Loverizing : The Lucrative Difference a Few Well-Chosen Words Will Make in Your Donor Communications Tom Ahern Tom AHERN

Transcription

1 Loverizing : The Lucrative Difference a Few Well-Chosen Words Will Make in Your Donor Communications Tom Ahern Tom AHERN 1

2 The US fundraising market Over the past decade the number of US nonprofits has shot up by 47% to a whopping 1,056,000 organizations. Yet private giving as a percentage of the US national income dropped by 11.7% in the same period. Clearly, too many organizations chasing too little money. Source: January 2013, The Agitator Tom Ahern

3 The virtuous circle... Appeals, thanks, & newsletters work together. You ask. You thank. You report. You ask. You thank. You report. You ask. You thank. You report Tom Ahern 3

4 Are most donor comms built to fail? [ pretty much ] Tom Ahern

5 Profitable donor comms are love letters. Tom Ahern

6 A.k.a., LOVERIZING: Wooing, Winning and Retaining Individual Donors 60 Slides 2014 Tom AHERN 6

7 Loverizing equals donor centricity. Indiscriminate donor hugging is another synonym

8 Donor centricity = Making More Money TOM AHERN

9 Angel Aloma, ED, Food for the Poor, a $1 billion-a-year US charity fighting poverty in 17 countries... I went to Holland, to the IFC, to hear a very inspiring American. His name was Tom Ahern. And he truly made me internalize the meaning of donor centricity. TOM AHERN

10 2013 Tom Ahern 10

11 2013 Tom Ahern 11

12 In fundraising, the donor is the customer.

13 Your job is to make that customer happy.

14 Source: Mark Phillips Tom Ahern

15 Ah, happy donors... Donor Newsltr-Kivi Tom Ahern 15

16 Why bother? Donor Newsltr-Kivi Tom Ahern 16

17 UNhappy customers give ELSEwhere.

18 70+% of first-time donors in the US do NOT make a second gift. Donor Newsltr-Kivi Tom Ahern 18

19 Lifetime value Donor Newsltr-Kivi Tom Ahern 19

20 CRISIS!! Donor Newsltr-Kivi Tom Ahern 20

21 A 10% improvement in your donor retention improves your revenue 50% immediately. And that s just the beginning... Source: Adrian Sargeant, 2010 Donor Newsltr-Kivi Tom Ahern 21

22 We support a charity or a soccer team or a perfume because it gives us a chance to love something about ourselves. Source: Seth Godin TOM AHERN

23 Give the donor an important job to do. Case for Support 2014 Tom Ahern 23

24 Make it bigger Tom AHERN 24

25 We're No. 19! Still in the top third within the global "justice league", the U.S. is lacking most on fundamental rights (27 out of 99 countries) and civil justice (27/99). Source: Top 10 Countries Where Justice Prevails, Forbes, March 2014 Case for Support 2014 Tom Ahern 25

26 Money is power. Case for Support 2014 Tom Ahern 26

27 You give powerless people a chance for real justice. We need you in this fight! Case for Support 2014 Tom Ahern 27

28 The story s about the donor...every time someone donates to a good cause, they're buying a story, a story that's worth more than the amount they donated. It might be the story of doing the right thing, or fitting in, or pleasing a friend or honoring a memory, but the story has value. For many, it's the story of what it means to be part of a community. Source: Seth Godin TOM AHERN

29 Pixar Pitch Once upon a time. Every day,. One day. Because of that,. Until finally. A donor showed up. Someone JUST like you! Source: Daniel Pink, To Sell Is Human, via Joanne Fritz TOM AHERN

30 Are you claiming the credit or giving it to your donors?

31 Actually... You ask (and flatter). You thank (and flatter). You report (and flatter). You cannot flatter too much. UOregon Tom Ahern

32 Even when people perceive that flattery is insincere, that flattery can still leave a lasting and positive impression of the flatterer. Source: Neuromarketing blog 2014 Tom AHERN 32

33 Corporate communications are about how great the organization is. Favorite pronoun: we

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35 Donor communications are about how great the donor is. Favorite pronoun: you

36 Thanks to you and other generous donors like you, we were able to turn...

37 Next time, ask yourself (before you mail), What s our gift of joy to the donor this time?

38 Right away: the gift of joy The purpose of an envelope? To get opened. So the heartbreaking story begins on the envelope Tom Ahern 38

39 The gift of joy 2014 Tom Ahern 39

40 The gift of joy 2014 Tom Ahern 40

41 Donors: Why they re just not that into you

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43 ABOUT US ABOUT US ABOUT US ABOUT US ABOUT US ABOUT US ABOUT US ABOUT US ABOUT US ABOUT US ABOUT US ABOUT US ABOUT US ABOUT US ABOUT US

44 ABOUT US ABOUT US ABOUT US ABOUT US ABOUT US ABOUT US ABOUT US ABOUT US ABOUT US ABOUT US ABOUT US ABOUT THE DONOR ABOUT US ABOUT US ABOUT US ABOUT US

