Here are some tips to help you stay on course for planned giving success.
1. Stay on top of economic conditions.
With fluctuations in the economy and prices continuing to rise, donors will be more receptive to gift plans that offer a greater degree of certainty, like charitable gift annuities or gifts with additional tax benefits, like the new universal deduction.
2. Stay current.
Review all marketing and donor communications materials (including your planned giving website) and make sure examples are still realistic in today’s environment and that the recent changes in tax laws are included.
3. Stay in touch with expectancies.
It’s important to check in with your bequest and other planned gift donors routinely. One of the biggest mistakes can be to neglect donors who have notified your organization of their intentions for gifts via their wills or other revocable gift instruments like beneficiary designations, as these can be changed at any time.
4. Stay top of mind by encouraging repeat gifts.
Planned giving donors can be among your best candidates for new gifts. For example, gift annuity donors don’t have to be educated about the workings of the gift. Pointing out how an additional gift annuity may be even more attractive as donors age and are entitled to higher rates may lead to significant additional gifts.
5. Stay consistent in marketing activities.
Keep in mind that planned gift concepts can take time to understand and that events in donors’ lives can determine their level of receptivity to a particular plan at any given time.
6. Stay in front of needed updates.
Make sure your data is complete, correct and current in order to determine the appropriate groups who should receive information about planned giving topics based on their age and wealth.
7. Stay together.
Whether you work in a large organization or a small shop, it’s critical for development efforts to complement one another whenever possible, especially in times when competition for the charitable dollar and expectations for results continue to increase.
