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• Greeting, identification, and notice of recording
• Intro should take only about 15-20 seconds
• Read this aloud before calling to make sure it flows easily
Develop the script: Introduction
Hello, may I speak with Mr./Ms. (first name,last name)? This is
(first name/last name) calling from PIC on behalf of
[ORGANIZATION] in Washington D.C. Thank you for your
past support. I'm calling because of a very urgent situation.](https://image.slidesharecdn.com/4-dm101tm-sept2017mollyfinal-170907215534/85/Avalon-s-DM-101-Telefundraising-20-320.jpg?cb=1504888793)
![29
Fulfillment: Other ways to boost
SMS follow up
Email before a call Email after a call Refusal/no contact emails
Thank you so much for
speaking with our
representative on the phone
recently and for your generous
one-time pledge of $50 as part
of our campaign to save [fill in
cause].
If you would like to fulfill your
pledge online, simply do so
by clicking here. Completing
your pledge online will put your
donation to work right away, as
we work to [fill in work].
Since I know how much you
care about [fill in cause], we
will be reaching out to you with
a phone call. If there is a
reason you have not yet
renewed your annual support,
please let us know during that
call. Otherwise, you make take
that opportunity to renew your
membership.
Your can also renew online
right now if that’s easier for
you.
Thank you for speaking with
our representative on the
phone recently. I understand
that you were not ready to
give over the phone, but
wanted to follow up with you on
our campaign to save [fill in
cause].
“We recently tried calling you
as part of our X campaign,
but were unable to reach
you. I wanted to make sure
you were aware that…”
“Thanks for your phone pledge. Fulfill
quickly and easily today!”](https://image.slidesharecdn.com/4-dm101tm-sept2017mollyfinal-170907215534/85/Avalon-s-DM-101-Telefundraising-29-320.jpg?cb=1504888793)
Avalon's DM 101 - Telefundraising
- 1. 1 Avalon Consulting Group,Inc. All rights reserved, 2014 Cover Page Avalon Consulting Group www.avalonconsulting.net ©2017 Avalon Consulting Group. All Rights Reserved.April 11, 2017 Client Training Day Direct Marketing 101: Telefundraising September 7, 2017
- 2. 2 1) How manyof you are using telefundraising? 2) How many of you are calling cellphones to contact your telefundraising prospects? 3) How many of you recognize this image to the left? Some questions to get us started
- 3. 3 How to determineif telefundraising is right for your organization
- 4. 4 • TCPA law •Size of your list • Your data • Reason to call • Budget • Leadership support Factors
- 5. 5 • Definition: TheTelephone Consumer Protection Act restricts telephone solicitations and the use of automated telephone equipment • Consult your organization’s lawyer/legal team • Prior relationship is a rule of thumb • Only applies to predictive dialers; can be done manually, but costs more • Cell phone appends • Email verification letters • Ask for phone number, then verify phone number belongs to that individual Factors: TCPA law
- 6. 6 Factors: Size ofYour List Universe selected Phone matched (~80%) Contacted (~35%) Pledged (~17-25%) Credit card (min. 35%) Fulfilled (~65%)
- 7. 7 • Look atfull universe—huge list, can you segment into renewal, lapsed, major, TM responsive • If not a large list, consolidate groups to make enough volume • Other data elements to consider: RFM and HPC segmentation • Recency, Frequency, Monetary Value • Highest Previous Contributions Factors: Your Data 0-24 mo. donors HPC <$100 $1- $24.99 $25- $49.99 $50- $99.99 HPC >$100 $100- $249.99 $250- $499.99 $500+
- 8. 8 • Always havea reason to call • Test messaging • Raise additional revenue • Inform about upcoming events/activities • Respond to emergency • Renew and reactivate donors • Recruit and retain monthly donors • Cultivate supporters Factors: Reason to Call
- 9. 9 • Telefundraising canbe seen as expensive • Contact costs range from $2.95 - $18 • Hourly rates range from $20 - $65 • BUT—it is an efficient way to raise funds quickly, especially with credit card fulfillment • Reviewing results by channel helps determine whether TM will get you the most bang for your buck Factors: Budget
- 10. 10 • You can’tdo anything without leadership on board • Find out why leadership is opposed to combat those concerns • “Donors don’t like to be called/give over the phone” • “It’s expensive” • Find ways to show leadership the effectiveness of telefundraising • Share results • Share feedback from briefings and monitoring Factors: Leadership Support
- 11. 11 Telefundraising: Opportunities • Havea conversation with donor • Test messaging in real time • Increase lifetime value when contacting supporters by phone, even if they do not give • Multi-channel donors are your best donors 60% 65% 70% 75% 80% $0 $20 $40 $60 $80 $100 $120 DM, TM and Web DM and Online Online Only DM and TM DM Only Income/Member Average Gift Retention
- 12. 12 • TM hasa negative connotation in the industry • Net revenue not as high as other channels • TCPA law and Do Not Call Registry • Getting harder to reach people • Fewer firms doing effective calling Telefundraising: Challenges
- 13. 13 How to setup an effective call
- 14. 14 • Collect phonenumbers • Select the right partner • Develop the script • Manage fulfillment • Integrate Steps to setting up the call
- 15. 15 • Collect phonenumbers on all forms—online donation, email sign up, events, etc. • Make “phone number” a required field on all your forms • Add necessary disclaimer line item to all your forms (check with your legal counsel first) • Integrate with other channels (e.g. text messaging, emails) Collect phone numbers
- 16. 16 Integrate with otherchannels to maximize overall effort • Call online activist/petition signers with multiple actions • “Free” pool of prospects • Call offline-acquired leads/donors • Canvass, DRTV donors are receptive to personal conversation via phone • Telemarketing can complement other channels, raising more revenue • Direct mail, email and other communications
- 17. 17 Identify call purpose CallType Description Appeals (phone responsive) Ask existing donors for an additional gift Renewal Ask donors to renew their annual support Reinstatement Ask lapsed donors to reinstate their giving Sustainer Invite donors and prospects to give monthly or upgrade their monthly giving Major Donor Use high-touch techniques to appeal to higher-dollar donors Prospect Call prospects associated with your organization NOTE: Cold prospects can NEVER be contacted by cell phone.
