donor comms: the good, the bad and the downright ugly
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Presentation to Fundraising Ireland Conference, Sept 2006TRANSCRIPT
Donor Communications
The Good, The Bad,And The Downright Ugly.
Some Unsubstantiated Assertions
1. Most of us just aren’t good enough at donor
communications
2. When we think about donor communications, we still think about this…
… rather than this …
DONOR
CHARITY
Communication: A Two Way Thing
… or even any of this …
More than just pen & ink
EmailBebo
MySpaceMobile
TextBlogs
SkypeFlickr
3. Most of our supporters aren’t really supporters in the way we imagine
“I never open the envelopes I am sent from Concern -even though I have a small standing order with them. They represent parcels of guilt. Who wants that when they get in the door after work?”
The 21st Century Donor
• Less committed
• More access to information
• More of a consumer
• More demanding
• More cynical
• More comfortable with new media
Going back to the very beginning…
Fundraising Basics: Lesson 1
The two most important words in fundraising:
Always say “THANK YOU”
The Donor Experience
The joys of giving money away in Ireland today
€15 donations via websites
Amnesty
Barnardos
Barretstown
Children’s Medical & Research Foundation
Concern
Focus Ireland
Goal
Irish Cancer Society
Irish Heart Foundation
Irish Hospice Foundation
Oxfam
Simon
St Vincent de Paul
Trócaire
UNICEF
How to say Thank You
[Donors want it to be PERSONAL and PROMPT]
…and how not to say Thank You…
The computers take over…
Automaton responses…
Of course, if you don’t know who I am,
it’s kinda hard to say Thank You
How long does it take to say Thank You?
2 out of 3 is bad
• Initial Thank You by email10 - immediately (under 1 hour)
3 - still waiting
2 - didn’t record ANY contact details
It’s always nice to get a letter
• Follow up Thank You letter2 - within one week4 - within two weeks1 - within three weeks1 - within four weeks1 - within five weeks4 - nothing received yet2 - didn’t record ANY contact details
Do keep in touch
• Only two groups have sent any subsequent emails (one of whom never said thank you)
• One group (Irish Heart Foundation) has sent three emails
• Two didn’t record ANY contact details
Mind Your Language…
Product
Transaction
Purchase
Order
Should any of these words be used about
donating?
Look at things from their point of view…
George Smith’s 5 Questions
1. Who am I talking to?
George Smith’s 5 Questions
1. Who am I talking to?
2. What precisely am I asking them to do?
George Smith’s 5 Questions
1. Who am I talking to?
2. What precisely am I asking them to do?
3. Why?
George Smith’s 5 Questions
1. Who am I talking to?
2. What precisely am I asking them to do?
3. Why?
4. Have I made the message sound important (or urgent, crucial, evocative, passionate…)In other words, have I INSPIRED them?
George Smith’s 5 Questions
1. Who am I talking to?
2. What precisely am I asking them to do?
3. Why?
4. Have I made the message sound important (or urgent, crucial, evocative, passionate…)In other words, have I INSPIRED them?
5. Have I done something that has never quite been done before?
