Impacting donor attitudes is the key to retention because,

• Donor attitudes dictate donor behavior AND • The attitudes are what you impact with your actions.

We set out on this project with one simple premise:

Domino Analogy of Donor Relationships

Our simple Premise led to Relationship Theory(and Dominos#*#%?$#?)

Our Theory led to a Project And… 7 1/2 Really BIG Takeaways

1. We have a math-based way to measure, score and improve donor attitudes. We call it Donor Commitment and it is a proven, leading indicator of future behavior.

2. Donor Commitment is the missing link between fundraising, communications and the bottom line

3. For every $200,000 1000 donors you move from Low to High Commitment you get $200,000 more income

4. The Donor Commitment Score requires ONLY 3 questions and predicts behavior better than other models.

5. The Donor Commitment Score can be used for benchmarking, tracking and targeting and we have developed inexpensive tools to help you do this.

6. We have identified the 7 Key Drivers, from among 34 possible options, an organization must take to improve Donor Commitment.

7. There is a best practices Idea Bank on how to deliver on the 7 Key Drivers.

7.5 We believe these discoveries will reduce the workload and expense for organizations by helping them focus on the few things that really matter.

What is Your

Relationship Status with Your Donors?

Does it even MATTER?

Does it even MATTER?

To the DonorVoiceBriefing where we’ll show the answer is

emphatic YES.

$200,000 more for every 1,000 donors =

A Comparative Look

Commitment

Competing Model based on Adrian Sargeant ‘s work Satisfaction Favorability Recommend

High $344.39 $312.65 $320.18 $306.51 $295.04

Low $148.91 $162.08 $172.67 $178.96 $199.27

% increase 131% 93% 85% 71% 48%

Highest HIGH

& lowest LOW

Biggest %

Increase

Recency of Last Gift (in days)Frequency of Giving (2010)

Dollar

Amount(2010)

DonorVoiceCommitment Model

Competitor Model Based

on Adrian Sargeant's

work

DonorVoiceCommitment Model

Competitor Model

Based on Adrian

Sargeant's work

DonorVoiceCommitment Model

Competitor Model Based

on Adrian Sargeant's

work

High 338 383 3.94 3.59 $173.93 $160.31

Low 453 396 2.34 3.0 $92.91 $131.20

Difference 115 13 1.6 0.59 $81.02 $29.11

overall mean for the sample, 389 days since last gift mean for sample, 3.29 mean for sample, $145.69

The Gold Standard - RFMBy taking actions to build Donor Commitment, organizations can actually improve the RFM quality of their files

What is All This

Relationship & Commitment Stuff?

More Details Here

http://www.slideshare.net/kschulman14/donor-relationship-management

Donor Commitment Model – the ‚messy middle‛ -

Details

How To Measure Donor Commitment

How To Measure Donor Commitment

Commitment to

Organization

1. I am a committed (insert org name) donor2. I feel a sense of loyalty to (insert org name)3. (insert org name) is my favorite charitable

organization

Donor Commitment

Score (DCS)TM

Reliability/SatisfactionEmotional ConnectionTrust

0 to 10 point agree/disagree scale

All these measures, all these scores, now what?

*denotes small sample

directional data only

Donor Commitment BRAND Map

2.2

3.2

4.2

5.2

6.2

7.2

8.2

9.2

2.2 3.2 4.2 5.2 6.2 7.2 8.2 9.2

High Commitment

Potentials

Vulnerables

Transactional

45 yrs old, $651 last 3 yrs, 35% giving to religious cause, 24% had experience since last gift EXCEED expectations

50 yrs old, $487 last 3 yrs, 21% giving to religious cause, 27% had experience since last gift EXCEED expectations

50 yrs old, $488 last 3 yrs, 20% giving to religious cause, 0% EXCEED, 14% FALL SHORT

53 yrs old, $216 last 3 yrs, 24% giving to religious cause, 0% EXCEED, 20% FALL SHORT

Biggest difference? Overall Experience since last gift

Donor Commitment DONOR MapSalvation Army Donors

How To Impact Donor Commitment?

Key Driver

Analysis.

