As a fundraiser, you know the answer to the question, “Do we have enough donors?” is always the same thing: No. We live in a world that is noisier than ever. The average person sees more than 3,000 ads per day. The cost of getting someone’s attention has never been higher. Added to the competition for minds and dollars is the reality that average donor attrition hovers at 55%. How can you beat the numbers and implement a strategy that will not only attract supporters to your cause, but keep them coming back year after year?

1. Accelerate Your Acquisition: How to
Rise Above the Noise and Activate
the Donors You Need
with Curt Swindoll

2. Interact with us today!
@pursuant
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Chat

3. Your Presenter
Curt Swindoll
Executive Vice President, Strategy
curt.swindoll@pursuant.com

4. Acquisition: Why is it so important?
• Donor attrition = 55%
• Potential donors are bombarded by 3,000+ ads per day
• The Internet and Social Media age is noisy and distracting
• The “Attention” Economy

5. Your acquisition strategy
depends on what kind of
organization you are.

6. Open vs. Closed Loop Organizations
vs.

7. Open Loop Organizations
Examples: Humanitarian organizations, some general NPOs
Donor Organization Beneficiary
Support Impact

8. Open Loop Acquisition
Donors don’t know youProspect base = Anyone
Advantage: Disadvantage:

9. Closed Loop Organizations
Examples: Higher Ed institutions, some faith-based organizations and churches
Organization Beneficiary/Donor
Support
Impact

10. Closed Loop Acquisition
Prospects are largely
limited to your base of
beneficiaries
Prospects have personally
benefitted from your work
Advantage: Disadvantage:

11. 5 Principles to Help
Open Loop Organizations
Find More Donors

12. #1 Be intentional about impressions.
Impressions include ads, direct mail, presentations, volunteer
experiences, word of mouth via peer or influencer, etc.
Where do your most-likely prospects hang out?

13. The most expensive part
of the acquisition
process is the cost of
the impression.
Open loop organizations are required to invest in impressions.

14. Creating a Tribe Takes Creativity
• Connect your strategies to
the nature of your work
• Leverage social media
• Make news
• Partner with compatible
organizations

15. Example of a strong impression:
donor experiences the work and/
or meets a beneficiary directly.
#2 Invest in immersive experiences.
Donor Beneficiary
Support Impact
OrganizationDonor Organization Beneficiary
Support Impact

16. But most donors will not be able to go to
the beneficiaries…
...so “bring” the beneficiary to the donor.

17. Storytelling is the answer!
➢ A donor must connect intellectually and
emotionally to the needs of an individual
beneficiary.
➢ A story is a simulation of a real, live
experience.
➢ The more immersive, the better.
Give the donor a vicarious experience.

18. #3 Improve messaging with donor
feedback.
➢ Survey
➢ Test
➢ Leverage social media

19. #4 Maximize the ask:
1. A donor ask should directly follow
experiencing what the organization
does.
2. Be clear about the use of funds and
your goals. Fund projects, if possible.
3. Help the donor understand what their
gift will accomplish.
4. Capture contact and giving information
in the moment.
5. Make it easy for them to commit to a
recurring gift.

20. #5 Leverage Intellectual Property
Donors are most likely to give when an organization has personal
meaning or value to them.

21. The Personal Value Hierarchy
MATURITY

22. Appreciate the value of what you know, and
to use that information to benefit your
donors.

23. 5 Principles to Help
Closed Loop Organizations
Find More Donors

24. Reminder:
Organization
Beneficiary/
Donor
Support
Impact
Universities
Hospitals

25. Because prospects exist (from the experience of
personally benefiting from the organization or
institution)…
…new impressions in a closed loop organization aren’t
necessary.

26. But those impressions are frequently
wasted…
…so we need to do a better job leveraging the impressions
we already have versus investing in new ones.

27. #1 Cultivate a culture of philanthropy.
➢ Current beneficiaries may not have the capacity or willingness to give
now, but they will later.
➢ Early impressions must establish the importance of a long-term
relationship.

