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