Newsletter Is Dead Melbourne

Welcome THE GAWLER FOUNDATION PENNINSULA HOSPICE SERVICE

The Art of Fundraising

Welcome to attendees

Introduction of speakers:

Sean Triner, Pareto Nicola Probyn, WWF-Aus John Burns, AIA

Why are we running these Masterclasses?

To provide training for charities

To provide fundraisers with practical tools they can implement in their workplace

To challenge, inform and motivate fundraisers

To tackle difficult issues

Copyright

This presentation, and elements of it, may be used to help charities raise more money more effectively. You may use it to build a specific presentation to your board or staff within your organisation provided that Pareto Fundraising is given due credit. You may not distribute this presentation, or elements of this presentation to other organisations.

Specific permission needs to be obtained from Pareto Fundraising if you are presenting at a seminar or training session to which other organisations are invited. We will request a copy of that presentation from you, and request that Pareto Fundraising is credited accordingly.

Feedback forms

Want your feedback today

Implement what you learn, let us know

Is important to us

Know we are being effective

Will keep us running these (they cost a lot!)

Introduction

Sean Triner – Managing Director, Pareto Fundraising

Extensive industry experience in UK

Expert on Australian fundraising market

“ Nearly always, newsletters are a waste of time” - Sean, April 2005

The Newsletter is Dead – Long live the donor update! Pareto Fundraising Masterclasses

Today’s Masterclass

Introductions

Why are donor communications important?

Audience straw poll

What makes GOOD donor communications?

What makes BAD donor communications?

Why newsletters? For and against

Newsletter evaluation exercise

Break

Today’s Masterclass

Feedback from exercise

Getting it right

WWF-Australia case study

Alternatives

Amnesty International Australia case study

Conclusions

Q&A session

Brainstorm

Why are donor communications so important?

Retention of donors

Tells donors what is happening with their money

Feedback on the organisation itself

Makes the donor feel involved

Creates advocates for your cause

Emotional involvement

Recognition of donor’s contribution

Sense of shared accomplishment

Enables you to promote your vision for your organisation

Method of delivering your services (ie educational content)

Facts about donor communications

According to the American Research Study on Donor Communication, 2003:

Only 47% of charities correspond with donors apart from solicitations

94% of donors say that charities they support never or hardly ever call them up without asking for another gift

56% of charities feel that corresponding with donors without solicitations is the most effective way of communicating with them

68% of donors would prefer to receive a short one page bulletin on the program that their donation had been targeted to

Only 19% of donors are satisfied with the current length of charities newsletters

69% of donors say “I don’t have time to read newsletters thoroughly”

53% of donors are concerned about the cost of newsletters

81% of donors say having their names published in a charity’s newsletter has no influence on whether they will give again

54% of donors think newsletters could be improved by providing more targeted information on how donations are being used

The Major Gifts Cultivation Model Make the ask The right person at the right time asking for the right thing Thanking and ongoing stewardship Identify and Involve prospects in the cause. Develop relationship

What does everyone here do?

Straw poll

Do you communicate with your donors without asking for money?

Do you do a newsletter?

Which media? Print, online, email etc

How often?

Types of non-ask communications

Tell me!

Brainstorm

Regularity

Honesty

Reliability

One to one communication

Relevant

Emotional stories

Information about beneficiaries

Tells donors what impact their donations are making

Brainstorm

Internal focus

One size fits all

Irrelevant

No info on how funds being used

Clear waste of money

Lack of focus

Lack of purpose

Confusing messages

Why newsletters?

Because they are an effective method of donor communications…?

And we know donor communications are important.

Retention of donors

Tells donors what is happening with their money

Feedback on the organisation itself

Makes the donor feel involved

Creates advocates for your cause

Emotional involvement

Sense of shared accomplishment

Enables you to promote your vision for your organisation

Method of delivering your services (ie educational content)

The real reasons?

Need somewhere to thank the sponsors

Donors say they like them

Communications pays for them, not the Fundraising department!