28. Cultivating philanthropy:
The greater the distance
from being a beneficiary to
being a donor, the stronger
the culture of philanthropy
needs to be.
Time it takes a beneficiary
to become a donor
Importance of creating a
philanthropic culture
Case for Support
Need
Strategy
Vision
Opportunity

29. #2 Remember the process.

30. How to leverage an impression:
Impression → Connection → Engagement → Conversion → Sustainment

31. #3 Think transformational, not transactional
Transaction Transformation
Convincing/manipulating donor Educating the donor
Relationship begins with a gift Relationship begins with an impression
Focused on the gift Focused on the relationship
Securing a gift Engaging in a memorable experience
Organization is the “hero” Donor is the “hero”
Short term results Maximizing lifetime value
Premiums are tchotchkes Premiums are educational and valuable
Donor turnover/churn Retaining donors
Gift ledgers Annual impact reports
Focus on efficiency Focus on value

32. #4 Provide value-rich content.
➢ No one wants to join your mailing list! They want a “value
exchange.”
➢ Begin asking today, “What do our beneficiaries value? What
information do we have that will educate, encourage, help, and
support them?”

33. #5 Improve New Donor Retention with
“Reminder Cards”.
Content on these cards should demonstrate the value in having an
ongoing relationship with your organization.

34. Connect “Reminder Cards” to Content
• A diagram or model
• Three things to do every week
• Facts to remember
• Conversation starters for your
family, friends
• Steps to follow

35. Action Steps to Accelerate Your
Acquisition:
1. Determine the relationship between your donors and beneficiaries.
2. Identify areas needing attention or improvement.
3. Evaluate your onboarding process. What is the experience of being
a prospect or first-time donor?
4. Plan how you will address acquisition a step at a time.
5. Find creative ways to avoid the rising cost of quality impressions.
Leverage the impressions you already have!!!

36. Conclusion
Acquisition success requires:
➢ Understanding the nature of your relationship with donors.
➢ A process that is aligned with that relationship.
➢ Does your cultivation process allow donors to slip through the
cracks? Any investment in acquisition is largely wasted if the
cultivation process is poor.

