Archive for June 2010
Tom Ahern, writing in his e-newsletter, asks whether putting donor profiles in your newsletter is worth the trouble. The short answer: “They can lead to bigger things … or nowhere. You decide.”
You’re at the worthwhile end of the spectrum, Ahern says, “when your donor profiles are meaningful to other donors and can lead somewhere. Then donor profiles become opportunities.”
Ahern’s article, which includes a good example of a worthwhile profile is worth a read.
Phyllis
Jeff Brooks, writes a great blog called Future Fundraising Now. He recently posted what some might consider a provocative point of view: that teaser copy on outer envelopes doesn’t work. I agree with him wholeheartedly and find that the same is true in planned giving marketing. Read Jeff’s blog here.
Phyllis
I’ve always been a fan of making articles about gift types and gift planning simple to understand and follow. That extends to the format as well as the content. For example, I’m a big believer in using 1., 2., 3., steps along with this numbering format. For example, when explaining how a gift annuity works.
And, I’m passionate about making sure our communications with donors include prominent and frequent “calls to action.” That is, asking the donor to take a step and even telling the donor exactly what we want him or her to do. For example, in Q & A articles and fact sheets, I often conclude with the question “What should I do next?” to put the donor on the path to taking the action we most want taken.
Now comes a research study published in Inside Influence, the website/blog of Robert Cialdini, Ph.D., who has made ethical persuasion his life’s study. I’ve written about other of Dr. Cialdini’s findings previously. The most recent article, entitled “Planning Persuasion,” describes a study that showed, conclusively, ” . . .that simply hearing “Yes” from another person is just a starting point, rather than an ending point, for persuasion. To optimize the likelihood that others will follow through with their intentions, consider specifically asking them how they plan to go about accomplishing the goal they’ve promised to pursue. This doesn’t need to be done in a micro-managing or demanding way. Rather, you could ask about the details as they relate to whether or not there are specific aspects of the tasks with which you can help.”
For articles in newsletters, cover letters and other printed materials we send donors, we can suggest the steps to the donor, for example for how to include our organization in their estate plan. In conversations, especially when a donor says that he or she is intending to or considering including us, a conversation about “how” the donor plans to do that might prove fruitful.
Phyllis
I got an interesting mailing from the salon where I get my hair cut. It begins “Celadon is now in its tenth year and we would like to thank you for your loyalty to us, now and over the years. As a token of our appreciation we have enclosed a gift for you.”
The gift was two salon gift cards, one to use myself and one to give away to a friend.
What they sent me was not as important as the acknowledgment of my loyalty (although I think they were smart to suggest that I introduce a friend to the place). What’s critical here is the fact that the communication was completely unexpected. Unlike a thank you note that comes in response to a donation or an annual report mailing that comes every year like clockwork, this mailing came out of the blue and delighted me because it was unexpected and because it recognized my special relationship to the salon.
I share this story not only as an example of stewardship done right but to suggest that today consumer expectations are exceedingly high. If a hair salon is doing stewardship this well, what must donors expect of us?
Phyllis
Have you seen the provocative new campaign for PETA that features the late Bea Arthur? Apparently the campaign was funded by a bequest in her will and typically for PETA is controversial. But apparently Arthur’s son approved the copy. I like the ad because it’s totally in keeping with PETA’s in-your-face approach and communicates in a very effective way the power of a bequest to keep the donor’s passion alive.
Oops. As I was writing Part I of this post I accidentally hit the “publish” button instead of the “save” button before I had finished my thought. What I meant to add was:
Although the personalized marketing tips I offered aren’t necessarily about charitable planning, but instead are more generally about estate planning, provision of that kind of information can be a real service to your constituents and can open the door to a conversation about charitable planning.
Phyllis
I’m continually struck by the sameness of a lot of planned giving marketing. This is especially true of planned giving websites, which tend to come from one of a handful of vendors and seem to be posted by nonprofits essentially without any changes. But, it’s also true of other kinds of planned giving marketing, much of which is generic.
I understand that sometimes it’s a cost consideration and it can also be an expertise consideration–no one with the marketing know-how to guide the changes–but maybe it’s also because we don’t realize how important or how easy it can be to tailor your content for your audience.
