Leverage Your Planned Giving Legacy Society

You’ve heard the quote: People don’t remember what you’ve said, they remember how you made them feel.

You’ve seen it in fundraising. When your donors feel valued and appreciated, their loyalty and affinity to your organization deepens.

Your Legacy Society is an excellent resource to use to show appreciation to your donors, but it’s often underutilized.

Like the VIP Reception before an event, the Legacy Society provides a way for you to honor a specific group of people. When those in the larger group see this acknowledgement, it increases their interest. It’s natural for them to ask: How do I become part of that group?

How do you use your Legacy Society to show gratitude, make donors feel special … and attract members?

Number One: Tell Stories

Your donors’ stories helps other donors understand the impact this type of gift can have. When you share their stories through email, newsletter, and direct mail, your prospects see that it’s possible for “ordinary people” to make a big impact on your mission.

These stories give you the opportunity to:

• show appreciation
• recognize current members
• explain the benefits of a planned gift
• highlight different gift types
• provide bequest language

Number Two: Thank Donors

Donors may want different levels of recogniztion, but there is one thing every donor wants: an authentic thank you. In fact, according to studies referenced in an article at Bloomerang, “donors who were thanked gave twice as much as those who were not thanked, and donors [gave] 3 to 4 times as much.” That’s a powerful ROI for a little gratitude. 

Number Three: Make Donors FEEL

Gratitude feels great. If you’re wondering how you can make donors *feel* warm emotions, such as connection, appreciation, and being valued, good, when they think about their gift to your organization, the secret is your Legacy Society. When you effectively steward members of your Legacy Society, they become part of your team. They’ll work to make you successful by finding prospects for you. Start with authentic thank you or a thank-you campaign and make sure you follow up with your note and thank them personally.