37. How can we help? Pursuant’s GPS…
Key Multi-year 2010 2011 2012 2013 2012 vs. 2013 % 2013 2014 YTD Variance %
Available Donors 3,857 3,882 3,928 3,930 2 0.05% 3,930 3,738 (192) -4.89%
Active Donors 3,152 3,213 3,267 3,156 (111) -3.40% 2,013 2,041 28 1.39%
% Retained 81.72% 82.77% 83.17% 80.31% -2.87% -3.45% 51.22% 54.60% 3.38% 6.60%
Gifts 20,678 20,784 21,005 20,482 (523) -2.49% 4,948 5,098 150 3.03%
Frequency 6.56 6.47 6.43 6.49 0.06 0.94% 2.46 2.50 0.04 1.62%
Gross Revenue 2,284,948.94$ 2,351,109.33$ 2,540,910.69$ 2,945,144.61$ 404,233.92$ 15.91% 433,692.29$ 532,655.41$ 98,963.12$ 22.82%
Average Gift Amount 110.50$ 113.12$ 120.97$ 143.79$ 22.82$ 18.87% 87.65$ 104.48$ 16.83$ 19.21%
Revenue/Active Donor 724.92$ 731.75$ 777.75$ 933.19$ 155.44$ 19.99% 215.45$ 260.98$ 45.53$ 21.13%
New Continuing 2010 2011 2012 2013 2012 vs. 2013 % 2013 2014 YTD Variance %
Available Donors 707 1,063 775 933 158 20.39% 933 654 (279) -29.90%
Active Donors 301 413 328 286 (42) -12.80% 153 144 (9) -5.88%
% Retained 42.57% 38.85% 42.32% 30.65% -11.67% -27.57% 16.40% 22.02% 5.62% 34.27%
Gifts 1,180 1,404 1,040 1,076 36 3.46% 272 270 (2) -0.74%
Frequency 3.92 3.40 3.17 3.76 0.59 18.66% 1.78 1.88 0.10 5.47%
Gross Revenue 115,342.89$ 106,713.84$ 70,883.38$ 74,876.29$ 3,992.91$ 5.63% 15,338.28$ 16,757.39$ 1,419.11$ 9.25%
Average Gift Amount 97.75$ 76.01$ 68.16$ 69.59$ 1.43$ 2.10% 56.39$ 62.06$ 5.67$ 10.06%
Revenue/Active Donor 383.20$ 258.39$ 216.11$ 261.81$ 45.70$ 21.15% 100.25$ 116.37$ 16.12$ 16.08%
Reactivated Continuing 2010 2011 2012 2013 2012 vs. 2013 % 2013 2014 YTD Variance %
Available Donors 808 604 617 683 66 10.70% 683 519 (164) -24.01%
Active Donors 429 302 335 296 (39) -11.64% 82 106 24 29.27%
% Retained 53.09% 50.00% 54.29% 43.34% -10.96% -20.18% 12.01% 20.42% 8.42% 70.12%
Gifts 1,062 737 859 635 (224) -26.08% 125 176 51 40.80%
Frequency 2.48 2.44 2.56 2.15 -0.42 -16.34% 1.52 1.66 0.14 8.92%
Gross Revenue 101,951.42$ 74,610.39$ 102,709.12$ 91,022.77$ (11,686.35)$ -11.38% 6,893.32$ 13,606.55$ 6,713.23$ 97.39%
Average Gift Amount 96.00$ 101.24$ 119.57$ 143.34$ 23.77$ 19.88% 55.15$ 77.31$ 22.16$ 40.19%
Revenue/Active Donor 237.65$ 247.05$ 306.59$ 307.51$ 0.91$ 0.30% 84.06$ 128.36$ 44.30$ 52.70%
New Donors 2010 2011 2012 2013 2012 vs. 2013 % 2013 2014 YTD Variance %
Acquired Donors 1,063 775 933 654 (279) -29.90% 117 187 70 59.83%
Multis 255 186 238 173 (65) -27.31% 16 27 11 68.75%
% Multi 23.99% 24.00% 25.51% 26.45% 0.94% 3.70% 13.68% 14.44% 0.76% 5.58%
Gifts 1,725 1,247 1,472 1,171 (301) -20.45% 139 224 85 61.15%
Frequency 1.62 1.61 1.58 1.79 0.21 13.49% 1.19 1.20 0.01 0.83%
Gross Revenue 158,599.60$ 327,415.36$ 144,621.69$ 112,588.10$ (32,033.59)$ -22.15% 10,164.35$ 15,602.57$ 5,438.22$ 53.50%
