Posted on Tue, Aug 10, 2010
By Chrissy Hyre, Telemarketing Account Executive
Yep, there is good news about telemarketing fundraising. You see, every time your donor answers your call; you've gotten her “inside the envelope.”
But that's just the beginning: you have to keep your donor’s attention long enough to make your pitch and secure a pledge. No small task, considering the distaste many folks express toward sales calls and the fact that somewhere ... sometime ... someone is just sitting down to eat!
Don't worry; you don't have to give up! You see, just like direct mail or email fundraising, there are best practices I can share based on millions of fundraising calls with donors over the years. So whether you are raising millions of dollars using trained professionals, or running a yearend phone bank with a group of volunteers, let these four tips guide you.
1. Keep it simple. As you write your script, use this as your rule: short, simple, specific. Resist the urge to cut and paste your most recent direct mail appeal into a script format. Telemarketing works best when it is a conversation. Use easy, casual language, be direct and clear (especially when making the ask!) and get to the point as quickly as possible. If you're not sure, read your script out loud and see how long it takes and if there are words that make you stumble.
2. Put your best foot forward. It’s hard to keep someone on the phone, so be smart with your questions. Be sure to show appreciation for your donor by thanking her for past support. Show her she is a vital member of your organization by using language like “I’m sure you agree that….” It conveys a similar message, but doesn’t open the door to a hang up.
3. Pay attention. Telemarketing is special in that it provides real two-way communication -- so make sure you are listening to your donors and not lecturing them. Whether you are making the calls or monitoring them, pay close attention. Is something coming up over and over? Perhaps in January it was the tragedy of the earthquake in Haiti, or in May donors talked about the horror of the Gulf oil spill. If it’s mission appropriate, update your script ASAP. Updating calling materials only takes a few hours, not the weeks it takes to get a new package in the mail. And if it’s not, make sure your callers have a great response at hand to let donors know that their support for your organization is still incredibly important.
4. After the call. It doesn't end when the donor says yes and makes a pledge. And as much as we all love getting that credit card donation during the call, it's just as important to make sure the checks are mailed to you. That's why the most important thing you can do is make sure that your pledge letters and pledge reminders are mailed to your donors on time. Your donor made a commitment and you need to honor it by getting the pledge package in her hands quickly or risk losing the donation.
And here’s one last tip from me to you: Ask for the money! Even if you have a charming demeanor, a tightly honed pitch, and a news-worthy issue that keeps your donors on the phone for hours, if you don't ask clearly and directly, you've just wasted everybody's time.
Posted on Tue, Jul 20, 2010
This is the first entry in a three-part series on getting donors attention. Check us out next week for our entry on direct mail teasers!
By Charlotte Kresse, Director, Interactive Department
As online marketers, we’re all guilty of it.
We spend hours working on strategy, copy, data segmentation, etc. only to think of our subject line as an after-thought.
But our brilliant message is all in vain if no one sees it.
Think of the subject line as the online version of the teaser on a direct mail envelope. In direct mail, someone decides in seconds whether to throw away a letter or open an envelope.
And a subject line often determines whether someone opens your email or clicks delete.
So, here are a few tips to help you write effective subject lines:
Front Page News. Take a look at headlines for inspiration and use what’s in the news. Any editor worth his salt knows how to write a headline that contains key facts in limited space to entice us to read on.- Action-oriented and Specific! Use deadlines, embrace action verbs, and be concrete about the issue at hand.
- Reel Them In. Use the subject line to connect with the recipient and bring the message closer to home. Localize messages by referring to their community or home state. “You” is always a powerful word in direct marketing or test including the recipient’s name.
- Size Does Matter! When it comes to subject lines, there is a good reason to keep it brief: there is a limit on characters that display in the user’s inbox. Keep your subject line at approximately 45-50 characters (or less, if you can!).
- From Line. Don’t overlook the “From” line. The most effective are from an actual person and include the organization’s name.
- Proof is in the Data. It is important to monitor your own success. Looking at the open rates of your own messages will help you glean what works for your audience.
