What’s more persuasive: Your track record or your future potential?

Post by: Katya Andresen, Network for Good

A research team profiled at Influence at Work recently set out to answer a fascinating question: When it comes to influencing others, where should you focus most of your attention - describing the realities of your past, or communicating your potential to deliver in the future?

In some studies that are soon to be published in the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, Stanford University researchers found that potential is generally more compelling than the past.

One study was a mock staffing situation.  Research subjects were asked to evaluate two people (Candidate A and Candidate B) who had applied for a job.  Both candidates were identical except Candidate A had more relevant experience and scored highly on a Leadership Assessment test. Candidate B had less experience yet still scored highly on a Leadership Potential test. According to Influence, “The results of the study showed that those shown information about the Candidate B’s potential rated that applicant as more successful and a better leader than those shown information about what Candidate A had achieved.”

In a separate study in a different setting, Facebook users were shown some quotes about a comedian. Half saw quotes about the comedian’s potential. (“This guy could become the next big thing.”) The rest were shown quotes about track record: “Critics say he has become the next big thing.”  More people clicked through and became a fan of the comedian with potential.

Interesting.  The research suggests that when selling your merits - or the merits of your services or organization - don’t dwell on the past. Spend at least as much time talking about your future potential.  Share test results or testimonials or reviews that bolster your future promise.

People apparently want to know the best is yet to come!

Do you agree or disagree with this study?  Pretty interesting findings!

It's Giving Tuesday!

How are you celebrating?

5 Ways to Say Thank You!

By: Joanne Fritz, About.com Guide

Let's all remember on this Thanksgiving the awesome power of gratitude, saying thanks, and how much our long-time friends mean to us and our organizations.

Here are five ways to remember to say thank you in our nonprofit lives. I'm sure there are many more, but just picking one and following through will do much to honor the season and win friends.

1. Thank a donor. Phone, write, email, text, make a personal call, hold a donor event - just do something and do it often. Yes, maybe long term donors and those who give a lot are thanked more lavishly, but any donor of any means is worth thanking sincerely, promptly, and personally, every time they give. Donors want to be appreciated and to know how their gift is making a difference.

2. Thank a volunteer. How often should you express your gratitude to your volunteers? As many times as you can. Send a small gift, take a volunteer to lunch, write a thank you note, send a birthday card expressing your thanks for their work. Thanking and recognition are not the same thing. Even if you have special events where you publicly thank your volunteers, think of the many ways you can say thanks in between those opportunities. Keep your volunteers motivated with an abundance of thanks.

3. Send a thank you to a foundation for considering your grant proposal. Even if you get turned down for a grant, you should thank the grantor for the opportunity. Relationships are just as important in grant seeking as they are in any other type of fundraising.

4. Say thanks to your social media friends. Social media is a wonderful way to reward and thank people. Do it often and sincerely. When in doubt, thank people for writing, commenting, referring, linking, and for passing on good information. Your social media world will grow to the degree you remember to say thanks.

5. Thank a reporter or a blogger for writing about your organization. As a blogger, I can tell you that it is hard work. Plus, they are all pitched hundreds of times each month. When he or she singles out your pitch for follow up, it deserves a hearty thank you. At the very least, send an email, and when possible mail a thank you note or send a postcard. Even though we're all online, it's surprising how something in the mail can memorialize your cause.

How are you expressing your gratitude this Thanksgiving and throughout the holiday season?

How to reduce donor attrition in three minutes

By: Katya Andresen

Here’s the bad news.

As if we needed more bad news about our ability to retain donors…  The Chronicle of Philanthropy shares that donors aren’t just annoyed by our lack of follow-up—they are really, really annoyed. (Read here.)

More than 20 percent of donors say they were never even thanked!

So the obvious remedy is to thank donors, tell them what their gift accomplished and report on your progress in your mission.

What’s the best way to do that?  Here’s the three-minute trick.

Pell & Bales sent me this hot tip - which reinforces what Chuck Longfield told me last week.

Read their step-by-step, three minute solution here, but the headline is:
-Pick up phone
-Call donor
-Talk about donor and what donor did that was amazing for real people:
-Don’t ask them for more money - just say thanks again

Pell & Bales say that three-minute call drastically reduces attrition (see below).  And their findings are in line with those of Chuck, who says taking the time to phone supporters and thank them for their gift lifts their giving by 40 percent.

Want to have amazing results this holiday?  Pick up the phone and say thanks.  Do a couple of calls a day.  It feels good, and it does good.*

*Thanks to Charlie Hulme of Pell & Bales for the tip!

On This Day, The Stroller Runners Ruled

By: Therese Grohman, Event360

A couple weeks ago, I blogged about the upcoming debut of Strollers in the Front 5K Run/Walk. Well, the event took place on Oct. 28 — and we at Event 360 couldn't be happier about the results. (Check out the start-line video.)

Here's the back story: Earlier this year, I ran a race with my girls in a stroller. Afterwards, my husband Jim said to me, "That was great, but it's not really fair that you had to be in the back just because you have a stroller. We should do a race with strollers in the front."

Jim and I took the idea back to the team at Event 360 and decided to "run" with it. We then met with our nonprofit partner,Neighborhood Parents Network (NPN), which helps families navigate the challenges of parenting in the City of Chicago. NPN loved the idea and signed on. We had about three months to prepare.

