…with stephen pidgeon · fundraising october 2016 79% of gifts come from direct mail (c£8bn) 61%...

A fundraising day…

…with Stephen Pidgeon

A day with Stephen P…

10.00 – 11.15

11.30 – 12.45

1.45 – 3.00

3.00 – 4.00

‘How to love your donors to death’

Creative concepts and messages

Writing creative fundraising copy

Securing bequest income, with

kindness

Published Spring 2015

Some contact details…

Email me: stephenpidgeon @ gmail.com

Website: www. stephenpidgeon.co.uk

Rarely, I tweet: @ stephenpidge

How to love your donors (to death!)

Stephen Pidgeon

• Four amazing facts that should change your

fundraising for ever

• Eleven simple ways to love your donors

• A short reminder of why this could be SO

profitable

Session 1…

Two key issues to resolve…

The rise and rise of digital

On-line percentage of income…

2016 7.2%

2015 7.1%

2014 6.7%

2013 6.4%

2012 7.0%

• Blackbaud’s 2017 On-line Giving Report

• 6,845 non-profits raising £18.5bn (2015 - 3,786)

Fundraising October 2016

79% of gifts come from direct mail (c£8bn)

61% of charity marketing budgets are spent

on direct mail

56% of people think print is a more

trustworthy medium

13% of people over 45, had responded to a

direct mail ask

28% of response to direct mail is online

– 50% from Millennials

Two key issues to resolve…

The rise and rise of digital

Who gives serious money to charities in the

– What age are they?

– What income group are they?

Older people…

…are not more generous than younger people

They are not more caring

They are at a stage in their lives when

– Their children have left home

– Their children are independent (ho ho!)

– Older people miss the influence they had at work

– They have time to worry

– They have money

Wealth in the UK

Total wealth £9,500,000,000

Wealth is:

– Property wealth

– Financial wealth

– Physical wealth

– Pension wealth

Wealthiest 10% own 44% of the wealth

Of the 10 groups, the wealthiest 3 are…OLD!

profitable

Session 1…

Fact 1

…from excellent research by Jen Shang and Professor Adrian Sargeant in 2009 - 2011

Social information increased giving from new members (Number of Callers = 317)

$86.58$87.44

$96.98

$111.91

$80.00

$85.00

$90.00

$95.00

$100.00

$105.00

$110.00

$115.00

Control $75 $180 $300

Condition

Jen Shang and Adrian Sargeant 2009 - 2011

Boundaries?

Similarity Matters (Mary vs.Tom, she vs. he)

131.57

Mismatch Match

Condition

‘Identity’ can be expressed in all sorts of ways: faith, where you live, age, work, pets, views….

Their social network matters

Amount Donated Based on Number of

Acquaintances who Listen to StationX

101.83

119.19

113.74

122.02

132.31

$100.00

$110.00

$120.00

$130.00

$140.00

1 to 3 4 to 6 7 to 9 10 to 12 13 to 15

Number of people

Fact 2

As yet unpublished work from Professors Shang and Sargeant

Fact 3

Behavioural Insights Team (2013) ‘Applying behavioural insights

to charitable giving’. Cabinet Office/Remember a Charity

• A test campaign with lawyers:

• Control group – no reminder

• Test 1 – “Would you like to leave any money to a charity in

your will?”

• Test 2 – “Many of our clients like to leave money to a charity

in their will. Are there causes you are passionate about?”

Interesting research

Cabinet Office/Institute of Fundraising 2013

Facts 1 – 3 illustrate…

• …that giving is FAR from being a transaction

• Making a donation is deeply important to the

Fact 4

Figures in August this year from The Royal British Legion, with their kind permission

Some key figures for you…

profitable

Session 1…

• Giving them moments of EMOTION

• Treating them like you would treat your grand

-mother

Loving your donors

• That basic rule: people give to people

• One or two, or a family, not loads

• Give really good feedback

• Telephone them to say ‘thanks’

Building Emotion…

• …increased Revenue Retention by:

• 40%• That 40% increase will pay for the telephone

calling 3x or 4x…or use volunteers!

