Archive for November, 2009

It’s the week of Thanksgiving here in the U.S. and we are counting our blessings. As you consider what you are thankful for, perhaps you might remember your DONORS – the wonderful people who make the work of your organization possible.

I think most of us fundraisers take our donors for granted. And I think many board members and non-development staff members also feel this way.

I am doing a feasibility study for a capital campaign here in North Carolina, and I ran across a blatant example today. I was interviewing a donor who had made a major gift to the organization’s previous capital campaign. And the donor never felt adequately thanked.

He was invited to the groundbreaking with the other major donors. And he saw his name on the donor board in the lobby of the building that he contributed to. And he received a thank you letter.

But he also saw all the whoopla being made over a bank’s gift to the project. The organization made lots of fuss over some donors and none over other donors, including him.

And he felt sorta neglected.  Can you imagine that a major donor might feel neglected?  In fundraising, we consider this almost a crime.  But I bet it happens more often than not.

What happened in this case?

You guessed it: there was turnover among the development office staff. The vital link of knowledge and consistency was broken. And when the staff left, the relationship with the donor walked out the door too.  The new staff had other priorities . . . and the donor was left out in the cold.

During this season, please remember your donors – particularly your major donors. Go back to them and thank them for all they have done to make your organization successful.

How about thanking your organization’s founders?

How about all the donors to your last capital campaign?

How about former board members?

Hint: these folks are probably major donor prospects, aren’t they? So it is reasonable to invest some of your time thanking them.

Remember thanking donors is the first step to preparing them for the next solicitation.

When in doubt, love your donors!

Continuing in my theme of “count your blessings,” I’m encouraging everyone to consider their wonderful donors as great blessings to the cause.

Donor: “How do I thank thee? Let me count the ways.”

When I started in fundraising at Duke University, we had a great saying: “Find seven ways to thank your donors and they will give again!” And another saying was: “Hopefully the first gift is not the last or the largest!”

The Benevon newsletter for this week had a great “how-to” article on donor thankathons:

With Thanksgiving upon us here in the U.S., now is the perfect time to call your donors just to say “thank you.”

Start by making your list of who you will call. Consider how many donors you have had in the last year. Choose a dollar threshold over which you will call. For example, start with all donors who have given you over $1,000, then move to all those who gave between $500 and $999.

Put together your core team of three to five callers, made up of people of some stature within your organization. Ideally, these will be board members and volunteers who enjoy talking with people and are well organized. If you put staff members on the team, there should be no more than one staff caller for every three volunteer callers. One of the staff callers should be the executive director. Do not “require” that anyone be a caller; rather, you want to have callers who choose to participate and will enjoy doing it.

Either bring them all together for an evening of eggnog and cookies, or dole out the lists and have them call from home or office. Daytime calls and leaving messages are fine.

The script goes something like this:

“Hello, may I please speak to _________? My name is ___________, I’m on the board of _________. I was just calling to say thank you for your support this year. It has allowed us to expand/maintain our ___________ programs. We’ve been able to offer our services to _____ more families/children in our community. Thank you.”

If the caller actually reaches a real person, they may chat a bit. The caller should be prepared with a few general facts, but needn’t feel they need to take a cram course before they’re qualified to get on the phone. They can always refer the question to a staff member for a call back.

What are you telling the donor with this call?

* We noticed you gave.
* Your gift to our organization mattered.
* We appreciate you.

That’s exactly what a donor needs to know to keep giving year after year.

Starting now—and throughout the holidays—remember to say thank you (by phone or in person) and let donors know what their gift allowed you to do.

Hi, I’ve been on vacation last week on the lovely west coast.  My friend Jane Heimerdinger from the `Iolani School in Honolulu, Hawaii invited me to speak at the CASE VII Conference in San Francisco. And I stayed out on the west coast visiting the Napa Valley a few days. Life is good!

The Chronicle of Philanthropy columnist Holly Hall just posted an article on the Chronicle’s Prospecting blog:  “Most Americans Intend to Make Holiday Donations This Year.” You know I have been preaching optimism about year-end giving right now – from my perspective, things are looking up.

I am seeing a turning tide of not only hopefullness, but clear indications that donors are starting to loosen the strings on their wallets.

The Chronicle cited a study by the American Red Cross of over 1000 adults in November that showed the same results.

If you can imagine, almost 25% of those polled said that their income had decreased during the recession!  But even including those people, 80% of all those surveyed said that their year-end gifts would stay the same (62%) or increase (7%).

