If it works, do it again.

Transcription

1 Conference Sponsored by If it works, do it again. Moira Kavanagh Crosby, President, MKDM Debbie Merlino, President, DMW Fundraising Barbra Schulman, Senior Account Director, Faircom NY Moderator: Amy Tripi, President, Tripi Consulting Track Sponsored by Moira Kavanagh Crosby, slide 1A 2015 DM Renewal Notice # DM Renewal Notice #2 Moira Kavanagh Crosby, slide 1B Moira Kavanagh Crosby, slide 1C Results Overall lift to 4 part series: 2016 DM Renewal Notice # DM Renewal Notice #2 + 15% revenue + 17% renewed members Moira Kavanagh Crosby, slide 1D Moira Kavanagh Crosby, slide 1E 1

2 Don t confuse marketing language for fundraising language Marketing Institutional Communications Voice Brand Building Informational Not Time Sensitive No Call to Action One to Many Relationship "We/Us" Language Fundraising Communications Personal Voice Builds Case for Giving Emotional Urgent Strong Case for Giving Repeated Often One to One Relationship "You" Language Makes the Donor the Hero Debbie Merlino, slide 2A Debbie Merlino, slide 2B Send an Acquisition Package at Least Once a Year to Your House File Donors remember you from the package they came in on. For mailer X it is their best performing package of the year, bringing in a 6.7% RR and $96.50 average gift. Embed monthly giving in your renewal ask/offer. For mailer Y it is their second best performing package of the year, bringing in a 5.4% RR and a $55 average gift. Barbra Schulman, slide 3A Moira Kavanagh Crosby, slide 4A Moira Kavanagh Crosby, slide 4B Moira Kavanagh Crosby, slide 4C 2

3 Sustainer upgrade and EFT conversion mailings CAN generate positive net revenue IF YOU DO THIS ONE THING Moira Kavanagh Crosby, slide 4D Debbie Merlino, slide 5A Revenue from additional gifts covers the cost of the mailing Upgrade Your Donors Use a circle or starred gift amount to draw attention to a specific ask amount. Debbie Merlino, slide 5B Barbra Schulman, slide 6A Upgrade Your Donors Use a more aggressive ask. Use Wealth Screening to find hidden gems in your existing file. A small number of donors are bringing in a large % of your revenue. For slight shifts in donors who have renewed, you see large revenue gains. 100% 90% 80% 70% 60% 50% 40% 30% 20% 10% 0% Client X # of Donor Revenue Small 0 99 Medium Big Top Use co op models to turn meh house prospect lists into yeah! prospect lists. Barbra Schulman, slide 6B Moira Kavanagh Crosby, slide 7A 3

4 Example #1: Hospital Outpatient File in DM Acquisition Non donors who received outpatient services at hospital Results Before Co Op Model: Example #2: Deep Lapsed Donor File in DM Acquisition ###,### ### ### month lapsed donors Results Before Co Op Model: Results With Co Op Model: Results With Co Op Model: Moira Kavanagh Crosby, slide 7B Moira Kavanagh Crosby, slide 7C Consistency of Message & Design Multi Channel Campaigns Rule! AND DON T FORGET PAID SEARCH Direct Mail letter (reply slip shown) with video Retargeting ads online Debbie Merlino, slide 8A Debbie Merlino, slide 8B Paid search media expenses were under $700. Revenue was more than $40,000. Debbie Merlino, slide 8C Debbie Merlino, slide 8D 4

