The ability to reach your donors and supporters is critical in order to attract new major gifts and meet fundraising milestones. There are a variety of different ways you can find donor information, so today we’re going to discuss the following options:
- Internet Research
- Search Service
- Batch Updates
- Database Scoring
Each of these comes with different merits, depending on the existing needs of your organization. So, let’s get started.
Internet Research
Trying to track someone down using Google or other internet search tools is probably the most basic old-fashioned form of donor research. This option is likely to take the most time, and you may not be able to find most of what you need. It may be difficult to find detailed information, such as a personal email address, home address or phone number if you use this method.
Personally, I wouldn’t recommend this way to find donor information unless you have hours to spend researching each prospective donor. Even then, the information you get is probably going to be patchy at best and likely won’t include contact information.
Search Service
While this method requires you to pay a small amount of money (between $1-7 depending on the types of information you want to retrieve) the whole process is simply easier and quicker. Using a search tool, like AlumniFinder Online, you can retrieve information from LexisNexis, the most trusted data source, and easily navigate to what you need.
Because the information provided in search services relies on data compiled from many different sources, it’s also much more accurate than something you’d typically retrieve from a place like Google. Additionally, search services provide more robust reporting and details for a potential donor, including wealth indicators like the presence of children, home value, aircraft and more.
It is worth noting that not every search service may give each of these items, so do your research before you commit to using one, or go to a trusted source.
Batch Updates
A batch update is what you need if you have a database or list of donors, but have a lot of outdated information in your records. If you’re not sure how good or bad your database records are, AlumniFinder provides a completely free service to help you identify this – check out our Data Quality Report here and request yours!
If you find that you need a large volume of records updated, you’ll want to use a batch update method for accomplishing this. A batch update provides you with data for missing records without you needing to do all the legwork yourself. While a quick search service is great for updating a small number of records or getting a detailed report about a prospective major gift donor, batch updates can spare you from searching for information on thousands of record updates.
Database Scoring
Another handy way to find donor information you need is by having your database scored, such as AlumniFinder’s DonorScore. This unique tool analyzes your existing database and ranks each person by their ability to give a donation and how likely they are to do so. It easily allows you to segment your fundraising efforts to reach those who are most likely to make a donation.
Along with the scoring for each donor, DonorScore provides additional relevant information including estimated net worth, income, real estate estimates, the presence of children, charitable giving behavior and more.
Get Help from AlumniFinder
If you need assistance accomplishing your donor research or figuring out which of your supporters would be best to target for fundraising, AlumniFinder’s data experts can help you. Please contact us to benefit from the many products and services we have available to help increase your fundraising results.
