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Social Change Training Manual
FUNDRAISING FOR LARGE GROUPS
1. ROLE OF PUBLIC IMAGE IN MEMBERSHIP & FUNDRAISING
Presenter: Geoffrey Hill
1.1 Presenting your image
Key Goal
TO PRESENT YOUR ORGANISATION AND YOUR CASE TO THE PUBLIC IN A WAY THAT MOTIVATES PEOPLE TO SUPPORT YOU.
You should aim for the following in your work:
PRO-ACTIVE COMMUNICATING:
What the public may see, read, or be told about your organisation ie print media, electronic media, canvass, public talks, information displays etc.
TIDY PROFESSIONAL LOOK
CLEAR STATEMENTS OF INTENT AND POSITION
FUNDRAISING AT TIMES OF MAXIMUM MEDIA COVERAGE
Fundraising can ride on the campaign trail!
RE-ACTIVE COMMUNICATING:
Your response when the public seeks information from you, by phone or in person.
It is essential that the point of first contact leaves and impression of competence and commitment. If your front office or phone is staffed by volunteers then it is essential that they are well informed or can defer to someone who is.
Don't let people down! If you say you are going to do something (eg get back to them with information) , do it or you will lose them! Offer people active options at first contact ie join us....write to....ring...., and you have a greater chance of involving them with your organisation.
FUNDRAISING IMPLICATIONS:
When working in the public arena always record names and addresses.
One of the best ways of collecting names is by recording name and address details of people who contact you for information and advice. Send membership/donation forms with information requests.
Key Goal
SETTING A STYLE FOR YOUR ORGANISATION
BEHAVIOURALLY:
- we do what we say we will do (credibility).
IMAGE THROUGH MEDIA:
- professional
- clear statements of intent and position (with relation to issues)
PRINT NEWSLETTERS AND BROCHURES
- logo on everything, with a short statement about what you do
- easy to read
- clear, logical arguments
- spacing, air, colour
- print face, type style, serif vs sans serif etc
- justification (eg left only for more personal communications; both sides for technical information)
- layout for scanning (eg shape, as people read; sub-heads every 3-5 paras to break up text and make it more readable)
- avoid large and overly technical language
- always include an action device and/or a return envelope
PRINT MEMBERSHIP FORMS
state your case clearly current campaign information new information
You should:
- ask for support, both campaign and financial
- make a positive statement that reiterates the reason for support
- include tick boxes eg yes, I want to help! Here is my donation.......
- print boxes or lines for credit card numbers, expiry date, signature;
- tick boxes for cheque/money order/credit card
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1.2 Identifying your target audience
THE 3 GROUPS: people who know you and support you
people who don't know you and would support you if they did
people who wouldn't support you in any case
CONCENTRATE ON THE FIRST TWO! THEY ARE PEOPLE WHO SHARE YOUR VALUES.
THEY ARE PEOPLE FOR WHOM YOUR ISSUES HAVE PERSONAL RELEVANCE.
HOW DO YOU FIND THEM?
Profile your existing supporters: survey them by mail, phone or canvass, or focus groups. Thank them and explain what you are doing (ie looking for more people like them!). Ask them:
- Who are they?
- How did they find out about you?
- What inspired them to support you?
WHAT ARE THE DEMOGRAPHICS OF YOUR SPECIFIC CAMPAIGN AREA?
- People who live there, people who play there?
- Who is it personally relevant to?
- Who would care about the bigger picture?
- Check the bureau of statistics
- Look at like minded groups
WHEN ASKING FOR SUPPORT:
- What can they do to help: campaign, financial?
- How will it benefit them and future generations?
- Tell them what you have done in the past (your credentials)
- Tell them what you will do with their financial support
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1.3 Copywriting for direct mail appeals
Direct mail: the most cost effective way to reach supporters or potential supporters.
It educates, campaigns and fundraises.
Timing is important. February? June? September? December....Xmas?
Key Elements you need to consider:
Outer envelope; letter: brochure?; response device; return envelope
Keep it
Devices to attract attention
- question on outer envelope ?
- Interest: involvement: answer in first paragraph of body copy
- Desire : I want to be part of the solution
- Action: campaign and financial
Always give thanks for past support!
The text
- Length: 1-2 pages maximum (competition for attention). If 2 pages, bleed sentence over page.
- Readability: Use short sentences, paragraphs, avoid big words.
- Edit ruthlessly - omit unnecessary words.
- Break up text; use emphasis, bullet points, (eg list past successes and achievements or immediate concerns.)
- Urgency: create a sense of immediacy, urgency: eg this is happening now!
- Be aware of the scan reader - 80% of people! Summarise your essential arguments in bold at intervals throughout the copy.
- Ask several times. Ask early. Ask for the response now (please send your donation today). Ask in the PS - one of the three most read components of any letter. Who to, who from, PS.
- Share good news and bad, but if bad, always with a solution.
- Postcard with response device will usually be posted.
- Pre-paid return vs stamps.
- Code and address on response device.
- Get on other lists, see what they do.
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1.4 Annual reports
- Mainly applicable for corporate, Government or high donors, but should always be available.
- Include mission and case statements
- Most people can't understand financials
- Use pie charts, graphs, to show where funds come from and how they are spent
- Use photos if you can afford them, and lots of campaign information
- Doesn't have to be glossy, complicated or expensive
1.5 Newsletters in fundraising
- Update information
- Keep people in touch
- Acknowledge support
- Report on successes
- Share forward planning
- Educate about issues, provide background
- Photos - people give to people
- Setting the scene for appeal mailings and activities ie this is coming up soon
1.6 Corporate giving
Pros:
- Low cost income
- Can be good for capital appeals ie their name on your building
Cons:
- Are they clean enough for you?
