The Power of Individual Referral Sharing in Donor Partnership

Have you ever had a friend or family member ask you for a recommendation on a product or service? It's a common occurrence in our daily lives – we trust the opinions of those we know and often seek out their recommendations before making a decision.

The same concept applies in the world of donor partnership and fundraising. Individual referral sharing – where current or past donors recommend the organization to their personal networks – can be a powerful tool in reaching new potential donors.

Let's take a look at some quantifiable examples of the impact of individual referral sharing:

- A study by marketing analytics firm Custora found that customer referral programs had an average conversion rate of 2.3%, compared to just 0.5% for other forms of marketing.

- The fundraising platform CauseVox reported that referral fundraising campaigns on their platform had an average donation amount of $80, compared to just $55 for non-referral campaigns.

These statistics show that not only can individual referral sharing reach a wider audience, it can also result in higher donations and conversions.

So how can organizations encourage and leverage individual referral sharing in their donor partnerships? Here are three key steps:

1. Provide a clear and compelling message: Donors are more likely to share an organization's message if they understand and believe in the cause. Make sure your messaging is clear, concise, and emotionally appealing.

2. Make sharing easy: Provide tools and resources for donors to easily share on social media or through email. Consider creating personalized landing pages for donors to direct their contacts to.

3. Show appreciation: Donors who feel appreciated are more likely to continue supporting an organization and sharing their message. Consider sending personalized thank-you messages or recognition on social media.

One example of a successful individual referral sharing campaign is the National Kidney Foundation's "Share Your Spare" program. The organization encourages current donors to share their story with friends and family and ask for a donation to support the cause. The program has resulted in over $1 million in donations and helped increase awareness of kidney disease.

Personal anecdotes and case studies can also be effective in illustrating the power of individual referral sharing. For example, a friend of mine recently shared a post on Facebook about a local animal rescue organization she had donated to. As a result, I donated to the organization as well and shared the post on my own social media accounts, resulting in additional donations from my personal network.

In conclusion, individual referral sharing can be a valuable tool in donor partnership and fundraising efforts. By providing a clear message, making sharing easy, and showing appreciation, organizations can leverage the power of personal networks to reach new potential donors.

References:

- https://www.custora.com/blog/average-referral-marketing-conversion-rate-industry-benchmarks

- https://www.causevox.com/blog/referral-fundraising/

- https://www.kidney.org/news/national-kidney-foundations-share-your-spare-campaign-hit-major-milestone-raising-over-1-million

Hashtags: #donorpartnership #fundraising #referralsharing #nonprofit

Category: Nonprofit and Fundraising