My thoughts on who your best prospects are

I have observed a major truth about annual donors in my seven years working in development. It seems obvious but is frequently overlooked: your most consistent donors will be those who are already involved in your organization.

This is just human nature. Conversely, when those people stop being involved with your organization in other ways (as a ticket buyer or subscriber, for example) they will likely stop donating. Additionally, people who donated due to a special circumstance are less likely to donate the following year. This category includes people who make a gift to pay back a favor to a board member who donated to their organization. Unless they have someone become involved in more ways, they are less likely to respond to your next campaign (unless the board member is still owed a favor and is willing to call them up and beg).

It stands to reason therefore that getting people more involved in your organization throughout the year is integral to the fundraising process. (As a side note, this is why I become very involved in my theatre's subscription renewal campaign. I contact donors who haven't renewed their season tickets; I personally handle seating upgrades, etc.)

In times of crisis, it's tempting for your org's volunteers to want to turn to their own friends and families to beg for money. But it's generally more sound to think long-term and focus your resources on people who may become perpetual donors, not just one-timers.

So if a volunteer offers to send an email to his/her friends, I like to ask that instead s/he call a current patron instead. Not necessarily to ask for money right off the bat. But to form a relationship. It's a better use of time that asking for donations from people who do not care all that much about your organization.