Putting strollers in the front became the ideal metaphor for NPN. They're all about putting families and kids first, and that's what we were doing, both literally and figuratively with the race. NPN introduced us to amazing partners and sponsors, and extended the brand reach of Strollers to its membership base of over 6,000 families.

Lessons Learned
You learn something every time you work on an event — particularly if it's the first time. Here are two big lessons I learned.

Lesson #1:  Find a nonprofit partner that is really passionate about the event concept and has the reach in your target market. NPN passed this test, which made our brand feel big to the right people. At an NPN parenting event, we heard parents saying, "I've heard about this race everywhere!" Secret: We weren't everywhere — we were just everywhere parents were.

Lesson #2: Ask sponsors what they want and aim to create value. We had 24 sponsors involved in the post-event festival, providing things like a bouncy house, diaper-changing station, music and photography. By customizing inventory and experience based on what people wanted out of their sponsorship, we created value in the form of exposure to new parents and families. In turn, sponsors were great about spreading the word and getting their customers to come out.

It was really gratifying to see how much people enjoyed Strollers. Even though it was 40 degrees out, families stayed to enjoy the festival. I talked to a handful of runners at the finish line, and they were so thrilled to have a race like this — we gave them a race that they didn't even know they wanted. And now that they have it, they love it and I know they'll be back.

One of the best comments of the day came from a child in the parking lot: "Can we do this again tomorrow?" And with that, we'd won the toughest critic — a kid! And happy kids = happy parents.

Thanks to everyone who worked on and contributed to Strollers, including community volunteers and my wonderful colleagues at Event 360.

Lastly, some exciting news: We've added a new city to Strollers in the Front 5K! Join us in Atlanta on December 8, and run with your little ones to benefit the Rally Foundation. See our event page on Facebook. Or, if you’re a parent with a stroller, register to run today!

Therese Grohman is the director of marketing at Event 360, where she focuses on building Event 360's thought leadership platform and developing relationships with organizations through impactful and relevant communications. She has also worked directly with a variety of organizations to create and implement event fundraising strategies, drawing from her experiences working in the nonprofit sector.

Back to Basics

By: Shana Masterson, Event 360

This weekend was the annual “Scouting for Food” drive here in Rhode Island. If you don’t have this program in your hometown, it's a food drive organized by local Boy Scout troops. In my area, it has collected more than 7.8 million pounds of food over the past 25 years.

Essentially, Boy Scouts go through neighborhoods and distribute plastic bags for residents to fill with the requested food items. Once filled, the bags are then left outside to be collected about a week later.

My fiancé, Matt, is an Eagle Scout, so participating in Scouting for Food is a forgone conclusion in our household. We don’t go through the cabinets picking out old, unwanted canned goods to donate. Instead, Matt usually makes a special trip to the market and buys the products the Scouts have specifically requested.

As I pulled out of the driveway that day, I smiled when I saw the overflowing bags he had left by the mailbox. I then looked down the street and noticed that only one of our neighbors had also left out a small bag of food. Driving through the neighborhood, I saw more of the same. 

As a fundraiser, I started to think about how much more could have been collected for our local food bank by applying some fundraising basics.

When the bags were first delivered, they were left on our mailbox. I can only imagine just how many more people on our street would have been moved to donate if a young Boy Scout had knocked on doors to explain the need for food in our area and made a personal request for help.

People would be so much more invested in donating food if they could put a face on the program, especially if they knew that same boy would be back soon! Even if no one was home, a note from the Boy Scout with his phone number and email address is much more personal than just a plastic bag.

After the bags were collected, I found myself wondering – what if someone else came along and stole the food because they were aware that it was Scouting for Food day? I was also somewhat surprised to find that there wasn’t a thank you of some kind in the mailbox. I might be conditioned to expect a thank you, but in this case, not only would I feel appreciated, but I’d also take comfort in knowing that our gift was going to our local food bank.

Now I understand that these efforts would take more time and the Scouts may not be able to cover as much ground. I also realize that public sentiment towards the organization is a bit marred. However, I still have a vision of looking down our street and knowing that only two of us gave to support local food banks and think we can do better.

Next year, we’ll give again, but I hope to see more of our neighbors doing the same!

Shana Masterson has been working in event fundraising for national health nonprofits for the past twelve years. She is currently the National Associate Director for Interactive Fundraising and Engagement with the American Diabetes Association. Find her on Twitter: @npshana.  

Wealthy Donors Give More When They Volunteer

By: Joanne Frtiz, About.com Guide

The Bank of America survey of the wealthiest donors was released recently and painted a post-recession picture of how these sought-after donors handle their charitable donations.

The survey (conducted by Indiana University's Center on Philanthropy) covered donors with incomes of more than $200,000 or a net worth of more that $1-million. It revealed that 89% of affluent donors volunteered in 2011, which was an increase of 10 points from 2009. More than half of those donors volunteered for more than 100 hours.

We know that volunteering in general is positively correlated with charitable giving. In this study, people who volunteered for more than 100 hours gave, on average, $78,000 to charity. For those who spent fewer hours volunteering, the average came to less than $39,000. On the other hand, donors in this study who did not volunteer at all gave an average of $49,742 to their charities.

