Celebrating Doctors’ Day: Engaging Your Donors and Patients

As Doctors’ Day approaches on March 30th, it’s the perfect opportunity for healthcare foundations to raise awareness and funds by engaging patients and existing donors. This day not only honors the hard work and compassionate dedication of doctors but also serves as a pivotal moment for fundraising, stewardship and engaging your community in a meaningful way.

There are generally two approaches to this day: traditional fundraising and stewardship-focused activities.

• Traditional Fundraising: This involves direct mail, email campaigns, and social media posts asking for donations. It’s a straightforward approach aimed at raising funds for the organization.
• Stewardship-Focused Activities: Instead of asking for donations, this approach encourages donors to honor a caregiver or send a message of appreciation. This strategy helps build morale among caregivers and inspires those on the front lines.  Some examples of non-monetary asks include offering patients and their families the opportunity to volunteer, creating a gratitude wall where patients and staff can post notes of appreciation for their doctors, and hosting a health fair with free screenings and wellness workshops related to the care your doctors provide.

Both approaches have their merits, and the choice depends on your organization’s goals for the year. Whether focusing on stewardship or fundraising, Doctors’ Day remains a crucial campaign for engaging donors and testing new strategies.

Leveraging Doctors’ Day for Donor Acquisition

Donor acquisition remains a key focus for most healthcare organizations. From a digital standpoint, there are two primary ways to acquire new donors:

• Email Campaigns to Recent Patients: Hospitals can send emails to patients who have recently visited, introducing them to the foundation and asking them to honor a caregiver. This message is typically sent shortly after their visit, making it timely and relevant.  You can get creative here and offer facility tours or a luncheon with recent patients to honor your facility physicians.
• Dedicated Webpage: Potential donors who visit your hospital’s website can be engaged through various content and calls to action.  You can share heartfelt stories and appreciation on a dedicated page to further track engagement.  Don’t forget to share on your favorite social media channels!

Doctor’s Day is also an excellent opportunity to re-engage patients who may have received emails or newsletters in the past but haven’t yet donated. By highlighting the event, hospitals can encourage these individuals to honor a caregiver and make a gift.

Engaging Existing Donors

For existing donors, Doctors’ Day can be leveraged to deepen their engagement.  Here are some strategies:

• Segmentation: Tailor messages for existing donors who are also patients versus those who are not. You can include recent updates to your facility, care strategies, or share new sponsors for example.  Personalized messaging can significantly improve engagement.
• Matching Gifts: Ask existing donors to offer matching gifts to honor their caregivers and effectively double the impact of each contribution.
• Social Media Advocacy: Encourage donors to use their social media platforms to promote your Doctors’ Day fundraising campaign. They can share testimonies of the care they received from your facility or share stories of loved ones at your facility.

Planning for Success

Effective planning is crucial for a successful Doctors’ Day campaign to ensure that the team is prepared and that your strategy comes together as desired. Here are some tips:

• Warm Up Your Audience: Start early!  Start teasing Doctors’ Day in newsletters or impact emails in the weeks or months leading up to it. Share stories about doctors and their contributions to your community to build anticipation and appreciation.
• Set a Campaign Schedule: Make sure to plan out your social media posts, emails, etc. so that you are prepared to execute when the time comes and can take a holistic look and fill in any gaps. Schedule your social media posts out to help tell a story throughout the day.
• Create a sense of urgency: Emphasize the deadline for participating in Doctors’ Day in all communications to involved staff and in donor newsletters to create a sense of urgency that encourages people to give to the campaign.
• Consider a small campaign if time is an issue: Even if you’re short on time, you can still leverage resources you already have, such as your email list, social media platforms, and website to promote your activities.  Opt for a straightforward event that doesn’t require much planning, such as a simple raffle or a bake sale.  These can be planned quickly and can feature input from your doctor staff including their favorite cookie recipes!
• Promote through Partnerships: Partner with local businesses or organizations to help promote your event. They can share information with their customers and employees and ultimately expand your reach.

Doctors’ Day is a valuable opportunity for healthcare organizations to engage donors, honor caregivers, and raise funds. Whether through traditional fundraising or stewardship-focused activities, the key is to plan effectively and tailor your approach to your organization’s goals. By leveraging this special day, you can strengthen your donor relationships and support the vital work of your healthcare providers.