You could be raising a lot more money than you are. Maybe millions more.
Where are these missing millions?
In your database. Really.
It’s the money people would donate if only you gave them the right opportunity.
The problem is our historical structure.
We have built fundraising around either mass marketing (direct marketing, or DM) OR personal relationships (major donors, or MD).
And we define the difference between them by an amount of money. People below that amount are general donors, and people above are major donors.
Huge — and hugely expensive — mistake!
Donors don’t buy into that definition. Many lower ‘value’ donors would be much more valuable if only we worked on building a relationship with them. And many high ‘value’ donors simply don’t want a personal relationship.
The solution is actually quite easy.
Direct marketeers need to produce the best possible communications for their top donors, and produce cheaper versions for lower value donors. They need to sacrifice volume (numbers mailed or telephoned) to free budget to allow improvement in the quality of communications.
And major donor fundraisers need to spend more time meeting with donors. If they did, the cost per visit would be less and they could also then justify spending time with donors giving at lower values.
Okay, that’s easily said. How do you actually do it?
I’m ready to show you in my latest online Mid-Value Donor Super Course. Find out more when you join The Fundraisingology Lab!
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