Here are three examples of how planned giving marketing can be customized:
1. For an organization that fights a 100% fatal disease, information about end of life considerations
2. For organizations with a gay and lesbian constituency, information about issues pertinent to their status (in most states) as unmarried partners. MetLife just released a MetLife Legal Planning Guide for GLBT Boomers that has lots of good information if your organization is in this category.
3. For organizations with a disability focus, information about special needs trusts.
4. For animal welfare organizations, information about providing for your pets in your estate plan. At my session, Getting the Most ROI from Your Planned Giving Marketing Investment,” at the recent National Capital Area Gift Council Planning Days mentioned this.
So, take a step back. Maybe there is something you can do.
Phyllis
Yesterday I wrote about the importance of training gift offers in the softer side of asking. Today, I’m going to talk about the other side of the coin. Not the questions you ask donors but the questions they are likely to ask you.
Yesterday I attached an article from an issue of the Journal of Gift Planning that describes which questions to ask donors to elicit gift intentions and to identify the right kind of gift arrangement with guidance for how best to respond based on the donor’s answer.
At the AFP conference in Baltimore Harvey McKinnon described the questions you, as a gift officer, should expect to be asked by donors and be prepared to answer. His presentation was reported in the online edition of The Nonprofit Times. The article elaborates but here are the questions:
1. Why me?
2. Why are you asking me?
3. Do I respect you?
4. How much do you want?
5. Why your organization?
6. How will my gift make a difference?
7. Is there an urgency to make a gift?
8. How easy is it to give?
9. How will I be treated?
10. How will you measure success?
11. Will I have a say in how you use my money?
Phyllis
Whenever I meet someone new and tell them that I’m a fundraiser, the immediate response is “Eeeuww, it must be the hardest thing in the world to ask people for money.” “No,” I say, “it’s actually easy when you know how to do it and you view it as helping a donor fulfill his or her aspiration to make a difference instead of thinking of it separating a donor from his/her money.”
Even though I have my answer at hand, I’ll admit to you that asking for money is hard, if you haven’t been trained or you’ve been incorrectly trained in the art of asking. Too often gift planners are trained in the technical aspects of gifts and aren’t taught to start with identifying donor financial needs and philanthropic interests. We ask donors lots of questions but not the ones that elicit the information we need to be successful.
At a recent National Capital Gift Planning Council luncheon, John McKee, Senior Director of Gift Planning at the University of Maryland Foundation, spoke about how changing the focus of training for his gift officers to non-technical, relationship-building skills had transformed their results. Much has been written on this topic, including a good article in the 4th Quarter 2008 Journal of Gift Planning, “How Old Are You and Did You Know You Could?” by Alexandra P. Brovey and Patricia L. Roenigle. You can download a pdf of the article here (in two Parts to facilitate downloading): How Old Are You Part I and How Old Are You Part II.
Phyllis
Trendwatching.com‘s new briefing asserts that though “. . . the need for recognition and status is at the heart of every consumer trend,” what’s different, they say, is that “an increasing number of consumers are no longer (solely) obsessed with owning or experiencing the most and/or the most expensive.”
Their definition: “STATUSPHERE | As consumers are starting to recognize and respect fellow consumers who stray off the beaten consuming-more-than-thou-path, ‘new’ status can be about acquired skills, about eco-credentials, about generosity, about connectivity.”
“GENERATION G (generosity) captures the growing importance of ‘generosity’ as a leading societal and business mindset. As consumers are disgusted with greed and its current dire consequences for the economy—and while that same upheaval has them longing more than ever for institutions that care—the need for more generosity beautifully coincides with the ongoing (and pre-recession) emergence of an online-fuelled culture of individuals who share, give, engage, create and collaborate in large numbers.”
Now, one of the most important drivers behind GENEROSITY is the collaborative/free/creation/crowdsourced/gift/sharing movement that—especially online—has unlocked in entirely new ways the perennial need of individuals to feel part of the greater good, to contribute, to help. But the online world of course also makes it easy to showcase and share one’s acts of altruism.
The status-implications for non-profit organizations, and B2C brands big on giving initiatives? Work harder on helping your consumer-donors show and tell others about their donations and contributions!”
Phyllis
The Planned Giving Blogger 