DMAW Wake Up & Learn: Midlevel Giving

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3. What We’ll Cover
This Morning
 Why you need a mid-level
program
 The right approach to creating a
mid-level program
 Smart strategies for using direct
response to boost upgrades
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4. MID LEVEL
A mid-level program can mean different
things to different organizations

5. Why We Are Talking About
Mid-Level Donors
 Giving in the U.S. as a percentage of GDP has stayed
at 2% for over 45 years*
 According to NCCS, those with income between $100,000
and $200,000 contribute, on average, 2.6% of their income
*SOURCE: Nonprofit Hub
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6. Q: What Constitutes Mid-level?
A: Tiers Based on Your Donors
An example:
Direct response – up to $499
 Robust integrated mail/online/phone program
Mid-level - $500-$4,999
 Still uses mail/online/phone but adds more cultivation
and personal contacts
Major - $5,000+
 Slightly less mail/online/phone, with addition of
targeted personal contact (calls and visits)
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7. Q: How to Find Them?
A: Mine Your Data to Target the Right Donors
Information in your database can tell you a lot
 RFM is used to identify biggest pool of prospects
 Longevity
 Campaign responsiveness
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8. Q: How to Reach Them?
A: Use What Works — Most Were DM Acquired
 The majority of mid-level and major donors were acquired through
the mail
 They have responded well in the past (renewing & upgrading) to
direct mail efforts
Use mail and email to educate, steward, retain and upgrade their
support.
Mail/email + personal contact = success!
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9. Some Challenges
 Silos …
 Fighting over donors…
 Donors being ignored…
 Donors languishing without proper stewardship
 Worst case: donors lapsing…
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10. The Solution is Synergy
Not all higher dollar donors are “different.”
You can leverage your direct response program (mail, online, phone) to
educate and steward your mid-level and major donors.
This frees up staff time for personal cultivation and solicitation!
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11. THE RIGHT
APPROACH
Cultivate and nurture a
strong bond and
personal relationship

12. Keep It Personal
For donors who are acquired through the mail and accustomed to
giving in that way, direct mail is an effective way to:
 Keep them informed about your mission
 Renew their support and
 Keep you top of mind
But remember … mid-level donors require enhanced stewardship
a timely and personal thank-you that reports on the impact of
their gift
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13. Added a note for MGO into
the mailing
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14.  Provide “Insider” information
 Educate donors about mission and long-term needs
 Focus on impact – what the donor’s gift has accomplished
 Offer variety of ways to engage and give
 Use high-touch packages
Mail/email works best in concert with your additional personal solicitation efforts
Make the Donor Feel Special
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15. A newsletter that
reports back
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16. Find the Right Ask
 There may be donors on your file who are giving you smaller gifts,
but who have the capacity to give you more
 If you have identified these donors through wealth screening, use
that information to upgrade their giving in the mail
 Consider having at least one mailing a year that is a dedicated
upgrade mailing designed to ask high potential donors to respond
to a very specific ask for a higher gift
 Include donors of $100 and more in these mailings
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17. This
mid-level
mail program
exists to
support MGO
efforts
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18. Plan Your Annual
Communication Calendar
Remember — even if a donor gives only in November, they
need to hear from you throughout the year!
 Plan touchpoints regularly throughout the year
 Ask several times throughout the year
 Vary the opportunities to connect — engagement!
 Thank the donor often
Even if YOU aren’t asking all year — other organizations are!
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19. The Magic of
DIRECT MAIL
How to Leverage Direct Response to
Augment Your Team’s Efforts

20. Strategies for Success
Let your direct response program do the heavy lifting
Offer a variety of opportunities to give
Consider giving societies
Use targeted upgrade asks
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21. Certificates can serve as
cultivation efforts
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22. The Results
 13 gifts $1,000+ totaling $48,500
 1 gift of $1,000 from a $100 donor
 1 gift of $1,000 from a $250 donor
 9 gifts of $1,000+ from $500 donors
 1 gift of $2,500 from a $2,500 donor
And a $30,000 gift from a $10,000+ donor!
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23. Capital Campaign Naming Opportunity for
Targeted Asks at Higher Levels
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24. The Results
Naming opportunities at $300, $2500, and $10,000 price points
 $300 – 51 bricks sold
 $2,500 – 9 bricks sold
 $10,000 – 3 bricks sold
 Allows donors to raise their hand
 Creates a lasting connection between donor and organization
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25. Reaching New
Heights
With Successful Mid Level
Upgrade Mailings

26. Mini proposal format used
to drive upgrades for
specific program need
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27. The Results
 Beat revenue goal by 69%
 42 gifts $1,000+ totaling $98,000
 3 gifts of $1,000 from $250 donors
 15 gifts of $1,000 from $500 donors
 2 gifts of $10,000 from $5,000 donors
 And started a conversation between the donor and the organization
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28. The Actors Fund Upgrade Mailing
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29. Results
Mailed half as many donors as projected but …
 Beat gross revenue goal by more than 300%
 Average gift of more than $2,700
 Nearly half of all gifts were new joins to ITS program
 Three gifts of $5,000
 Two gifts of $10,000
 DMFA Package of the Year!!!
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30. When the Magic
Doesn’t Happen…
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31. Point Foundation Cornerstone Invite and Upgrade
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32. The Results
We thought we did everything right…
 High-touch package
 Great benefits for becoming a cornerstone member
 SRE with Harvey Milk stamp
Results told a different story:
 Fell just short revenue projections
 50% fewer gifts than projected
 Costs 20% higher than projected
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33. What Happened??
► Point Foundation has a high-level giving society, but it’s
not publicized other than at events
► DM donors not acquired on a membership-based ask
► A more simple case for support probably would have
yielded better results
► Basically: we were too forward on the first date!
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34. Control vs Test:
Your current
upgrade strategy
may be working
better than you
think it is!
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35. Results
 Control package brought in 30% more gifts than the test!
 Average gift between the two panels was basically the same
 Control package generated three gifts of $1000+
 Test package generated one gift of $1000+
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36. Lessons Learned
Before you ask for an upgraded gift … Know your donors:
► On what message were they acquired?
► Were they acquired on a premium?
 Cultivate them before making the ask
 Engage them in ways beyond just writing check
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37. Don’t Forget to
Cultivate in Ways
That Will Help
Generate Upgrade
Gifts in the
Future
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38. Say Thank You!
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39. THANK YOU!
LISA MASKA, CFRE
Partner
@lautmandc
JILLIAN LESLIE
Sr. Account Executive
@lautmandc
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