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KEEP YOUR DONORS: THE GUIDE TO BETTER COMMUNICATIONS AND STRONGER RELATIONSHIPS TABLE OF CONTENTS
Chapter 1
Beginning at the Beginning: The Context for Everything Else
Why the Larger Context Matters
Philosophical framework
• This I Believe
• Building Community
• Building Community Redux
Effective Organizations
• Key Components of Effective Organizations
Effective Fund Development
In Conclusion
Intermezzo #1 Why?
Chapter 2
The Red Pants Factor: A Story About the Power of Questioning
Finding Your Own "Red Pants Factor"
A Postscript from Black Dress
Intermezzo #2 What Do All the Words Mean?
Chapter 3
Key Components of Effective Organizations: Part of Larger Context for This Work
Adopt an Organizational Development Approach
• Limitations of Technical Fundraising
• Turning You into an Organizational Development Specialist
• What the Organizational Development Specialist Needs to Know
Build a Culture of Philanthropy
• Concept of Corporate Culture
• Culture of Philanthropy
Meaningful Questions
Personal and Organizational Commitment to Conversation and Questioning, Learning and Change
• Learning Organization Theory
• Systems Thinking, the Cornerstone of Learning Organizations
• Conversation at Work
• Asking the Essential Questions
• This is Hard Work
Value of Research - Your Own and Others
• Collecting Data from Your Organization
• Translating Data into Useful Information
Qualified Opinions Only, Please!
• A Curious Conundrum
• Corollary of the Curious Conundrum
In Conclusion
Chapter 4
What Relationships Are and Why We Have Them: The Art of Human Interaction
Relationships Are Everything
• A Radical Notion
• Relationships Require Choice
Types of Relationships in the Nonprofit / NGO sector
• Your Philanthropic Relationships
• Relationships with Other Organizations
• Relationships within Your Organization
• Advocacy and Public Policy Relationships:
Relationships Are Definitely Not Transactions
Do Donors Really Want Relationships?
Watch a Good Relationship Builder
Key Concepts in Relationship Building
• Sincerity
• Closeness and Boundaries
• Diversity and Cultural Competence
• Dynamism and Change
In Conclusion
Appendix 4A: Values and Mission of Equity Action Fund
Chapter 5
Five Rather Deadly Sins: Warnings about Relationships and Solicitation
Sin #1: Separating Fund Development from Philanthropy
Sin #2: Treating Giving as a Financial Transaction Rather than an Emotional Act
Sin #3: Trespassing on Personal and Professional Relationships
Sin #4: Universalizing Your Own Passion
Sin #5: Asking Prematurely
• More Visibility Does Not Produce More Gifts
• Ensuring Visibility with Your Prospects and Donors
• Don't Solicit Unless You Know that The Person Knows Your Organization
Not Sins but Certainly Worries
• Are You Worried about Donor Fatigue?
• Are You Worried about All That Competition for the Same Donors?
In Conclusion
Intermezzo #3 Direct Mail and Relationship Building
Chapter 6
Eight Steps to Develop and Nurture Relationships: It's What I'm Buying That Counts
Developing Your Relationship-Building Program
Steps in Relationship Building
• Step #1: Identify the Predisposed
• Step #2: Get to Know the Predisposed
• Step #3: Understand Their Interests and Disinterests, Emotions, Motivations
• Step #4: Identify What You Have in Common
• Step #5: Nurture the Relationship to Develop Commitment
• Step #6: Evaluate Interest and Readiness for the request.
• Step #7: Ask and Thank
• Step #8: Monitor Progress and Measure Results
In Conclusion
Appendix 6A Evaluating Prospect Interest, Readiness, and Capacity and Designing the Ask
Chapter 7
Identify the Predisposed: Finding New Prospects for Your Organization
Who Are the Predisposed?
• Introducing the Concept
• But What If They Are Reluctant?
Fundraising Professionals Help Organizations Identify the Predisposed
• Collect and Analyze Public Lists
• Listen to Your Friends and Colleagues
• Host Cultivation Gatherings
Creating Opportunities for People to Self-Identify as Predisposed
• How the Women's Fund Uses These Four Steps
• Building Relationships (and Identifying the Predisposed) at the Apple Store
In Conclusion
Appendix 7A: Learning about People Through Conversation
Chapter 8
Understanding the Fundamentals of Marketing and Communications: The Right Message to the Right Person at the Right Time
Communications: For Many, It's All They Know of You
Fund Development Is a Type of Marketing, and Uses the Same Methods
It's Not What You're Selling, It's What They're Buying Targeting:
How You Find Needles in a Haystack
Segmentation: How You Increase Penetration of a Target Market
Frequency and Reach
What is Branding?
In Conclusion
Chapter 9
Emotions: The Decision Makers
Introduction Orbitofrontal Damage and Its Implications for Fundraisers
Emotional Triggers: An Introduction Up to 135 Triggers to Choose From
Emotional Twinsets: Raise the Problem, Be the Solution
In Conclusion
Appendix 9A W. Gerrod Parrott's list of emotions
Chapter 10
Relationship Building: Details about Steps #3 and #5: Getting to Know You
Step #3 in the Relationship-Building Process
• Getting Started
• Keep Going!
