Recently, Jeff Brooks joined us for the Q&A session of Tom Ahern's webinar on appeal writing. It was wonderful.
An attendee asked if they should exclude donors who recently gave from receiving their upcoming direct mail appeal.
Jeff's answer may surprise you:
This is completely counterintuitive, but the person most likely to give at any moment is the person who most recently gave. So don't pull people out because they've given recently unless you know specifically— and this might sometimes happen with major donors—that they say they are not going to give again till next December...
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Now, I would even take that with a grain of salt on whether you're going to ask them or not. But... remember, giving feels good. And when they give, there's this warm glow coursing through their brains, and they're more likely to give again.
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This is unimpeachably true. I am not making this up. The data is 119% clear that this is true. So, don't think that you know giving hurts them... and they're feeling pain. And the pain has to fade away.
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No, it's not at all like that! It's the opposite. So the main thing is, don't pull someone out, don't decide for them that they're not going to give. Let them decide.
Then, a great follow-up question came from Whitney, a fantastic fundraiser:
"Can you expand on the idea that we should not suppress donors who just gave? How do you balance that against not making donors feel like ATMs?"
Jeff's answer was enlightening...
You can watch Jeff answer this question by clicking the video below. (Tom and I appear quite delighted!)
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Or you can read the transcript, here:
I think it's important in the messaging that one of the things we should be saying, and this is kind of in all fundraising, is: give them permission not to give.
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You know, that sort of paragraph that says, "I know this may not be a good time for you, and that's okay. Please don't feel pressured" — things like that.
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And they really go a long way. The truth is, they're in control. But when you sort of admit to them that they are in control, I think it makes them feel safer, better, and therefore more likely to give.
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And if it's, like, specifically a follow-up situation and you know they already gave... there's a couple things you do.
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One might be, you could say, "Hey, I know you just gave, and I really appreciate that, but we still have this need. And if it all works for you, if it makes sense for you to give, please consider a donation of any amount."
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You could say something like that. Or, in some cases, you don't know yet whether they gave to the first appeal. I always include in that follow-up, I'll start the letter: "You probably got my message a few weeks ago. It was about this... If you've already given and our messages crossed in the mail, thank you. Bless you. You're great. But if you haven't, this would be a great time to give."
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So, in other words, you're very often in a situation where you don't know whether somebody just gave or not, but I'd say, you know, make your working assumption that people want to give.
π May you always remember that donors want to give, and they appreciate the opportunities you give them to do so!
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