Average Gift Amount 91.94$ 262.56$ 98.25$ 96.15$ (2.10)$ -2.14% 73.12$ 69.65$ (3.47)$ -4.75%
Revenue/Acquired Donor 149.20$ 422.47$ 155.01$ 172.15$ 17.15$ 11.06% 86.87$ 83.44$ (3.44)$ -3.96%
Lapsed (13-24) 2010 2011 2012 2013 2012 vs. 2013 % 2013 2014 YTD Variance %
Available Donors 1,284 1,490 1,621 1,390 (231) -14.25% 1,390 1,808 418 30.07%
Active Donors 328 387 403 303 (100) -24.81% 80 117 37 46.25%
% Reactivated 25.55% 25.97% 24.86% 21.80% -3.06% -12.32% 5.76% 6.47% 0.72% 12.44%
Gifts 515 656 643 531 (112) -17.42% 96 130 34 35.42%
Frequency 1.57 1.70 1.60 1.75 0.16 9.84% 1.20 1.11 -0.09 -7.41%
Gross Revenue 267,944.90$ 95,717.17$ 94,170.80$ 572,019.71$ 477,848.91$ 507.43% 11,043.05$ 37,960.01$ 26,916.96$ 243.75%
Average Gift Amount 520.28$ 145.91$ 146.46$ 1,077.25$ 930.79$ 635.55% 115.03$ 292.00$ 176.97$ 153.84%
Revenue/Active Donor 816.91$ 247.33$ 233.67$ 1,887.85$ 1,654.18$ 707.90% 138.04$ 324.44$ 186.41$ 135.04%
Lapsed (25-60) 2010 2011 2012 2013 2012 vs. 2013 % 2013 2014 YTD Variance %
Available Donors 3,501 2,816 2,772 2,993 221 7.97% 2,993 3,110 117 3.91%
Active Donors 213 163 205 177 (28) -13.66% 50 50 0 0.00%
% Reactivated 6.08% 5.79% 7.40% 5.91% -1.48% -20.03% 1.67% 1.61% -0.06% -3.76%
Gifts 370 282 303 266 (37) -12.21% 52 57 5 9.62%
Frequency 1.74 1.73 1.48 1.50 0.02 1.68% 1.04 1.14 0.10 9.62%
Gross Revenue 32,975.96$ 91,198.21$ 29,980.10$ 33,640.87$ 3,660.77$ 12.21% 6,215.61$ 15,188.68$ 8,973.07$ 144.36%
Average Gift Amount 89.12$ 323.40$ 98.94$ 126.47$ 27.53$ 27.82% 119.53$ 266.47$ 146.94$ 122.93%
Revenue/Active Donor 154.82$ 559.50$ 146.24$ 190.06$ 43.82$ 29.96% 124.31$ 303.77$ 179.46$ 144.36%
Long Lapsed (61+) 2010 2011 2012 2013 2012 vs. 2013 % 2013 2014 YTD Variance %
Available Donors 3,577 4,942 5,859 6,576 717 12.24% 6,576 7,330 754 11.47%
Active Donors 63 67 75 39 (36) -48.00% 9 20 11 122.22%
% Reactivated 1.76% 1.36% 1.28% 0.59% -0.69% -53.67% 0.14% 0.27% 0.14% 99.36%
Gifts 96 90 110 68 (42) -38.18% 11 24 13 118.18%
Frequency 1.52 1.34 1.47 1.74 0.28 18.88% 1.22 1.20 -0.02 -1.82%
Gross Revenue 13,301.48$ 12,768.26$ 45,537.99$ 6,734.80$ (38,803.19)$ -85.21% 2,161.86$ 2,470.00$ 308.14$ 14.25%
Average Gift Amount 138.56$ 141.87$ 413.98$ 99.04$ (314.94)$ -76.08% 196.53$ 102.92$ (93.62)$ -47.63%
Revenue/Active Donor 211.13$ 190.57$ 607.17$ 172.69$ (434.49)$ -71.56% 240.21$ 123.50$ (116.71)$ -48.59%
Totals 2010 2011 2012 2013 2012 vs. 2013 % 2013 2014 YTD Variance %
Available Donors 14,797 15,572 16,505 17,159 654 3.96% 16,622 17,346 724 4.36%
Active Donors 5,549 5,320 5,546 4,911 (635) -11.45% 2,504 2,665 161 6.43%
% Donors Giving 37.50% 34.16% 33.60% 28.62% -4.98% -14.82% 15.06% 15.36% 0.30% 1.99%
Gifts 25,626 25,200 25,432 24,229 (1,203) -4.73% 5,643 5,979 336 5.95%
Frequency 4.62 4.74 4.59 4.93 0.35 7.59% 2.25 2.24 -0.01 -0.45%