The message for nonprofits? Don't hesitate to involve high net worth donors. Get them moving and donations are likely to be higher. That may be because volunteers gain first hand knowledge of the good that a charity actually does.

There is much more in the Bank of America's survey. Here are some of the high points:

• Ninety-five percent of the wealthiest households gave to charity in 2011, and their donations, as percentage of household income, held steady at about 9%, compared to 2009. However, the average dollar amount donated by this group of donors did decline by 7%, compared to 2009.
• Wealthy donors favor religious institutions for their donations and then education.
• Support for general operations (overhead) is up among the wealthy...60% of these donors said that their largest gifts were unrestricted, up from 55% in 2009. More than 80% said they expect charities to spend an "appropriate" amount of their donations on administration and fundraising.
• Wealthy donors reported being disappointed and giving up on certain charities more often in 2011. Twenty percent said they stopped giving to five or more groups, up from 13% in 2009.
• Wealthy donors reported that they have more faith in individuals to solve social problems than other entities. Nonprofit groups come in second. Only 30% said they were strongly confident that nonprofits could meet domestic and global problems; 75% said they had almost no confidence in Congress to do so.
• Half of the affluent donors surveyed said whether or not they received a federal tax deduction did not matter, that they would give the same amount even if they got no deduction.
• The wealthy donors in this survey expect charities to use sound business practices (75%); 74% expect to receive a thank you; and more than a third said they had stopped giving to at least one charity because of over solicitation. They also want to know how their gifts are being used, and how they promote a charity's mission.

Compare this survey's results to those that Forbes found recently through a similar survey and its summit of billionaires.

Sources:
Average Gift by the Wealthy Has Declined Since 2009, Chronicle of Philanthropy.
2012 Bank of America Study of High Net Worth Philanthropy Finds Donors Firmly Committed to and Highly Engaged With Nonprofits, Bank of America press release.
The 2012 Study of High Net Worth Philanthropy (PDF), The Center on Philanthropy.

Offer a Choice in Charity?

Article by: Katya Andresen, Katya's Nonprofit Marketing Blog

In the last of this week’s three-part series on research into consumer attitudes toward cause-related marketing, I want to focus on the increasing number of cause-related marketing campaigns that are designed to let consumers actively choose which charities a company supports.  Does choice in charity make campaigns more effective?  Do consumers like being in the social good driver’s seat?  And when can consumer choice hurt or help a company?

A new series of studies by Stefanie Rosen Robinson, Caglar Irmak and Satish Jayachandran of North Carolina State tackles those very questions.  And the findings, just published in the Journal of Marketing and covered by Cause Marketing Forum, include some interesting answers:

1. Consumer choice has a big positive impact on consumer donations.
In a field experiment that took place at a roller rink, popular sour chews were sold and adults were asked to pay whatever price they wished for the candy.  Half were told the skating rink was contributing proceeds of the candy money to a set of causes, with the rink deciding how much money would go where.  The other half were told they could choose which charity benefited from their purchase.  The four causes were chosen based on earlier research showing what types of organizations the parents would be inclined to care about moderately.  On average parents (and they were all parents – their kids were there skating) paid far more for the candy—$2.17—when they were able to choose from four causes.  They paid an average of only $0.72 when the roller rink determined how the money would be divvied up.

2. When the company chooses among charities, the fact there is more than one cause doesn’t matter much to the consumer.
In a lab study, university students were asked to choose if they were more inclined to buy a calculator from a company that “is giving a percentage of the proceeds from the sales of the calculator back to the community.” Participants got three versions of how that worked – that they got to choose from among four charities benefiting, that the company chose among four charities benefiting, or that the company supported just one charity.  In all cases 5% of the sales were donated.  Interestingly, people were more likely to buy the calculator when they got to choose the charity.  The interest level in buying the product when the company chose among charities or supported one charity was negligible.  In an interview with Cause Marketing Forum, study author Stefanie Robinson said this was her most surprising finding.  Whether a company donates to many charities vs. one charity may not matter.

3. Not all consumers are the same.
Another study covered in the paper found that some people are more collectivist, especially in Asian cultures, while others are more individualistic.  Collectivist people tend to put community needs above personal ones.  While you might think individualistic people are more inclined to like choice in charity, that wasn’t true in the research.  The most individualistic people don’t care as much about choice in giving.  Collectivists definitely do, though, because the choice makes them feel they have a greater role in helping and that involvement fulfills their caring about community.  Choice in charity is therefore more likely to influence their purchase decisions positively.

4. If there’s a strong fit between company and cause, choice matters less.
In a lab study, university students were told about a notebook for sale that benefited charity.  In this study, several variables were studied: consumer vs. company choosing among four charities – as well as a set of charities with a close fit to the product (four educational causes) vs. less of a fit (four environmental causes).  The researchers looked at how the variables influenced people’s intent to purchase the notebook.  Interestingly, when there was a strong fit between the company and cause, the consumer being able to choose the charities mattered less.  The students said they were less likely to purchase when it was up to them to choose than when the decision was left to the company.  Apparently, when there wasn’t a strong fit, study participants felt the company had a weaker CSR strategy and therefore wanted to influence the charity chosen.

