art and science: why you need both to build individual donations to your charity
DESCRIPTION
By Richard Nicholls, Age Cymru. WCVA Funding Conference 2012.TRANSCRIPT
Art & Science
Why You Need Both To Build
Individual Donations To Your
Charity
Richard Nicholls
• Harnessing all your channels to ask
• Using case studies
• The process of making approachesa) Using a prospect report effectively
b) Cultivating future support
c) Meeting etiquette and getting appointments
• Asking and making the most of the it
• Asking at the right level and understanding tax
What we’re going to cover
People...
...give to people
Name Type Key
ContactProject Status Goal
Date
Expected
Last
Action
Office
Lead
Leading
Super-
Market
Comp.Mktg
Director
Spread
the
Warmth
Identify £25k Dec 2013
Invited
them to our
annual
dinner
Kevin
Local
well
known
wealthy
bus. man
Indiv. Our Chair
Spread
the
Warmth
Res £5k Dec 2013
Chair
invited to
tour
building
Kevin
National
LotteryTrust
Awards
for All
prog
manager
Spread
the
Warmth
Ask £5k Dec 2013Written
app madeRich
Gift Aid
on
Donated
Goods
Indiv. Retail Mgr
Spread
the
Warmth
Plan £2.5k Dec 2013Prepared
data setRich
Build a prospect report
1 Use it everyday and keep it updated.
2 Share it with senior staff every month – not once a year.
3Let your colleagues and associates help you to build it.Fundraising is a team sport.
4 One fundraiser can only really manage 50 contacts.
5 But every fundraiser should have 200 names on their list.
Five golden rules of prospecting
DATA MINERESEARCH IN
DEPTHUNDERSTANDMOTIVATIONS
Clients Giving History Socialite
Gift Aided GoodsClubs &
Associations Devout
Policy Holders Peer Networks Affected by cause
Campaigners
Ensure your report really is
your top list!
• The time and investment in an agreed, written approach plan is worth it for higher level individual donors
• Don’t let your Chief Executive tell you they are too busy
• Don’t fail to prepare your Chief Exec to be prepared
• Make your brief stimulating – use photographs to bring your approach plans to life
“By failing to prepare, you are preparing to fail...”
...Benjamin Franklin (on higher level donors?)
Plan approaches
to high level donors
Common reasons for
fundraisers not being
able to engage a
Prospect
Possible solutions Example Why?
“Didn’t get a
response to the
email or letter I sent”
Go back to your
research and find a
connection that will
make your offer
more attractive.
President of Ford
Motor Company –
lecture to MBA
students
People like being
flattered!
I got a response “but
the Chief Exec of the
UK’s biggest
supermarket chain is
too busy to meet me”
Think creatively
about the
opportunities we can
present that people
do not ordinarily
have access to.
See an equine
veterinarian in
action
People want to
experience new
opportunities
We wrote to 5,000
people asking them
to support the
Animal Hospital
appeal but only 25
people supported
(0.5%)
People support
people or pets – find
a different why of
writing to them.
Letter comes from
their pet! Response
rate becomes the
best ever seen
(25%!!!!)
Emotional
connection; future
investment in their
pets wellbeing
Art of Getting in!
DO DON’T
...observe etiquette from your
emails/letter preparation to the
meeting itself.
...ever keep your mobile phone
on – let alone actually use it.
...prepare in terms of
appearance – show the person
you respect them giving you
their time.
...wear inappropriate clothing.
The meeting is about the donor
– not you.
...arrive early. ...arrive late.
...listen. Match the donors
interests with your project.
...Do all the talking.
Asking Do’s and Don’ts
• Project Manager/Chief Executive/Service User to ask
• Fundraiser to attend – never ‘go solo’
• Use a Table of Gifts
• Let the donor know what their peers are giving
• Prepare in advance your naming and recognition policy
• Confirm with the donor their intentions
• after they have been expressed
• Prepare to be surprised
• Don’t be afraid to ask again
• Provide a donor charter
• Say thanks!
Higher level donors –
How to ask!
Gift Aid basic rate 25%
Higher Rate Tax Payers 40% or 50%
HRTP claim the difference back!
Give £100 (charity gets £125) claim back
either £25 or £37.50
The donation that cost you £75 or even
£62.50 gets the charity £125
Other tax breaks for companies and for
payroll
SO DON’T UNDER ASK!!!!
Make the donation work
hard for your charity
Ask whenever you can
Keep asking!
• According to Webster's New Collegiate Dictionary, the definition of science is "knowledge attained through study or practice," or "knowledge covering general truths of the operation of general laws”
• According to Tolstoy, art must create a specific emotional link between artist and audience, one that "affects" the viewer. Thus, real art requires the capacity to unite people via communication
Age Cymru Spread the Warmth campaign starts
now finishes February and involves: ITV Text
Santa; Keep Well This Winter Guide; Age Cymru
Thermometers; Edwards Coaches partnership;
Bobble Day; Gala Dinner and Awards; Winter
Concert; Winter Warmer; Bilingual Christmas
Card range; Fill Me Til I Want no More
Collections; Choir practice; Cathedral Concert;
Raffle; Big Knit with Innocent Smoothies;
Information and Advice Guides; Energy
Insurance Promotion; Running Events; And
there’s more!