Download - More Than Just An E-Mail: Segmenting Messages, Customizing Content and Delivering Results
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More Than Just An E-MailSegmenting Messages, Customizing Content and Delivering ResultsJeff Shuck, President and CEO | Event 360
Jeff Shuck, Event 360October 3, 2011
Success Factors
Jeff Shuck, Event 360October 3, 2011
Agenda
• Introduction to Segmentation– What Is It?– Why Bother?
• Basic Approaches for Event Fundraising– Linkage– Fundraising Activity– Demographics
• A Few Words on Messaging• Final Thoughts• Q & A
Jeff Shuck, Event 360October 3, 2011
We appreciate your
orangeness!How can we
help you?
Thanks for being big and green! Keep it
up!
Hi! Have you ever
considered orange or
green?
What Is Segmentation?
1. Understanding your constituents and how they impact your program
2. Grouping them together based on similar characteristics
3. Speaking to each group differently
4. Forecasting and then influencing future behavior
Jeff Shuck, Event 360October 3, 2011
Jeff Shuck, Event 360October 3, 2011
Jeff Shuck, Event 360October 3, 2011
Jeff Shuck, Event 360October 3, 2011
Wait! If something works, why not do it with everyone?
Jeff Shuck, Event 360October 3, 2011
Jeff Shuck, Event 360October 3, 2011
How do you feel when you look at something
that doesn’t apply to you?
Do you even read it?
Jeff Shuck, Event 360October 3, 2011
Irrelevant Communications…• Oversaturate people with
information
• Reduce the likelihood they will take impactful action
• Miss an opportunity to build a meaningful connection
• Instruct people not to read your messages!
Jeff Shuck, Event 360October 3, 2011
The first rule of fundraising is to ASK.
Jeff Shuck, Event 360October 3, 2011
Directly affected by your cause, city-
dweller.
New volunteer with your organization,
parent.
“Likes” you on Facebook because a
friend participated in an event, lives abroad.
Participated in an event with siblings, lives with parents
at home.
Long-time major donor, milestone birthday
approaching.
Board Member, married, no
kids.
Team captain for top fundraising team,
thinking about retirement.
Lapsed participant, but consistent donor.
The key is to ask in a PERSONAL way.
Jeff Shuck, Event 360October 3, 2011
Jeff Shuck, Event 360October 3, 2011
Jeff Shuck, Event 360October 3, 2011
Most of the money raised in your
fundraising program comes from a very small percentage of
participants.
Jeff Shuck, Event 360October 3, 2011
Agenda
• Introduction to Segmentation– What Is It?– Why Bother?
• Basic Approaches for Event Fundraising– Linkage– Fundraising Activity– Demographics
• A Few Words on Messaging• Final Thoughts• Q & A
Jeff Shuck, Event 360October 3, 2011
• Collecting data is one of the largest obstacles
• Use the information you already have– Address information– Gift history – Gender, birthdate
• Ask the most important question: Why?– What’s your connection to the cause? – Why did you choose to donate?
• Do not be afraid to ask for additional information– Your participants want to get involved– Whether or not someone answers a
question is also important data!
Collecting Data
Jeff Shuck, Event 360October 3, 2011
• Linkage– Cause: Are they connected to your mission? How?– Initiative: Are they connected to your initiative? How?
• Fundraising Activity– Promises: What have they committed to?– Performance: What have they done?
• Demographics– Age– Gender– Parent
General Segmentation Approaches
Jeff Shuck, Event 360October 3, 2011
Linkage Tips
In general:
• The tighter the mission connection, the more likely someone
is to be a fundraising constituent
– Look for cause or mission connection
– Sometimes “friends of” will raise more than those directly affected
• The tighter and longer someone is connected to the initiative
itself, the more likely they are to be a fundraising constituent
– Repeat participants and team captains should both raise more
– No one is to blame but you for repeat zero-balance participants;
have you established that fundraising is the goal?
Jeff Shuck, Event 360October 3, 2011
Jeff Shuck, Event 360October 3, 2011
Mission Motivation Is Key
Jeff Shuck, Event 360October 3, 2011
History Is Critical
Jeff Shuck, Event 360October 3, 2011
Repeaters raise more than first-year
participants; multi-year repeaters raise
more than repeaters.
Repeaters who do not pay a registration fee are much less likely to
fundraise.
Fundraising Activity Tips
In general:
• It is easier to get someone who is already fundraising to raise more than it is to get someone at zero to fundraise
– These are two different segments!
• Activity in the online system – early registration, changing goal, sending emails – is predictive of fundraising performance
• Segmenting around fundraising tiers can be incredibly effective
• Remember donors! You can realize huge gains from changing the ask you present to donors
Jeff Shuck, Event 360October 3, 2011
Jeff Shuck, Event 360October 3, 2011
Tiered Segmentation Example
Segment Number
Tier Total Contributed
Approach
Attendees 31,902 $0 $0 Education and contact
Beginning fundraisers 11,268 $1 - $249 $793,000 Intense
encouragement
High performers 2,393 $250 - $1,999 $1,380,000 Affirmation and
thanks
Ultra performers 82 $2,000 + $393,000 High personal touch
Team captains 2,000 “Every walker a fundraiser.”