5. If the social good goal is far off, choice matters less.
In most of the fundraising research I have reviewed, it’s clear that donors are more motivated to give when a campaign is close to its goal – and discouraged from giving if the goal seems far off or not achievable.  Turns out the same may be true with cause-marketing campaigns.  Consumers who were told that a campaign was only 20% to its goal were less likely to make a purchase when asked to decide which charity should be the beneficiary.  When they were told a campaign was 80% to its goal and they could choose the charity, they were more likely to purchase because they felt their behavior would have an important effect on the campaign.

5 Ways to Increase Revenue

Article by: Alison Finkel, Event360

With fall events in full swing, it’s likely that you’re looking for quick and actionable ways to boost revenue. Here are five proven ideas to give an extra boost to your fundraising results this season. These ideas don’t require a strategic shift or a lot of development time. But, they each offer great potential for deeper investment from the participants and donors who are already interacting with your event!

These tips are presented in order from the fastest and easiest to implement to the ones that may take a little more investment and integration on the part of your team. Good luck and have a great event season!

1. Bump up the suggested donation giving levels on your donation form
Take a look at most event websites and you’ll find the same pre-set suggested donation levels on every page. Usually in $25 increments, this is the default language provided by most event databases.

Event 360 worked with several organizations to see if we could increase average gift size per donor by simply bumping up the suggested donation amounts at each level. In other words, could an organization pick up an extra $5 or $10 per donor by simply changing the preset values on the donation form from $25 to $30 or from $50 to $60?

The answer is YES. In our test, we found that by changing the preset amount from $25 to $35, the percentage of donors choosing $25 fell 10%, but the percentage of donors choosing $35 increased 13%. So, 10% of event donors suddenly gave 10% more just by making this small change!

A word of caution, though: don’t get greedy! Changing preset levels from $50 to $60 gave a bump to average donation size. However, changing preset levels from $50 to $75 had a negative impact. In that test, the use of the $30 donation level increased by 33%!

There is also some question about whether listing suggested levels from high to low or low to high is best. Our tests have revealed that low to high generates better average giving. More important than the order of the suggested levels is having the ‘other amount’ box at the top of the section.

Finally, the use of case statements on the donation page did not show consistent results. A case statement connects the donation to the organization’s mission. An example of this could be “$100 funds the installation of a new toilet in three homes.” If you’re considering case statements, think about how closely they connect to your organization’s mission. If there’s a strong and direct tie in, you may want to include them. However, if it’s a stretch to make a fit, it’s better to leave them out!

2. Sweeten the Deal
Is there an opportunity to reconnect with your event donors for an incremental donation this season? The Susan G. Komen 3-Day offers the opportunity for donors to send a personal note and a custom chocolate to the participant they’re supporting in exchange for an additional donation.

The ‘ask’ with this program is extremely unique; the 3-Day isn’t asking for an additional donation to that participant’s fundraising account. Instead, they offer a highly personal and one-of-a-kind opportunity to connect with a loved one or teammate while they’re on the event. 

3. Ask Participants to Top Off Their Registration Fee
What percentage of your event participants visit the website exactly once when they register? Chances are, it’s somewhere between 75% and 90%. Make the most of this interaction because it’s the only chance you’ll have to connect with them, not just as a registrant but as a fundraiser!

Include a section on the registration form that provides the opportunity for the participant to make an additional donation when they register. But, like the pre-set donation levels, you can’t just throw in a generic box on the registration page and expect results. Be sure to include two important pieces of information:

• Make a strong and relevant ask: Why should this registrant also be a donor?
• Provide a suggested and relevant amount to give: What is the right amount based on the ask you just provided?

When Event 360 tested this with one of our clients, they saw great results! The percentage of registrants making a self-donation increased by 12% and the average (mean) donation increased by 5%. In addition, people who make a self-donation at registration are great targets for additional engagement and communications about fundraising.
4. Identify Existing Fundraisers with the Potential to Raise More
Turning registrants into fundraisers is the most difficult challenge for event fundraisers. Your participants who are fundraising have already cleared this hurdle. By raising funds for your organization, they’re demonstrating a connection to your mission and the desire to do more than just participate. Is your event doing all it can to promote fundraising among this dedicated group of participants? By segmenting your database and putting together corresponding communications and tools for each segment, you can get more from your fundraising program.

Here are some places to look for key fundraisers among your registrants:

• Repeat participants, particularly those who have participated three or more times.
• Team captains
• Key affinity (grantee, survivor or co-survivor, etc.)
• Anyone who has raised at least $1
• Anyone who has logged in to their online tool center/participant page
• Anyone who gave a self-donation at registration

On one project Event 360 consulted on, just by targeting specific communications and tools to anyone who was sending fundraising emails from their participant account, giving increased 17% in that segment.

Remember that putting together a segmented communication plan goes hand in hand with providing tools, tips and recognition that match each segment. Your organization needs to deliver both in order to maximize fundraising potential.

5. Treat Top Fundraisers Like Top Donors
Most organizations have a fairly robust stewardship program for major gifts and top fundraisers. But, surprisingly, those same organizations don’t carry those programs over from their traditional development activities into their event activities. Just like donors, among event participants, the top 20% of performers are raising at least 80% of the funds.

