Monday, August 30, 2010

fundraising season (somewhere between summer and fall)

So fundraising season has started. Not here in NY state where kids start school somewhere around thanksgiving but in most of the country children are either back to school or going back this week.

To me that is the bell ringing on the start of educational fundraising season. Shortly children will be bringing home those absurd bags containing "fundraising" sales items - short for load of junk that you need to convince your family and neighbors without children of their own that they really need to buy from your child to support schools on top of what they pay in taxes. I may be a bit jaded here as I would sooooo rather that my child come home with a pledge card and a reason for me to give or ask others to do so. In any case - it is the start of fundraising season!

I think that we all recognize that we make hay in the fall. How are you incorporating your online giving and more importantly online asks into that process? Recently, I have talked about tying the phone program to online support and online support to the phone program. Are you doing the same with direct mail? Lead a piece with an email or follow it up with a second or supporting ask? Do you know what works best for you? If not here is my suggestion:

Split the file for your fall appeal with email in two. For half the file send a lead email providing a simple, direct informational message with an ask. Think elevator conversation - you find yourself in the elevator with a donor and they ask you about the school, what do you say, and how do you make the ask before the doors open and the donor gets off. For the other half of the file modify the message slightly to reinforce the letter. Track results from each. Which did better? Which letter did better? Which campaign did better?

Have you done this yet? if so what worked best for you? For me it has depended upon whom the letter is from. If from a volunteer, pre email works better, when from a Dean or the President the post email works better. Would love to hear your thoughts!

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