Making History with Monthly Giving

by Stephen Godbout

At DMAW’s historic first ever Wake Up and Learn Edvent, Sarah Birnie with the Human Rights Campaign, and Karin Kirchoff of MINDset direct woke everyone up with invaluable insights on building monthly giving campaigns through email and telemarketing.

First: Hyperlinks and PowerPoint Don’t Play Well Together, so don’t mix the two.

Yes, this has nothing to do with monthly giving, but it’s an invaluable lesson nonetheless if you want your presentations to start smoothly, as we all saw.

Here are six real takeaways of the day:

1)       Start at the Beginning.

From the moment a new donor walks into your organization they are the most important person in the world, a bundle of potential, and you’d do well to cultivate a relationship immediately. With monthly givers, it’s crucial to get their first charge processed fast and just as quickly, acknowledge them as members in the upper echelons of giving for your organization.

2)      Remember What You Learned in Kindergarten.

Say please and thank you. And show you’re appreciation. If appropriate, send your monthly donor’s tax receipts for their records, as well as newsletters, magazines, member cards, calendars and any other cultivation material that will help them feel a genuine part of your mission.

3)      Pay attention

Keep a close watch on whose fulfilling their monthly pledges and whose not.

Then, create a rolling plan for reactivating donors. With credit card declines, test to see which dates work best for you to recharge credit cards, and don’t be shy about making more than one attempt. Try at least one more time in the month due and again the following month.

Be courteous.  On the phones remind them their card has expired and that they might want to let other people like their cable and phone companies know as well. And while they’re updating their information slip in a upgrade ask.

With emails, test your subject lines, as well as content. Make your landing page as simple as possible.

Keep scripts and text simple, conversational and tweak copy for various segments, e.g. inactive, cancelled, declines, etc. And of course, never call your donors names like saying they’re “delinquent.” More appropriate language would be “Perhaps your information changed, and would you like me to update it for you now?”

4)      Recruiting “All the cool kids are doing it, why not you?”

The distance between a donor’s first action with your organization and your requests for monthly gifts is more important in recruiting sustainers than the distance from their most recent action.

So, like voting in Chicago, recruit early and often.

Telemarketing

Your online activists are a great source for monthly giving recruitment calls.  You could even add a monthly giving ask to your renewal calls. Play with your scripts. For example, “You can renew your membership in small $x monthly amounts or a onetime gift of $xx.”

Or one of my favorites, “Many of our supporters are now using monthly gifts to contribute to our organization, would you like to do that as well?” A.k.a. “All the cool kids are doing it …”

And of course, “monthly giving helps saves time, money and the environment …”

Email

Again. Online activists are a great recruiting source. Test subject lines. Include monthly giving asks in renewal emails. Integrate your online efforts. Put an asks in every appropriate space on your website like the “donation,” “become a member” or “join” pages.

Use rolling recruitment efforts around events indigenous to your organization’s mission. Make up special reasons to give. HRC’s sustainers are called “Partners,” so they created a “Partners’ Appreciation Day” to help remind donors how special they are as well as recruit new Partners and upgrade existing ones.

A good upgrade strategy for sustainers is rounding up. It makes sense. People like things simple, and rounded up numbers are simple. Use causal language, “Would you like to just make that an even $xx?”  And rounding up by small amounts can have enormous impacts on your annual budgets when you multiply that small number x 12 x #of upgrades.

5)      Be Ready When Opportunity Knocks

HRC has spent years steadily increasing their monthly giving program and cultivating relationships with monthly supporters. So when marriage equality hit the headlines, HRC had the programs and tools in place to immediately make the most of their time in the spotlight to grow their sustainer file and recruit a whole new segment of donors known as “Straight Allies” into their program.

6)       Borrow Brilliantly

I like to think of this as the more socially acceptable form of “stealing smart.”

If you see an effort from another organization or business and it looks good to you, it will likely look good to your donors as well. Adapt what you see that works for you to your organization’s efforts – legally, of course.

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Stephen Godbout is a freelance copywriter. You can contact Stephen via email stephen@copybygod.com, or call 301-535-3772.

Smarter Analytics Workshop sponsored by the IBM Academic Initiative and DMAW Educational Foundation

by Chris Gleason

The DMAW Educational Foundation and the IBM Academic Initiative team joined resources to host the Smarter Analytics Workshop on May 14^th.  The single day event took place at the computer lab of the Kogod School of Business at American University.

Professors from throughout the Mid Atlantic had barely closed the book on the school year when they landed back in the lecture hall.  With a recent survey of 1,700 CMO’s in hand, the team leader pointed to a list of findings. At the top, was this sobering statistic: 71% of CMO’s report they aren’t prepared to manage the data explosion.

The first session focused on the tools available to professors and their students. In a hands-on demonstration, the IBM team equipped the attendees with statistical modeling software designed to tackle big data. The assignment was to uncover opportunities hidden in customer data.

In closing, the professors shared their experiences and reported on both the potential challenges and benefits of using the IBM platform in the lecture hall.

