We have seen an uptick in this “low touch” communication over the last year as the economy tightened. I would suggest that there is much that can be done, at a reasonable cost per dollar raised, to help connect with donors:
- Personalize everything…the more the better. In the process, provide recognition where it is due. Who among us enjoys receiving “Dear Friend” letters?
- Incorporate dialogue in everything you do when you mail. Don’t just send a thank you letter to a donor…send a thank you and a survey with a postage paid envelope. Make sure the survey addresses the recipient personally and not generically. Create opportunities to dialogue, and then respond to each one that you receive back.
- Develop intelligent asks. Donors find formulas insulting (you gave $30 last year, so let’s ask for $37.50 this year…) and without intelligence based research, donor asks based upon historical giving are a shot in the dark in a weakened economy.
My favorite story comes from one of the Florida universities where a west coast donor had given $500 each year for five years. During a trip to California, the VP of Development scheduled a meeting with the donor after a wealth analysis showed that the donor had the capacity and the propensity to give much more. When asked why the donor chose to give $500 each year, his reply was, “That’s all you asked for…”
In the end, the donor made a multi-million dollar commitment to the University. Effective asks are vitally important, as we are in the midst of a period where donor retention is perhaps more important than donor expansion.
Stay tuned for part 2 of the direct mail discussion...and don't forget to leave your comments for Brian!
It's nice to have a trusted source who's had so much expertise in this arena providing sage advice. Thank you, Brian!
ReplyDeleteBrian, many of us operate as a one or two person development office, and time and resources are stretched. What suggestions do you have on prioritizing and what technology makes this more manageable?
ReplyDeleteClearly, data tools like Raiser's Edge make the life of a fundraiser that much easier since exports will drive all your print. Personalization is critical...and all donors will have to receive a thank you letter, so why not let a survey go with it for the same 44 cents? Finally, when a donor makes a comment, good or bad, it's a great chance to connect...
ReplyDelete