Making decisions about which customer relationship management tools to use at your organization isn’t an easy task. Not only will you likely be working with a limited budget, you’ll have to choose between plenty of options, some with overlapping features. No matter which CRM you select, there are several significant benefits to using one at your organization.

Don’t believe me?

Here’s a quick list!

1. Finding Major Donors

Because CRMs consolidate and organize your donors’ information, it’s easy to pull giving data. You can download data from your CRM with specific criteria giving you a reflection of your donor pool. Often, staff working in development can use these tools to determine which donors are giving within a certain range and may have the potential to become major donors.

For example, if a major donor is anyone who gives $1,000+ in a year, you can run a search for donors who gave between $850 to $950 the previous year. Then you and your team can strategize around what the donors need to give that extra $50 to $150.

This information is important because there are always a few surprises on the list, supporters who you never considered major donors. When looking through a spreadsheet, these individuals may be harder to pick out. With a CRM, it only takes a few clicks on your mouse.

2. Giving Surges

If you’ve worked in the nonprofit sector for a while, you’ve likely experienced giving surges at your organization. Sometimes these surges are expected like during November and December when people are feeling more generous due to the holidays. This is partially why organizations plan entire campaigns around the end of the year. However, there are spurts of giving that may feel random until you dig into the data.

Using a CRM, you can determine which of your donors is participating in the giving surge, or if it’s mostly composed of new givers. You can ask yourself what these donors have in common that could cause them to give so much simultaneously.

Depending on your CRM, giving surges are also easier to spot. You can show the number and value of donations in bar charts, line graphs, or pie charts all within your relationship management tool.

3. Recording Touchpoints

Every email, phone call, meeting, and interaction with a donor should be documented in your CRM. I know, that sounds like a lot but recording these touchpoints is a great way to manage donor relationships. Part of building relationships with donors is communicating with them and when you’re doing the day-to-day, it’s easy to put other tasks at the top of your priority list. Suddenly, the donor meeting you had last week was three months ago.

With many CRMs, not only can you track your recent interactions with donors, but you can also set reminders when it’s time for you to reach out again. This way you never miss an opportunity to cultivate that relationship and expand your organization’s impact.

These are just a few useful ways to get the most out of your CRM. If you’re interested in learning more about optimizing your fundraising tools, schedule a free thirty-minute consultation with me to determine how I can help you achieve your financial goals.

work with kari