And only 20% said their giving would cut back.  I think it is so very encouraging that the people in this poll said they would economize in other areas in order to keep up their giving.  This agrees with other studies earlier in the year that cited the same opinions.

We need to remember  – Amerians are a generous people. And we are accustomed to giving in the fall and particularly during the holiday season.

May your end of year campaign be the best ever! Onward!

Why do you need a tagline?

It is your best chance to zap someone with a strong, clear, concise comment about your impact in the world. (And remember, of course, we are always taking about our impact, not “what we do.”)

I love taglines. I always tell my clients and nonprofit friends that they need a really great tagline, if they don’t have one already.

There’s been lots of talk lately about Getting Attention blogger Nancy Schwartz, who announced the 2009 winners of her annual “Nonprofit Taglines Awards” competition in late October. She had more than 4,800 nonprofit professionals to vote on sixty finalists from 1,702 entries.

Says Nancy: “The awards program is designed to encourage nonprofits to effectively use taglines, a high-impact, low-cost marketing tactic often overlooked or under-emphasized by nonprofits. A nonprofit’s tagline is hands down the briefest, easiest and most effective way to communicate your organization’s identity.”

Here the 2009 winners – and I am quoting directly from her blog post on this – PLEASE check out her writings – she is incredible!

Arts & Culture: Big Sky. Big Land. Big History. — Montana Historical Society
The Montana Historical Society takes its state’s most elemental and distinctive characteristics (Big Sky, Big Land ) and deftly melds them with its mission in a way that generates excitement. The result is a tagline with punch and focus. And a big hit with voters.

Associations: Building community deep in the hearts of Texans —TexasNonprofits
TexasNonprofits’ tagline tweaks the title of an iconic American popular song from the 1940s and brilliantly connects it to the spirit, passion and mission of the state’s citizenry. A great example of how word play works in a tagline.

Civic Benefit: Holding Power Accountable — Common Cause
Common Cause’s tagline leaves no doubt about the organization’s mission, unique value and commitment. It’s definitive, with a powerful economy of words. An excellent example of the tagline clarifying the nonprofit’s focus, when the organization’s name alone doesn’t do so.

Education: A Mind is a Terrible Thing to Waste® — UNCF -The United Negro College Fund
This 38-year-old tagline from UNCF still rings strong. It elegantly delivers its straight up, powerful message. When your tagline is the boiled-down essence of your argument for support, you’ve achieved tagline bliss. That’s why this one is a classic.

Environment & Animals: Because the earth needs a good lawyer — Earthjustice
Earthjustice capitalizes on what people do understand – that a lawyer protects rights – and uses that framework to dramatically position its role and impact in the environmental movement. And it does so with humor. If your tagline makes people smile or light up, without stepping on your message, then you’ve made an emotional connection…Bravo.

Grantmaking: If you want to be remembered, do something memorable. — The Cleveland Foundation
It’s a rare tagline that manages to recruit people to its cause both unabashedly and effectively. That’s exactly what The Cleveland Foundation pulls off here. Clear, concise, and…memorable! A model for any organization promoting philanthropy.

Health & Sciences: Finding a cure now…so our daughters won’t have to. © — PA Breast Cancer Coalition
The PA Breast Cancer Coalition’s tagline is both emphatic and poignant. It strikes a deep emotional chord, and conveys the focus and impact of its work without being overly sentimental. “Finding a cure,” a highly used phrase for health organizations, is bolstered here by the appeal to solve a problem now so future generations won’t suffer from it.

Human Services: Filling pantries. Filling lives. — Houston Food Bank
With simple but effective use of word repetition, the Houston Food Bank clarifies its work and impact. It delivers on two distinct levels—the literal act of putting food on people’s shelves and the emotional payoff to donors and volunteers. An excellent example of a mission-driven tagline.

International, Foreign Affairs & National Security: Send a Net. Save a Life. — Nothing But Nets
Short, punchy and laser-sharp, the Nothing But Nets tagline connects the action with the outcome. It’s inspirational in the simplicity of its message and its reason for existing. The kind of tagline nonprofits should model.

Jobs & Workforce Development: Nothing Stops A Bullet Like A Job — Homeboy Industries
Homeboy Industries’ tagline is a mini-masterpiece, telling a memorable story in just six words. It stops you in your tracks, makes you want to learn more and sticks with you afterwards. That’s the kind of potent nonprofit messaging every organization desires.

Media: Telling stories that make a difference — Barefoot Workshops
If your organization’s name is vague, it’s critical that your tagline be distinct. Barefoot Workshops’ tagline sums up the transformative power of stories to create change in people and their communities, so clarifying the organization’s focus. Saved by the tagline!