- Test, Test, Test. Enough said.
There Is No Silver Bullet. What works today, may not be effective tomorrow. That means that even if you were able to write the best subject line in the history of email, you will still have to write a new subject line for your next message.
Final Thoughts
There is no magic formula. Something that’s highly successful for one campaign might underperform for another. Nonetheless, these tips will point you in the right direction. What tips do YOU have?
Posted on Tue, Jul 06, 2010
By Bill Goldstein, Vice President, Client Services
Yoda would have made a fantastic marketer. Being a diehard fan of the Star Wars films (yes, even the prequels); I cannot tell you how often his little nuggets of wisdom apply to our roles as direct response marketing strategists.
As we look forward to developing smart and innovative tests to grow our clients’ membership sizes, retain members, reduce expense, and improve revenues, consider some of these great quotes and how we can take them to heart in our testing strategies.
“Size matters not ... Look at me. Judge me by size, do you?” Too often, the tests which have the largest impact on our programs revenue and performance are the ones with the smallest changes to our packages and segmentation strategies. How many times has something as simple as 1st vs. 3rd class postage, a return address envelope vs. business reply envelope, or removing an insert dramatically improved results? It is important for us to be innovators. It is just as important to use best practices.
“Mind what you have learned. Save you it can.” Have you reviewed your client’s past testing results? Have the winning tests been rolled out yet? A strong testing agenda builds on what has been done so you are not repeating the same tests over and over again. If you have tested BRE vs. RAE multiple times, what is the consensus? You can save a client considerable expense by not repeating tests that are clearly one-sided.
“Always two there are, no more, no less: a master and an apprentice.” We spend considerable time and expense developing new messages, creative and testing strategies to improve programs. But all that work is for naught if the control and test are not correctly set up. Make sure you have isolated only one variable that you are comparing, such as segments; there is a stratification of the data; and a large enough sample size to read results.
“Always in motion is the future.” A smart marketer never accepts the status quo. As direct marketing strategists, it is our job to always test the conventional wisdom for our client’s programs.
"Reckless he is. Matters are worse." While it is criminal to rollout 2 million pieces of acquisition mail without a single test – we also do not want to throw a bunch of tests into a large campaign to say we did testing. Test smart and test with a purpose! If possible develop a testing agenda during the budget process and lay out your strategies for the next 12 months.
May the force be with you.
Let us know what testing strategies you use? What’s made the biggest impact?
Posted on Tue, Jun 29, 2010
By Kim Cubine, Managing Principal
There are more women donors than there are male donors. For years, numerous nonprofit trend watchers and independent tracking groups have confirmed this fact.
What we really don’t know is why women contribute more frequently.
- Do women give more because they are more compassionate than men?
- Do women contribute more because they like to spend money?
- Do women actually have more free time than men?
- Do women give at the same level as men?
Well, I couldn’t really answer the first three questions outside of my own personal experience. But we could definitely test the giving level between men and women with organizations to determine if there was indeed a difference.
We decided to implement a "direct mail battle of the sexes." Using a prospect control package we set up a series of ask string tests and split the file between men and women. The test panels were established as follows:
- Women received three ask string variations: control ask, low dollar ask, and high dollar ask.
- Men received three ask string variations: control ask, low dollar ask, and high dollar ask.
Wow - women give at a higher rate but in every case they gave at a lower gift level than the men.
As a matter of fact, for the male test segments there was no statistical difference in the control and the high dollar asking string.
For women, the opposite was true. The low dollar test segment had a 20% increase in response rate over the control panel. And the lower average gift did not have a negative impact because the investment per donor was 13% lower due to the increased percent response.
Overall, it costs this organization less to recruit women than it does to recruit men.
This test was repeated in the house files and for some organizations we have now established different gender based asking strings depending on the test results.
So by all means, if you haven’t pitted (I mean, “tested”) women against men on your donor file, do it today! And let us know what your results are!