Just not this

“driver”

1. Effectively trying achieve mission

2. Knowing what expect from org w/ each interaction

3. Timeliness of thank you’s

4. Providing opportunities to make views known

5. Provide feeling part of important cause

6. Provide feeling involvement appreciated

7. Send information showing who is being helped

Survey

From 32 possible drivers

What is All This This Key Driver Stuff About?

First, Ask the Question

What, under organization’s control, might impact how the donor feels about us?

•Marketing•Communications•Fundraising•Operations

Second, Make a List

These would be very customized for a client specific study!

Use statistical technique

to group items together

This is the mental grouping donors would do if it was at all possible for them (IT ISN’T!)

32 things is A LOT

Grouping them together is one thing,

But which ones really MATTER?

Which ones really Impact

Commitment?

32 things is A LOT

The term "regression" was coined by Francis Galton in the nineteenth century to describe a biological phenomenon. The phenomenon was that the heights of descendants of tall ancestors tend to regress down towards a normal average (a phenomenon also known as regression toward the mean).[6][7]

Quick quiz: why is Regression called REGRESSION?

Key Driver Analysis.

32 things is A LOT

1. Effectively trying achieve mission

2. Knowing what expect from org w/ each interaction

3. Timeliness of thank you’s

4. Providing opportunities to make views known

.39 (48%)

.14 (17%)

.17 (21%)

.11 (14%)

Commitment to

Organization

5. Provide feeling part of important cause

6. Provide feeling involvement appreciated

7. Send information showing who is being helped

.34 (45%)

.28 (37%)

.13 (18%)

Really Practical Stuff

&Shameless Plugs

Really Practical Stuff

Question: What do I do to perform better on the key drivers?

Answer: Check the Idea Bank

Driver #1-Providing donors with feeling they are part of an important cause (45%)

Exceptional storytelling. Creates a collective experience better than anything

Use of donor engagement language that gives ownership to them for the impact of programs. (‚Thanks to you“‛“‛your help did xxxx‛“, ‚you accomplished xxxxx‛

Allow donors to express their reasons for supporting the cause so they feel part of a larger community and establish a social norm.

Make donors the voice of the organization--invite champions to write the appeals, do fundraising among their friends and family, etc.

Continual reminder and updating on importance and urgency of the cause or issue

Frequent progress reports on movement toward solution along with reminder of urgency

Tell/show the other donors, volunteers, experts, etc who have joined in the cause

Use third party testimonials/endorsements from impressive/relevant people including celebrities

Tell the commitment stories of donors, volunteers and staff Use pins, decals, certificates and other indicia of 'belonging.'

Key Driver Idea Bank

Driver #2-Providing donors with the feeling their involvement is appreciated (37%)

Overhaul broken, lame acknowledgement system making it much more than just a ‘receipting’ program. Send 'thank you' from beneficiaries or in voice of the beneficiaries. Thank you; from benficiaries is best. Thanks from program staff at front lines is second best. Thanks from "membership or development director' is marginally better than no thanks at all. Communicate sense that the donor has become an owner or integral part of the program and its successes Use technology. Videos of communities helped“pictures of people whose lives were changed“first-person emails from volunteers on the frontline. Send a special note of recognition and thanks on the anniversary of their first gift, their birthday or other special occasion. If appropriate, recognition in 'honor rolls', special recognition clubs, annual reports and features in newsletters "Insider" memos shared from the executive director, members of the board or key staff indicating progress and noting that this wouldn't be possible without donor's support. Postcard or photos from the field with note recognizing support Certificate of recognition at key anniversaries or annually Packet of newspaper clips with cover note indicating the donor's help made this posssible Occasional email alerting donor to special events or recent developments Invitations to telephone briefings

Key Driver Idea Bank

The commercial sector is way ahead of non-profits when it comes to online engagement via feedback tools on websites and Facebook pages. Who cares you say?

There are three reasons you should:

Thank You for Your Interest and Time Today

Contact us here for more information or with questions:

research@thedonorvoice.com(202) 246-9649

Or visit us online, www.thedonorvoice.com

Or on Twitter, @kschulmanDV