The second session was devoted to solving a business objective with applied analytics.  The professors broke into four teams for a competition focused on maximizing sales and profits for a global manufacturing company.

Led by an IBM AI team member assigned to each group, the professors rolled up their sleeves. Using data driven models, each team made decisions across business silos, rearranging production, marketing, and sales as needed to meet the global objective.

In the post-game session, each team shared the rationale behind their choices. While light-hearted, the competition drove home the potential value of data analysis in facilitating sound decisions across all types of organizational structures.

In summary, the attending professors had a chance to practice varied teaching methods. They also gained insight into IBM-sponsored tools that offer the capacity to enrich curricula and train business-ready analysts and decision makers.

With the proliferation of data generating devices and digital interaction, no wonder 71% of CMO’s feel underprepared to handle BIG DATA. In this inaugural effort between IBM AI and DMAW/EF, inroads were laid for future events.

The IBM Academic Initiative is a no-charge program providing educators with the training materials, curriculum guides, software and hardware needed to teach in-demand business and technology skills. From predictive analytics to data security and vulnerability management, the Academic Initiative helps educators take students beyond the reach of the curricula offered at many Colleges and Universities.

To learn more about this, and other DMAW/EF sponsored programs please visit dmawef.org.

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Chris Gleason is the Founder of Servant Marketing Group in Leesburg, VA.

Innovation and Integration Take Center Stage at Next Week’s IFIC Forum

By Greg Albright, Co-Founder and CCO of Production Solutions

Next week marks the return of one of the most sought-after and valuable direct marketing events in our industry.  Formerly DMAW’s Innovative Formats and Inventive Techniques Forum (IFIT), the forum is back after a two-year hiatus as the Innovative Formats and Integrated Campaigns Forum (IFIC).  I, along with a team of like-open-minded direct marketing volunteers (among them, DMAW’s current President, Mike DeFlavia), launched this forum 13 years ago to help connect decision makers with innovative suppliers in a one-day innovation showcase.  The best part of the forum is that each attendee leaves with a portfolio of package samples and successful campaign outlines which are meant to kick start the creative planning and dialogue upon their returning to work.

I’m excited that the forum is back and better than ever this year with a new, and necessary, focus on integration.  The marketplace is thirsty for new ideas and has recognized that integration is necessary to evolve and stay relevant. Still, we know that direct mail is a big driver in direct marketing, especially in the fundraising arena. IFIC provides the best of both worlds: innovations on the direct mail side, as well as real, tangible ways to embrace integrated campaigns across several channels, including email, mobile, web, social and DRTV.

IFIC will feature 13 direct mail innovators and integrators, showcasing leading-edge formats as well as state-of-the-art integrated campaigns.  Each will distribute samples and has 15 minutes to present.  In a comfortable, no pressure environment presenters will be available for questions.

IFIC is not only a showcase of the best our industry has to offer, but also our industry at its best.  The forum was four months in the making and an all-volunteer effort by a diverse committee of more than a dozen members from both digital and traditional direct marketing agencies and production management firms. We can all benefit from their commitment to keeping our industry relevant and integration top of mind. IFIC is another example of industry engagement leading to industry evolution.  This is what it’s all about.

See you there! For more information about IFIC and to register, click here.

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Greg Albright is Co-Founder and CCO of Production Solutions, one of the largest marketing production management firms in the country.  He received the DMAW Award for Distinguished Achievement in DM in 2012, and is the author of The Right Hook, a weekly blog that showcases the best integrated marketing practices of rising and already-shining industry professionals, as well as great advice about enjoying a rewarding career by putting volunteerism front and center.

DMAW Recap: Direct Marketing 101 Workshop

by Heather Bien

Last week over 20 direct marketing professionals came together for Direct Marketing 101 Workshop (DM101). While backgrounds ranged from direct marketing agency professionals to nonprofit employees managing direct marketing within their own organization, most attendees came in with 1-3 years of direct marketing experience and were eager to hear from Washington area experts in the field.

The morning started with a lesson in Creative from Steve Fleshman of DR2. Attendees learned the tricks of the trade in making your mailing stand out from the countless other direct marketing pieces that people receive on any given day. Did you know that lots of enclosures increase the amount of time a potential donor spends with a mailing package? Or that a letter signer lower down the “food chain” at an organization actually lifts response? And a lift note can increase response rates by 10%!

Next, Nancy Guy Freeman walked us through Direct Mail Production. Her decades of experience helped attendees understand the most cost effective ways to work with a printer and mailhouse. Ms. Freeman was followed by Lisa Riordan of Infogroup Nonprofit. Ms. Riordan emphasized the importance of data processing as standardizing, correcting, validating, and enhancing. Clean data increases efficiency and brings down costs so merge-purge optimization is central to any well run direct marketing program.

