WHY do people give to your charity? What influences them to send you that first gift . . . and then a second one?
Additional findings were released last week from the Heart of the Donor study by Russ Reid Company and Grey Matter Research & Consulting. You may recall that one of the very important aspects of this study is that donors were reporting what they had done over the past 12 months as opposed to stating what they intend to do.
What I want to focus on here today are findings consistent across ALL age groups (age 18 through 70+), and all demographics.
What influences people to give?
That’s right. What influences people to give their first gift to a charity? What influences them to give a second gift?
1st gift decision influenced by:
Evidence that the organization does what it claims.
How do you do it?
What have you done so far?
2nd gift decision influenced by:
They explained the specific mission of the organization to me.
They made me feel my gift really made a difference.
They gave me information about exactly what my gift helped accomplish.
How well are you writing appeals, thank you letters, and cultivation communications that address those six statements? How well are you doing it across ALL channels and mediums?
Approximately 75% of respondents said these 6 areas of information are very important to them. Trustworthiness is also important.
Once again, regardless of who you’re prospecting or appealing to . . . regardless of their age (from 18 to 70+) . . . regardless of other demographics . . . address those six factors with clarity, examples, stories, emotion, and with donor-centric copy.
If you want to keep the donors you have as well as acquire more donors then give them what THEY want in the way they want it. You’ll get the gifts.
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