Posted on Tue, Jun 08, 2010
By Pete Carter, Senior Vice President
Regardless of the success of your direct marketing program, it is very important to occasionally take a step back and re-evaluate what you are doing. With these 10 questions, you’ll know where to start and once you answer them, you’ll be amazed by what you’ve learned!
1. To whom am I mailing? I start with this question because it’s probably the most important. Even the most creative, compelling message won’t work if the audience isn’t the right one. And just because electronic contacts are low-cost doesn’t mean that audience selection isn’t just as important when sending emails.
2. Is my data clean? To obtain postage discounts, the Post Office requires periodic file cleansing using standard NCOA processing. But you can do more – from “max” or “preferred” change of address processing offered by various vendors to simply staying on top of donor comment mail, and emails. Like the NCOA for postal addresses you should also have a twice yearly ECOA run on your email file to ensure you have the most current emails for your file. People change/drop email addresses FAR more often than they change their address or even their phone numbers. Clean data leads to higher net productivity.
3. Am I over-designing? Direct marketing isn’t the place to get too adventurous with complicated designs. (For more on nonprofit fundraising design, check out A Look At Style by Chris Quillian) The #1 goal is readability, on the computer screen and on the printed page. So leave out the reverse type, for example, and be careful to avoid clutter
4. Will my donors/members care about this message? So often, organizations get caught up in anniversaries, milestones and other celebrations that have great significance internally, but don’t really mean a great deal to those on the outside. Consider carefully - will they really care? Check out last month’s Dear Jim for more tips on using anniversaries well.
5. Am I spending too much, or too little, on postage? Postage savings can be maximized by co-mingling. Conversely, high dollar donors deserve first-class treatment (and that applies to more than just postage!). A one-size-fits-all approach doesn’t work when it comes to determining postage rates.
6. Am I suffering from multiple-personality disorder? If your online and offline messages aren’t integrated, the answer is probably “YES.” Your message should be consistent across all channels.
7. Am I being polite? Saying thank-you promptly isn’t just good manners – it’s good marketing. Your acknowledgement program – online and offline – should be sincere, relevant and personal. Leave the donor/member with a good feeling, and they’ll be predisposed to give when asked again.
8. Am I prepared for an emergency? How will you communicate with your donors/members in an urgent situation? Are systems in place that allow for rapid turn for electronic, telephone and direct mail communication in an emergency? AH&A’s urgentgram format is an excellent solution for getting in the mail as quickly as 2-3 days after a crisis.
9. Am I getting the best possible cost for my marketing materials? A seasoned production shop like the one at AH&A will be able to competitively bid each campaign to multiple vendors. And our significant annual mail allows us to negotiate excellent costs for our clients.
10. Is my list generating all the income it can? List rental (with permission!), affinity credit cards, and product merchandising are all ways to increase income from your list – but as always, proceed with caution on this front.
As important as these questions are, there are still more ways to improve your marketing strategy. What would you suggest?
Posted on Thu, Jun 03, 2010
The Abigail Van Buren of fundraising gives it away for free.
By Jim Hussey, President
I’ve decided to offer my advice to those with inquiries concerning their fundraising troubles … a sort of “Dear Abby” column for the fundraising forlorn. I'm even willing to dole out this advice free of charge. Those with questions need not fear a monthly retainer bill or any other type of charge. Just please don’t tell any of my clients I'm giving it away for nothing!
Our most recent question comes to me via email. I'll make an exception today, but in the future, I'd encourage you to submit your questions in the comments section below.
Dear Jim,
How important is proofin your work? Whenever I have a grant application or a direct-mail letter to send out, I perfer to save the $50 it cost to have a professional proof reder review the copy, and simply have someone on staff red it over. Do you agrees with this cost-saving strategery?
Sincerely, Bad Righter
Dear Bad Righter,
Having a professional proofreader review all marketing documents, including direct-mail packages, grant solicitations and annual reports, is vitally important to your fundraising efforts. Spelling errors and poor grammar lead to questions about the professionalism, legitimacy and effectiveness of the organization … and as a result, a diminished chance of securing a contribution.