- 18. 18 Identify call universe •After evaluating data, determine pool of donors you want to call • What kind of call are you making? • Appeal (TM-responsive), Renewal, Reinstatement, Sustainer, Major Donor, Prospect • This determines the types of donors you want to contact • Budget—revenue AND costs • Review RFM segmentation and previous performance
- 19. 19 • Find outwhat the prospective TM firms excel in (e.g. boutique firms that specialize in sustainer calling, etc.) • Test firms—competition breeds success Select the right partner
- 20. 20 • Greeting, identification,and notice of recording • Intro should take only about 15-20 seconds • Read this aloud before calling to make sure it flows easily Develop the script: Introduction Hello, may I speak with Mr./Ms. (first name,last name)? This is (first name/last name) calling from PIC on behalf of [ORGANIZATION] in Washington D.C. Thank you for your past support. I'm calling because of a very urgent situation.
- 21. 21 • Three-ask structuresallows callers to negotiate with donor/member and allows donor/member to feel like they can negotiate, too • The first ask is usually longer than subsequent asks and should contain a topical subject affecting your organization, since this is the ask read most often during a call • Always end with a dollar ask • Read the ask out loud to make sure it is easy to read and flows smoothly Develop the script: First Ask We’re barely into Donald Trump's presidency, and his Attorney General, Jeff Sessions, is already causing major concerns. Sessions met privately with Russian officials during the campaign and lied about it under oath. This is unacceptable behavior, and Congress needs to hold him accountable immediately for his actions. That’s where (Org’s Name) comes in. With our project, (Org’s name) members are holding the Attorney General’s feet to the fire when it comes to protecting our democracy, from civil liberties to voting rights. We are on the ground in every state and we will keep calling for his resignation. But we can’t do this work without you. Can you help us defend our democracy with a special contribution of $2xHPC?
- 22. 22 • Slightly shorterthan the first ask • Cover a separate topic from your first ask because different subjects resonate with different members/donors • Always end with a dollar ask, but the second ask should be less than the first • Read the ask aloud before calling to make sure it is easy to read and flows smoothly Develop the script: Second Ask I understand, Mr./Ms. __. But if you heard President Trump’s speech to Congress, you know that it was riddled with plans to deconstruct our democracy. His lobbying ban is riddled with loopholes. His Supreme Court nominee will likely gut our campaign finance laws. And his budget plan aims to cut agencies that protect access to the polls. Mr./Ms. __, our grassroots are even more important as we fight to hold President Trump and Congress accountable. Will you help with a special gift of $1.5xHPC?
- 23. 23 • The thirdask gives the final reason to donate • It is the shortest ask and should be on a different topic • Always end with a dollar ask; this will be the lowest ask of all three • Read the ask aloud before calling to make sure it is easy to read and flows smoothly Develop the script: Third Ask I see, Mr./Ms. __. But just look at what happened in January. In the dark of night, the House proposed to weaken the Office of Congressional Ethics. (Org’s name) members inundated House offices with phone calls and emails. Thanks in large part to our organizing, House leadership backed down. Can we count on you to support our efforts with a special contribution of the same amount you've done before, $HPC?
- 24. 24 • Assumptive creditcard ask Develop the script: Check or Credit Card? (If yes) Great! We're processing renewal contributions by credit or debit card. Will you be using your MasterCard, Visa, American Express or Discover? (If no to credit card) I understand why you might feel that way, Mr./Ms. __, and your check is always welcome. But credit card contributions can be put into the field ALMOST immediately. Will you reconsider and put your $__ pledge on a credit or debit card tonight, so we can put it to work right away? (If yes, use above confirmation) (If person still doesn't want to use credit card) All right, is your address still ______? (If yes) You'll be receiving a renewal mailing in the next few days with a blue telephone on it. It will contain a confirmation notice and return envelope within the next few days. It'll help with the record keeping, if you wait and use this renewal notice. Is that alright? (If yes) I've one final request. Can we expect your check within ten days after you receive this notice?