Telephoning to thank a new supporter…

Donor-Centred Fundraising Penelope Burk, Chuck Longfield (Blackbaud) cited in SOFII

• That basic rule: people give to people

• One or two, or a family, not loads

• Give really good feedback

• Telephone them to say ‘thanks’

Building Emotion…

• Giving them moments of EMOTION

• Treating them like you would treat your grand

-mother

Loving your donors

• Do you thank them affectionately?

Loving them like your grand-mother!

• I’ve just sent your museum £200

• Write the first line of the letter of thanks you

are going to send me….

• Dear Stephen,

A task for you…

Do you really think of your donors?

Do you thank them affectionately?

Do they know how important they are to you?

– Noting anniversaries

– Rewarding loyal support

– Asking for their opinion

– Conspicuous special treatment 9

• Do you thank them affectionately?

• Do they know how important they are to you?

• Can they choose how often you write to them?

– Conspicuous special treatment

Can they choose how often you write to them?

What about a ‘money back guarantee’?

– Conspicuous special treatment

Can they choose how often you write to them?

What about a ‘money back guarantee’? 11

Session 1…

Four amazing facts that should change your

Eleven simple ways to love your donors

A short reminder of why this could be SO

profitable

10.00 – 11.15

11.30 – 12.45

1.45 – 3.00

3.00 – 4.00

kindness

Stephen Pidgeon

Session 2…

The art of finding connection

Common barriers

Moving your organisation to think differently

Connecting properly – the notion of a ‘concept’

My learning…

Connect with people BEFORE you ask

Connect first, then ask…

It doesn’t have to be in two stages

Connect first, then ask…

It doesn’t have to be in two stages

You don’t need a ‘thing’

You simply need to catch your audience…

‘The essential difference between emotion and

reason is that emotion leads to action and reason

leads to conclusions’

Donald Calne, Consultant Neurologist

University of British Columbia

Session 2…

Common barriers

4 common barriers to connection…

Talking about yourselves – count the We’s

Talking about your services

Getting in the way

It is so easy…

Over the last 30 years…

…WSPA supporters have helped us change the

lives of animals for the better

…WSPA supporters have changed the lives of

animals for the better

Building Emotion…

That basic rule: people give to people

One or two, or a family, not loads

Who uses the phrase…

Getting in the way

Just telling a story

Telling stories is difficult…

We ignore hundreds of stories every day

…because we are not ‘connected’ with them

Engaging people with a written story is INCREDIBLY

difficult

Writing an engaging story when ten people have to

approve the copy…

…is IMPOSSIBLE!

Getting in the way

Just telling a story

Session 2…

Common barriers

As fundraisers, you have to find…

…the answer to the question

Why should I give you £200?

The proposition has four pillars…

Vision

Recipient

Example 1: RNLI

VISION ENEMY HERO RECIPIENT

No deaths at

The cruel sea That tough,

bearded,

volunteer

crewman

Stupid, rich

day-sailor

who fell off his

Example 2: Action for Blind People

Every blind

and partially

sighted person

given support

when needed

Red tape and

lack of money

for simple,

practical

support

Passionate

people fighting

bureaucracy

indifference to

provide

Thousands of

people (every

15 minutes)

losing their

sight and

picking up

shattered lives

Fundraising proposition

Every 15 minutes someone in the UK begins to

lose their sight. Today, with your help, we can

give them the practical support needed to

rebuild their shattered lives.

Must-haves…

Every good proposition should have:NeedSolutionNow

And ideally, it should be unique

‘Every 15 minutes someone in the UK begins to lose their

sight. Today, with your help, we can give them the

practical support needed to rebuild their shattered lives’

Example 4: Royal Pavilion, Brighton

An opulent celebration of eccentric and

rich treasures are cherished to

bring pleasure to everyone…foreve

The deadly hands of time, familiarity and

indifference

The imaginations of George IV and

others and today’s

craftspeople who cherish and

protect the treasures

Our Nation

Fundraising proposition….