Gross Revenue 2,975,065.19$ 3,059,532.56$ 3,028,813.77$ 3,836,027.15$ 807,213.38$ 26.65% 485,508.76$ 634,240.61$ 148,731.85$ 30.63%
Average Gift Amount 116.10$ 121.41$ 119.09$ 158.32$ 39.23$ 32.94% 86.04$ 106.08$ 20.04$ 23.29%
Revenue/Active Donor 536.14$ 575.10$ 546.13$ 781.11$ 234.98$ 43.03% 193.89$ 237.99$ 44.10$ 0.00%
Year - to - Date (Jul - Sep)Year - to - Year
Sample Client
Universe: All Revenue; All Donors; All HPC
Donor Migration Report
Report Data date: XX/XX/20XX
CurrentNewLapsedTotal
Sample Client
Segment: Giving
Level:
Segment:
Partnership #
Prospects
Planned
Gift
Prospects
Current
Avg
Gift*
Avg
Lifetime
Rev/Donor
Avg
Lifetime
Gifts/Donor
%
Currently
Assigned
Existing
Major
Best 122
43
$4,765 $65,322 17
0%
Likely 34
18
$2,143 $14,332 8
0%
Capable 65
29
$2,465 $11,209 5
0%
Major
Upgrade
Best 141
24
$2,194 $6,555 2
0%
Likely 45
7
$2,296 $21,366 3
0%
Capable 27
5
$1,877 $3,221 2
0%
Mid-­‐level
Upgrade
Best 274
157
$296 $4,541 1
0%
Likely 101
17
$259 $11,725 6
0%
Capable 243
155
$371 $3,499 2
0%
Total 1,052
455
$1,852 $15,752 5
0%
*Average
over
last
three
years
Segment:
Partnership #
Prospects #
Contactable
Appointment
Rate
#
of
Appointments Close
Rate #
of
Pledges
Current
Avg
Gift*
Upgrade
Factor
Avg
Annual
Pledge
Amt
Potential
Avg
3Yr
Pledge
Total
3Yr
Increase**
Existing
Major
Best 122
117
75% 88
50% 44
$4,765 6.0
$9,530 $28,590 $209,064
Likely 34
29
65% 19
50% 9
$2,143 5.0
$3,572 $10,715 $13,465
Capable 65
57
50% 29
50% 14
$2,465 4.0
$3,287 $9,860 $11,709
Major
Upgrade
Best 141
87
70% 61
50% 30
$2,194 7.5
$5,484 $16,452 $100,194
Likely 45
32
60% 19
45% 9
$2,296 6.0
$4,591 $13,774 $19,835
Capable 27
21
50% 11
40% 4
$1,877 5.0
$3,128 $9,385 $5,256
Mid-­‐level
Upgrade
Best 274
260
70% 182
35% 64
$296 10.0
$988 $2,965 $44,063
Likely 101
98
65% 64
33% 21
$259 8.0
$692 $2,075 $9,087
Capable 243
232
60% 139
30% 42
$371 6.0
$743 $2,228 $15,508
Total 1,052
933
611
237
$1,852 $3,557 $10,672 $428,180
*Average
over
last
three
years **Over
current
giving
Appointments
per
Gift
Officer: 250
Gift
Officers
Needed: 2
ALL
Prospect
Potential
ALLPartnership
0
0.1
0.2
0.3
0.4
0.5
0.6
0.7
0.8
0.9
1
0 0.2 0.4 0.6 0.8 1
RFM
Score
CPI
Score
ALL
Prospect
Potential
Best
Excellent
giving
history
&
are willing
and
able
Likely
Excellent
giving
history
but
less
willing
and
able
Capable
Lower
giving
history
but
are
willing
and
able

38. Let Us Know How We Can Help!
Michael King
VP Client Solutions
Michael.King@pursuant.com
214-866-7764

39. Recommended Resources:
VISIT WWW.PURSUANT.COM/INTELLIGENT-FUNDRAISER

40. CHRIS TAFT
Account Director
Chris.Taft@pursuant.com
214-866-7734
ALYSSA BOGER
Director, Client Strategy
Alyssa.Boger@pursuant.com
Pursuant Webinars
Contact Chris today to begin your year-end planning.

42. Thank you!

43. Intelligent fundraising.