Migratory Birds
It's good to remember that long before the birth of the internet and its open and marvelous culture of sharing information we fundraisers, like some medieval guild, took seriously the responsibility of continually educating each other while raising up the next generation.
Through conferences, newsletters, seminars and just simple telephone calls there's always been a willingness to share case histories, best practices and, yes, sometimes even embroider successes.
October is an especially busy month for this sort of thing. The 2006 Public Broadcasting System's Development Conference with 800 fundraisers and 70 sessions kicks off the conference season in Baltimore on October 4th. At mid-month The International Fundraising Workshop, now in its 26th year will attract 1,000+ fundraisers from 40 countries to the Netherlands, while out in San Francisco the Annual Direct Marketing Association Conference will draw thousands more.
I'll be presenting at PBS on Donor Loyalty, at the IFRC, on Emergency Preparedness and at the DMA on Donor Loyalty. Guest Agitator Kristin McCurry will present her insights on gender-focused and family philanthropy at PBS and DMA.
BUT…I digress. The point is that there are literally hundreds of fundraisers who devote thousands of hours sharing experiences at conferences like these. And, none is more generous with his time than Mal Warwick of Mal Warwick Associates.
I've known Mal for 30 years. He has unbounded energy and enthusiasm for our craft. And what I admire most is his commitment to continuing education. Through his books, speeches, his social ventures work and his unstinting attendance at conference after conference he gives back to the profession far more than he's ever taken from it.
Do yourself a favor, subscribe to Mal Warwick's Newsletter and you'll see what I mean. Thank you, Mal.
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 […]
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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 […]
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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 […]
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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 […]
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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 […]
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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 […]
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