The 2014 Desktop Reference Guide by Blackbaud gives you insight and practical advice on The Constituent Lifecycle and serves as Your Guide to the Donor Experience. With this guide, you’ll better understand what that day-in and day-out— described as the constituent lifecycle—might look like for your donors. As you work through the chapters, you’ll see many different places where you can thank your supporters, share great information and resources with them, and make them feel like they are changing the world for the better, with you.

1. THE CONSTITUENT
LIFECYCLE
Your Guide to the Donor Experience

2. People have evolved.

3. So have their
fundraising
preferences and
expectations.

4. To succeed, you
have to learn how
to engage with your
supporters in today’s
digital world.

5. Here’s how . . .

6. The Constituent Lifecycle

7. The constituent
lifecycle has
four stages:

8. Discovery

9. Engagement

10. Solicitation

11. Endorsement

12. With the
right strategies,
you can move
constituents through
these stages.

13. Discovery

14. Get Discovered
Identify your target.
Don’t focus on
everyone; build
constituent personas.

15. Get Discovered
Create opportunities. Go
where your personas are,
including the Internet.

16. Get Discovered
Create opportunities. Go
where your personas are,
including the Internet.
– Maintain a blog, connect on social, try peer-to-peer

17. Get Discovered
Offer a path. Create landing
pages on your website that
are simple, inviting, and
have a clear purpose.

18. Engagement

19. Engage Your Constituents
Ask for something (other
than giving money) that will
invest them in your cause.

20. Engage Your Constituents
Ask for something (other
than giving money) that will
invest them in your cause.
– Like signing an online petition

21. Engage Your Constituents
Offer something
they value in return.

22. Engage Your Constituents
Offer something
they value in return.
– Like discounts on tickets or an opportunity
to pre-register for your next event

23. Engage Your Constituents
Provide a source of
knowledge through blogs,
emails, or subscriptions.

24. Solicitation

25. Solicit Investment
Build a case that is
consistent, shows impact,
and is personal.

26. Solicit Investment
Make it easy to pull the trigger
with online volunteer signups
and donations, mobile-friendly
donation pages, and mobile
check-ins at events.

27. Endorsement

28. Get Endorsed
Say thank you with
personalized letter that
show donation impact.

29. Get Endorsed
Create emotional
attachment by giving your
investors something they
can be proud of.

30. Get Endorsed
Drive participation by
offering opportunities to
volunteer or asking donors
to serve on committees.

31. Get Endorsed
Make everything shareable
with social sharing buttons
on your website, peer-to-
peer fundraising, forwarding
options in emails, and swag.

32. The Constituent Lifecycle

33. Follow these
strategies to
keep up with the
evolving constituent
lifecycle. . .

34. . . .and connect with
supporters in today’s
digital world.

35. For more on constituent lifecycle
strategies and tools, download
the full report at:
www.blackbaud.com/desktopreference