By setting up a clear engagement and recognition strategy for top fundraisers, your event could see fundraising improvement within this existing group of participants. One project we worked on increased total fundraising revenue by 6% even though registration only increased by 1%. They did this by focusing on providing better tools, recognition and stewardship to their top fundraising group. As a result, 50% of the incremental donations collected on this project came from those participants. This resulted in an increase of nearly $270,000 for the program.

Here are some aspects to consider when developing a program to support top fundraisers:

• Set clear and simple recognition tiers for high fundraising
• Consider what kinds of perks or recognition is a good fit with the program you’re managing
• Increase awareness of top-performer programs
• Increase access to tools and support for this participant group all year round, particularly pre-season. Note that this could include additional investment in staff resources for this group or program.

How Are You Saying Thank You?

Article by: Ted Fickes

"Thank You" in Turkish. 

Photo by Michael Silberman.

A simple thank you can go a long way towards making your day better, but that nicety can also translate into positive results in fundraising and mobilisation work.

Maybe we send a form letter. Or maybe we figure “they gave us time or money so they care and will stick around (or give again, make calls, come to the next action, etc.).”

Admit it, you’ve done this (or had it done to you). And you knew it didn’t feel right. But can you prove that a heartfelt thank you helps?

International Rescue Committee tests personal thank you calls and letters

We recently caught up with Alia McKee of Sea Change Strategies who shared with us a story about saying thanks in simple but powerful ways that (this is the good part) was tested and had a positive impact on fundraising and engagement.

The International Rescue Committee (IRC) works, in part, to resettle refugees around the world. In the second half of 2010, the IRC tested thank you calls to donors that gave $100 to $149. They divided donors into three groups:

• The first, the control group, received no call.
• The second was called and thanked by a staff member.
• The third group was called by a refugee with whom the IRC worked to resettle.

By mid-2011, thank you calls made within six weeks of the donation had the greatest impact on increased giving. Those receiving calls from refugees increased donations 16%. Staff calls increased donations 5%.

A letter from an International Rescue Committee donor 

sent after being thanked by a refugee helped by the IRC.

A letter from an International Rescue Committee donor sent after being thanked by a refugee helped by the IRC.

Simply put, a personal thanks made the donor feel appreciated and more likely to give again and give more when they did give. In some cases, refugees have sent handwritten notes to donors when they couldn’t reach them by phone. Many donors have written back to refugees to let them know they appreciated hearing from them.

But we can’t write notes to everyone, can we?

It’s not likely that you’ll send handwritten notes to every donor. The IRC focused on those giving $100 to $149, a segment that typically gets little personal attention from organizations and can be hard to upgrade or keep at that level.

But there are ways to improve your thank you process. You can, for example, get creative with personalized fields in email thank you notes — and be sure to make them relevant to current events and the source of the donation.

We also heard a story from Rachel Weidinger at Upwell about giving thanks. Rachel told us about how Upwell wanted to acknowledge people that shared their content on social networks. Interns tracked down business contact information for these people and they were sent notes of thanks. This personal touch has been powerful as Upwell works to build a powerful group of advocates for oceans.

Fundraising is about relationships — as are mobilisation and organizing. Trust created through a relationship gives one confidence to act out, speak out, and take on leadership or other roles in a campaign. It may all start with a simple thank you.

We want to know: Maybe you’re at Greenpeace working with volunteers or at another organization running a social media campaign. Or maybe something totally different. How are you saying thanks? What would you like to test? Who needs more acknowledgment, and how can we get it done? Let us know in the comments area.

5 Steps to Turn Volunteers into Fundraisers

Article by Amy Eisenstein, Tri Point Fundraising

Do you want to raise more money? Of course you do! A great strategy to do just that involves using volunteers for fundraising. But before we discuss how to use volunteers to fundraise, it’s important to understand why we use them. Why We Use Volunteers for Fundraising 1. Volunteers bring sincerity and passion. Volunteers already love you and your organization. It’s one thing to ask for money when you’re a staff member, but volunteers come at fundraising from an entirely different place. They are not being paid; rather they are there because they genuinely want to be. There is no better advocate for your cause than a dedicated volunteer. 2. Volunteers bring networks and relationships. Of course, you’ve heard the concept, “six degrees of separation.” Adding volunteers to your fundraising toolkit only broadens your network and your reach. If you’ve been fundraising for more than a week, you know fundraising is about building relationships. Potential donors are much more likely to trust and support their friends (your volunteers) than they are to trust you. Friends give to friends. 3. Volunteers have time and skills. Short on time and resources? Volunteers could be the answer, provided they are well trained and supported. Volunteers may also bring skills to the table that you, as a staff member, don’t have. Business, sales, and marketing skills are all extremely valuable and transferable to fundraising. How to Use Volunteers as Fundraisers 1. Identify important skills and characteristics. What skills and characteristics do you want in a volunteer fundraiser? Willingness to ask. Good listener. Passionate about the cause and your organization. Familiarity with your organization. 2. Solicit current volunteers (board and non-board members). Using the list of criteria above, identify current and potential volunteers. Include board members as well as non-board volunteers. Are there volunteers who work in the office, directly with the clients, or in other parts of your organization who might be willing to help with fundraising? 3. Create a list of ways to help. Provide a list of current fundraising opportunities—large and small. Your volunteers may not be aware of many of the opportunities to get involved, especially if they are not board members, or working near the administrative offices. Communicate with all volunteers, but specifically target those you have identified as willing to help in this area. Examples of ways volunteers can help with fundraising include: Bringing friends on tours of your organization. Selling tickets and sponsorships. Signing appeal letters to their network of friends and family. Making thank you calls to donors. Promoting your organization through social media sites. 4. Train your volunteers. If you expect volunteers to do things in certain ways and be successful, they must be trained. Period. 5. Provide specific instructions and doable tasks. Don’t assume your volunteers know what to do. Fundraising isn’t “natural” to most people. The more specific you can be, the more successful they will be. And remember, volunteers are busy people too. If you ask them to make three calls this month (as opposed to thirty or three hundred), they are likely to be successful and come back for more.