Posted on Tue, May 11, 2010
By Annie Hughes, Vice President of Client Services
Mother’s Day was this past Sunday, and this holiday is always a great reminder for all of us that we need to recognize some of the most important people in our lives: our mothers.
Whether you send flowers, give a gift certificate to her favorite restaurant or simply a card from the heart, the motivation is the same—you want to show Mom how much she means to you.
There is a connection between the love we want to show mom and the appreciation organizations should be showing their donors all year long. And, the best way to show your donors how much their support means is to thank them – with an appropriate, timely message.
The amount your organization is investing in those thank you notes is worth it! It’s widely accepted that the health of an acknowledgement program and the quality of an organization’s cultivation tools are directly related to strong renewal rates, multiple gifts from donors and improved lifetime donor value.
Acknowledgements and other cultivation efforts should be seen as opportunities to expand on a donor’s relationship with the organization and further bond a donor to your cause, but there are some tricks of the trade that can help you get the most bang for your buck.
- Welcome Kits: Welcome kits do more than say thanks, these important packages showcase opportunities for additional engagement with donors who are just getting to know your organization and reminds them that they made a smart investment by joining your cause.
- Ask for A Second Gift: Don’t shy away from asking for a follow-up gift. Acknowledgements provide a golden opportunity to convert new donors to multi-giving donors with a special second gift ask.
- Cultivation Campaigns: It doesn’t hurt to send donors a no-ask cultivation letter and/or email to inform them of recent happenings at your organization. This will ensure that your donors feel a part of your efforts and that they are kept in the loop on the critical work your organization is doing. (You can even include a BRE to help offset the costs of a cultivation mailing.)
- Showcase Leadership Giving or Sustainer Programs: Within your welcome kit or acknowledgement program you can showcase special giving programs by inviting new donors to join the monthly giving sustainer program or major donor program depending on level of their first gift.
Just like you showed your mom how much you care last Sunday, a smart organization will make the most of every opportunity to cultivate the relationship they have with their donor base by showing their members how their involvement is critical to the success of the organization’s mission.
Is your nonprofit thanking and cultivating your donors? What other ways can an organization show their donors how much they care?
Posted on Tue, Apr 27, 2010
How to keep them coming back for more!
By Lynn Waller, Vice President of Client Services
You’ve done the hard part – recruiting new members – so now what?
The first year of membership is crucial to building a relationship with your members and getting that first renewal. Creating a stream of coordinated new member contacts is the key to building this relationship and is one of the most important things you do for your organization.
You’ve already “sold” them, so now how do you continue to engage them?
Don’t Tell the Whole Story at Once.
Just give the new member enough information in your first contact to get started – login information they can use to access their online benefits for instance, and get information from the member that can help you send them more targeted contacts later on (interests, email address, birthday, etc), and most importantly, welcome them into the organization and make them feel great about their decision to join.
Use What’s Already Working.
A newsletter or magazine are the perfect vehicles to push information out to your members. Try creating a new member version with an article that highlights a benefit, an online tool, a volunteer opportunity or another way they can easily get involved. Include a member page in each issue of your magazine – a place where members can go to read about new benefits and what the nonprofit is doing for them.
Don’t Forget to Integrate.
Make use of ALL communication channels, including online, and telemarketing. Call your new members, send them a video from the president, and/or invite them to a new member event. If you have their email address, send new members an email with a link to a tutorial, or a webinar that will show them how to use the products and services that you offer. Include a new member section on your website, exclusive for 1st year members – a place where they can interact with other members, volunteer, or read why a long-time member is glad that he/she joined.
The first year of membership for ANY member is the most important – if you are successful in building a solid relationship with the member they will be more likely to renew and become an active part of your organization.
How do you make new members feel like a vital part of your organization? Any ideas we left out?