5 Use Interactive Devices Create a bond with donors: Use Interactive Devices Cards, surveys, etc. Matching gift coupons/giving vouchers Bounceback cards Online elements: surveys, quizzes, GIFs, videos, downloaded desktop images, informational documents/infographics, bounceback messages Barbra Schulman, slide 9A Barbra Schulman, slide 9B Matchback is imperative. People solicited via one channel (e.g. DM) may reply via another channel (e.g. web). Matchback = matching unattributed no source gifts back to their real motivating source. One organization s DM acquisition results: 100,000 piece mailing generated 736 gifts via DM reply device/envelope 38% 1,191 additional gifts online/onsite 62% Total of 1,927 gifts (1.9% response) Moira Kavanagh Crosby, slide 10A Moira Kavanagh Crosby, slide 10B Depending on the percentage of your file giving online in response to DM, you may need to rethink the back part of matchback, and integrate frequent or even real time matching into your attribution and reporting processes. Timing is Everything BEST USES OF Moira Kavanagh Crosby, slide 10C Debbie Merlino, slide 11A 5

6 Add E Renewals to a Mail Series: $22,000 in increased revenue! Midnight Renewal Debbie Merlino, slide 11B Debbie Merlino, slide 11C Market Planned Giving Donors must know that they CAN leave a bequest. Plant the seed with: Postcards Newsletters December 27th December 30th December 31st: Highest click through rate. Greatest amount of gifts and revenue. Debbie Merlino, slide 11D Buckslips or bangtails in acknowledgements Planned giving webpages Barbra Schulman, slide 12A Market Planned Giving A full 75% of Client X s bequest revenue came from direct mail donors. 99% of these donors gave at a level below $1,000. The average bequest amount was $50,000. Barbra Schulman, slide 12B Barbra Schulman, slide 12C 6

7 Don t be afraid of discounts. 2X the Revenue! Moira Kavanagh Crosby, slide 13A Moira Kavanagh Crosby, slide 13B $20 $25 $30 Winner! Moira Kavanagh Crosby, slide 13C Moira Kavanagh Crosby, slide 13D More members/donors, even at a discount, almost always = more revenue. OPTION A: 100 donors acquired at a $30 gift VS OPTION B: 150 donors acquired at a $20 gift Moira Kavanagh Crosby, slide 13E Moira Kavanagh Crosby, slide 13F 7

8 Don t forget about the less sexy sister THE OFFER Which offer is strongest? Not only is the offer you make the key to success or failure, but the manner in which an offer is presented can have an equally dramatic effect. Bob Stone, copywriter 1. Half price 2. Buy one/get one free 3. 50% off Debbie Merlino, slide 14A Debbie Merlino, slide 14B But I m a non profit, what s my offer? 1. Payment method: including sustainer, sustainer first, EFT vs. credit card 2. Discounted membership 3. Free gift / premium 4. Deadline 5. Recognition 6. Response option: mail, online, phone how many do you add? 7. Ask string: entry amount, order of the asks, how many suggested amounts Response rate increased by 122% Average gift fell from $55 to $28 Cost to acquire a new member cut in half Minimal reduction in retention rate Year 2 Debbie Merlino, slide 14C Debbie Merlino, slide 14D Use a Low Ask to Increase Response and Reactivate Donors Mail a low ask appeal at least once a year to re engage donors. Don t sweat what s not working; elevate what IS working. Odds of moving the dial with the problem segments of your file: Odds of moving the dial with the best performing segments of your file: And the payoff is greater. Barbra Schulman, slide 15A Moira Kavanagh Crosby, slide 16A 8

9 Moira Kavanagh Crosby, slide 16B Moira Kavanagh Crosby, slide 16C + 1 point + ½ point + $5 (both) Moira Kavanagh Crosby, slide 16D Moira Kavanagh Crosby, slide 16E Don t Ignore Mid Level Donors MAKING THE CASE Debbie Merlino, slide 17A Debbie Merlino, slide 17B 9

