How to Break Through the Noise and Engage Your Donor

Case Study

• Operation Smile was founded by Dr. William P. Magee, a plastic surgeon, and his wife, Kathleen, a nurse and clinical social worker.

• In 1982, the Magees traveled to the Philippines with a group of medical volunteers to repair children's cleft lips and cleft palates.

• They discovered hundreds of children ravaged by deformities, and although they helped many children, the volunteers were forced to turn away the majority of those who sought help.

• The Magees saw the need, and Operation Smile was born.

26 years later more than 115,000 children have been helped

around the world!

What would your team do if…

If Angelina Jolie called…

…and asked about your international missions?

If Lance Armstrong called…

…and asked about patient recovery programs?

If Donald Trump called…

…and asked about costs of fundraising?

• The Altruist?

• The Repayer?

• The Investor?

Would they recognize…

and respond appropriately?Source: Seven Faces of Philanthropy by Prince and File

At Operation Smile “Thinking Like A Donor”

impacts every conversation we have with our donors and

prospective donors.

Operation SmileDonor First Philosophy

To make the Donor’s experience as exceptional as the services we provide to children & families served by Operation

Smile, around the world.

Challenges

• Culture focused on delivery of mission – transforming children’s lives

• Poor Retention of Donors • Lack of process & procedure that supports

a “Donor First Philosophy”• Donor Relations Team considered a cost

center - non-revenue generating • Lack of trained staff for implementation of

sales & service “best practices”

Phase One

• Creation of Customer Focused Strategy – “Donor First Philosophy”

• Internal Review– Donor Database– Donor Relations Team – Development Team

• Review of Third Party Vendors– Direct Mail Provider– Direct Mail Keying & Caging– Direct Response TV Call Center

Phase Two

• Implementation– Database Enhancement Project– Donor Lead Strategy– Donor Thank You Strategy– Donor SAVES Program– Integrated Direct Response Programs

Effecting Change

• Education & Training– Donor First Philosophy Training– Seven Faces of Philanthropy– Donor Spotlight Series– HQ Theme Weeks

• Presentations, E-Mail Communications, Posters & Bulletin Boards

– Professional Book Clubs– Stewardship Summit for Development Team

Measures of Success• Common Language • Process & Procedure

– 86% reduction in response time to Donor Concerns• Time to Acknowledge

– 80% reduction in response time• Integrated Appeals – July – December 2007

– 473 donations– $184.15 average gift

• SAVES Program– 780+ Smile Partners– $225,000.00+ Value of Annual Donations

• Intangible – Improved Relationships

What’s Next?

• Phase Three - Donor Loyalty and Retention Program– Additional Donor Relations Staff– Expanded opportunities to reach out & retain donors– Ongoing evaluation of our vendors – Continuous review of integrated direct response

programs– Continued improvement of communication materials

to be Donor First– Expanded Education & Training

Why?

Help more children…

Contact Information

Jann Schultz, Director of Donor Relations

Operation Smile

+1 757.321.7645

+1 757.593.6560

jschultz@operationsmile.org

Twitter: @jannschultz

LinkedIn: Jann Schultz

Appendix

• Partners

• Recommended Reading

Operation Smile Partners

• Russ Reid Company– Direct Response Agency

• Merkle Response– Keying and Caging– Online Image Viewing– Acknowledgements

• Blackbaud – The Raiser’s Edge– Donor Database

Book Club Recommendations• Non-Profit Development

– Seven Faces of Philanthropy, by Prince & File– The Zen of Fundraising, by Burnett

• Customer Service/Relationship Selling– Exceptional Customer Service by Ford– Best Practices in Customer Service by Zemke– Relationship Selling by Cathcart– Eight Competencies of Relationship Selling by Cathcart

• Personal Development– Now Discover Your Strengths, by Buckingham & Clifton– Go Put Your Strengths to Work, by Buckingham– How Full is your Bucket?, by Rath & Clifton

• Management/Leadership Development– First, Break All the Rules, by Buckingham– Coaching & Mentoring: How to Develop Top Talent, by Harvard Business Press– The Extraordinary Leader by Zenger & Folkman– The One Thing You Need to Know, by Buckingham

• Organizational Development– Good to Great, by Collins– Good to Great in the Social Sectors, by Collins– Made to Stick, by Heath and Heath– The Tipping Point, by Gladwell– Blink, by Gladwell