Religion & Spiritual Development: Open hearts. Open minds. Open doors. — The people of The United Methodist Church
The work of religious organizations often operates on several planes at once — a challenge for any organization and its messaging. Here, The United Methodist Church delivers a tagline trinity that supports its applied faith mission and is warm, enthusiastic and embracing.

Other: A head for business. A heart for the world. — SIFE (Students In Free Enterprise)
If an organization’s identity contains within in it a distinct contrast between its key characteristics, that’s often good tagline material. Here, SIFE surprises with its crystal-clear tagline that conveys not only what’s unique about it but also capitalizes on the contrast between profit and compassion.

Here’s some pretty interesting info from this weeks Fundraising Success E-Newsletter. Here’s some data  just released by the “eCampaigning Review Study” that looked at 2 million donors to 50 nonprofits around the world.

The study found that 70% of the nonprofits didn’t send a followup email within one month.  And – can you believe this – 37% did not send a thank you email.

This shows where nonprofits stand in developing their e-fundraising skills – they are only doing the very basics. Apparently nonprofits are learning how to successfully raise money online.  BUT. . .

They are missing the followup! I can’t imagine how they could neglect the thank you and the followup. If they don’t followup, then the donors are most likely to never give again!

There is a lot of research out there indicating that first time online donors are less likely to give again than first time donors by mail. If there was ever an urgent “to-do” in any fundraising office – it’s being ALL OVER first time online donors – and thank thank thanking them.

The Fundraising Success article suggests that a nonprofit create a “welcome route,” – a series of communications to first-time donors.  I love the idea of a Welcome Route. But it’s hard – I know it’s hard – to plan for the followup when you are under so much pressure to bring in new gifts.

But the investment in welcome packages is an investment in next year’s campaign. You are laying the groundwork for NEXT YEAR’s fundraising. You need to engage your donor NOW while she is still excited about her donation and she is really interested in your work.

We all know that developing long term relationships with donors is the KEY to long term, sustainable fundraising. But just because we know it, doesn’t mean that we do it.

This needs to be one of our new-year’s resolutions for 2010 – loving our donors and thanking them in every possible way!

To your fundraising success,

Gail

Here’s a great blog post from direct mail expert and fellow blogger Alan Sharpe. I highly recommend his blog and newsletter.

If your non-profit organization is like many others, you receive half or more or your contributed income at the end of the year as part of what used to be called the “Christmas Appeal.” In recent years it has come to be known as, in politically correct North America at least, the “Year-End Appeal” or “Seasonal Appeal.”

Which means your year-end appeal letter can make or break your year, financially speaking. Here are some tips on how to craft a winning year-end fundraising letter appeal package.

1. Keep it simple
One non-profit ministry that I shall not name mailed their year-end appeal letter in a poly bag along with their donor newsletter. They had been late in getting their newsletter in the mail and so, to save on postage, they mailed it along with the seasonal appeal letter. The campaign bombed, and bombed big. Donors, as far as we could tell, read the full-colour newsletter and ignored the letter that came with it. So my advice is this: keep your year-end appeal simple and focused on one goal: securing a year-end donation.

2. Be creative
You will be competing with other organizations in the mailbox. Every charity sends an appeal at Christmas. So stand out by mailing something creative. When I worked with Doctors Without Borders as their fundraising letter writer, they mailed a Christmas card to donors that donors then signed and returned to the organization with their gift. Doctors Without Borders forwarded the card to a volunteer doctor or nurse who was serving overseas, and whose name was on the card. The cards were greatly appreciated by the volunteers (many of whom were homesick at that time of year). The cards also involved donors in a way that warmed their hearts and motivated them to contribute.

3. Look back with thanksgiving
Use your year-end appeal fundraising letter as a way to thank donors for their support during the past year. Don’t list the names of every staff person you hired or promoted, or go on at length about happenings at head office. Instead, tell at least one heart-warming or compelling story that illustrates in vivid terms how your donors’ gifts changed lives. Use quotes from the people that you serve wherever possible. They add credibility and human interest to your letter.

4. Look ahead with anticipation
Also use this Christmas appeal letter to present your vision for the coming year. Show donors how their gift this “Holiday Season” will make a difference next year for your organization and the people you serve.

5. Use a seasonal theme
Try to tie your appeal to the season. Giving, presents, exchanging greetings, snow, “goodwill toward man” and other themes are popular at Christmastime. If you can tie your appeal to an emotion or sentiment that is already prevalent at the end of the year, and do so in a relevant way without being overly sentimental, do so.

