to shoot for – a donor retention rate higher than 45% is above average.

How do you strengthen donor relations?

Strengthening donor relations requires proactive measures such as getting personal, prospecting donors, segmentation, setting time for communication, showing donor impact, thanking them, surveying donors, responding to feedback, delivering on promises, attending events, visiting programs, and celebrating success. By consistently engaging with donors in a meaningful way, trust is built, leading to long-term support for the organization.

How do you increase donor acquisition?

Boost donor acquisition by setting clear goals, segmenting your donors, building relationships, leveraging social media, and mastering e-mail outreach while continuously measuring and evaluating results.

How do you retain monthly donors?

Retain monthly donors by thanking them quickly, demonstrating the impact of their gift, getting personal with your thank-yous, contextualizing follow-up, keeping an eye on recurring plans, using events to further nurture donors, surprising and delighting them, creating a feedback loop, making monthly giving a prominent option, making it a club people want to join, keeping up with credit card changes, finding unique ways to say thank you, and staying in touch to keep them updated on the impact of their donation.

How do I calculate my organization’s donor retention rate?

To calculate your organization’s donor retention rate, divide the number of repeat donors in the current year by the number of donors from the previous year.

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