Reminding donors how to make a lasting impact.
Too many nonprofits are missing opportunities to remind donors of their legacy giving options in their annual fund communications.
And that’s a shame. Because there are plenty of articles and resources focused on “demystifying legacy giving.” But these often involve intricate plans for special campaigns that educate and familiarize supporters about what legacy giving really is.
That’s an incredibly important topic! But for this post, we’re going to focus on some easy ways to make donors aware of legacy giving options through your regular fundraising outreach.
As you know, annual fund communications focus on securing donations to support your immediate goals. But that doesn’t mean you can’t make some small adjustments to nudge interested supporters towards your legacy giving (aka planned giving) options!
Here are four simple ways you can highlight legacy giving in your annual fund communications:
1. Add a legacy giving message to your email footer.
Your email footer is prime real estate for consistent messaging. So, consider adding a line or two about legacy giving to raise awareness without overwhelming your primary message. For example:
“Consider leaving a legacy. A planned gift can ensure your impact lasts for generations. Learn more about making a lasting difference here.”
This subtle reminder reinforces the idea that supporters can extend their giving beyond their lifetime and leave a legacy.
2. Incorporate their stories in donor spotlights.
Sharing a story is the best way your nonprofit can connect with and make an impression on supporters. We all know this. Yet, we often fail to highlight stories about legacy donors and their impact, outside of those legacy giving awareness campaigns we mentioned earlier.
So, remember to feature donors who have made legacy commitments in your newsletters, annual reports, and social media highlights. Talk about the donor’s motivations and the impact they hope to make through their legacy gift.
Try something like:
“After volunteering for 20 years, Jane included our organization in her will to ensure her passion for education continues to change lives for years to come.”
Then elaborate on Jane’s story. Share how the organization and its impact has grown over the years thanks to Jane. And share in her excitement to make a lasting impact through legacy giving.
Featuring a real donor someone can relate to clarifies that legacy giving isn’t just for wealthy donors. It helps the donor put themselves in Jane’s shoes and consider leaving a legacy of their own.
3. Include a simple call-to-action in your year-end appeal.
Your annual appeal is a great place to remind donors their generosity can extend well into the future. Your focus needs to be on securing those key December donations. But you can add a subtle legacy message as a secondary call to action for targeted audiences.
“Your gift today makes a difference now — and you can extend your impact for years to come by including us in your will or estate plans.”
This frames legacy giving as an extension of a donor’s current support and might be enough to spark a few conversations about legacy giving.
However, you may want to include this second call-to-action only for donors who have already expressed interest in legacy giving or have been identified as candidates in your prospect research.
You don’t want to overwhelm the rest of your donor base. A lapsed or one-time donor will be confused as to why you think they’d make such a commitment.
Your donors may decide not to give at all if they’re presented with too many options, or there’s confusion about the ask.
4. Train your team to promote legacy giving.
Your development team, board members, and volunteers all play a critical role in maintaining donor relationships. And it’s essential to train them to talk to every aspect of your fundraising program. This will help them identify relevant opportunities for donors to increase their support.
So, make sure your team has everything they need to be successful.
Outline some straightforward talking points about legacy giving and provide them with examples of past legacy gifts and their impact.
And help your team identify natural opportunities to introduce legacy giving in their conversations with donors. Train them to listen for cues, such as a donor expressing interest in a long-term commitment or asking about more meaningful ways to give.
Remember, legacy giving can be as simple as adding a charitable bequest in a will.
Try something new.
You don’t need to build an extensive campaign or hire dedicated staff to secure legacy donations.
Your annual fund communications keep you in touch with donors throughout the year. And the appeals, newsletters, reports, letters, and emails that advance your regular fundraising goals can keep legacy giving options on a donor’s mind.
But this article is not an exhaustive list. For example, if you don’t already have a dedicated legacy giving webpage, you’ve got some work to do.
So, get creative and think about the other ways you maintain contact with donors throughout the year. And try to come up with new ways to promote your legacy giving options in future touch points.
Or, click here if you’d like to brainstorm with an amplifi development strategist!
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