Thank You, Thank You
Is there anything more important to fundraising than getting the second gift, and quickly? [OK, wise guys … other than getting the first gift?]
If there is, I don’t know what it is. But I’m open to suggestion. Tell me.
Here’s a great example of direct mail acknowledgment, courtesy of copywriters Deborah Block and Paul Karps, writing in Mal Warwick’s latest monthly newsletter. The example is from Operation Smile.
And here, from eMarketing & Commerce, is a useful discussion from the online welcome side, titled 4 Ways to Squander the Welcome Email Opportunity. Would you believe that one-in-four online retailers don’t even send one? Hey, we fundraisers can do better than that!
I don’t think there’s a more important area to test and experiment with than getting the second gift, which is bound up with refining your acknowledgment process.
"Thank you" seems like such a simple step … however, it should be anything BUT routine. The way you do it has huge impact on whether your donor tunes out or moves up.
Tom
One response to “Thank You, Thank You”
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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[…] Over the past three months I have noted that gifts have increased, both in amount and frequency. Considering the economic context, this as quite remarkable. Thanks to Tom from The Agitatior for helping reienforce the value of the thank you. […]