45 A lot of charities could be mistaken for egotistical maniacs.

46 If we show them how great we are, they ll support us. Wrong Tom Ahern 46

47 Dr. Adrian Sargeant loyalty factor Multiple engagements Tom Ahern

48 Source: Jeff Brooks, June 2013 Tom Ahern

49 Source: Jeff Brooks, June 2013 Tom Ahern

50 Dr. Adrian Sargeant loyalty factor They re aware of consequences Believing Someone might be hurt if I don t give. Believing Someone will be helped if I do give. Tom Ahern

51 Source: Jeff Brooks, June 2013 Tom Ahern

52 Dr. Adrian Sargeant loyalty factor They re learning Are you taking them on a journey? Tom Ahern

53 Source: Jeff Brooks, June 2013 Tom Ahern

54 Is our stuff skimmable? 2013 Tom Ahern 54

55 What do readers really see Artwork: 80 percent Photos: 75 percent Headlines: 56 percent Briefs: 31 percent Captions: 29 percent Text: 25 percent* *This number is abnormally high, according to Poynter Institute researchers. They tested prototypes rather than actual publications. Prototypes invariably produce higher, more positive numbers than real publications. Source: Ann Wylie 55

56 Eyebrow Headline Deck Lead (lede) Eye magnet Caption 2014 Tom Ahern 56

57 Eyebrow 56% Headline Deck Lead (lede) 20% Eye magnet 75% almost no one 29% Caption 2014 Tom Ahern 57

58 At least once per page in the BIG TYPE, love thy donor loud and clear 2014 Tom Ahern 58

59 Only Big Type matters on the first SKIM. If it s in the small type, consider it UNSEEN PS: Your target audience is not your sweet boss nor your respected board chair. Their opinions re: donor communications are almost sure to be irrelevant, if not dangerous Tom Ahern 59

60 Are we likeable? 2013 Tom Ahern 60

61 We have gut reactions in three seconds or less. Dan Hill, Emotionomics TOM AHERN

62 All fundraising copy should sound like someone talking. -- George Smith, Tiny Essentials of Writing for Fundraising Case for Support 2014 Tom Ahern 62

63 left: conversation in print right: typical case Case for Support 2014 Tom Ahern 63

64 Did I kill enough jargon today? Case for Support 2014 Tom Ahern 64

65 18 bits of jargon to eschew 1. Capacity 2. Empower 3. Enhance 4. Indigenous 5. Partnership 6. Development 7. Systemic 8. Community 9. Innovation 10. Superlative 11. Outcomes 12. Support 13. Sustainable 14. Resources 15. Dignity 16. Facilitate 17. Diversity 18. Fostering Source: Katya Andresen, Nonprofit Marketing Blog, Network for Good Case for Support 2014 Tom Ahern 65

66 Rhode Island Legal Services provides high quality legal assistance and representation to low-income individuals and eligible client groups for the purpose of improving their economic condition and overall wellbeing by protecting and enforcing legal rights, stabilizing the family unit and communities where clients live, promoting self reliance, ending domestic violence, preventing homelessness, affording dignity to all people, and reaching out to groups with added burdens on their ability to access the civil justice system. Case for Support 2014 Tom Ahern 66

67 Rhode Island Legal Services provides high quality legal assistance and representation to low-income individuals and eligible client groups for the purpose of improving their economic condition and overall wellbeing by protecting and enforcing legal rights, stabilizing the family unit and communities where clients live, promoting self reliance, ending domestic violence, preventing homelessness, affording dignity to all people, and reaching out to groups with added burdens on their ability to access the civil justice system. Case for Support 2014 Tom Ahern 67

68 Ugly works. Tacky works. Corny, embarrassing, and messy all work. In print, or in digital. Source: Jeff Brooks, Future Fundraising Now, 2014 Case for Support 2014 Tom Ahern 68

69 Source: John Lepp, Agents of Good, 2014 Case for Support 2014 Tom Ahern 69

70 Insiders suffer from the curse of knowledge. And it IS a curse in fundraising. Case for Support 2014 Tom Ahern 70

71 If you change the way you talk...

72 The gift of joy: You make the stories in this newsletter possible!

73 Donor centricity guideline: Donors go first, not last. TOM AHERN

74 Putting the donor last: "We were able to provide Whiskers the care that she needed because of your help! Putting the donor first: "Thanks to your help, Whiskers got the care she needed! 74

75 Your donors will never get tired of hearing how great and how needed they are Tom AHERN 75

76 Please stop staring at my wallet. You re making me uncomfortable Tom AHERN 76

77 Giving increased 75% over previous letter Direct Mail 2010 Tom Ahern 77

78 Direct Mail 2010 Tom Ahern 78

79 Fundraising is NOT about money. Source: Alan Clayton Tom Ahern

80 From you... They want to belong. They want to see their values in action. They want to win! They want to feel good. They want to feel loved. They want to feel smart. They want to feel needed. They want to feel important. They want to feel something. Tom Ahern

81 SUBSCRIBE to my free how-to tips newsletter, via Tom Ahern