• What Kind of Information Do You Want to Know?
• A Few Strategies for Getting to Know Your Donors and Prospects
A Reminder about Step #4
Step #5: Nurture the Relationship to Develop Commitment
• Role of Customer Service
• Some Preliminary Thoughts about Cultivation
• Creating Opportunities for Connection
• Ways of Making Emotions Tangible and Expressing Feelings
• Cultivation as a Community-Building Process
• Ideas for Nurturing Relationships
• Using Incentives to Nurture Relationships
• Using an Individual to Cultivate a Particular Relationship
• Debrief after Cultivation
In Conclusion
Appendix 10A Building Relationships handout
Appendix 10B Member survey of the Audubon Society of Rhode Island
Appendix 10C E-mail survey from the Audubon Society of Rhode Island
Appendix 10D Audubon Society of Rhode Island Internal Case for Donor Support Appendix 10E Women's Fund of Rhode Island Marking Milestones brochure
Chapter 11
Creating Your Relationship-Building Plan: Write It Down
Good Process Produces the Best Results
Plan Practicalities
A Different ApproachIn Conclusion
Chapter 12
Planning Donor Communications: Staying in Touch
Introduction
Writing a Plan
Building an Annual Donor/Media Communications Calendar on the Schwartz Plan
In Conclusion
Chapter 13
Characteristics of Effective Communications: How the Sausage Gets Made
Action is the Objective. Reading is Optional.
An Honest-to-Goodness Secret to Success: Write a Creative Brief First
There's an onslaught, and You're Part of the Problem
You're Selling Feelings, Especially Hope
You're Selling a Feeling of Importance, Too
Interest Me (or Else)
How to Interest Donors and Prospects: The Big Four
How to Interest Anyone: Four Chances to Win
Self-Interest: Why Greed is good (For Your Organization)
Make Offers
Passing the "You" Test
Don't Talk So Much about What You Do. Talk about Why It Matters.
Have Themes
You've Heard of "Values Voters"? Meet "Values Givers."In Conclusion
Intermezzo #4 What's the Role of a Fundraiser?
Chapter 14
Are You Really Donor-Centered? Are Your Donors Truly Loyal? Why Building a Better Mice Trap Doesn't Work Unless Your Donors Are Mice
Some Facts about Donor Retention
Donor Centrism: the New Old Thing
• Acquisition is Easy. Retention is Tough.
• "Donor-Centric" is Another Way of Saying "Building Trust."
• Why Donor Centered? Shouldn't Mission Be at the Center?
Simple Demands of Donor-Centricity
Donor Loyalty and Donor Centrism: Inextricably Linked
Is Your Organization Donor Centric?
Which Kind of Organization Are You?
What is Loyalty?
• Passive Loyalty Active Loyalty
• Lifetime Value
• Are Donors Loyal to Your Organization or to the Cause You Represent?
Current Donors Come First
Helping Your Donors Dream
• It's Relationship Building. It's Not Education
• Engaging Donors with a Targeted Gift
Acquiring a New Donor
• You're Invading Their Privacy
• Many Nonprofits Cannot Afford Bulk Direct Mail Acquisition Anyway
• Create an Exclusive Program to Bond with First-Time Donors
Your Organization Can Speak Out - But Does It?
In Conclusion
Chapter 15
Telling a Story: Then What Happened?
Why Tell Stories?
What Is a Story?
Fundraising Stories Report Results, without Lingering on Your Inner Workings
Anecdotes versus Statistics: Which Are Better?
Handling the Trophy Statistic
Use Statistics like a Spear
Have Themes, Then Tell Stories that Illustrate Those Themes
What Makes a Story Work? Sensory Detail
In Conclusion
Chapter 16
Communications and Social Styles: Did You See What I Mean?
Everything but the Words
What Does "Social Style" Mean?
• Assertiveness and Responsiveness Come First
• Assertiveness: Measuring How Others See You
• Responsiveness: Measuring How Others See You as You Express Your Feelings
What's Your Social Style?
Are You Comfortable? Are Others?
Are You Versatile?
A Few Caveats In Conclusion
Chapter 17
Conversation Nurtures Relationships: Asking Questions to Learn More
A Quick Side Bar: Questions Related to Solicitation
Purpose of This Conversation
Honoring Conversation
• Active Listening
• Listening...Sort Of
• Observing
• Genuine Inquisitiveness
Starting a Conversation: Why Talking about the Weather Is Good
What is Important to Those in Your Relationships?
• Here's a Framework That Might Help You Discern What's Important
Your Donors and Your Mission
• Ask Your Donors Why
• Ask Questions about Your Organization Specifically
• Ask Questions about Your Cause
• Find Out Their Values and Beliefs
Conversation with Donors at The Rhode Island Foundation
In Conclusion
Chapter 18
The Case for Support: Why Should Anyone Give You Money?
