Why Donors Tune You Out
Mark Phillips at Bluefrog has written an excellent post called Why donors don’t want to hear from you. I heartily commend it to you.
He cites survey data that shows donors are quite sensitive to charities using inaccurate personal data in their communications. For example:
- 20% of respondents would stop giving to charities that used an obsolete or out of date name and address (up 5% on 2010);
- When it came to regular donors, most people (63%) who received a mailing with incorrect personal details would notify the charity and ask them to amend their record. Frighteningly, 18% said they would be less likely to donate again with 5% saying they would stop their support.
C’mon fundraisers! Maybe your programs have no urgency. Maybe five organizations do what you do … better. But at least you can get your donor’s name and address right!
The other theme in Mark’s article relates to relevance. He cites data that says 47% of UK adults would stop supporting a charity that sent them badly targeted direct mail (up 18% compared to 2010).
Relevance is perhaps the most critical concept in fundraising communications — and through those relevant communications … fundraising success. I agree with Mark, who says: “The only communications that donors don’t want are those that are boring, self-centred and irrelevant to their needs.”
He cites another Bluefrog study into why donors lapse, saying this quote sums up (former) supporters views:
“You keep saying this thing lapsed. Lapsed from what? I never felt I was giving anything up.”
Mark concludes: “Inappropriate and unwanted communications are actively pushing donors away.”
There are a lot of things you as a fundraiser cannot control that might be causing your organization to lose donors. But surely you have a handle on the donor communications stream. How many donors might you be losing because of inaccurate or irrelevant communications?
Good analysis once again, Mark.
Tom
2 responses to “Why Donors Tune You Out”
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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pretty obvious?
Yes, you might assume. Then why do you think so many organizations get such basics wrong?