When Stewardship Becomes Collections

I recently had an interesting – and thought-provoking, and ultimately disappointing – set of interactions with a large nonprofit. The name of the specific institution is not important for the story, but suffice it to say that it has played an important role in my life and I’ve always felt proud to support it.

Several years ago, after a lot of conversation and reflection, my wife and I decided to commit to what was, at least for us, a fairly major gift to the group. The gift would require a bit of sacrifice and planning, and reflected our commitment to the organization for the long-term. Note that when I call the gift “major,” I use “major” in the sense that I think it should be, but is seldom, used in the nonprofit space – that is, the gift was major to us as the donors. Alas, it soon became apparent that the gift wasn’t really all that important to the institution.

We made the pledge online. A few days later, we got a call from the group. “Oh,” I thought to myself, “that’s nice – they must be calling to thank us.” I was pretty surprised when the voice on the phone said, “I need to get you to sign your gift commitment paper.” A ha. (Message: We’re a big institution. We don’t trust you.)

The thank-you call never came, although we did get a form letter a month or two later. I noticed that our credit card, however, was charged right away. (Message: Your money means a lot. Your support is secondary.)

About six months later, we got the requisite annual report in the mail. Wow, was it big and thick and glossy! I read the letter from the President, thumbed through the first few pages, and then looked for our name. And looked. And looked. There we were, way in the back of the book. At least I think it was there – the type was pretty small. (Message: You were right! That gift didn’t matter much to us at all.)

The last straw came when I got a solicitation email several weeks ago. The solicitation email didn’t ask us to renew to meet a mission goal, or offer examples of what they did with the first gift, or enumerate their need, or outline aspirations for the year ahead. The solicitation email said, “Our fiscal year is about to end.” (Message: You’re right, your donations are just revenue to us.)  I was pretty floored. I can’t remember seeing a donor communication that was less donor-centric.

So we made a difficult decision and decided not to renew our pledge. Not because we needed more recognition or thanks -- that’s not why we donated in the first place. But because, it is clear to us that, at least in our community, there are a large number of smaller organizations who need and will appreciate our donation a lot more than this one does. I wrote to the institution to explain our decision, and invited them to contact us, but predictably we never heard from anyone. (Message: You made the right decision.)

What’s the lesson? Maybe the lesson is that my wife and I are selfish and need a lot of care and feeding. Could be. But I’d venture to guess that your nonprofit’s donor base is full of people just like us. We don’t want to be at the center of your world -- but we do want to know that you’re trying to change the world, and that our part plays a role.

In terms of specific advice, you probably already know this, but I’ll say it anyway: Thank your donors; speak to them in their language instead of yours; communicate in segments so that messages are as tailored as possible; and most of all, talk about impact instead of need. It really does matter, and I’m writing that not as a fundraiser, but more importantly, as a donor.

Article by: Jeff Shuck, Event360

Mobile Devices Changing the Way Americans Consume Media

Helping Your Participants Overcome Fear of Donor Fatigue

Article by Meghan Dankovich, Event360 Blog

Donor fatigue. If you're an event fundraising professional, chances are you've come across this problem a time or two (or a thousand). I have some suggestions on how to deal with it.

The fact is, donor fatigue is a legitimate concern for participants — especially those who have been doing your event for awhile. Some participants may feel uncomfortable asking a supporter to give for the sixth year running. Others may be squeamish about approaching someone who is unemployed or underemployed and perhaps struggling financially.

How should you handle participants with worries like these?

First of all, teach them how to "ace the ask," as I covered in a March blog post, "Preparing Your Participants This Event Season." Among the tips I shared then:

In order to get a donation, you first have to ask.

While it's an understandable fear, you can't be afraid of rejection.

When making an ask, be clear about your connection to the cause and why you support the organization.

Never assume you know whether someone will give or how much he/she will give.

To the above points, I'd add this: Be gently persistent. When someone says "No," "You caught me too late" or "I already gave somewhere else," reframe the ask and try again. For instance, a logical follow-up might be, "Would you consider giving up Starbucks for the week? That's $25 right there."

The fact is, there are all sorts of ways to deal with objections. Educate yourself on how — and then share what you know with participants who seem overly concerned about donor fatigue.

Sitting It Out This Year
A personal story about donor fatigue: I had done one fundraising event a few years in a row before deciding to sit out this year. Much to my surprise, many of my past supporters were disappointed.

