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Without Donors We Cease to Exist
Lynne Wester, The Donor Guru
November 3, 2021
Put yourself in the donor’s shoes. They don’t want another lapel pin or bumper sticker. They want to know they make a difference to your institution, and they are valued. Donor appreciation is not expensive but neglecting it can be. Research shows that it is seven times more expensive to acquire a new donor than to keep the one you have. The solution is simple: put the donor first.
Lynne Wester is a frequent conference speaker and well-known resource for donor relations and fundraising expertise. She has been featured in The Washington Post, CURRENTS magazine, The Chronicle of Philanthropy and other industry publications. Lynne created this website and blog to share her expertise, opinions, and collections of samples on a variety of topics with the greater development world and hosts a monthly webinar series. It is her personal philosophy that the goal of any great fundraising operation is to use strategic communications and interactions to foster the relationship between the organization and its constituents and friends. If we are effective with that strategy, they will be engaged in a way that drives them ever closer to embracing the organization’s mission and values, they will give their money, time, and talents and volunteer to spread that same message with others, which will encourage their fellow peers to invest in a way that will enable the organization to further light the world. Using her expertise and hands-on approach, Lynne works with organizations to help them keep their focus donor driven, technology savvy, strategic, and always with a splash of good humor. She received her undergraduate degrees from the University of South Carolina and is a loyal gamecock alumna, donor, and fan, and holds a master’s in strategic fundraising and philanthropy.