For the small sum of £200 you can stop the deadly

hands of time crumbling the unique celebration of

opulence, eccentricity and rich treasures -

imagined by George IV, artists, explorers,

obsessives, and connoisseurs - for the pleasure of

everyone today and in the future.

What the exercise has achieved…

Fundraising and Marketing now working together,

‘hand in glove’

New tag line ‘Experience the extraordinary’

Everybody now uses words like ‘cherished’,

‘eccentric’, ‘treasured’ instead of ‘conserved’

…and gone are ghastly descriptions like: ‘rich

collections and exciting exhibits are dynamically

displayed in stimulating surroundings’

Rob Yates

Fundamental conflicts…

…you have to deal with…

…between Marketing and Fundraising

Session 2…

Common barriers

Connecting properly…

You need an idea

– David Ogilvy said you needed a ‘Big Idea’

You need a CONCEPT

Connecting properly…

You need to know your audience

You need an idea

– David Ogilvy said you needed a ‘Big Idea’

You need a CONCEPT

Two skills to find a concept…

Thinking sideways not straight

Spotting interesting snippets

Exercise 1

You are meeting the father of the pair in this

Coastguard case

List the questions you want to ask him (and

his wife!)

Session 2…

Common barriers

10.00 – 11.15

11.30 – 12.45

1.45 – 3.00

3.00 – 4.00

kindness

Key ‘connecting’ moments

Three connection opportunities:

The envelope

The Johnson Box

The first paragraph

Concept is…

As we prepare for the cold wet winter and the

flood of homeless coming to us, we’re getting

the stores in.

First essential…warming coffee, the first sign

of welcome on a ghastly night outside

Exercise 3: look first for…

Connection…highlight parts that ‘connect’ with you

Need and solution

What tense predominates?

When did the donor first learn of their role?

When did the ask first appear?

And how was it consolidated?

What did you FEEL after you’d read it, generally?

A golden guide – is all this clear…

What’s the problem?

Why should I (the donor) care about it?

What is this charity doing about the problem?

What can I do as a donor?

Why do I need to give now?

What happens if I don’t give?

What is their proof of success?

This guide comes from my wonderful creative partner, Pauline Lockier

Exercise 5

A cancer charity in Northern Ireland

The tools available to you

Emotion is the key driver

Metaphor delivers emotion

Monoculture is like a giant parasite sucking the lifeblood

out of farmland birds

A combine harvester used at the wrong time is an

executioner’s axe to the corn bunting

For a tree sparrow, removing hedgerows is like removing

the fruit and veg from the supermarket

Child sponsorship is like ….holding a child’s hand as he or

she grows up

Being a farmer in Zimbabwe is like trying to grow oranges

in Portsmouth – everything is against you.

You always need a BME

Beginning

Focus of the appeal

Who, what, where

Problem/solution - YOU are part of the solution

Big problem – what’s wrong

…and an outline of the donor’s task

Middle

Solutions and cost

Impact

Reason to act now

Consequence of not acting/no money

Clear ask

Promise of transformational change

Another reason to act now

Impact and transformation

Repeat the ask

Write in the present tense

Using the active tense

Passive/past

A major policy change wasachieved by GWCT

Active/present

GWCT achieves a major policy change

Evidence shows this decline has been driven by large-scale changes to farming

Evidence shows that large-scale changes to farming are driving this decline

To meet increased demand for human food production, more intensive farming techniques are being used and this has reduced essential food sources and habitats for songbirds

The increasing demand for human food production is driving intensive farming techniques that reduce essential food sources and habitats for songbirds.

This session…

Connection is the key issue

Talk about LOSS not GAIN

Which is more persuasive?

Implying loss

Stop songbirds disappearing at alarming rates

Stop pheasant chicks dying

Promising gain

Help to double songbird numbers

Help more pheasant chicks survive

Source: The Psychology of Persuasion. Robert Cialdini

In DM ‘loss’ is more persuasiveBut most charities prefer to ‘look on the bright side’

This session…

Talk about LOSS not GAIN

Remember your checklist…is all of this VERY clear?