What I learned — and what you should share with participants — is that long-time supporters come to anticipate an event each year. They value the cause and respect the participant's commitment, so they look out for the ask and even budget for it.

In my case, the cause means a lot to my supporters. In years past, I walked the event wearing a hat covered with the names of those who lost their battle with the disease. Many times, I've gotten requests for a photo of the hat.

I plan to wear that same hat in next year's event.

So when participants say they don't want to go back to their donor base this year, remind them that many supporters really will want to give again. Donor fatigue, as it turns out, isn't as scary as its reputation implies.

Event Retention Rates

Post by: Jono Smith, Event360

It's Twitter question of the month time. Mandy O'Neill (@mandyoneill) of the Connected Nonprofit asks two questions: Is there an average benchmark for repeat event participants, and for event donors that convert to recurring donors. Two great questions!

Among the last seven run/walk/ride fundraising programs Event 360 has worked on, the average number of repeat participants was 34% and the median was 30%. This is consistent with Blackbaud's donorCentrics Events Benchmarking group where five walk programs averaged a 40% participant retention rate.  Blackbaud's study also reported that multi-year participants raised more than new participants.

When building a retention program, it's important to remember to segment your fundraisers and your $0 participants. With limited resources, it makes sense to focus your retention efforts on the people most likely to fundraise again.

To Mandy's second question about converting event donors to organizational donors; unfortunately, a benchmark doesn't exist here. What we do know is that the typical event participant secures a minimum of three to four donors for an organization, and on average over 80% of event donors are new to the organization.

While it is often the case that an event donor’s motivation to support an organization is secondary to that of supporting the participant, this is by no means a reason to disregard such individuals. In fact, such a donor is very similar to an individual introduced to you by a friend at a social event. The burden rests with you to further engage this individual if you wish to pursue a deeper relationship and, if you do not take the first step to engage, chances are the relationship will never move beyond the event.

Top 10 Customer's Choice Awards

I recently read the book Delivering Happiness: A Path to Profits, Passion, and Purpose and absolutely loved it.  I highly suggest picking it up.  And then I came across the Top 10 Customer's Choice Awards (see below) and it made me think... how cool would it be to see a nonprofit organization make the list?  Knowing that this particular list is more retail focused, who would make your Top 10 awards for customer service in the nonprofit field?  How would you get your organization into the Top 10?

No Words Necessary

Being the photography lover that I am - this post really caught my eye.  I think that nonprofits should hire professional photographers to help them get their message and mission out there.  What do you think?

I came across a picture the other night on Facebook that I promptly shared.  It had no explanation, no tag, no link, no credit, no nothing.  Just a 4-word phrase, “Worth a Thousand Words”.  The phrase was true.  As you can see, a generous man is taking the very shoes off of his feet and donating them to a child in need. The child is obviously emotional about his gift.  Wherever they are, there seems to be some industrialization, but yet he/she is still struggling and in need of very basic necessities. 

See how I interpreted that?  I crafted my own story from this picture.

  

Storytelling is one of the most recommended communication tactics in marketing and fundraising today. 

“Tell your brand’s story and connect deeper with your donors”

“People relate to people”

“Stories evoke emotions that drive action”

The advice goes on and on.  But have you ever thought about telling your story without words? How about just pictures?  Graphics that display exactly what your organization does.  An illustration of the end recipient benefiting from all those donations.  A simple statement without actually stating anything.  Sounds straightforward, I know.  But very few organizations seem to do it.  We always want to reiterate our point in case the reader didn’t get it the first 3 emails of the month.  It’s time to adapt to the new age of communication. 

We’re in the days of digital, ladies and gentleman - of texting instead of talking, avatars instead of real appearances, emails instead of addressing, and pictures instead of words.  The internet is slowly replacing the need for human interaction.  The idea of using pictures to send messages actually seems to put that human element back into contact.

Why do you think social networks like Pinterest, Instagram and Cowbird are getting so much traction?  They’re visually-driven and Americans don’t read!  (At least, not like we used to.)  I’m sure you’ve heard a lot about these networks recently and the truth is they’re the hottest things in social right now.  But if you can’t justify the investment with the limited resources you already have, it’s not the end of the world. Maybe, just maybe, there’s a way to repurpose the group activity and philosophy behind these popular networks into your everyday fundraising and marketing efforts … through graphical storytelling.

Forming an opinion or thought by viewing a picture is the new normal.  It’s quick, easy, and can be extremely powerful, more than text on a page (or in an email). 

Pictures are shareable on just about any social network and can grant your organization viral spread to the n’th degree in a matter of minutes – for virtually free.  When you design your next email, direct mail piece, or web page, think about what visuals would best represent your mission.  And I’m not talking about your logo.  Sum up the very reason for your existence in something powerful that warrants no written explanation (except maybe a call to action) - sort of like these:

  

The Salvation Army, Sierra del Mar

Charity Water

  

People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA)

National Multiple Sclerosis Society - Michael, Diagnosed in 2004

A few images and just one sentence can help you appeal to your constituents in a deeper way than any copy-written paragraph.  

-Amber Bonner

Amber is the Digital Project Manager in Merkle’s nonprofit vertical.  She chooses to Do What Matters because “it’d be too easy not to.  Challenge is good.”