Introduction Preliminary Steps
A Good Case Is, at Heart, an Inspiring Tale
What Kinds of Information to Collect? A Checklist
Building a Case in a Single Meeting
• Why Does Your Organization Do What It Does?
• What Have You Accomplished?
• Why Is Your Organization the Best Organization To Do This Work?
• What Do You Do?
• How Do You Hold Yourself Accountable?
• Who Are Your Target Audiences?
• Which Emotional Triggers Would Move Your Target Audience(s) to Act?
Going from A to B: Answering Three Basic Questions
• Why Us?
• Why Now?
• Why You?
Types of Case Statements
• Internal Case
• Feasibility, Planning or Draft Case
• Public Case
In Conclusion
Appendix 18A Thoughts about Creating a Case for Support
Appendix 18B Housatonic Youth Services Bureau Case Statement
Appendix 18C Volunteers in Providence Schools Case Statement for Operations
Appendix 18D Audubon Society of RI Internal Case for Donor Support
Appendix 18E Talking Points: HousingWorks RI 2006
Chapter 19
The Donor Newsletter: How You Cultivate (i.e. Retain) Donors
Introduction
What the Research Says about Donor Newsletters
What Do Donors Want from Your Newsletter?
Seven Common Flaws that Undermine Donor Newsletters: A Checklist
• Flaw #1: Doesn't Deliver News that Donors Care About
• Flaw #2: Doesn't Put the Donor Center Stage
• Flaw #3: Isn't Very Friendly
• Flaw #4: Skimps on Emotional Triggers
• Flaw #5: Doesn't Tell Stories
• Flaw #6: Expects People to Read in Depth
• Flaw #7: Doesn't Have Real Headlines
The Flaw You Fix First: Headlines
How to Find the Story Behind the Headline
Electrons or Paper? High-Performance Emailed Newsletters
Your E-Newsletter's Subject Line Makes All the Difference
Electrons and Paper: Other Advantages of E-Newsletters
E-Newsletters Must Be Opt-In (A Good Idea for Everything, Really)
Fast, Easy, Still on Paper: The "Newsletter"
Simplicity Itself: A Proven Formula for a Donor Newsletter
In Conclusion
Appendix 19A Boys & Girls Club of Pawtucket Newsletter
Appendix 19B Example 1: Women's Fund of Rhode Island Newsyletter
Appendix 19C Example 2: Women's Fund of Rhode Island Newsyletter
Chapter 20
The Web Site Home Page: Click. Search. Do. Read? Not So Much
Why Web Sites Are Completely Different
Is Your Home Page Ready for Newcomers?
Getting Off on the Right Foot: The Importance of a Tagline
What Must Be on the Home Page, Krug Says
In Conclusion
Chapter 21
Tips for Writing: Think First. Write Later
Introduction
Your Fifth-Grade Teacher Was Right: Outline
An Easy Way to Outline: Ask Yourself Questions First
Know the Point of Your Story and Start There
Write about Benefits, Not Features
Write Less
Write for Speedy Reading
Beginning with a History Lesson
Other Common Flaws
In Conclusion
Chapter 22
Readability: Visual Aspects of Good Communications
Welcome, Browsers!
How We Look
From Guttenberg to Wheildon
Anatomy of a Failed Annual Report
In Conclusion
Chapter 23
Monitoring Progress and Measuring Results: How Effective Are Your Communications
"Is It Working?" How to Measure Your Results
Measuring the Unmeasurable
Get Your Thoughts in Order Before You Begin to Write: A Checklist
Evaluating Your Donor Newsletter: Eight Tests
Measuring the Effectiveness of Public Relations
Standards for E-Mail Solicitations
In Conclusion
Chapter 24
Monitoring Progress and Measuring Results: How Good Is Your Relationship-Building Program?
Why Evaluation Matters
Deciding What to Measure
Measuring Performance and Evaluating Results
• A Practical Example
• A Suggestion for Measuring Some of Your Qualitative Results
Analyzing and Interpreting Evaluation Results
Communicating Evaluation Results
Possible Performance Measures for Relationship Building
• From the Prospect / Donor Perspective
• What You Do to Nurture Relationships
Charitable Giving Measures that Reflect Donor Loyalty
Monitoring Progress
In Conclusion
Intermezzo #5 You and Your Organization: Sprinting into the Future
Chapter 25
Coda: Philanthropy's Moral Dilemma
Politics of Power in Philanthropy
Moral Dilemma Facing Philanthropy
Power, the Silent Haunting
• Privilege, the Driving Nature of Power
Understanding the Two Types of Philanthropy
Tradition Dominates
Have You Noticed: The Less Social Justice We Have, the More Philanthropy We Need?
• We Are Complicit
Philanthropy as a Democratizing Act
Attacking the Moral Dilemma
In Conclusion
Appendix 25A Questions About Privilege and Power
General Appendices
A. Joyaux's Concept of Enabling Functions, Skills, and Attitudes
B. Basic Principles of Fund Development
C. Resource List
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