StrategiestoMakeYourGiftPlanningMarketingandCommunicationsMoreEffective(andYourLifeEasier)

BasicsSessionOctober18,2017

PlanningGivingGroupofNewEnglandPresenter:KrisWillcox

Paynoattentiontothatgiftofficerbehindthecurtain...

Plannedgivingmarketingmightinclude…

• Fancyfull-colorbooklets• Amailer,withareplyvehicle• Apostcard• Anarticleinanewsletterorotherpublication• Webcontent• A“checkbox”orbuckslipincludedwithastandardmailappeal• Atraditionalletterwithanaccompanyingreplyform• Email• Events(aspublicityandstewardship)

Questionstomakeyourplannedgivingmarketingmoreeffective:

• What’sthedrivingforcebehindthismarketing?Whythis,andwhynow?• Whoareyoucommunicatingto?• Whatareyourgoals?• Whatresourcesareatyourdisposal?• Whatform,contentandtonearerightforyourgoals?• Howwillsuccessbemeasured?• What’syourplan,onceyourmarketingisoutthedoor?

What’sthedrivingforcebehindyourmarketing?• Afewno-so-greatreasonsI’veheard:

• “Ourboardpresidentwenttoaworkshopaboutleadtrustsandwantstodolots,rightaway!”

• “Ourcommunityhasmanywealthyresidents.Wejustneedtoconnectwiththembyhavingaseminar.“

• “We’dliketohave50newbequestintentions,bytheendofthisyear.”

• Betterreasons?• Itwillhelpusrealizeorganizationalgoals,andit’spartofourfundraisingstrategy.

• Wewanttogiveourdonorseveryopportunitytosupportthisorganization.• We’vedoneourplanningandourhomework.We’reready.

Whoareyoucommunicatingto?

• Demographics/traitsinyourconstituency• Age• Commoninterest(environment,globalnutrition,etc.)• Commonexperience(gratefulpatients,forexample)• Commongivinghistory:consistentgivingisthetopindicatorforbequestgiving.

• Commonneed(makingafirstwill;updatingawill)

• SegmentingyourPGmarketing• Aquestionofbudget,reliabledataandyourgoals• Doyouhaveasignificantlydifferentmessagefordifferentageaudiences?

Howdoesyouraudienceviewthemselves?

• I’manalumna.• I’malong-timefriendofthisorganization.• I’mpassionateaboutthiscause.• Ibenefiteddirectlyfromthisorganization.• NOT:I’mnearingretirement.• NOT:I’madonor.• NOT:I’maplannedgivingprospect.

Whatareyourgoals?

• Uncoverexistingbequestintentions(possibly)• Identifynewprospects• Createopportunitiesfordirectcontact• Makeplannedgivingfamiliartoyourconstituency• Setatone thatispositive,openandconfident• Establishcredibilitywithyourdonors• Stewardthosedonorswhohaveincludedyourorganizationintheirplansandwillneverdisclosethisduringtheirlifetimes.(Anonymous)• Noticethat“closegiftsintheshortterm”isnothere.

Whatform,contentandtonearerightforyourgoals?• Chooseaformatforwhatyouneedtoconveyatthisstep,tothis audience.

• Firstoutreach• Abrochureonaspecifictypeofgift• A“leavebehind”forgiftofficers• Updatesforcurrentdonorsandprospects

• Doesthisfitsmoothlyintoyourcommunicationscalendar?• HowdoesthisintegratewithotherPGmarketingandcommunicationsinyourplanfortheyear,oravailabletoyouraudiencerightnow?• What’stherightmixofstoryandinformation?• Doestheformatanticipatethekindsofresponsesyouarelookingfor?

Whatresourcesareatyourdisposal?

• Considertheneedsofyourdonorsandyourorganization,aswellasthepracticallimitsofstafftimeandresources.• Choosingin-housevs.avendordependsonbudget,andgoals.Rememberthatanythingyoucreateorbuyneedstofurtherarelationshipbetweenthedonorandtheorganization.• Yourorganizationmayhavenumerouscommunicationvehiclesthatcancarryaplannedgivingmessage.

Ifyou’rejuststartingout…

• ApplytheK.I.S.S.principle.• …and theC.A.S.E.principle.• Focusonbequestsfirst,andalways.Theyrepresentthemajorityofplannedgiftsforallorganizations.• Talktogiftofficersaboutthedonorsandgiftsthey’veworkedwithrecently.Whatcontentwouldbeausefulbasedontheirexperiences?• Ifthegiftofficerisyou…samequestions.• DidImentionkeepitsimple?

