The Agitator Believes In Equal Time
Last week The Agitator poked fun at social media with 9 Reasons To Quit Social Media, generating a bit of heat.
But Brady Josephson scores the most points for his friendly riposte regarding direct mail, which I re-publish in full here …
7 reasons to quit direct mail:
1. It is expensive.
2. People already get too much mail.
3. It is not communal at all.
4. It hurts the environment.
5. It is not shareable or scalable.
6. Response rates are declining.
7. And it’s only getting worse!
Now I actually don’t believe all those things and even though I work for a digital agency we are constantly talking up the values of integration and not forgetting about direct mail and direct response. The list just shows how, if you wanted to, you could take a very negative view and pick on all the downsides.
In social media’s case, some of the downsides, like it being addicting, can be quite positive for nonprofits. Imagine a donor sitting by the door waiting for that next appeal… just because we haven’t figured out how to make the most of social media doesn’t mean you should just quit it.
Anyways… great post (as always) and great discussion. Keep it up!”
Thanks for that Brady.
We never say of social media … just quit it. We do say, whatever its other virtues, as a fundraising tool, keep it in perspective. And we’re definitely for integration.
Indeed, the integration I’m waiting for is a direct mail letter with a QR-Code popping me to a donate page. Anybody seen one?
Tom
P.S. There’s no question that social media fit into the relationship-building equation. And that translates into donor commitment and retention, our #1 crusade at The Agitator.
To get a first hand look at the most recent Donor Commitment research and those factors that drive up loyalty and retention, register today for the free Agitator-SOFII-DonorVoice Commitment Webinar, this Wednesday the 22nd (2pm BST), where results of the recent UK National Commitment Study will be revealed and discussed. A few seats left.
4 responses to “The Agitator Believes In Equal Time”
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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In February, we updated one of our annual cash mailings to include a QR code that sent users straight to our mobile optimised donation form. It was a first for us, but we’re continuing to test it this year with other packs.
I’ve seen a few QR codes here or there in the non-profit mail I’ve analyzed, Tom. But not many!
We have used some QR codes, but our donor base is an older one, that hasn’t really embraced the tech in significant numbers yet. I don’t think it has hurt us to include one, but it hasn’t really spurred donations as far as we can tell.
The topic of 9 reasons to not use Social Media and 7 reasons to not use mail is reflective of people who do not apply multi-generational thinking to their direct marketing strategies. Mail is alive and well in fundraising appeals to folks age 60+! Most Boomers are “bi-channel” and younger generations are motivated by Social Media. The “proof is in the pudding” of testing.