Donor care can be proactive and reactive. This session looked at both sides of the fence covering:
* a framework for managing the reactive side - responding to your donors when they contact you so you are building stronger relationships
* ideas for proactive donor care you can test to increase your donor retention and understanding of your donors
In an environment of declining retention rates, standing out from the crowd will take excellent donor care. Knowing how to assess your current level of care, identify gaps and opportunities and make changes to focus on your donors and not your organisation can be challenging. This session looked at frameworks and ideas to start making positive change.
5. Why Bother
The Retention Conundrum
Don’t accept
that attrition is
inevitable
Believe
good/better
service improves
satisfaction and
commitment
Increase value /
influence
behaviours
through our care
7. 25 – 45
Mostly monthly giving
Younger I am the sooner I stop:
52% retention in year one
“I will upgrade my giving“
65+
Mostly cash giving
Stick around if engaged:
25% second gift rate – best in class 43%
5+ years giving stay at a 77% rate (best on class
85%)
“I will consider a bequest”
8. The Right People
Your donor
segments
Your donor
programs
Prioritising by
value
Prioritising by
their needs
10. What does donor care look like?
• Donor-centric has become a popular concept
• All about being focused on donors
• But what does it mean?
• 3 examples of being wild-life centric…
11. Example 1
• VERY focused
• Has developed expertise
• Spends a great deal of time seeking
out
• Perhaps even talks about
conservation
… but an almost exclusive focus on what
he gets from the ”interaction”
12. Example 2
• Again, very focused on
subject
• Lavishes attention on them
• Cares deeply
… but coddles their subject and
stunts them by removing them
from their natural environment.
13. Example 3
• All the same hallmarks
• Focus, expertise
• Spends time understanding
• Wishes to conserve
• Not selfless – still seeking something
from the interaction
… but balanced with wanting subject to
be what they are.
14. We know donor care when we see it…
Respect donors. Care about them. Celebrate them.
Because of what they do in their natural state…
DONATE
15. Applying the mindset
• Miracles Day radio program
• Started with the question:
What are we offering our
current and prospective
donors
… that will also benefit us?
16. 1 - Entertainment with purpose
“Promote Us” approach
• Light FM
• Promoting/Advertising
CBMs Miracles Day
• 2012 – 4,000 Miracles
“Help you” approach
• Deliver awesome content to
the audience
• Light FM Community’s
Miracles Day – supporting
CBM
• 2013 – 8,500 Miracles
• 2014 – 15,500 Miracles
• 2015 – 25,500 Miracles
17. Community
• Adrian Sargeant – Donor
Identity
• Community Radio
fundraising
• “We had another
member who donated…”
18. Our attention
• 1st 30 days has greatest
impact on propensity; average
2nd gift and lifetime value
• 35% more likely to convert to
Regular Giving
• Phone + Digital strongest
• “Conversion” call prompted
highest 2nd cash gift0.0%
10.0%
20.0%
30.0%
40.0%
50.0%
60.0%
1 2 3 4
Welcome Timeframe
propensity to give again
19. Small we, capital YOU
• Discarded lengthy booklet that
was all about us
• A journey that starts where they
are…
1. YOU saw a need
2. YOU took a step
3. YOU joined a team
4. Will YOU…
20. Howard Luck Gossage
the anti-Mad Man
“… instead of pushing people around,
put an arm around their shoulders
and invited them to join him in
conversation… even participate in
writing the ads… here’s a coupon,
write in and tell us what we should
be telling you.”
Care for donors.
Not to make us, or even them, feel good
but because it does good.
The difference is subtle, but it’s easy to spot
21. What is Donor Care?
Loving & caring for donors so
they stay
22. Why invest in donor care?
1. Increase donor satisfaction
2. Increase donor commitment
3. Impact the donor experience – impact loyalty
(belonging to believing?)
30. Thanking for
offer of RG
• ~50% - 80%
of the time
• Australia
lowest
though have
been
improving
RG set up
successfully
• 65% - 78% of
the time
• Hong Kong
best
Complaint
Resolved
• 29% - 83%
• New Zealand
best
31. What we learnt
INVESTIGATION
REPORT
• Poor response times/no
response (1 in 5 did not
respond)
• Failure to deliver on promises
• Failure to say thank you
• Inefficient processing systems
• Not listening to supporters
32. Stratgey: Donor
Segmentation
Stratgey: Channel
Managment
Stratgey: Measurement,
Reporting & Analysis
Design
Inbound & Donor
preference
Customer Service
principals, Skills &
Capabilities,
Behaviours &
Collaborations
New, Retained,
Value, Giving
Program …
Roles,
accountabilities,
processes &
systems
Systems &
oversight
People
Donor
Service
Experience
33. 1 3
2 4
Foster an
org culture
committed
to donor
care
Sufficient
budget &
time
Well trained
&
appropriate
staff
Monitor
&
Measure
People & Culture Hire the right
people, love
them and
empower them
36. Critical Reactive Donor Care Strategy Elements
People & Culture (&
Capacity)
Feedback routes
Warm & Donor focused
response scripts &
emails
Acknowledgment
Strategy
Up-to-Date FAQs &
Education Program
Communications
briefings
Have a Vision –
make Donor
Care important
37. Donor Type / Segment Responsibility Action
Confirmed Bequestor Bequest Manager Phone call thanks
Handwritten note on TQ
Mid-Value donor (current – previous mid-
value gifts)
Mid-Value Manager Major Donor Manager call thanks $5k+ gifts / Manager phone
call thanks $any to $5k
Handwritten note on TQ / TQ card addition
Mid-Value donor (current – first gift at
criteria level)
Mid-Value Manager CEO phone call thanks ($5k+) / Manager phone call thanks $any
to $5k
Handwritten note on TQ / TQ card addition
Mid-Value donor (new – gift at criteria
level)