Moretipsforthosestartingout(andusefulremindersforusall)• Optforclean,cleardesignandprioritizeeaseofreading.• Manylessonsofstandardmailappealdesignapplytoplannedgivingmarketing:usegenerousformatting,decentfontsize,andasimplewritingstyle thatanticipatesskimming.• Fontsize,coloranddesignshouldmeettheneedsofolderreaders.Avoidcoloredtextandwhitetextoncoloredbackgrounds(hardforthosewithmaculardegeneration).• Thesmallprint-runisyourfriend.Nooneneedsaclosetfullofoutdatedbrochures.

Ifwemailit,theywillcome…(magicalthinkinginplannedgivingmarketing) What’syourplan?

• Beforeyourmarketinggoesoutintotheworld,havearesponseplan.• Codingsomeoneasaprospectisnotaplan.It’sdataentry.• Doyouhavestandardinformationlikebequestlanguageinplace?• Whowillfollowup?• How,andwithwhat?• Ifit’sawrittenresponse,isitdrafted?Doesitoffermorethanwhatyou’vealreadysent?• Doestheresponsefurtheryourgoals?Forexample,ifyouwantedtosecuremorevisits,doesyourplanfocusonthat?

Twocommonfears,andhowtohandlethem:

• Fear1:Noonewillrespondtoourmarketing!• Thetruthisthatresponsestoplannedgivingmarketingareoftenmodestinnumber.Yourjobistorespondthoughtfullytoeveryreply,andevaluatewhatyouaresendingandwhy.

• Rememberthatnotallresultscomequickly,orcanbeeasilytallied.• Fear2:Someonewill respondtoourmarketing!

• Areyoureluctanttobeginplannedgivingconversationsbecauseyoudon’tknoweverythingaboutthefield.SPOILERALERT:• You’llneverknoweverything.Youcanstilldothisresponsibly,andyoushould.

• Lookatyourgoals.Walkthroughscenarios.Reviewwhatyouhavetooffer,aswellaswhatyouarenotoffering(i.e.legal,financialadvice).

• Listyourresources.Wherecanyougoforanswerswhenyouneedthem?

Thefineartoffindingadonortoprofile…

Pointersandobservationsondonorprofiles

• Weseeourselvesinstoriesaboutothers,andwelearnthroughstorytelling.• Givedonorsampleopportunitiestosharetheirstory,inpersonandinwriting.• Ifdonorsareunsureaboutbeingthesubjectofanarticleor“ad”:

• Offersomepriorexamplesofwhatyouhopetocreate.• Putthespotlightontheimpactofthegift,lessonthedonor.• Describetheirparticipationasanotherkindofgift– achancetoputarelatablefaceandstoryonplannedgiving.

Someusefulapproachesandquestions

• Donorsoftensaywhattheythinkwewanttohear.“Thisgiftisawin-win.”• Weoftenleadthewitness:“Whyareyouexcitedaboutleavingalegacy?”• Questionstogetoffthestandardscript:

• Whatsurprisedyouaboutmakingthisgift?Anythingyoudidn’texpect?• Werethereanyparticularhesitationsyouhad?Whatweresomeofthethingsyouhadtothinkthroughonthewaytomakingthisgift?

• Iinvitesubjectstospeakto,orimagine,theaudienceI’mtryingtoreachandaskwhattheymightsaytosomeoneconsideringagiftlikethis.

• Ioftenendwith,“WhathaveInotaskedyouaboutthatyou’dliketotalkabout?”

Bepreparedtolisten withrespectandcompassion.• Plannedgiftscanbeconnectedtosomeverypersonaltopicsandvalues.Bereadytoacknowledgetheimportanceofwhattheymaychoosetosharewithyou.• Sometimesseeingthequestionsaheadoftime(andchoosingfromamongthem)caneaseconcerns.• Somepeoplearemorecomfortableexpressingthemselvesinwriting.IofferthiswhenIsensereluctanceaboutaninterview.• AvaluabletipIlearnedfromapreviousPGGNEpresenteris“askpermissiontoask.”

Afewclosingthoughts…

• Agiftplanningvehicleisjustthat:avehicle thattakesthedonorsomewheretheywanttogo.

• Greatplannedgivingmarketing,likeallgoodfundraising,leadswithmissionandhelpsthedonorconnectherhopesandneedstotheorganization’swork.

• Youcandothis!Takingthetimetocraftsimple,effectiveplannedgivingcommunicationsisatremendousgifttoyourorganization,andaservicetoyourdonors.