Onsite visits allow donors to see your work up close and can lead to transformational giving. Here are three practical ways to incorporate onsite visits into your donor engagement approach:
- Extend a Personal Invitation: Start with a handful of key supporters and invite them for a personalized visit. Make the invitation warm, easy to accept, and appealing. Ensure it’s something that doesn’t feel intimidating but rather invites them into your world.
- Offer Visits as an Option in Conversations: During discussions, whether in person, by phone, or virtually, suggest that the donor might enjoy seeing the work firsthand. Describe the experience in an enticing way, and follow up with details to make it happen.
- Include the Invitation in Your Communications: Mention in thank-you notes or donor updates that many supporters have found great value in visiting your work. A simple, “If you’re ever in the area, we’d love for you to stop by and see us,” goes a long way.
Designing an Impactful Donor Visit Experience
Once the visit is set, design the experience thoughtfully. This isn’t just a tour of cubicles with quick “hellos.” Instead, think of it as a journey—an experience that leaves a lasting impression.
Imagine your parents or grandparents were coming for a visit. How would you make them feel welcomed and valued? Here’s a framework to help create an impactful visit:
- Welcome Them with Warmth: Arrange to meet them personally, making them feel like honored guests.
- Plan an Engaging Tour: Create an experience that showcases your mission in action. Walk them through the spaces where your work happens, share stories, and allow them to meet the people directly impacted by their support.
- Incorporate Hands-On Elements: Let donors participate in small ways—whether it’s visiting a classroom, meeting students, or touring the facilities. The more immersive, the better.
- Create Moments for Emotional Connection: Share stories of beneficiaries and explain how their support has been instrumental. Emphasize how their generosity continues to change lives.
Examples of Onsite Engagement That Inspire Giving
My former colleague Will Moyer is an expert at designing visits that inspire giving. For example, he once organized a weekend of engagement at a university that included meeting students, attending a football game, and more. Another time, he arranged for donors to visit a high school entrepreneurship program, where they shared their own stories with students. This connection allowed donors to see themselves in the young students, creating a sense of shared experience and purpose.
These moments allow donors to connect on a personal level, often leading to sustained engagement and larger gifts.
So, Are You Ready to Invite Your Donors into Your World?
An onsite visit is a golden opportunity for deep, personal engagement. Donors leave inspired, with a stronger connection to the cause and a renewed sense of purpose. Often, they are not only more committed but also ready to help in bigger ways.
A well-planned visit can spark powerful transformations, creating lifelong supporters and advocates for your mission. With greater donor engagement, you can unlock new possibilities for growth and impact—one visit at a time.