Pogo Was Right
Cartoonist Walt Kelly is credited with the line, “We have met the enemy and he is us” uttered by his Pogo opossum character in a 1970 Earth Day poster highlighting human impact on the environment. Ironically, the very brands responsible for societal good are polluting the fundraising rivers with a sea of gimmicky, transactional sameness.
Proof? In 2023,
- 60% of acquisition mail used premiums – front/back end or both aiming to achieve the impossible, 2 pounds of crap in a one pound bag.
- 28% was either matching gift or faux supporter cards.
- Leaving an uninspiring 12% figure for mission mail.
There are many forces at work for dwindling response rates but surely everyone sending the same thing is, at minimum, an opportunity for the enterprising brand? It’s further irony that the Frost inspired least taken path is the one fostering connection between the reader and the mission.
“Two roads diverged in a wood, and I—
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference.”
The notion that you need premiums to make mail work is, well, nonsense. I agree you “need it” if your alternative is crap. But it needn’t be if you,
- Use primary research to understand motivation
- Get beyond one-size fits all
- Include messaging that speaks to the person’s Identity and/or Personality
And know that a “tie” is a win when factoring in fulfillment time and expense and more importantly, the lower 2nd gift conversion and LTV on the left because you’ve undermined intrinsic reasons to support and replaced it with a transactional mindset.
We’ve seen the enemy, it is us.
Kevin
2 responses to “Pogo Was Right”
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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When is a premium more than a premium? Believe me, I’m mostly in your court. However, are there not some premiums that build affinity? I wear my Ducks Unlimited jacket and almost every time someone comments that they’re a supporter, too.
I wear the jacket because I’m proud to support the organization. I would argue that, for some, this type of premium actually improves the likelihood of renewal increased long-term value. But that’s just one person’s opinion.
Hi Mark, appreciate the reading and thinking, as always. It’s certainly the case that some people want to publicly express their Identity via connection with a brand. And maybe the merch is functional too – e.g., quilted DU jacket for sitting in blind in middle of Jan. Here’s alternative ways to think about tapping into and monetizing that desire by some,
1) Gift it. By making it quasi contingent on the donate decision you likely undermine the intrinsic reason for donating. I strongly identify as a duck hunter and want to reinforce by values by donating/becoming a member. A gift tied to anniversary or even randomly is a much better boost to retention – have cake and eat it too.
2) Sell it. Why heavily subsidize the purchase by tying it to a paltry donation? License the brand, offer a storefront (outsourced), have high end and lower end merch to satisfy different budgets and preferences. Offer discount for members.
3) Make opting out very prominent. USGA gives members a new hat, bag tag and rule book every year. All three of those items change so, in theory, a person may want the new stuff every year. In reality we ran a test that made opt-out very prominent and flexible – could opt out of 1, 2 or all 3. Over 50% opted out of at least one and 20% (ish) opted out of all 3.