What’s the problem?

Why should I (the donor) care about it?

What is this charity doing about the problem?

What can I do as a donor?

Why do I need to give now?

What happens if I don’t give?

What is their proof of success?

Key Rules of Fundraising Writing

Ask for ‘money’ not for ‘support’

Key Rules of Fundraising Letters

Write in simple straightforward English

John Watson, a wonderful man!

In order to communicate with maximum effect to an

audience of purchasers, the requirement is to

employ a style of language that is comprehensible to

the majority of the individuals who will pursue it.

So we can talk to a group of buyers and get them to

do what we want, we need to use the kind of words

and phrases that will be understood by most of the

people who see them

Successful creativity in DM John Watson

Write in simple straightforward English

Format your letter for easy reading

Reading Gravity

Research by Colin Wheildon

Headline

Write in simple straightforward EnglishEnglish

Format your letter for easy readingforreading

Relate the story to the reader

For instance…

One in three of the population will suffer

from Cancer..

One in three of us will suffer …

One in three of your family and friends…

4 idiocies to avoid

Jargon

Jargon in the charity world

Biodiversity

Community development

Specialist palliative care

Empower

Building capacity or capacity development

A regular gift

Psychosocial and educational activities

Jargon in the heritage world

Independent registered charity

Collecting, conserving and exhibiting artefacts

Friends

…and a classic:

‘If you leave us a gift in your will, you may

benefit from reduced inheritance tax…’

4 idiocies to avoid

Jargon

Don’t fiddle…with copy

The strongest desire is not love or hate, but the

need to change someone else’s copy

amend alter

mutate

change

An immortal quote which certainly appears in David Ogilvy’s book

Source: probably David Ogilvy

4 idiocies to avoid

Jargon

Colour

Coloured text gets easier as it gets closer

to black.

Colour

Coloured text gets easier as it gets closer to

black.

Coloured type on tints should mostly be

avoided.

4 idiocies to avoid

Jargon

Colour

Length of letters

4 idiocies to avoid

Jargon

Colour

Length of letters

Wonderful copy…

‘In the civil war in Uganda I was visiting camps for

people fleeing the fighting. We picked up a very

sick mother and her starving children to take them

to hospital in Kampala. In the crowded jeep a little

boy of five or six sat on my lap. We smiled at each

other as the jeep bounced along the rough direct

roads. He died before we reached the hospital.’

George Smith

‘The essential difference between emotion and reason

is that emotion leads to action and reason leads to

conclusions’

Donald Calne, Consultant Neurologist

University of British Columbia

Why is it so powerful?

10.00 – 11.15

11.30 – 12.45

1.45 – 3.00

3.00 – 4.00

kindness

Legacies - getting the ‘ask’ right

Average values in UK…

Specific legacy (pecuniary legacy) £3,500

Residuary legacy (the rest of my money!)

£50,000

Average c £18,000

The last session…

Why and why people may not leave a

legacy

When, who and how to ask

It’s a simple craft…

…frequently messed up!

Their ‘values’ can live on

They trust the charity

They have been hurt

Their loved-one, who has died, supported the

charity

‘Personal reasons’

Their grand-children will benefit

Why they might not…

Family and friends come first

A ‘legacy’ should be a LARGE sum

Concern they will have no money after care in

their retirement

They think changing a Will is expensive

The last session…

legacy

When to ask

Best age is 60 - 75

75+, ask but it may be too late

Avoid asking below age 50

Who should ask

A beneficiary

A senior trustee (as long as they can say “I’ve

done it, will you”)

Another supporter

One or two others, not many!

How to ask

BY LETTER!

Through the supporter magazine

Though an invitation to a ‘day’

Website

…with stephen pidgeon · fundraising october 2016 79% of gifts come from direct mail (c£8bn) 61%...

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