Thank You Email

Within days of attending a March of Dimes Walk in Des Moines, Iowa, I got the following thank you email.  The organizers kept it very simple and still answered every question I had and thanked their sponsors.  It is so nice getting an email with the overall amount raised - sometimes it takes organizations so long to pull this information together and the participants forget to go back to the website to check out the results.  I loved how they advertised their facebook page and gave us a place to go for photos.  Good job, March of Dimes!

Hello!

THANK YOU for walking with us at Des Moines March for Babies! We are happy to announce that because of your efforts, the campaign raised $297,000! Great job, everyone!!

Your generosity and dedication amazes us and we are grateful to have your support.

• If you have any donations or matching gift forms that need to be turned in, please send them to March of Dimes, 2910 Westown Pkwy., Ste. 301 and attach a note with the walker and/or team name so that we can make sure you get credit.
• The website is still active for any of your donors who wanted to make a credit card/PayPal donation but didn’t get to before the walk. Also, the iPad giveaway will continue until June 1.
• Don’t forget to like us on facebook, we’ll be posting pictures to our page (and we’ll probably need help tagging everyone! J)

Finally, a big thank you to our major sponsors: Aviva USA, Citi, Farmers Insurance, Iowa Health-Des Moines, Mercy Medical Center, American Republic Insurance, MetaBank and Sammons Financial Group; our ambassador family, The Sklenar Family; and our in-kind sponsors Iowa Pork Producers, Atlantic Bottling Company, Dahl’s, Pepsi Americas and The Wittern Group!

Thank you so much for bringing us closer to the day when all babies are born healthy. Have a fantastic day!

Heather & Lora 

Fundraising Minimums: Friend or Foe?

Are fundraising minimums a) unnecessary barriers to participation, or b) useful elements of an effective event fundraising strategy? I'll go with Option B.

arial="arial" helvetica="helvetica" line-height:="line-height:" sans-serif="sans-serif">The primary argument against fundraising minimums — and registration fees as well — is that they scare off would-be participants. That's true. And it's a good thing. 

arial="arial" helvetica="helvetica" line-height:="line-height:" sans-serif="sans-serif">When you set a fundraising minimum, you weed out the people who lack the commitment, time or network to make an impact through your event. Raising the minimum might not affect registration numbers much, but you might see more people dropping out once they register. You're left with participants who are more likely to make a real difference for your cause by contributing to the success of your event.

In terms of separating the wheat from the chaff, registration fees serve a similar role as minimums. By setting a price floor, they send a message that the participant experience has value and is worth paying for — uncommitted people need not apply. As a result, you're likely to see a drop in participation but an increase in overall dollars raised.

Sponsors and media may get caught up in high participant numbers. But your event can only succeed if you minimize the number of people making minimal contributions. I'll take a smaller number of high-impact participants over the opposite scenario any day.

Arriving at the Right Numbers
arial="arial" helvetica="helvetica" line-height:="line-height:" sans-serif="sans-serif">There is longstanding research in the consumer space about how prices create perceived value. It's the same with events. When we tell a participant they can come for free, how much do you think they value the experience? 

Once you've decided to have a fundraising minimum and/or registration fee, determining the figures is an art and a science. First of all, see what similar events in your area are doing. Second, compare your event with similar events and consider whether you offer any additional value that would justify higher numbers.

Finally, if yours is a well-established event, look at past performance. If participants generally reach the minimum with little trouble, maybe it's time to up the ante. Perhaps you can raise the minimum across the board. Or, maybe there are certain obvious breakpoints where you can push the minimum higher and create communities of "super performers" within your event.

In some cases, conversely, you may want to drop the minimum to make it more attainable — e.g. if very few participants are activating. With the proper messaging, this can reset the participant mindset around the importance of raising funds and foster a fundraising culture.
One note of caution: Don't adjust the minimum every year. Through strong execution of a recognition program around fundraising, you'll make successful achievement of certain goals attractive to some participants. Constantly changing the goal minimizes its meaning and could be demotivating.

Regarding registration fees: We've used price elasticity models to help determine the figure at which we begin to lose too many participants to make it worthwhile. You, too, should use financial models in setting that price point.

It All Comes Back to the Mission
As you can probably guess by now, I'm a strong proponent of always having a registration fee and fundraising minimum (whether it's required or strongly suggested).

It's easy to justify a registration fee because it helps a worthwhile nonprofit like yours to cover the cost of holding the event. No one can argue with that logic.

A fundraising minimum, in contrast, is all about helping your organization meet its mission — and you should articulate this point to participants. For example, "By raising $750, you'll fund six months of lifesaving medications needed by someone battling this disease." That's a tangible, mission-related outcome that participants can get their arms around.

At Event 360, we believe fundraising minimums and registration fees make good financial sense. In fact, every time we've seen a minimum and/or registration fee implemented, there's been an improvement in overall event performance. Take the chance and see for yourself!
Vice president, fundraising strategy Meghan Dankovich serves as the lead for many of Event 360's consulting engagements, striving to help nonprofits exceed their event fundraising goals. Her expertise includes strategic planning, implementation of qualitative fundraising work and developing successful quantitative approaches for collecting and analyzing event-related data.