Your Ultimate Final, Penultimate Final, Last Final Renewal Notice. Absolutely. We’re Serious.
In Are You Beggar or a Fundraiser, Tom featured an email appeal from the Democratic Congressional Campaign (DCCC) that exuded the distinct odor of desperation.
‘Desperate’-sounding because the copy — screaming ‘FINAL NOTICE’ in stark black and red type — reminded the donor that “you have 8 missed messages to renew your Democratic membership.”
Well, Tom, I’ll see your begging, desperate email and raise you from 8 Final Notices to 18! Yes, eighteen.
Below, courtesy of loyal Agitator Pamela Grow, is the latest in what is serially revealing itself as an endless renewal series from the DCCC.
Not only do they scold Pamela over the 18 attempts at renewal, they feature the personalities who’ve sent Pam those 18 messages along with the number each personality sent.
Finally … the DCCC tops off this frothy email sundae with a Matching Gift cherry. Wow!
Does this inspire the renewal spirit in you?
Roger
P.S. And does anyone really think this is the last ‘Final Notice’ Pam will receive? Read the text carefully to see how they’ve covered their butts for the next cycle, just in case this message wasn’t compelling enough.
5 responses to “Your Ultimate Final, Penultimate Final, Last Final Renewal Notice. Absolutely. We’re Serious.”
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 […]
Read Full Answer
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 […]
Read Full Answer
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 […]
Read Full Answer
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 […]
Read Full Answer
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 […]
Read Full Answer
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 […]
Read Full Answer
I have a headache. That’s all I can say.
Different country, but I get basically the same emails from my party. Focused on their deadlines. Focused on how many times they’ve emailed me and I haven’t responded (with a gift… because I’ve responded in other ways, which got me no response, but yet another ask the next day.) Using big bold words not to thank me, inspire me, engage me, but scare me.
Thanks, but the political climate scares and enrages me enough without your lacklustre attempt to engage me in your needs.
It’s a different beast all together.
They’re always “cleverly” designed to hedge on the “final” and “deadline” stuff. Last chance before next Tuesday, more like.
And it’s 100% designed around them: their needs, their (arbitrary) deadlines, their (even more arbitrary) goals.
I’ve been getting and angrily deleting them, too.
Good lessons from bad examples here, though. I get so many badly done appeals – mail and email – that are 100% about the organization. It’s clear my role is to hand over the cash and nothing more. Envelope teasers like “IMPORTANT NOTICE” (important to whom? Not me.) Or “Your annual fund enclosed” (does anyone actually look at what they’re writing? Tell me how you enclose an annual fund. And what I will do with one when I free it from the envelope…)
Let’s hope more organizations – in politics and out – can learn from this dreadful example!
Am suffering sympathetic pain with Simone! A headache!
This reminds me of all the reasons I’ve never involved myself in political fundraising and why I never make personal gifts to political parties or campaigns.
I have no patience with either political party, and that’s why I’ve been an Independent voter for more than 35 years. In my opinion, however, this post reveals just how unhinged and out to lunch the Democrat Party is these days.
Their fundraising strategies/tactics are a reflection of and are secondary to their principal problem: brand renewal — deciding just who they are, what they really stand for, and who are their true constituents! The political wilderness is a lonely place, indeed!
This is some, “you have to see it to believe it” type stuff. I’d be interested know what their conversion rates are… Oh, and their unsubscribe rates, those would be interesting to look at too.