Creative Prospecting Strategies - DMA Nonprofit Federation NY
Transcription
Creative Prospecting Strategies - DMA Nonprofit Federation NY
Creative Prospecting Strategies ON A MODEST BUDGET Tuesday, August 2nd 10:15am to 11:15am New York Hilton Midtown Why are YOU here? Limited resources (time, staff, $$$) and complex path to new donors Small to medium NPOs with budgets of $15MM or less Many of us play multiple roles: Marketing/fundraising, strategy, campaign management, analytics & data management Prospect spending and cost per new donor can be minimized, but risk must also be balanced for maximum gain TIP: Get each others’ contact information, you all share common challenges. Why are WE here? Having faced many of the same challenges, we can help In excess of $700MM revenue raised for a wide variety of NPOs 85 years collective experience in various marketing, fundraising & communications roles Industry perspectives from both sides of the consulting table, commercial and NPO TOOL: Come talk to us after the session about specific scenarios, we’re happy to share more. Kelly Leech List Broker, Carol Enters List Company (CELCO) $17MM raised and 654,211 acquired in 2015 for 100+ non-profits in acquisition 9 years in various markets, including clients like Amnesty International, Lambda Legal and Project Open Hand Consulting and list brokerage experience David Ludwigson Chief Development Officer, God’s Love We Deliver Responsible for 69% of an annual $15MM revenue goal at GLWD 25 years in marketing & fundraising roles Industry perspectives from corporate and nonprofit side of business John McArdle Director of Development, Project Open Hand Over $400MM revenue raised for a wide variety of NPOs 24 years experience in various marketing, fundraising & communications roles Industry perspectives from both sides of the consulting table John Westfall-Kwong Director of Development, Lambda Legal Over $220MM revenue raised for a wide variety of NPOs 27 years experience in various marketing, fundraising & communications roles Pro bono needs assessment and coaching for various small to medium nonprofits Small to mid sized NPOs face unique challenges Audience demographics, geography & size • Where & who are your core audience and what size is it? • Chapter of a national program? Program reach/appeal • What is your “service” area and mission relevance? Other constraints • How much of an investment can you make? When is the best time to prospect? What size is your team? TRICK: Investment level should equal what you can recoup in 18 months. Who are YOU? And who are YOUR donors? Market: Local? Regional? State? National? International? Mission: Civil justice? Nutrition? Food insecurity? Other? Method: Direct mail? Canvass? Events? Door to door? Email? Other digital? Telemarketing? Industry perspectives from both sides of the consulting table TIP: Use market and mission strengths to inform best recruitment channels and methods. What is your analytical PRIORITY? Quantity (number of new/reactivated donors) Donor quality (average gift & retention) Efficiency (cost per new donor) Expenses & revenue (overall spend & income) Long term value (donor revenue over 5 to 10 years) TIP: Determining your main priority will help put the rest in perspective to balance them all against each other. Data is a priority: Strategy, testing, analysis, implementation Build strategy Test variable(s) Implement learning(s) Analyze data TRICK: Data is all around you, with varying degrees and types of application. But, what kind of data? Statistically significant Directional Anecdotal Communal Relational Contextual TOOL: All these types of data can help you to determine your prospecting strategy. John McArdle Project Open Hand “When growing any garden, patience is key…” Perspective: Project Open Hand Direct mail Online Social media What would RUTH do? Perspective: Project Open Hand Direct mail • Chronic non-responders (CNRs) • Data modeling • “Warm” prospects She’d get in there and get to work! Perspective: Project Open Hand Direct mail • Chronic non-reposnders (CNRs) • Build “CNR” file using past merge output files • Segment by CNR level to measure baseline • Assess and determine possible strategy and/or test Avg gift % resp $/M Kia Control Sept Prospect (CNR 1 & 2) $41.20 0.39% $160.31 Kia Control Sept Prospect (CNR 3-5) $53.90 0.50% $268.46 Kia Control Sept Prospect (CNR 6+) $35.40 0.56% $197.82 TRICK: Sometimes, simpler, shorter (and cheaper!) is better. “Source Codes are Your BFFs!” Perspective: Project Open Hand Direct mail • Chronic non-responders (CNRs) • Use results to refine strategy Avg gift % resp $/M Snap Pack Oct Prospect (CNR 1 & 2) $48.54 0.37% $178.57 Snap Pack Oct Prospect (CNR 3 - 5) $39.35 0.46% $182.41 Snap Pack Oct Prospect (CNR 6+) $32.23 0.61% $195.61 Snap Pack Dec Prospect (CNR 1 & 2) $47.18 0.32% $150.55 Snap Pack Dec Prospect (CNR 3-5) $45.81 0.43% $197.74 Snap Pack Dec Prospect (CNR 6+) $45.39 0.57% $256.53 Perspective: Project Open Hand Direct mail • Data modeling • Take advantage of resulting demographic and psychographic reporting to refine and expand list testing and retesting strategy • Free as a byproduct of typical modeling process TOOL: Take the time to go over your modeling reports with the analyst – there are probably lots of hidden gems and free insights into your donor file. “Source Codes are Your BFFs!” Great free information to confirm or update the demographics of your typical donor Areas that index “high” are possible markets for list expansion Conversely, areas that index “low” are cues on what audiences to avoid TOOL: The needs and assets of other departments can enrich your ask and help build a “warm prospect” pool. Perspective: Project Open Hand Direct mail • Find existing “warm” prospects • Lapsed donors (model them!) • Volunteers (including lapsed!) • Non-money respondents (petitions, notes, cards, surveys!) • Create other “warm” prospects • Design paths for 2-way non-donor conversation in existing prospect mail (and email!) strategy TRICK: Find existing “premium” content (exclusive assets in print, direct mail, brand value, video, photos) to attract the attention of “warm prospects”. Perspective: Project Open Hand Online Links to desirable content on your website can be deployed thru existing mail and other online efforts (social media, email) Enewsletter Recipes Video assets/archives Attempt email collection to access content Collected emails and other existing non-donors emails (enewsletter, volunteers, etc) can be used for online prospecting campaign Perspective: Project Open Hand Online These “warm e-prospects” will be perfect for out exclusive 2017 “recipe-a-month offer” using existing calendar assets Build funnel for e-prospects Prospective donors will be pointed to private URLs on website Collection point for email addresses Send enewsletter to new contacts Create process to convert contacts to donors TIP: Live streaming video is favored by social media algorithms. Use it! Perspective: Project Open Hand Social Media Stop waiting for your social media fundraising to become a “big thing”: MAKE it “a thing” first! Use hand-in-hand as a support tool for email and direct mail, but also events: Enter…the SF AIDS Walk Pollo Del Mar MAC Giveaway! And…the Giant Race United Airlines #WhyIRun contest! Perspective: Project Open Hand Social Media Used notable SF celebrity drag queen Pollo Del Mar to pitch a gift of $36 or more (15 meals!) to AIDS Walk SF to qualify $130 MAC Cosmetics giveaway Leveraged existing in kind donation against existing event Promoted heavily on social media (Facebook, YouTube & Twitter) TIP: Stop trying to find your “ice bucket challenge”! Get in there and play with social channels…you won’t break anything. Perspective: Project Open Hand Social Media Connected with local celebrity couple Alexis “Lexi” Cozombolidis and SF Giants right fielder Hunter Pence Leveraged leftover gala auction item donations against existing event Promoted with fun, homemade video on social media (Facebook & Twitter) Perspective: Project Open Hand Social media By leveraging social media in this way, we gained more direct access to donor who might otherwise be “event only”, and made a more lasting brand impression! This access to 3rd party event donor and strong brand association will help to raise more dollars thru other channels like direct marketing John Westfall-Kwong Lambda Legal “Source Codes are Your BFFs!” Perspective: Lambda Legal Consider Diversifying Your Acquisition Tactics Canvassing Telemarketing Online Direct Mail TOOL: Knowing (and building!) your longterm donor value is an essential element to build acquisition and retention strategies. Perspective: Lambda Legal Canvassing Door-to-Door Works well in burbs that match your donor demographics Street Teams Works better in areas where there’s high street traffic Pride Events Might be more unique to the LGBT space, but worth checking to see if your organization’s mission would connect well with a community festival or gathering. Engage. Ask. 1st – monthly 2nd – one-time 3rd – survey or petition Perspective: Lambda Legal Telemarketing Reinstatement Is your cost-to-raise a dollar better than outright acquisition? If yes, than dial deeper in to your lapsed file! Canvassing Acquired Preliminary results show stronger results via telemarketing vs. mail. Petition Signers Utilize emails and ideally full addresses for phone # appends. Perspective: Lambda Legal Online Emails – Develop join series. Ideally, connected to the sign-up method. Challenges Great way to boost your email gift response rate! Try a backup challenge (all prepped for when you meet your first goal). Petitions Worth considering for multi-department strategic goals. TIP: Jump on prospecting opportunities for your cause using nimble digital channels. THE CHALLENGE: In 2011, Maverick Couch wore a T-shirt to school that said “Jesus is Not a Homophobe” for GLSEN’s National Day of Silence, He was ordered by his principal to turn the shirt inside out and told he would be suspended if he wore it again. Maverick refused to give up After being threatened with suspension if he chose to wear the shirt for the 2012 National Day of Silence, Maverick called Lambda Legal for help. THE SOLUTION: Let Maverick Wear His Shirt! Lambda Legal filed suit against the school district on behalf of Maverick Lambda utilized its social media platforms alongside a coordinated launch with Care2, Created a petition to attract new supporters to join Lambda’s email list. TOOL: