Targeting Donors by Age: Matures+Boomers
When working on donor outreach, do you tailor your campaigns based on the donor’s ages and preferences? If you’re not already doing this, it’s time to start. Each generation has a slightly different giving style. The great news is, all donors have this in common: They CARE!
They want to help. We’re kicking off a limited-part series of understanding generational giving. Let’s begin with the oldest crowd – the matures (the Silent Generation)+ boomers.
Where’s the Money?
A recent study suggests matures + boomers make up 41% of ALL charitable giving. Further, your high-net-worth donors are most likely boomers. They make up 55% of all major donors.
Digital Pioneers
They are digital pioneers (all generations that came before Gen Z are considered digital pioneers), but you may be surprised to hear just how many members of the older generations are online. The idea that older folks don’t use the internet is quite outdated. 78% of boomers + matures use Facebook regularly. The pandemic fueled this trend. This will make it easier for you to target them as online supporters.
Use FB to Connect + Engage
Craft your org’s Facebook messaging with Boomers + Matures in mind. Invest in boosted posts. Include a clear call to action and make it easy to donate. They’ll be all over it. Create lead ads that don’t look like ads – an impactful picture with a few powerful words and a call to action button. As for those CTA buttons, spend serious time on your messaging. Something other than “click here” or “learn more.” Use more active and engaging language on your CTA buttons – “Join our Team of Donor Heroes”, or something along those lines. It may seem like a tiny tweak but it has a big psychological impact!
While the majority of this generation is familiar with Facebook, be prepared to lend an assist with other online giving methods.
Tech Help – Peer-to-Peer Fundraising
Show boomers + matures how it works, then help them set up a P2P Fundraiser of their own! Offer some sample social media copy. With a little guidance, you’ll be able to teach your older donors how to set up their own campaigns. They’ll get it, and then they’ll tell everyone about it. Winning!
Tech Help: Text-to-Donate
Everyone has a smart phone these days, so show everyone how easy it is to use it to donate. All you need for a text-to-donate campaign is a keyword, a shortcode number, and a link to a secure donation page. It can be a one-time donation or, even better, a recurring one! Another thing that’s enticing about text-to-donate campaigns is that there’s no minimum requirement.
Stock Gifts
In general, this group holds more stock than younger generations. And at the risk of sounding a bit presumptuous, let’s be honest – many boomers and matures don’t need to play the long game in terms of saving for retirement. Do your older donors know that they have the option of donating stock as a gift to your org? Remind them of the tax breaks! It might be worth your time, as a nonprofit fundraiser, to contact brokerage houses and ask them to talk to their charitably-minded donors about your org. Maybe you can even start a Donor-Advised Fund!
Direct Mail Campaigns
Don’t completely eschew direct mail campaigns in your quest for online donations. Even though this generation does use the internet, many still appreciate a direct mail campaign. Consider a direct mail campaign part of your multi-channel communication strategy – along with the phone!
Call them
It’s widely believed that millennials + Gen Z avoid phone conversations at all costs. But boomers + matures don’t! You absolutely should still be calling older donors to thank them for giving. You can also call them to tell them about your direct donation drive and any other upcoming campaigns. If they’re not able to donate right now, see if they’ll help you spread the word. That will help them get involved and feel valued, and (hopefully!) more likely to donate next time.
Targeting donors by age helps you work smarter, not harder!
For more tips, on how to target older donors reach out! And keep reading – next, we’ll target Gen X donors. You’re welcome!
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