Kevin Litten of EU Services began the afternoon with a lesson in mailshop options that attendees may not have considered before, such as postcard acknowledgement programs, self-mailers for
Following Mr. Litten was Kelly Leech of Carol Enters List Company. Ms. Leech set out to convince us that sharing names and lists is not a bad thing! List brokers are experts on determining which lists are best to share among which nonprofits and can use their market knowledge to think outside the box and provide an organization with the best results for acquisition.instant impact, low cost marketing materials, and invitation style mailers. Mr. Litten also walked us through a few postage tricks of the trade such as using miscellaneous stamps on in house mailings to give them a more personal feel, postage “indicias” which puts the logo of an organization in a postage meter, and intelligent mail bar codes.

Tracy Lea explained the ins and outs of a successful telemarketing campaign. Telemarketing can and should be used for successful reinstatement, stewardship, and relationship building. A no on the phone should lead to a letter thanking the potential donor for their time – this tactic typically sees higher response rates through the mail than a letter alone. Telemarketing is an essential part of fundraising as multi-channel donors have a higher lifetime value than just mail or email donors.

Barb Perell of Avalon Consulting wrapped up the day with an overview of Online Fundraising. Again, the multi-channel donor came into play as she explained the importance of coordinating communications across all fundraising channels. It’s also essential to make sure emails are segmented to certain donors through the use of data, are to the point, and are part of a larger email campaign plan. Don’t just send out an eblast one time – create an entire email marketing plan and remember to use catchy subject lines, photos, and time them according to when your donors tend to open email (use data!)

All attendees, regardless of their previous background and experience, left DM101 with a greater understanding of direct marketing and new ideas and fresh concepts to take back to their own organization. DM201 is May 15 and it is sure to be an even deeper dive into the world of direct marketing – don’t forget to register today!

The DM101 workshop was made possible through several wonderful sponsors: Colortree Group, Metropolitan Companies, Inc., Bigeye Direct, National Mail Graphics Corporation, and RWT Production, LLC.

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Heather Bien is the Manager of the Annual Fund at Washington National Cathedral where she has worked since December 2010. She can be reached at hbien@cathedral.org.

Drunk Donating: The Greatest Test of All

Just when you thought you’d heard it all in marketing, the DMAW Monthly Lunch and Learn series brings the discourse to a new level.

Cathy Finney of The Wilderness Society and Heather Marsh of A.B. Data brought their combined more than 25 years of experience in direct marketing to a full room of DMAW members and non-members alike, representing nonprofit organizations, associations and marketing professionals.

Email Marketing – Tips, Tricks, and Results, showcased practical and proven tools for creating and sustaining an email marketing strategy.  As with all marketing endeavors, the work begins with a plan.  Cathy pointed out that The Wilderness Society’s plan is a mix of messages:  advocacy, stewardship and solicitation.

Heather advised attendees to create a production schedule.  The schedule should include when an email is scheduled to be sent, message topic, deadlines for drafting, editing and testing emails—as well as accounting for approvals.  Determine what works best for your organization.  Negotiate a balanced strategy between communications and development:  what works for one department may not work for another.

The divide between communications and development forms the basis of silos at many organizations.  To combat this, organizations ought to create a structure that promotes constituent-centric strategies.  Bring together all stakeholders to determine who manages the website, handles digital marketing and fundraising, and create shared goals.  By managing schedules and communications, sharing cohesive tracking documents and meeting regularly, organizations can effectively break out of the silos.

This segued to the presentation’s theme:  TEST!  Heather emphasized the golden rule of testing:  do not test that which is not actionable and does not produce statistically significant results.  She advises using a minimum of 100 responses (i.e. clicks; opens; donations) as a reasonable test results threshold.

Among the myriad of “testable” features:  From line; Subject line; day and/or time email is sent; and the use of symbols (i.e. unique characters).  A goal of testing these features is to improve open rates.  Most frequently asked question:  what is the best time to send an email?  For years, Heather responded that the best time was when you will elicit a response.  A 2012 GetResponse report stated open and click-through rates are highest between 8-9 am then differ where open rates peak again between 3-4 pm while click-through rates peak between 3-8 pm.  Now, we don’t want every organization sending emails at the same time so be sure to test.

Obama For America made sure to do this when they sent an email late at night, asking for a donation—welcoming the era of “drunk donating”.  Cathy and Heather cautioned that this is not one-size-fits-all marketing.

Another means of testing is to be an activist, donor or prospect.  Seed your email address and track the results.  Test messages using different devices:  phone, tablet and computer.  Test how an email appears in different browsers and email services.  Monitor your competitors and industry leaders.

By varying the buttons, copy and pictures or graphics, you can test click through rates.  Most clicks are a result of calls to action.  Be sure all emails support your brand and message.  Segment contact lists by low dollar, mid-high dollar, prospects, activists, sustainers, and lapsed donors.

In addition to organic growth, you can grow your file by using search engine marketing, Google Grants, e-appends, petition networks such as Care2, remarketing and ad buys like Facebook ads.

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Goldie Heidi Gider is the Director of Advancement at the National Women’s Health Network, a membership-based organization supported by 8,000 individuals and organizations nationwide.  She can be reached at HGider@nwhn.org.