- Reliability
- Strings attached
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1.7 Why fundraise?
TO CAMPAIGN
TO EDUCATE
TO BE INDEPENDENT
TO SURVIVE!
DEFINITIONS:
- Fundraising is a way of developing relationships with people who share your values!
- Fundraising is a way of giving people who share your values the opportunity to act on those values!
- Fundraising is grass roots activism.
- Fundraising is a pre-requisite for independent campaigning. Fundraising is asking for money.....don't be afraid to ask. Asking the right person, at the right time, for the right amount is the pinnacle. If you are proud to work for your organisation, then you must be proud to fundraise for it!
BEFORE YOU START
Prepare a mission /case statement.................outline your reason for being.
This is a statement of your organisation's essence...your reason for being ie to protect animals from cruelty...to protect the natural environment in South Australia, etc.
Case statement....expanded version....who, how, why, when..... To back up this statement is essential that you also expand it to include a document of preferably less than one page that defines:
- Who you are - legal structure etc
- What you do - campaign, lobby, educate etc
- How long you have been doing it
- When and why did you start
- What makes you unique
- What are your past, present and future objectives
- How successful have you been in meeting your objectives
- How has your organisation raised funds in the past
- How do you intend to raise funds in the future
THIS CASE STATEMENT IN VARIOUS FORMS WILL BE THE BASIS OF ALL YOUR FUNDRAISING ACTIVITIES.
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1.8 Donor acquisition....methods
Mail
- Unaddressed (letterbox drop, insertion of a prospect piece into another piece of mail)
- Addressed (via list hire, list exchange, or to a potential donor identified by existing donors)
Telephone
- Cold calling from the phone book or to a list constructed from the electoral roll or other specifically selected list
- A combination of mail and phone. Only with addressed mail where a phone call is made to follow up a mailing piece.
- Merchandising Goods or lottery tickets. May utilise phone, mail or door to door selling.
Advertising
Either a paid advertisement or a prospect piece inserted into a commercial publication. (Free advertising can sometimes be obtained via bromides lodged with the publication which can be used as fillers. The material must contain some form of response mechanism.)
Petitions
Volunteers
Personal solicitation of a potential donor identified by a volunteer
Personal solicitation cold calling door to door
Special events
Unsolicited enquires or donations
Display brochures
008 or 005 phone numbers to be used with media (radio, TV, print)
RENEWALS:
Membership renewals can be based on anniversary or annual expiry dates..
- Anniversary renewals ie 12 months after they joined will give a more even cash flow over the course of twelve months .
- Annual renewals ie everyone expires on 31st Dec will give a large cash flow in the first 3 months.
CALENDAR PLANNING
Make up a calendar of interactions with donors/supporters for the course of each year eg quarterly newsletter/magazine mailings, quarterly appeal mailings and depending on your structure, maybe an attempt at a monthly giving upgrade and a renewal cycle.
Renewals are usually the most reliable income
If you have a membership/annual supporter scheme this will likely give more consistent income as it can be followed up more effectively but a mix of members and donors can also be beneficial.
In a typical cycle you may have a great diversity of source code names including advertising, direct mail, canvass and telemarketing. They usually perform characteristically in the renewal cycle. ie mail acquisition responds best to mail renewal.
In the old GP plan the renewal cycle had precedence over the appeal cycle but after 6 months of not renewing we put them back in the appeal cycle. Use your most cost effective source first.
When renewing it's usual to have a minimum of your approaches, eg Mail/mail/mail/phone?
Upgrading and donor segmentation is usually based on source and giving levels
ie mail D1 $0-19.99
D2 $20-34.99
D3 $35-49.99
By varying the response device suggested amounts accordingly you can gently upgrade average amounts and monitor net income within these segments.
Monthly giving - credit card or direct debit
This is perhaps the most significant upgrade you can achieve. It can be done via mail or phone. CAA Amnesty and GP make $ millions per annum from this programme.
DD is a high net programme. As it ensures longevity...normal attrition rate is up to 30% as people move or lose interest but with DD this will reduce to 10-15% as although people still change addresses they seldom change bank accounts.
Reverse inertia principle applies once people are signed up with this system.
SEGMENTATION OF YOUR DATABASE
- Active members are those who have given 0-18 months (last gift)
- Lapsed are those who have not given for 18-48 months
Core indicators are recency, frequency, amount, longevity
The following information must be retained on your database:
- Name and address
- Date and source and amount of first gift
- Date, source and amount of last gift
- Recency .... Date of last gift
- Frequency.....total number of gifts
- Amount.....amount of highest gift
CODES:
Code everything, in and out. You need to know where your money is coming from (eg and advert in a magazine - so each insert or advert or mailout should have a source code
First recorded activity is the source code. This never changes, so you always know how the member or donor was acquired.
- Return mail; not at this address. Names should be de-activated.
- Don't delete anything!
- Personalise - can't overestimate the importance of doing this promptly
- Thank you letter with receipt attached is the easiest and cheapest way to do this. Send as quickly as possible. This re-inforces the good feeling of giving.
- The sooner, the stronger.
Hardware: we are living in the right time. hardware is getting faster and cheaper.
Software: a variety of commercial software is available most at reasonable cost.
What do you think?
Geoffrey Hill
Email: geoff@adam.com.au
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