6. Accentuate the positive
Please don’t appeal for donors to get your books out of the red and into the black. If you have a negative cash flow at year-end, don’t ask donors to correct it. They will see your predicament as your fault. Donors are not motivated to eliminate debt (unless it’s Third World debt). But they are motivated to change the world through a gift to your organization. So present your appeal as an opportunity for the donor rather than a rescue operation for your chief financial officer.

7. A special word for Christian charities
Avoid the “God gave us an unspeakable Gift and so should you” approach in your Christmas appeal letter. Instead, show in concrete terms how you will use a donor’s gift to further the work that your Christian donors care about, using a biblical theme if possible.

Here’s a question from our colleague Chris Harp.

“Gail, my question has to do with how to reinvigorate an annual appeal that started in August, but probably should have started in October. Even though our past appeals have been year-end appeals, my board thought sending letters out early would garner increased contributions, but I’m afraid people have just put their letter aside. We are down about 50% at this point, and if we mail the same amount as a reminder, we’ll cut into our profits. Any low-cost ideas to reinvigorate this campaign?”

Hi Chris, I really think you have no choice but to send another mailing to people who haven’t given yet this year. I know the cost of this mailing will cut into your profits as you say, but try running the numbers:

What will you get if you send the additional mailing? :

Expected revenue from the second mailing less the expenses of the second mailing = net increased revenue.

What’s the expected revenue and cost of doing nothing?

If you DON’T send another mailing:

Estimated revenue that might dribble in during November and December from an August mailing = not many more contributions.

I think you must mail an appeal again, for two major reasons. One, they need to be reminded and asked, clearly.  Two, you need to put that pledge card and reply envelope in their hands again.

Almost certainly they have misplaced the pledge card and envelope. And you MUST make it easy for them to give.

Now, there are some other alternatives:  You can send them a postcard, “we haven’t heard from you yet!” and direct them to your web site to make an on-line contribution.

Or you can phone call them to followup the August mailing. I”d love to see your board members making those phone calls since they were the ones who directed the strategy to mail in August.

Finally, there’s always email. You can certainly email folks on your list who have given you their email addresses.

I think you need to plan your year-end appeal using what I call “multiple communications channels” anyway. Use a combination of phone, email, letters and postcards to really jack up your message on your donors’ radar screens.

Good luck and let me know how you do!

Halloween was last night and we turned deep into the dark side.  Goulies and ghosties walked the streets in my neighborhood.

So let’s turn to the dark side of your year-end fundraising campaign – and shine a light on mistakes many organizations make.

Here’s my Top 10 list of ways to sabotage your year-end fundraising effort.

1.  Send a letter that’s hard to read, with ponderous sentences, long paragraphs and no white space.  (This fails the “easy to read” test, which is the first hurdle for your reader, who is skimming your prose for the highlights only.)

2.  Send a letter much like last year’s with tired messaging, no visuals, no metaphors, no stories.  Your reader is unlikely to keep reading if it is not interesting.  You are not writing an academic treatise; instead you are writing marketing copy.

3.  Bury The Ask deep inside a paragraph at the end of a sentence. (Your reader must be able to easily find out how much you are asking for and for what purpose.)

4.  Don’t include a  reply envelope. (you’d be surprised how many organizations leave out this VITAL component – you have to make it easy for people to give!)

5.  Don’t update your web site. (Studies show that donors – even those who give by writing a check and sending it in the mail – will most often check out your web site to research you before they give.  And your website MUST look professional and up-to-date!)

6. Only send out one appeal letter. (this is the kiss of death for many campaigns.  Studies show that one letter will typically get a 15% response – NOT enough to make your year-end goal. Your donors are too busy and need repeated reminders. And no, it is not tacky to keep reminding them!)

7.  Don’t do phone followup. Studies show that a followup phone call can double your results.

8.  Don’t do an email push to non-donors the last two days of December. Studies show that a majority of on-line donors give in December and most of them are on the last two days of December.

9.  Don’t send a PROMPT, warm, personal thank you immediately to your donors. And “warm, personal” does not mean “on behalf of the board of directors we thank you for blah blah” – this impersonal bunk doesn’t warm your donor’s heart.

10. Don’t have your board members call donors to thank them within 24 hours of the gift’s receipt. Penelope Burk’s landmark studies showed that when board members made this type of followup call, then subsequent gifts from the donors rose by 39%!