8 ‘Duh’ Principles Of Direct Marketing
We fundraisers all have our ‘Duh!’ moments, often when we realize we’ve violated some cardinal rule of practice.
Many Agitator readers responded ‘DUH!’ to my post yesterday, asking whether anyone knew, based on empirical evidence, whether thanking donors actually increased their subsequent giving.
Don’t worry … I’ll return to that subject next week!
But here’s a great list of ‘Duh!’ principles of direct marketing from copywriter Dean Rieck via DirectMarketingIQ. I think they apply to our specialty, fundraising. Dean explains what he means in each case. The comments here are my spin.
1. Sell good products. Not every fundraiser sits at the table where the ‘product’ is created or shaped. That’s a shame. Marketing begins and ends with the product.
2. Sell things people want. Ditto above.
3. Sell to buyers and ignore the rest. Here, he’s talking about targeting and knowing your audience.
4. Make sure you’re doing direct marketing. Duh! Need an offer, info enabling immediate acceptance, a mechanism for responding.
5. Make an irresistible offer. Nonprofits don’t have as much scope for the ‘Money back guarantee’ type sweetener. But maybe … Have you ever thought of saying something like: “If our efforts ever disappoint you in any way, let us know and we’ll return you donation.” Then there’s Charity:Water’s compelling offer: 100% of your donation goes directly into drilling wells; none of it goes to overhead … unfortunately, an offer not all nonprofits can make.
6. Don’t become married to one media. Most fundraisers have at least sorted out roles for mail, online, telephone and events.
7. Make sure you’re making sense. Always remember, you are not the donor. Does everything in #4 above make sense to a real person?
8. Don’t change your strategy without proof. All decisions should be based on the mathematics of response and net profit.
Any “Duhs” you’d like to add to the list?
Tom
Behavioral Science Q & A
Integrating an individual giving appeal with other communications from a charity can have both positive and negative effects, and the outcome largely depends on how it’s executed. Advantages of Integration Brand Consistency: Maintaining a consistent appearance and messaging across all communications can reinforce the org’s brand identity and strengthen brand recognition and trust among your […]
Read Full Answer
I’m not aware of any in-market tests specifically comparing recurring vs. gift frequency language. I suspect the answer might not be the same with all gift frequencies, nor with all people. It sounds like a great opportunity for you to test and find out what works for your audience. Based on the literature, here’s a couple […]
Read Full Answer
Based on what we know from existing data, those renewal notices can actually be pretty effective in getting people to donate. They tap into our psychology – creating a sense of urgency, reminding us of past support, and using personalization to make the message hit home. They’re playing on our natural tendencies to feel obligated […]
Read Full Answer
Interesting question. I had a quick look at the testing done on this topic. On the positive side, in all cases, over half of donors decide to cover the fee. In some cases, it goes as high as 65%. Not a negligible percentage at all. Here’s another test from iRaiser showing consistent results (see point […]
Read Full Answer
There’s just one thing to consider when designing a supporter journey: the supporter. More specifically, you need to take into account: Who the supporter is i.e. their identity, which is the reason they support this cause, and their personality, which describes the way they “see” and process the world. These will determine the kind of […]
Read Full Answer
I’m not an expert in this but a quick search surfaced this article on the effect of tax reforms on 2019’s charitable giving. The researchers didn’t find a reduction. Actually, they observed an “increase in charitable contributions in 2019, even with the lower tax rates and the dramatically smaller number of taxpayers who itemize their […]
Read Full Answer