WORKSHOP ON DONOR ACQUISITION AND RETENTION

1. WORKSHOP ON DONOR ACQUISITION AND RETENTION PART I Finding and Acquiring lifetime donors in an age of suspicion and multi-channel communication

2. Introduction • This master class is mainly about communication: communication for fundraising, not for information • This master class is not just about direct mail. Most examples are from direct mail, but applies almost equally to face-to-face, telemarketing and internet. • This master class is not about fundraising in India. It is about donors everywhere. There are some differences.

3. Five Rules • No note taking…only to write down questions. • Questions at any time • Discussion is invited. • Contribute what you know or believe • Tell me when you think I am wrong

4. Basics • Planning • Searching • Acquiring (Recruiting) • Welcoming • Reporting • Renewing • Upgrading • Converting • Reinstating • Evaluating

5. Highlights • Why is everyone so suspicious? • How do we fight suspicion? • Emotions vs. Reason • Pig in the Middle • Credibility and “Verisimilitude” • Getting people’s Attention • Provoking Interest • Creating Desire • From Desire to Action • Some Abbreviations about Communications

6. Why is everyone so suspicious (and maybe also cynical)? • General uncertainty resulting from speed of change in all countries • Publicity given to corruption in many sectors of society. • Lack of concrete results from years of investment in development. • Bad experiences dealing with NGOs they have supported? • Poor servicing of donors by NGOs? • Low overall expectations of performance by NGOs

7. How do we fight it? • Thank donors within 48 hours of receiving a donation. • Put the donor in the spotlight. Everyone is interested in “me”. • Communicate our successes more effectively • Move from impulse giving to relationship giving • Give donors more opportunities to take control of the relationship • Just forget about the skeptics? We only need 1 of 100 people to succeed

8. Why most fundraising doesn’t work(Katya’s Non Profit Marketing Blog) • 1. We’re not our audience • If an appeal appeals to you, question it. Is it also going to appeal to your audience? • 2. Our audience doesn’t think like us • Do you explain what you do as you think (from the inside of your organization out) or as your audience thinks (from the outside in)? • 3. Our audience doesn’t take action without guidance • Don’t assume people know how to help.Ask clearly and boldly. Guide them to action.

9. Emotion vs. Reason • People give from emotions, not reason. • Don’t explain the need for support! • Show the need for support! • Donors don’t want to know how; donors want to know why. • Numbers do not raise emotions; stories do. OR What works? MIND HEART

10. Pig in the middle • Do you remember the children’s game called “Pig in the middle”? • Two players matter most: the donor and the beneficiary. NGO must stay in background. • Make sure the donor is the hero, not your NGO. • Bring your beneficiary in virtual touch with your donor. • Whether it is in the newsletter or in the appeal or in your annual report, avoid too many facts, numbers and jargon. Put the donor in command.

11. Exercise • Imagine you are writing to a group of people asking them to support your cause. • Write down in 2-3 sentences, why you think they should be supporting your organization.

12. Evaluation • Did you use emotions to describe your cause? • How many times did you use the word you? • Did you use five letter words or less? • Did you use five-word sentences or less? • Did you stress achievements rather than actions? • Did you explain the benefit to the donor?

13. Credibility and “Verisimilitude” • Herschell Gordon LewisWorld’s greatest living copywriter • Beware the “Pro Bono” Trojan Horse! • Run like mad from “generous” advertising agencies. • Things that have been told to me in India • “I never read long letters”. (True, but irrelevant) • “People do not commit to monthly donations in India”(Not true. At least 5% do. Often many more.) • “People want to know that we spend only 5% on costs”.(True. But we need to remind them that performance matters more.)

14. 6. Getting Attention • “Surprise me! Tell me something new!” • What are the Two most popular words in advertising? • and “You” • Premium or not? Good and bad premiums. • Use a “Memorable Package”. People will remember it – and you. • Use teaser copy that teases • Do you want many small donors or fewer big ones? • If you want “upscale” donors, use an “upscale package”.

15. Four Reasons Why Donors Might Not Read Your Fundraising Letter(from Futurefundraising now.com) • You start out by talking about your organization • Your letter doesn’t look and “feel” personal • Your letter sounds like it was written, not spoken. • Your letter cannot be easily “skimmed”

16. 7. Developing Interest • “Tell me a story!” • About something I care about • About something I don’t already know. • No matter how sophisticated we are, we all love a little bit of gossip, but only about something that we can identify with.

17. 8. Generating Desire • Every acquisition device, whether a letter, a phone call or a face-to-face conversation, must generate the desire to help. • There are 135 emotional triggers that can generate desire to help. Among them are:

18. What Makes People Give? In Advertising: “Attributes inform. Benefits convince.” In Fundraising: “Activities tell. Accomplishments sell.”

19. 9. Moving to Action “Emotional Twin Sets” - Proposed by Tom Ahern (World’s 2nd greatest copywriter)

20. SOME ABBREVIATIONS WORTH KNOWING

21. Discussion • Read the two letters you have been given. • Which one do you find easier to read? • Which one would you be more likely to respond to? • Which do you think is the better fundraising letter?

22. THANK YOU! Richard M Pordes, LLC 99 Dolphin Cove Quay Stamford CT 06902 A-34, Hauz KhasNew Delhi 100 016 Richard@ PordesLLC.com +91 88 605 332 88 +1-203-570-2223