webinar: the changing donor
TRANSCRIPT
Jim ZimmermanChief Evangelist EverTrue
John Templeman Director of Annual Giving in Central DevelopmentCase Western Reserve University
@EverTrueJim
linkedin.com/in/jjzim
@jtemp13
linkedin.com/in/johntempleman
1. Identify the different behaviors and mindsets of today’s living adult generations.
2. Understand how the characteristics of a generation can influence giving habits.
3. Discuss strategies to harness the giving potential of each generation.
Today’s Agenda
4 Living Adult Generations in the USA:
Historical Influencers:● The Great Depression● World War II and Korean War● Creation and denotation of first atomic
bomb
Characteristics:● Hard working● Disciplined● Loyal
MaturesBorn 1927-1945, Age 70+
Matures
“[Older alumni] love getting a call from students, and they love getting a letter in the mail, especially a letter that’s been written by a classmate
and is addressed to them — a personal, old-style, formal letter.”
-Emily Steiger, Assistant Director of Annual Leadership Giving at Colgate University
Historical Influencers:● Vietnam War● Sexual revolution● Space travel
Characteristics:● Ambitious● Hard working● Leaders
Baby BoomersBorn 1946-1964, Ages 51-69
Baby Boomers give consistently but in LOWER dollar amounts, with a preference for multi-year pledges
40% of the generation has given via direct mail in the past two years*
40% of the generation gave in response to an email request and 42% gave online*
Baby Boomers
* Via 2013 Blackbaud Report
Historical Influencers:● Record-high divorce rate● Childhood independence● Technological advancements
Characteristics:● Self sufficient● Entrepreneurial● Tech savvy
Gen XBorn 1965-1980, Ages 35-50
40% of Gen Xers give online and 13% through a mobile device.*
53% of Gen Xers give through their workplace; this includes sponsored fundraisers and payroll deductions.*
Gen X
* Via 2013 Blackbaud Report
Historical Influencers:● Terrorism and violence● Rapid technological growth● The Great Recession
Characteristics:● Passionate● Global minded● Loyal to peers
Millennials (Generation Y)Born 1981-2000, Ages 15-34
1/3 of millennials who did not give to their alma mater chose not to because they thought their donation would be better used elsewhere*
Millennials (Generation Y)
Millennials want to see a NEED for their gift
*2015 Achieve Study
How do we catch a millennial's attention?
ONLINE & SOCIAL MEDIA
69% of millennials say a social media message or post
motivates them to take action*
*2013 Blackbaud Survey
Donor Giving Patternsvia EverTrue Research
What Motivates Each Generation to Give?
Why are all these generational differences important?
Shouldn’t people give to their alma mater because,
well, it’s their alma mater?
Ways to Adapt to the Changing Donor (Especially Millennials)!
1. Spread your resources! Invest in digital.2. Don’t leave donors in the dark!3. Educate students while you have them on campus.4. Enhance alumni lives post-grad.5. Don't just ask for money.
#1 - Invest in Digital
Engage them through a variety of communication channels!
Advantages of Social Platforms
● Can provide donation link
● Allows organizations to have continual presence in donors’ lives
● Gives organizations the ability to uncover valuable donor insights
● Advancement officers can pool social data from individuals○ Allows them to identify organization-specific trends○ Allows them to more accurately target outreach
With new technology, is direct mail still important
to utilize?
How Can We Make Direct Mail Effective?
● Creative mail & personalization● When is it ineffective?● Segmenting
Text to Give Platform @ Case Western Reserve
What About Student Call Centers?
48% of new alumni donors at Case Western Reserve University were acquired
through the SCC.
Online Giving
20% of all gifts from Futures came in via online giving
in FY15 @ Case Western Reserve
University
The majority of these gifts were triggered via the
various email solicitations that were sent throughout the
year.
Boosting a Facebook Post
How can it help maximize alumni engagement?
Is it worth the money?
Brown University Alumni Association posted this picture to their Facebook page...
When they boosted the post, this happened:
Take These Action Steps:
❏ Increase the amount of resources allocated towards online and social media tools (such as boosting posts).
❏ Develop a plan of how much to focus on each communication channel based on alumni demographics.
❏ Through each channel, alter language to target solicitations towards each generation.
#2 - Don’t Leave Donors in the Dark
What would encourage respondents to give?
Having a better understanding of where their money was going and for what it was being used!
“People who are becoming philanthropic now, whether they are 50 years old or 25 years old, especially those making generous, calculated gifts, are more targeted in their giving and increasingly want greater authority over how their gift is going to be used.”
- Pat Hewett, Associate Director for Leadership Gifts at Boston University
What About Targeted Gifts?
Targeted gifts are a good way to nurture
those coveted bottom- and middle-
of-the-pyramid donors
Take These Action Steps:
❏ Offer the option of targeting gifts to specific funds or initiatives. (Consider “Family of Funds” if unrestricted giving is critical.)
❏ Consider crowdfunding for specific needs (but count those gifts as participation).
❏ Create a challenge gift directed at young alumni participation in a project.
❏ Update all donors on the organization’s general progress (with specific stories and eye catching images!).
#3 - Educate Students While They’re On Campus
❏ Treat students like alumni. Treat young alumni like students.
❏ Student Alumni Association
❏ Senior Class Gift
❏ Alumni Mentorship Program
Take These Action Steps:
#4 - Enhance Alumni Lives Post-Grad
❏ Encourage alumni networking
❏ Recognize successful young grads
❏ FSU 30 Under 30
❏ Bucknell Young Alumni Award
❏ Include popular professors in alumni events
❏ Avoid out-pricing young alumni
Take These Action Steps:
#5 - Don’t Just Ask for Money
What about being philanthropically involved?
● 86% of millennials expressed a desire to use their talents and knowledge to volunteer
● 43% of millennials admitted to not yet volunteering because their alma matter had not asked them to.
*2013 Blackbaud data
Are we donating to an organization
or to a cause?
Take These Action Steps:
❏ Show alumni that non-monetary engagement is needed and appreciated.
❏ Allow for varied levels of involvement.
❏ Target volunteer and engagement opportunities towards the preferences of each generation.
Each generation’s personality traits and habits lead to slightly different volunteering preferences:
Key Takeaways
1. Spread your resources! Invest in digital.
2. Don’t leave donors in the dark!
3. Educate students while you have them on campus.
4. Enhance alumni lives post-grad.
5. Don't just ask for money.
How Can EverTrue Help?
AgeReal estate assetsWealth screening
Other giving
AgeReal estate assetsWealth screening
Other giving
Get updated information on:
● Where alumni live (LinkedIn location)
● Where alumni work (LinkedIn career Information)
EverTrue’s GivingTree Plan an entire trip right from your desktop and access profiles from your mobile
device.
Which of my “Matures” are engaged with us on Facebook and might be planned giving candidates?
Which of my “Boomers” live in million-dollar homes in Philadelphia?
Which “Gen Xers” work in finance or technology?
Which “Millennials” are engaged on Facebook but are non-donors?
Questions GivingTree Can Answer
Uncover alumni who are engaged on social media and
what they are interested in.
Connect the dots between institutional data and social/professional data for quicker donor identification
and prioritization.
EverTrue can help...
Jim ZimmermanChief Evangelist EverTrue
John Templeman Director of Annual Giving in Central DevelopmentCase Western Reserve University
@EverTrueJim
linkedin.com/in/jjzim
@jtemp13
linkedin.com/in/johntempleman
Thank you!