Is your Organization Is your Organization “High Performing?”“High Performing?”

Direct Response Solutions, Inc. Direct Response Solutions, Inc.

What is a “High Performing What is a “High Performing Organization?”Organization?”

1) They have defined their “public.”1) They have defined their “public.”

2) They have defined their mission.2) They have defined their mission.

3) They have created an environment 3) They have created an environment conducive to fund raising.conducive to fund raising.

4) They are committed to long term 4) They are committed to long term success vs. flash-in-the-pan results.success vs. flash-in-the-pan results.

5) They set achievable goals.5) They set achievable goals.

Characteristics - IICharacteristics - II

6) They base their marketing strategies 6) They base their marketing strategies in their own metrics.in their own metrics.

7) They brand themselves consistently 7) They brand themselves consistently over multiple marketing channels.over multiple marketing channels.

8) Their fundraising and “friendraising” 8) Their fundraising and “friendraising” strategies are inextricably linked.strategies are inextricably linked.

9) They have prioritized donor need and 9) They have prioritized donor need and have aligned it to organizational need.have aligned it to organizational need.

Characteristics - IIICharacteristics - III

10) They provide clear insight on 10) They provide clear insight on how donor involvement can:how donor involvement can:

a. Save lives,a. Save lives,

b. Improve lives,b. Improve lives,

c. Create hope for the c. Create hope for the future, future, and/or,and/or,

d. Achieve greater cost d. Achieve greater cost efficiency efficiency

Step 1Step 1

They have defined their They have defined their “public.”“public.”

1. Who supports the mission?1. Who supports the mission?

2. Who should support the mission?2. Who should support the mission?

3. Who might support the mission?3. Who might support the mission?

Step 2Step 2

They have defined their They have defined their mission.mission.

1. Clear & Precise1. Clear & Precise

2. Limited in scope2. Limited in scope

3. Simple to understand3. Simple to understand

4. Universally supported by 4. Universally supported by

leadershipleadership

5. Addresses a supportable need5. Addresses a supportable need

Step 3Step 3

They have created an They have created an environment environment

conducive to fund raising.conducive to fund raising.1. Promotes donor awareness1. Promotes donor awareness

2. Leadership by example2. Leadership by example

3. Recognizes true nature of 3. Recognizes true nature of

philanthropy and the philanthropistphilanthropy and the philanthropist

4. Reacts to donor needs and 4. Reacts to donor needs and

preferencespreferences

Step 3 (cont.)Step 3 (cont.)

5. Sets an annual strategy plan; 5. Sets an annual strategy plan; consistency in planning promotes consistency in planning promotes predictable growth.predictable growth.

6. Insures data to be used in 6. Insures data to be used in fundraising is clean and updated.fundraising is clean and updated.

7. Keeps to deadlines – develops 7. Keeps to deadlines – develops reputation for timeliness, allowing reputation for timeliness, allowing true emergencies to be true emergencies to be recognized.recognized.

Step 4Step 4

They are committed to long They are committed to long term success vs. flash-in-the-term success vs. flash-in-the-pan results.pan results.

1.1. Use all tools available; invest Use all tools available; invest carefully in new carefully in new

ones, but keep your ones, but keep your old ones old ones sharp and ready.sharp and ready.

Step 5Step 5

They set achievable goals.They set achievable goals.

Setting GoalsSetting Goals

Investing wisely in your fundraisingInvesting wisely in your fundraising … … Allocate your resources to where they Allocate your resources to where they

will will best impact ROI – maximize best impact ROI – maximize efforts efforts to the core donorsto the core donors

Understand the contribution from Understand the contribution from lapsed;lapsed;

adjust strategy to minimize adjust strategy to minimize high high risksrisks

Limit acquisition to Limit acquisition to renewablerenewable new new donors; be prepared to donors; be prepared to

set goals set goals and measure and measure results differently for results differently for transactional donorstransactional donors

Setting Goals - 2Setting Goals - 2

Plan for significant upgrades in Plan for significant upgrades in response and income response and income from the core from the core donors onlydonors only; lay careful and realistic ; lay careful and realistic plans for large income growth from plans for large income growth from borderline renewal segments and borderline renewal segments and acquisition.acquisition.

Growth in donor file or revenue – Growth in donor file or revenue – which one?which one?

Step 6Step 6

They base their marketing They base their marketing strategies in their own metrics.strategies in their own metrics.

1. What are your baseline metrics?1. What are your baseline metrics?2. What’s doable for you?2. What’s doable for you?3. Breaking down growth goals into 3. Breaking down growth goals into

increments …increments …

How do you effect 10% growth?How do you effect 10% growth?

Setting Your StrategySetting Your Strategy

Replace attrition with recaptured & new Replace attrition with recaptured & new ––►Better ROI - increase retention vs. add new/win-backsBetter ROI - increase retention vs. add new/win-backs

Acquire only renewable donorsAcquire only renewable donors Set realistic goals by segmentSet realistic goals by segment Use last year’s plan only if it was Use last year’s plan only if it was

successfulsuccessful Never hesitate to change the strategy Never hesitate to change the strategy

midwaymidway

Step 7Step 7

They brand themselves They brand themselves consistently over multiple consistently over multiple marketing channels.marketing channels.

Print CollateralPrint Collateral Direct MailDirect Mail Web siteWeb site Event promotionEvent promotion

Step 8Step 8

Their fundraising and Their fundraising and “friendraising” strategies are “friendraising” strategies are inextricably linked.inextricably linked.

Every point of contact with your Every point of contact with your donors and prospects is a donors and prospects is a fundraising event.fundraising event.

Step 9Step 9

They have prioritized donor They have prioritized donor need and have aligned it to need and have aligned it to organizational need.organizational need.

Do you know what your donors Do you know what your donors want?want?

Donor Relationships - 1Donor Relationships - 1

Maintaining and upgrading each Maintaining and upgrading each donor donor relationshiprelationship:: Find and react to DONOR NEEDSFind and react to DONOR NEEDS Renew similarly to acquiring (medium, Renew similarly to acquiring (medium,

package, theme)package, theme) Set marketing plans and goals that Set marketing plans and goals that

are are realistic for each realistic for each segmentsegment

Promote regular giving, alwaysPromote regular giving, always Provide good reasons for the donor to Provide good reasons for the donor to

upgrade; acknowledge upgrade; acknowledge when he/she when he/she doesdoes

Donor Relationships 2Donor Relationships 2

Achieving more gifts from each Achieving more gifts from each donordonor:: Acknowledgment programAcknowledgment program Always ask again w/i 3 monthsAlways ask again w/i 3 months Donor welcome kits for new donorsDonor welcome kits for new donors Monthly givingMonthly giving Use giving clubsUse giving clubs

Step 10Step 10

Provides clear connection of support to Provides clear connection of support to a tangible end-result that:a tangible end-result that:

a. Saves lives,a. Saves lives,b. Improves lives,b. Improves lives,c. Creates hope for the future, c. Creates hope for the future,

and/orand/ord. Achieves greater cost d. Achieves greater cost

efficiencyefficiency

Fundraising is a marathon, not a sprint.

By all means, use every technique available to you to generate that first gift. But don’t conclude success or failure on immediate results alone.

You’re in it for the long haul … your ROIs are profitable only when you’re

into the renewal phase.

All that glitters may indeed not be gold. At least at the outset!