Mid-Value Manager CEO phone call thanks ($5k+) Handwritten note on TQ / TQ
card addition
Acknowledgment Strategy Example
45. Continuous Donor Choice: an objective?
New Donor
Welcomed and given
choice(s)
Informed future choice
will always be given
Practical, manageable,
sustainable
Existing Donors
All communications
offer the opportunity
to change / manage
preferences
Opt out approach –
specific communication
/ channel
Inactive Past
Donors
RFV Cut Off – assess
cost vs. return
Test a goodbye opt in
Inspired by preparations for project 13 of the Commission on the Donor Experience, ‘Giving
donors choices and managing preferences’.
46. • Make or break moments
– Pre/post first debit
– Tax receipt time
– Reactivated
• Care to drive response
– Pre-calls / Pre-postcards
• Thanking post action
• Feeding back
• Reinforce / Repeat
• Multiple channels early, repeat
Timing
47. Actual Timing 1st 2nd 3rd 8th 14th 15th
Timing Day of sign up ASAP 72 hours from sign up ASAP Day 7 Day 14 (pre 1st debit) Day 15 (post 1st debit)
What Leave Behind Thank you SMS Thank you Email Welcome Call
Field Report Email
(video)
Beneficiary impact
email with email
message opportunity
Your donation in action
postcard
Objective
Overcome buyers
remorse
Overcome buyers
remorse, Build
beneficiary
connection
Overcome buyers
remorse, Build
beneficiary connection
Overcome buyers
remorse, Offer
interaction, provide
choice (as relevant to
individual situation)
Build beneficiary
connection, Broaden
introduction to team
Build Beneficiary
connection, offer
interaction, Educate
Build beneficiary
connection, broaden
introduction to team
Demonstrate ROI
Opportunity for us
Reinforce
proposition
Provide contact
details - introduce
team
Reinforce beneficiary
need. Use SMS
channel early
Continue passion
experienced at sign up,
Reinforce RG product
name, highlight key
beneficiary group. Use
email channel early
Retain
Objection handle
Downgrade
Change pay type
Pay Holiday
Cancel
Use phone channel early
Introduce main
signatory. Show
passion and
commitment on
charity side. Reinforce
use of email channel
Reinforce impact on
beneficiary
Show example of money
well spent - set scene for
what donors can expect in
terms of feedback
How should Donor
feel?
Excited,
Enthusiastic, ValuedChuffed Valued Thanked
Confident in decision
made Inspired Responsible for impact
Prominent Value(s)
expressed Passionate Considerate Passionate & Experienced Trustworthy Impactful Respectful Impactful
Focus
Donor Impact on
beneficiaries
Donor Impact on
beneficiaries - RG
product
reinforcement
Donor Impact on
beneficiaries, thank you
from a team member
Donor Impact on
beneficiaries - RG
product reinforcement
Connect donor and
solution - money in
action
Connect donor &
beneficiary - thank
you from main
signatory
Connect donor and solution
- money in action
Case Study / Story Beneficiary 1 Beneficiary 2 Beneficiary 3
Beneficiary 1 - further
in their journey
Beneficiary 1 - further in
their journey
49. Just to say, THANK YOU for
joining the fight to protect
our beautiful planet. It’s
great to have you on
board – we’ll be in touch
soon! The WWF-Australia
team
Make or break
moment: over
come buyers
remorse
64. Find out
what they
need
LISTEN
Consider the
choices you
can offer
RESPOND
Build
Proactive &
Reactive Care
programs
aiming to
influence
satisfaction &
commitment
65. Critical Reactive Donor Care Strategy Elements
People & Culture (&
Capacity)
Feedback routes
Warm & Donor focused
response scripts &
emails
Acknowledgment
Strategy
Up-to-Date FAQs &
Education Program
Communications
briefings
Have a Vision –
make Donor
Care important
66. 1 3
2 4Proactive
Donor Care
Strategy
Audience /
Audience
Needs
Objectives
Interaction
Opportunity
Timing
Interaction
with other
programs
67. Thank you
With thanks to Andrew Martin, Trudi Mitchell, Lisa Allan, Nicola
Norris and our wonderful clients who shared content for this
presentation
Fiona.mcphee@paretofundraising.com