My 2015 ‘To do’ List — Recommendation #3
I was browsing through my email, as one is wont to do, and noticed a praising mention of an unfamiliar nonprofit called Possible Health. And, as donors are wont to do, I went to their website to check them out. [You’ll recall that #2 on my recommended 2015 ‘To do’ list yesterday was getting your nonprofit’s website in top shape for attracting and converting leads.]
I loved this site. Clean & stylish, with strong images and bare but compelling copy. Who says first impressions don’t matter. But more substantively …
First I looked at their purpose, presented this way …
Why we exist? It couldn’t be said more simply.
Then, I hope you noticed, as I did, that Possible Health featured ‘GIVE MONTHLY’ right up front as a primary giving option. Wow! These folks are serious fundraisers, I thought. So I clicked that button, landing here …
Become a ‘Possibilist’ … I just loved that multi-layered term and what it asked of me (and, hugely importantly from a donor psychology standpoint, what it ascribed to me). A perfect attempt to match the aspiration and mindset of the donor with the aspiration and worldview of the cause. Clicking ‘JOIN US’ I landed here …
‘YOUR DONATION PROVIDES’ rotates through four examples. And lower on the page are buttons that describe how attaining various numbers of new ‘Possibilists’ will trigger matching gifts from various partners. Again, all as cleanly presented as can be.
And finally, this wouldn’t be an authentic Tom Belford post if I didn’t say I also appreciated that an online video was offered right up front on the home page as well. Naturally I watched it … and when I did I was ready to donate.
Possible Manifesto from Possible on Vimeo.
You can imagine how many appeals I read/view wearing my dispassionate Agitator hat. This is one of the rare ones I’ve responded to … I’m now a proud Possibilist. As the organization defines it:
So this is the inspiration for #3 on my recommended 2015 ‘To do’ list: Make a high priority of building your monthly donor program. Saving the whatever ain’t cheap. Don’t you think your donors realize that?
Hats off to the fundraising smarts and design sensibilities of the team behind Possible Health … you get an Agitator raise!
Tom
7 responses to “My 2015 ‘To do’ List — Recommendation #3”
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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HI Tom, I LOVE your post of course!
I see too many nonprofits who are still trying to ‘hide’ their monthly giving options.
if you put it front and center, donors will be interested in making a difference, one month at a time, or many, many months (and years) to come!
those organizations who are successful growing their program really put the program front and center.
thanks, cheers, Erica
I love how their name is their mission and it runs throughout their fundraising communications. Brilliance Inviting people to believe in what’s possible is clearly the essence of what we all do every single day. Thanks for highlighting folks who are doing it so well.
Kathy
Tom, thanks for the high praise for the use of monthly giving! It is the fastest one way ticket to higher donor retention.
We may all look back in 10 years and wonder why it took so long to make this happen, but old habits do die hard in this sector…
Perhaps, Roger will grant you a raise this week for this excellent catch!
Tom,
Thanks for providing info on a fantastic cause and “best of the best” web site!
I would love to know what their results are in asking for a monthly donation as the “first ask” as opposed to acquiring a first donation and growing the relationship to become monthly.
Nice example, Tom. Always good to see brave and simple communication of a committed giving request.
Great example Tom. The wording is so precise and simple! I will use it as an example for students.
Mind blown. This site is incredible. Thanks for sharing.