Jeff Shuck, Event 360October 3, 2011
Goal Levels Matter
2008 2009 2010
Suggested Goal $250 $125 $125
Participants Raising $125
10% 12% 13%
Participants Raising $250
6.2% 6.4% 7.1%
Jeff Shuck, Event 360October 3, 2011
Minimum Levels Matter Too
2010 2011
Minimum $250 $250
High Fundraising Level $1,000 $1,250
Participants at High Level
995 (12%) 833 (10%)
Income From High Level
$2.14 Million $2.33 Million
Participants Raising $1,000
995 1,088
Income From Over $1,000
$2.14 Million $2.6 Million
Jeff Shuck, Event 360October 3, 2011
Demographic Tips
In general:
• Median income, net worth, home ownership, and the other traits used to predict propensity to give in the offline development world are not as useful in event fundraising
• We are looking for propensity to ask rather than propensity to give
• That said, age, gender, and parental status are all worth exploring
Jeff Shuck, Event 360October 3, 2011
What Not To Do
• One organization classified donors by the size of their gift:– “Mass market” donor: $50– “Mid-market” donor: $250– “Major” donor: $500 and above
• But a study of the demographics of the donor base found that net worth and income had little relationship with the gift size– Almost as many high net worth individuals gave $50 as
low net worth individuals
• Be careful of confusing the activity characteristics with the donor’s background; the two are very different
Jeff Shuck, Event 360October 3, 2011
Registration time increases the likelihood of being a high fundraiser.
Cause motivation raises the likelihood significantly.
Age raises the likelihood further.
Multiple Traits
Jeff Shuck, Event 360October 3, 2011
Agenda
• Introduction to Segmentation– What Is It?– Why Bother?
• Basic Approaches for Event Fundraising– Linkage– Fundraising Activity– Demographics
• A Few Words on Messaging• Final Thoughts• Q & A
Jeff Shuck, Event 360October 3, 2011
• None of this works unless you speak to each segment differently!
• Communications need to be powerful and direct
• Need: What problem are you trying to solve?
• Impact: What difference will you be making?
• Make a specific ask
• Say thank you. A lot.
Messaging Matters
Jeff Shuck, Event 360October 3, 2011
Agenda
• Introduction to Segmentation– What Is It?– Why Bother?
• Basic Approaches for Event Fundraising– Linkage– Fundraising Activity– Demographics
• A Few Words on Messaging• Final Thoughts• Q & A
Jeff Shuck, Event 360October 3, 2011
We appreciate your
orangeness!How can we
help you?
Thanks for being big and green! Keep it
up!
Hi! Have you ever
considered orange or
green?
Tenure Usually a strong predictor of fundraising performance.
New We need to engage them right away with an ask to fundraise.
Returning Repeaters usually fundraise at a higher level, but need to be specifically targeted.
Loyalist The lifeblood of the event, the few who repeat year over year. Vitally important.
Team Membership The bread and butter of peer programs.
Leaders Higher fundraisers, but also a key leverage point.
Members Higher fundraisers – if they know to fundraise.
Individuals Tend to be motivated – and isolated.
Performance Who is actually raising money?
None Don’t talk about fundraising, impact, or mission – create a tangible, tactical, practical ask.
Modest Encouragement and thanks.
Impactful The high fundraisers – but will they repeat? They will if we specifically thank and then ask.
Cause Connection The link between performance and mission.
Generalist They’re here because someone told them to be. A weak group. Can we create cause connections?
Concerned They have friends and are socially engaged. Get them to articulate a story.
In the Family Often the most impactful group. They are motivated by the ultimate driver: Love.
It’s Personal They fought – or are still fighting. They are motivated, but need a different kind of recognition.
Volunteers Often overlooked, volunteers have strong passion and need to be specifically asked.
Donors The audience we really need – we have few touch points, so we need to make them count.
Strategic Events, like participants, are not created equal. Are resources going to the right place?
Jeff Shuck, Event 360October 3, 2011
Key Take-Aways
• Ask WHY people are supporting your organization’s mission
• GROUP people based on their interests
• PERSONALIZE your messages based on what you know about people’s motivations
• Illustrate your NEED and the IMPACT a donation will make
• Make a direct ASK
• TEST and MEASURE the response to different messages
• THANK your participants
Jeff Shuck, Event 360October 3, 2011
Q&A YOUR TURN:
Jeff Shuck, Event 360October 3, 2011
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More Than Just An E-MailSegmenting Messages, Customizing Content and Delivering ResultsJeff Shuck, President and CEO | Event 360