Don’t guess! Analytics are critical and worth the extra time to ensure your acquisition and retention strategies are cost-effective and have the best ROI. THE RESULTS: The “Real Maverick” campaign = 28,000 signatures 13,000 = new prospective supporters 20% increase in email list size Substantial online media interest Perspective: Lambda Legal Direct Mail Data Modeling Extra helpful when list universe is smaller. Warm Prospects Does your organization have other lists that it maintains for access? Reactivation Dig as deep as it makes sense . Ask Your Donors What Works And find more like them David Ludwigson God’s Love We Deliver “Play with the team you have, not the team you wish you had…” Perspective: God’s Love We Deliver Direct Mail Personalize in December! Prepare in September. Plan ahead – October through December is crazy time for everyone Go above and beyond the usual major donor letter At God’s Love = 500 donors at the $1,000+ annual level It is a lot of work - divide and conquer Revenue up 16% year over year TOOL: Volunteers are often “warm prospects”. Perspective: God’s Love We Deliver Volunteers In Addition To Giving Their Time… Dedicated volunteers often want to be more engaged Donors Corporate support and in kind donations Advisory Our job is to ask them…but…always treat them as valued volunteers first Considering doing this: fold your Volunteer Department in the Development Department Perspective: God’s Love We Deliver Leadership Groups Our Best Source of Prospects, With A Caveat At God’s Love: Board of Directors, Board of Trustees, Leadership Council, generationLOVE Make it easy for Leadership Groups to engage prospects Tool kit They don’t have to make the ask, just the introduction Caveat: takes a great deal of time and hand-holding – if you can’t make the commitment don’t form the group Perspective: God’s Love We Deliver Events Not Converting Event Attendees Into Donors? Don’t worry, neither is anyone else…! Very challenging and time consuming …But it can be done Perspective: God’s Love We Deliver Events Converting Attendees Into Donors First, conduct a fun, engaging event Limit speakers and length of remarks Have one or two moments that touch attendees’ hearts A dose of celebrity helps Have a good bar Start and end on time Perspective: God’s Love We Deliver Events Converting Attendees Into Donors – KISS! Second, have a simple pre and post-event prospect plan Pre-event Identify/research a few key prospects – don’t overwhelm with too many Engage staff and board who you know will do the work – assign one or two contacts at most (not at the last minute) – and script them Use your CEO and Board Chair Post-event Get update from staff and board Follow up with prospects Kelly Leech Carol Enters List Company “Think about how you want your donor file to look in 5 years, and not just this fall…” Perspective: CELCO Getting a return on your investment Direct Mail Acquisition Acquisition is an investment- know this before you start! Make sure your organization has the program in place to get the 2nd or 3rd gift to make your investment productive Focus on the whole direct marketing picture TIP: Co-Op Models aren’t traditional nonprofit lists. Don’t treat them like they are -- use the data to make sure the models work for YOU! Perspective: CELCO Data Modeling Use Your Data! Keep your unique names, the other organizations don’t want them Do you have enough data to make it statistically valid? Co-Ops aren’t just for modeling, they can also provide great demographic reports on your current data TRICK: Use your FREE resources! Perspective: CELCO Post Merge Techniques Before the names mail, you can help improve your mailing! Post Merge Optimization Improve Response Ask String Optimization/VEAM Improving average gift Both of these are additional mailing costs- make sure they’re in your budget if you decide to use one or both! Perspective: CELCO Post Merge Techniques How do they Work? Post Merge Optimization Optimized No PMO Score PMO Grand Total: Qty Mailed Donors Income % Resp Avg Gift 505,881 275,075 2,342 1,436 $59,499 $34,112 0.46% 0.52% $25.41 $23.75 780,956 3,778 $93,611 0.48% $24.78 Perspective: CELCO Post Merge Techniques How do they Work? Ask String Optimization Package No Ask String Variation Ask String/VEAM Grand Total: Qty Mailed Donors Income % Resp Avg Gift 471,404 2,162 $128,380 0.46% $59 74,886 538 $50,644 0.72% $94 546,290 2,700 $179,024 0.49% $66 TIP: Test, test, TEST! Perspective: CELCO List/Market Testing Lists can be fun! Right? View testing into new lists/markets just like creative testing, it’s necessary – to expand your universe AND to also reach new potential donors/members If your organization has a BFF, take advantage! Don’t forget why these donors/members started talking to you! Perspective: CELCO Online Acquisition The New Frontier Online list acquisition isn’t there- yet! Match-back your mailings! Online Modeling Creative Prospecting Strategies on a Modest Budget Contact: David Ludwigson Chief Development Officer dludwigson@GLWD.org 212/294-8145 Contact: Kelly Leech, List Broker kelly@carolenters.com 703/487-4484 Contact: John McArdle Director of Development jmcardle@openhand.org 415/447-2413 Contact: John Westfall-Kwong jwestfallkwong@gmail.com 917/774-9249