What Does Tradition Have to Do with Donors?

What holiday traditions do you love? We just celebrated a number of holidays with many beautiful traditions. One of my family’s favorite tradition is to make Scandinavian Almond Bars together, a tradition I started with my kids and now is requested by my grandkids every year. The recipe was in an old holiday cookbook where the pages are covered with buttery fingerprints and includes handwritten notes from my mother (Their Great Grandmother) on how to best expand the recipe, because you can never make too many almond bars! 

Did you realize that with your individualized touch points and experiences you provide for your donors that you are creating traditions? Traditions are important in all of our lives. They create a sense of belonging and a shared community along with providing continuity in an ever-changing world.Think about how meaningful it is for your donors to now bring their kids or grandkids to your food drive or volunteer event each year. Maybe it’s how you always choose an over-the-top gold shinny Birthday card for them because you know they love bling. Maybe they look forward to “adopting” one of your farm animals in your rescue each year and getting a holiday card with their adoptee’s picture and updates. Or, maybe it’s getting their favorite cup of coffee with you and hearing the stories of the resilience and success of the individuals your organization works with and how the donor got to be a part of that through their giving.

As you are looking to create or update individual donor plans for 2025, yes, it’s good to be creative and not say the same thing on every thank you card or do the same touch points. BUT, having some traditions, some expectations of experience, does bring a feeling of being seen and belonging in community that has value.

Next time you call your donors to thank them, ask them which experience they have had or want to have with your organization that is a tradition they love. You might find out something that surprises you. And if you then do that thing each year, your donor will be honored and feel seen.

And think about fun ways you could create traditions with your donors around their passions outside your mission. Maybe they love spiders so you give them a silly spider gift each birthday, or they love creating art so you meet and make pottery instead of taking them to dinner.

Remember, you are a community creator. Donors are not ATM machines. They are humans who love to feel connected and seen, just like all of us do. Thank you for standing in the gap between the need of your organization’s mission and your donors’ hearts. In doing so, you bring healing and joy to everyone, including yourself, as we work together to create a better world. 

Karen

P.S. Scandinavian Almond Bars are delicious and a crowd pleaser anytime of the year so do try them!