10 What s the revenue impact of increasing mid level donor retention by 10%? What s the revenue impact of increasing mid level revenue retention by 10%? Giving Level # Donors Retained Remaining Donors at Donors current rate + 10% increase of available donors Current Rev/Donor New/additional Revenue $ $272 $26,112 $499 $ $596 $ 3,576 $999 Total 2,175 1,157 1, $29,688 If we could keep just 10% more of these downgraded dollars Giving Level Revenue lost to downgrades + 10% $ $94,176 $9,417 $ $24,661 $2,466 TOTAL $118,837 $11,883 Debbie Merlino, slide 17C Debbie Merlino, slide 17D Actively Identify and Target Campaigns to Mid Level Donors Definition of a mid level donor varies by organization. Usually 4X 5X average gift. Special handling techniques real pen, handaddressing envelopes, note inside a mail piece. Specially crafted appeals generate the highest revenue: Mini Proposal Challenge match Barbra Schulman, slide 18A Barbra Schulman, slide 18B Barbra Schulman, slide 18C Barbra Schulman, slide 18D 10

11 Actively Identify and Target Campaigns to Mid Level Donors Authenticate Mid Level Specific Mailings Adapted General Mailings Barbra Schulman, slide 18E Moira Kavanagh Crosby, slide 19A Moira Kavanagh Crosby, slide 19B Moira Kavanagh Crosby, slide 19C Customize your message on the cheap TRY THIS INSTEAD OF PRINTING ENVELOPE TEASERS Debbie Merlino, slide 20A Debbie Merlino, slide 20B 11

12 Use Urgent Messaging Actiongrams are a great format. Uses include natural disasters and funding disasters. Keep message and format simple and direct. Fast production. Funding Cuts Actiongram Results Barbra Schulman, slide 21A Barbra Schulman, slide 21B Make it plainer Moira Kavanagh Crosby, slide 22A Moira Kavanagh Crosby, slide 22B Moira Kavanagh Crosby, slide 22C Moira Kavanagh Crosby, slide 22D 12

13 The job of the outside envelope is to get the package opened Debbie Merlino, slide 23A Debbie Merlino, slide 23B What s Old Is New Again Rotation of controls can give strong lifts in response rates Think of your ask string like a menu or an order form. Barbra Schulman, slide 24A Moira Kavanagh Crosby, slide 25A Moira Kavanagh Crosby, slide 25B Moira Kavanagh Crosby, slide 25C 13

14 Utilize a Proven Newsletter Format HOSPICE OF THE PIEDMONT Before: Self mailer 8 pages Reply envelope Debbie Merlino, slide 26A Debbie Merlino, slide 26B After: 484% lift in response 1. 4 page newsletter mailed inside a #10 window envelope 2. Include a Letter from that addresses the need for support 3. Include a reply slip that asks for a donation of a specific amount 4. Short, punchy articles 5. Give readers an insider s look at your organization 6. Limit photos of galas or check presentations Mix Up Package Sizes and Formats When looking at mixing up package sizes, some important things to keep in mind: If you use standard sizes #10, #9, 9 x 12 you can keep costs reasonable. All packages should still have the same branding so donors know who the package is coming from. Barbra Schulman, slide 27A Debbie Merlino, slide 26C Large fonts, donor s name, options. Barbra Schulman, slide 27B Moira Kavanagh Crosby, slide 28A 14

15 Moira Kavanagh Crosby, slide 28B Moira Kavanagh Crosby, slide 28C Moira Kavanagh Crosby, slide 28D Moira Kavanagh Crosby, slide 28E More photos don t always lift response Moira Kavanagh Crosby, slide 28F Debbie Merlino, slide 29A 15

16 Debbie Merlino, slide 29B Debbie Merlino, slide 29C Use photos only when they add value Debbie Merlino, slide 29E Debbie Merlino, slide 29D Use Welcome Packages Welcome all new donors with eye catching creative. Packages can include: Insert Reply Letter BRE Barbra Schulman, slide 30A Barbra Schulman, slide 30B 16

17 Conference Sponsored by Track Sponsored by Thank you! Moira Kavanagh Crosby Debbie Merlino Barbra Schulman Amy Tripi Barbra Schulman, slide 30C 17