- 25. 25 • Email verificationand SMS ask • While on the phone, confirm or collect email address • Also ask if they would like to receive text messaging updates about your organization, which allows you to collect mobile numbers Develop the script: Collect other information (If no) “I understand and I hope you'll consider supporting us in the future. So that we can keep you up to date on all our important issues, (if you have email address) I'd like to confirm your email address, is it ___? (if no email address) may we have your email address? (if yes, take information) Thank you again for your time.”
- 26. 26 • Prepared objectionresponses and talking points should bring the caller back to an ask • These should cover typical objections that come up on the phone and suggested responses for your callers • Provide talking points on different topics that may or may not come up Develop the script: Responses Q: I cannot give, but I do want to help—what can I do? A: We understand, and we encourage you to get involved on the (Org’s name) website with your local chapter. There are many ways to take actions online right now, such as our Activist Toolkit at URL. But the best thing you can do to support our vital work is to make a contribution, so we can continue this fight at all levels of government and around the country. Can (Org’s name) count on your support today with a gift of $HPC? Q: I support Donald Trump—I don’t want to give to (Org’s name) if you do not support the President. A: We understand. (Org’s Name) is a nonpartisan organization, but it is our goal to hold power accountable on both sides of the aisle and at all levels of government. Right now, there is a lot for us to be concerned about when it comes to questions of ethics and transparency in Congress. And that’s why it is so important to support (Org’s name) right now. We are working to make sure that Congress keeps up ethical standards while maintaining our system of checks and balances, and to do that crucial work, we need your help. Can (Org’s Name) count on your support today with a gift of $HPC?
- 27. 27 • Credit cards •Processed right away—preferred method • Check pledges • “I’ll donate $50, can you send me something and I’ll pay by check?” • Hedges • “Send me something in the mail and I’ll respond” • Other channels • Email, SMS Fulfillment: Types
- 28. 28 • Send creditcard fulfillment thank-you letters/slips ASAP • Initial credit card receipt + thank-you from firm • Cadence of mailed pledge letters First: Send 24 hours after phone pledge Second: 14 days after pledge if not yet fulfilled Third: 28 days after pledge if not yet fulfilled Fulfillment: Pledge Letters
- 29. 29 Fulfillment: Other waysto boost SMS follow up Email before a call Email after a call Refusal/no contact emails Thank you so much for speaking with our representative on the phone recently and for your generous one-time pledge of $50 as part of our campaign to save [fill in cause]. If you would like to fulfill your pledge online, simply do so by clicking here. Completing your pledge online will put your donation to work right away, as we work to [fill in work]. Since I know how much you care about [fill in cause], we will be reaching out to you with a phone call. If there is a reason you have not yet renewed your annual support, please let us know during that call. Otherwise, you make take that opportunity to renew your membership. Your can also renew online right now if that’s easier for you. Thank you for speaking with our representative on the phone recently. I understand that you were not ready to give over the phone, but wanted to follow up with you on our campaign to save [fill in cause]. “We recently tried calling you as part of our X campaign, but were unable to reach you. I wanted to make sure you were aware that…” “Thanks for your phone pledge. Fulfill quickly and easily today!”
- 30. 30 How to manage aneffective call
- 31. 31 • Start up •Training and incentives • Monitoring progress • Manage fulfillment • Evaluation Managing the call
- 32. 32 • Always senda startup guide for callers • Purpose/topic of call • Universe size • Campaign goals: Contact % (including caps), pledge %, credit card %, penetration %, fulfillment, etc. • Objection responses or other special instructions • Time frame—start/end dates and acceptable calling times Start up
- 33. 33 Training and incentives •Initiate a kick-off call with the firm and callers • If you can, always try to be there in person • Offer caller incentives for credit card rate, pledge rate, overall motivation • Leftover tchotchkes • Organization calendars/books/swag • Bumper stickers
- 34. 34 • Monitor regularly—butNOT during first two days • Seed yourself on the call so you can put the callers through their paces • Are the callers sticking to your script/objection responses? • Are the callers making all three asks and an assumptive credit card ask? • Ensure all notes and comments, especially do-not-call requests, are included in end-of-campaign file and loaded back into your database Monitoring call progress
- 35. 35 • Review dailystats—evaluate in real time whether to adjust script and call strategy • Check pledge rate, $/contact, average gift, credit card rate, fulfillment BY SEGMENT • Determine whether to suspend calling or call deeper on certain segments Evaluate!
- 36. 36 Evaluate! • Determine whether firm(s)are meeting expectations in terms of performance and contact rates • Look at callers, segments, etc., and make sure they are all working to your benefit
- 37. 37 Evaluate! • Review fulfillmentweekly • Analyze telefundraising with other channels
- 38.
- 39. 39 Thank you! Molly Barker AccountDirector Avalon Consulting Group 202-627-6506 mollyb@avalonconsulting.net