Donor Communications

Tom Ahern’s 9 Secrets to Success: Getting your Story Right!

Date: 4/9/2015 Presenter: Wayne Robbins

Key Reasons For Donors Leaving »

• No longer able to afford support

• No memory of ever supporting!

• Organization asked for inappropriate sums

• Feeling that other causes are more deserving

• Not reminded to give again

• Organization did not inform how monies were used

• Did not feel connected!

Key Reasons For Donors Leaving »

BAD COMMUNICATION

What Happens When Donors Leave »

CUE THE EXPERTS:

Dr. Adrian Sargeant

Chief Scientist

Professor of Fundraising at the Center on Philanthropy at Indiana University holding what is presently the world’s

only endowed chair in that discipline.

Top 10 Most Influential People in Fundraising

Renowned expert on Donor Retention and Donor Loyalty

Mr. Tom Ahern

Donor Communications Head Coach One of the world’s top authorities on donor communications

Author of 4 books on Donor Communications

Winner of 3 prestigious international IABC Gold Quill awards

You send a message...

Goal of donor communications »

...and you want action!

1. What do I know about the target audience?

2. What does that knowledge suggest I do?

3. What are the obstacles?

First, ask yourself »

Ignore Pay attention

You send a message »

Ignore Pay attention

You send a message »

• How did you grab my attention?

• How did you stir my emotion?

• How did you make your case so I cared?

• How did you talk to me personally?

• How did you advance the case story?

• How were you relevant to the reader?

• How were you relevant to the times?

Why were you successful? »

You’re trying for “mental nods.”

Secret to Success #1 »

Pay attention

Ignore

Skim & engage Skim & discard

You send a message »

Pay attention

Ignore

Skim & engage Skim & discard

You send a message »

Pay attention

Skim & engage

Not satisfied Satisfied

Action No action

© 2013 Tom Ahern

Ignore

Skim & discard

You send a message »

© 2013 Tom Ahern

An Example »

Why am I in

your home?

Ask #1.

Do I have

relevant news?

Ask #2.

Do we have a

connection?

Ask #3.

Brief opening

Personalization

Reinforce the

connection

Are donors

important?

Far more than

you might

realize.

Disqualify

other sources

of income

Demonstrate

importance of

donors’ work

Ask #4

Shift responsibility for the success of the mission onto

donors’ shoulders

Remind what’s

at stake

Ask #5

News value.

Urgency.

And Ask #6.

Flesch reading ease: 58, Flesch-Kincaid grade level: 8

Ahern Audit »

Your appeal is NOT about how wonderful your organization is.

Your appeal IS about how wonderful the donor is.

Secret to Success #2 »

Beginning of mail

End of mail

Elapsed time: 1-3 seconds

You do not sell everything to everyone.

You sell to specific values, feelings, beliefs, hopes, dreams, connections, affiliations,

tribes, etc.

It’s not about you. It’s about the donor.

Not you. The donor.

Not you.

The donor.

What kind of communication am I going to write today?

First Question »

Types of Donor Communications »

• Letters

• Emails

• Acknowledgements

• Newsletters

• Social Media

• Videos

• Blog Posts

1. Acquisition (no gift yet, reader is a stranger)

2. Renewal (made a prior gift, reader is a friend)

Two Distinct Types of Appeals »

½ of 1%

Acquisition Response Rate »

40-70%

Renewal Response Rate »

1. Who are you (your promise)?

2. What do you want? 3. Why should I trust you? 4. Why do you matter? 5. How do you relate to me? 6. What’s the rush?

Ask Yourself (Acquisitions) »

1. What did you do with my prior gift?

2. Are you grateful? 3. What do you want now? 4. Do you have proof? 5. Again: Who are you? 6. What’s the rush?

Ask Yourself (Renewals) »

• Use the person’s name • Use the pronouns “you” and “I” • Include an audience attribute: “As a parent, you know....” • Geography: “As a resident of...” • Hand-written touches

Personalize! »

Make your donors the solution to some local problem.

Secret to Success #3 »

They’re aware of consequences

“Someone might be hurt if I don’t give.”

Dr. Adrian Sargeant: Why Donors Stay Loyal »

“…the purpose is to get the reader involved long enough and interested enough to make a positive decision. Nothing else.” -- Jerry Huntsinger

1st paragraph: 10 words or less.

Secret to Success #4 »

Multiple asks

Secret to Success #5 »

Multiple Asks

Logo

[ Optional important message ]

Dear Ms. Smith, If you’re like me, the sight of kids running around on stage in silly costumes makes you giggle with delight.

Sincerely, Ms. Sincerity Champion, ED PS: ytuytggygkigkygkygigikgy

Ask!

Ask!

Ask!

Ask!

The purpose of donor communications: To get inside a person’s home or office ...

... and carry on a brief, persuasive “conversation in print,” hoping it will earn your cause a gift.

It’s not breaking and entering.

How does a good guest act?

• Is the letter a conversation – or a brochure?

• Is the opening sentence short?

• Is it personal (“you” and “I”)?

• Have I said why I’m here? (“I’m writing to you today because...”)

• Does it make a promise?

• Is there urgency?

• Are there at least 3 asks?

• Does it entertain (tell a story, offer news)?

• Is the donor the hero?

Donor Communications Checklist »

Don’t bore me.

Secret to Success #6 »

Neuroscience says… “Coming across new information triggers a chemical reaction that makes us feel good, which in turns causes us to seek out even more of it.” Source: Wall Street Journal article by Lee Gomes, on USC neuroscientist, Dr. Irving Biederman; published March 12, 2008

Dear Jane Sample, Our doctors call it "Day Zero.” It’s the day you come back from the dead.

Anything

Will Grab My Attention (including the word “new”)

Also “new-ish” Words like secret, hidden, hints, tips,

update, private, confidential, mystery, discover, unveil, expose, reveal,

divulge. Phrases like "Did you know?", "Myths and Facts," "Frequently Asked

Questions," "Heard on the Blog."

Know your SMIT. Single Most Important Thing.

Secret to Success #7 »

“Focus on the SMIT (single most important thing) you want to tell someone, right now.

Ideally focused on a story about an individual.” -- Jonathon Grapsas

Get them into a fight.

Secret to Success #8 »

“Giving is not about a calculation of what you are buying,” Yale economics

professor, Dean Karlan, proved.

“It is about participating in a fight.” The New York Times | March 9, 2008

Make a promise.

Secret to Success #9 »

Memphis Child Advocacy Center

Helping Victims Become Children Again

They are not giving to this, at least not initially

They are giving to this

Donors don’t give to your organization. They give through your organization to: • fix a problem they worry about • sustain or expand a solution they believe in • get more of what they’re interested in • feel like they’ve made a difference

• Emotion

• A story

• Urgency

What You Must Have »

1. Mental nods

2. Not about you, it’s about the donor

3. Make your donor the solution to a problem

4. 1st paragraph: 10 words or less

5. Multiple asks

6. Don’t bore me

7. Know your SMIT

8. Get them into a Fight

9. Make a Promise

9 Secrets to Success »

Tom Ahern’s free how-to e-newsletter: www.aherncomm.com

Next-Gen Database/CRM

Easy Enough for All to Use! (Even the CEO)

Enables Campaign

Best-Practices!