Should You Leave a Voicemail?

Here’s a great piece of advice you can use year-round, but particularly at the end of the year when you make your final “clean up” calls to acquire and/or renew donors who’ve not yet given to you. And by “use,” I mean do the opposite of what they recommend.

I came upon the advice in question a year or so ago in a Washington Post article entitled The new phone call etiquette: Text first and never leave a voice mail.

It makes some interesting points about why folks may, perhaps, be less receptive to receiving voice mail than they were before the current technological revolution.  As they noted in 2023:

Phone calls have been around for 147 years, the iPhone 16 years and FaceTime video voice mails about a week.

So, yes, times change.  But, the changes don’t apply universally to everyone on your donor list. For, as they also point out:

The unwritten rules of chatting on the phone differ wildly between generations, leading to misunderstandings and frustration on all sides.

It’s good to consider the demographics of your own donors before deciding, yay or nay, whether to text, call and/or leave a message.

After speaking with people of all ages, the journalists came up with some basic phone etiquette “rules.” Of course, as with most rules, they’re meant to be broken.

Here are their rules, and why I think your nonprofit should consider doing the opposite:

1.  “Don’t leave a voice mail”

The article makes the point:

“Voice mails are an artifact of the days before text messages. If you have information that needs to be communicated in an accurate, timely manner, you’re far better off putting it into writing as a text or email. Most phones transcribe voice mails now, so chances are people aren’t even listening to what you said but reading a (possibly incorrect) text version instead.”

Here’s what I think about calling voicemails an “artifact.” I believe it offers an excuse for not picking up the phone to connect in real time.  Because, when you place an actual phone call, not a text, the person on the other end may actually pick up!

If you’re a nonprofit, actually talking to a donor – and, if they don’t pick up, having them hear and feel the warmth in your voice when you let them know how grateful you are for their support — should be the outcome you long for, and not something to be avoided.

Certainly, this can be decidedly “appropriate, relevant or important” (as per the definition of “artifact” in Merriam-Webster). If you read further in the article, the journalists actually make this point!

“The exceptions for the no-voice-mail rule are calling people who would love to hear your voice no matter what you’re saying, or sharing some kind of audio experience. Think besties and immediate family members singing happy birthday, a dispatch from friends at a Taylor Swift concert or a simple “I love you.”

I would ask you to consider who your organization’s “besties” are.

Aren’t they the folks who’ve become loyal members of your community? The ones who love you and your work enough to make a donation of their hard-earned money just so you can continue to do your best work?

Your job, if you want to retain and upgrade donor giving over time, is to build a relationship that brings you and your donor closer and closer.

As even this “don’t leave a voicemail” article admits:

“The closer you are to someone, the less the rules apply.”

With donors you know, where the timing is right, don’t hesitate to make a human connection. I wouldn’t suggest you FaceTime your donor with no warning while brushing your teeth, but it’s perfectly fine to call them when you think they’re most likely to pick up.  This works especially well for thank you calls. And, if you don’t reach them, please don’t waste the time and energy you put into creating a script and placing the call.

Leave a warm, authentic, grateful, succinct voicemail. Include your contact info so they can get back to you if they wish, and follow up with a “Sorry I missed you” text or email.

2. “Text before calling”

The article makes this point:

“Calling someone without warning can feel stressful to the recipient. Instead, text them ahead of time to ask if they’re free to talk now, if they can you call when they’re free, or if they can pick a time they’d like to chat. If it’s someone you call regularly, find out what their ideal times are, like after work or only on Sunday afternoons.”

Okay. Texting before you call isn’t going to hurt anyone. However, is it really necessary — or even efficient — for all your donors? Alas, for nonprofits, I believe this offers yet another excuse for not connecting as straightforwardly and personally as possible. And it comes from making assumptions. Ever have a board member say “Oh, no! We can’t possibly intrude on donors with phone calls?” Oh, yes. You can. Don’t make the mistake of assuming your donors don’t want to hear from you!

Your tone of voice, with your ability to convey warmth, gratitude, excitement, joy or urgency, is something a text simply cannot match.

Texting is not a bad communication strategy for donors who opt in to being texted. It’s just that calling is often just as good, or better — depending on what you know about the donor and their preferences and the purpose of your call.  When you do ask folks to opt in to texting, ask them if they have ideal times (provided you can enter this into your database in a manner you’ll be able to pay attention to) for receiving texts. Of course, once you know their “good times,” how about using that as a sign it’s also probably a good time to call them?

If they don’t pick up, you can leave a voicemail and follow up with a text!

For some rules on texting etiquette, check out Texting do’s and don’t’s for 2024.

For some rules on leaving a proper voicemail, check out Don’t Leave a Voicemail if…

Besides Phone Calls and Texts, Wondering about Other Ways to Nurture Donors?

Grab my donor retention “bible” — The Donor Retention and Gratitude Playbook. The Playbook is broken into six separate Companion Guides so it’s easy for you to manage and not become overwhelming. You’ll find plenty of practical tips, worksheets, exercises and checklists. You can get each volume separately, or get the “bargain bundle” at a generous discount.

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