Posted on Tue, Apr 20, 2010
By Shannon Murphy, Vice President of Production
It’s the 40th Anniversary of Earth Day! As you know, more and more of today’s mail is our beloved “Dear Friend” letters, so it’s vital that we do the most we can to follow the old adage of the three R’s: reduce, reuse, and … of course … recycle to make direct mail as eco-friendly as possible.
Even kids know the importance of recycling. My 6-year-old often comes to me and asks if she can recycle the newspaper or a magazine. Then she walks with great pride to the recycle bin because she knows that this paper will now get a second life and be used for something new, maybe even one of Mom's direct mail pieces.
Do you ever wonder how in the world they take the paper from my magazine or newspaper and use it again? Well, here's how they do it:
Step 1 You first place your newspapers, magazines and other papers to the curb for the recycling truck to pick up.
Step 2 Paper from your house and other homes is combined and sold to a paper dealer.
Step 3 Once at the paper mill it goes through a chemical process called de-inking, in which ink and sticky materials are removed from the paper and the fibers of the paper are separated and turned into pulp.
Step 4 The pulp is bleached and wood chips are added to give strength to the paper.
Step 5 The pulp is poured onto a belt which drains the moisture. By the time the pulp reaches the end of the belt, it's strong enough to go through the steam-heated rollers to create a flat sheet of paper.
Recycled paper is used more and more in today's direct mail industry. Organizations want their donors or clients to know that they are environmentally friendly. There are different percentages of post-consumer waste in paper. The most available stocks are composed of 10% and 30% recycled materials. The higher the percentage you want to use, the more costly the paper will be. While we want to show the people receiving our mail that we do our part saving the environment, we simply can’t break the bank in the process.
So what type is right for you? Before making any decisions on what paper to use, make sure you ask your production team to research the different options for you.
And it’s not just the paper for your letters! It’s the carriers, address labels, and even your membership cards. Just think of all the paper products that go out to your supporters and members and ask your self could we be greener?
Happy Earth Day! I wish you many years of green trees, warm sun and blue skies.
Posted on Tue, Mar 16, 2010
By Stephen Godbout, Creative Director
It’s that time of year again, when the whole world is garnished in green. In fact, the Department of Arts, Sports and Tourism of Ireland has coordinated a worldwide shamrock-explosion of green to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day. Landmarks known the world over, such as the Empire State Building, the Sydney Opera House and Tokyo Tower are all donned in green this year, along with every Tom, Dick and Harry out there.
So how do you stand out in all this green? It’s the most applicable question to our industry that I can think of, so I asked a lad from Dublin, Ireland how he stands out when the whole world’s green on this special Irish day? I then applied his answers to direct marketing.
“Don’t wear green. Wear red.” Or any other color. Try a different size carrier. Different color teasers. Different size fonts.- “Hit the bar early.” If you’re in direct marketing, you’re in a highly competitive business, and it’s best to heed Ben Franklin’s wisdom: “the early bird gets the worm.” Get YOUR package, campaign, email, or call out there before everyone else does.
- “Avoid that daft ‘unicorn’ song.” Aside from “When Irish Eyes Are Smiling” the most recognized song that Americans associate with St. Patrick’s Day is “The Unicorn.” According to my Irish source, he does not like being associated with unicorns, though the occasional leprechaun is just grand. I guess the correlation here is to think twice before you use a unicorn in your marketing...and to be sure to try new things. Just because everyone else is doing it doesn't mean you have to - or even that it'll work for you.
- “Know how to pour your Guinness.” Nothing identifies an authentic Irish bartender more than a correctly poured pint of Guinness. And yes, there is a correct way to pour Guinness. In the same way, nothing turns a donor off more than an organization that isn't credible. So present your organization factually and add credibility when possible...such as public recognition for your work or positive press from a respected publication.
- “Just because I’m Irish, doesn’t mean you can kiss me.” Don't presume anything about your donors - don't just plant a kiss - test, test, test!
There's a wealth of creativity, genius and donations lurking below the surface. (Need help finding it? We can help!)
What are you doing different from the glut of other organizations donned in green today vying for the same donations?