The real reasons?

Board/staff/volunteers like them

“ We’ve always done them”

Originally used as ‘appeals’

They do make some money

Because everyone else does!

The true purpose of the donor newsletter

“ But it’s not the physical object itself that donors want. What they do want, though, is the content: the stories, the photos, the proof that their money did good, the emotional gratification of knowing they made the world a better place. That’s what you give a donor, through your newsletter. Not a piece of printed paper; but a warm, wonderful feeling.”

© Tom Ahern, Ahern Communications, 2005

The Perfect Newsletter* *in our subjective opinion….

Is relevant to the audience

Is focused on the link between the donor and the need

Creates a feeling

Is relevant in context of other communications

Is well written

The Perfect Newsletter* *in our subjective opinion….

Has more ‘You’s than ‘I’s than ‘We’s

Celebrates success

Expresses the humanity of the need

Is not internally focused

Is timely

Newsletter evaluation exercise

Score sheet in your pack

Someone else’s newsletter in your pack

Write the name of the newsletter’s charity on top of your score sheet

BUT don’t give your own name – all scores fed back anonymously

Rate newsletter based on criteria

BREAK – 15 mins

We will distribute the scored newsletters during the break – when you come back to your seat, you will find your independently assessed newsletter.

Feedback from exercise

Is anyone willing to share their results?

Comments?

Getting it right

WWF-Australia

Evaluated their newsletter in 2004

Decided to change it

Now in process of rolling out new one

Introduction

Nicola Probyn, Direct Marketing Manager Special Projects, WWF-Australia

Been at WWF for 2.5 years

Manages F2F acquisition and retention

Project managing the new magazine development because it is a key piece of the retention strategy

Case study - WWF-Australia

Evaluation process

Why change? What reasons?

What was brief for new newsletter?

Mock ups of new newsletter

Alternatives to newsletters

Currently, many newsletters are waste of money

Can be much more effective

Can be personalised

Usually much simpler

Can be cheaper

Other ways

Donor care letters

Personalised

One to one conversation

Tells donor what is happening with their money

Reflects relationship

Includes giving history

Very specific feedback

A ‘letter with news’

Non-appeal appeals

Appeal letter

All the strengths of normal letter

Gripping case studies

Detailed information

No ask

Focus on specific area of charity

Examples of letters with news

My mum’s annual update

“ Dear Christine

I can’t believe how quickly the year has gone. Richard has been his usual self, getting free flights in exchange for some photos of those historic planes he loves so much. He did manage to get me into one and we did the loop…Sean’s still in Australia, I think he stands on street corners making money for charities. But no Christmas carols I hope! We are going to see him…”

Personal stories work Extract from http://www3.caringbridge.org/tx/joinerboys/ Getting on with all the news. We went to the One Step Closer walk in Allen in early April and it was a huge success. Last I heard, over $12,000 dollars was raised. Keep in mind that this money goes directly to finding a cure for MLD – so we consider this fundraising huge! It was so nice to meet Rhonda (Nathan’s mum) and get to share some time with her. The crappy part of this is that we are united in grief that is still a bit overwhelming. It was pretty emotional for me, but my group of pals were there to bring me back around. We managed to squeeze in some fun in the big city of Dallas and we just had a blast. I think that we all needed a cleansing weekend after the last few months. Make sure that you check out the Stennis Foundation website at www.stennisfoundation.org for more information on upcoming events. Remember, you do not have to actually walk to make a difference. The 1st Annual Joiner Boys Memorial Golf Tournament was held on April 22nd and was a huge success also, even if the West Texas Spring weather did not cooperate. It was cold, cloudy and windy that day, but we managed to have a good time and raise some great money. 96 golfers raised a total of over $22,000 that day for building the tribute playground! Can you believe that?!? Plans are underway to start construction later this year and it is going to be wonderful. Thanks to all that came and played and donated. We are still honored and humbled that so many people remember….

Amnesty International Australia Case Study