Data is your friend - no really!

I have spent the last two days at work creating and testing a model to use for our phone program in order to target future donors (folks who have not previously given for the glass half full set.) As I am doing so, it occurs to me that we all work very hard to get the right solicitor and approvals for our solicitations focussed on ensuring that the message matches what we are supposed to be putting out from a wording and branding standpoint but that more often than not, we are guessing at whom we are soliciting matching that message.

I would suggest some five simple targeting steps that we could (and should) all be doing:

Match date to their last (or most frequent) date. This can be driven by specific date (think anniversary card/e-card/email) or month - renewal letters.

Match vehicle to their last way of giving - you have donors who give consistently through a single vehicle - let that guide how you solicit them. You also have donors who are wildly inconsistent in how they give - consider how you can maximize the return from them and approach them that way.

Thank your consistent donors. In your appeals. In your other communications. Just because. Send them a birthday card or an anniversary card. They view you as important to them, ensure that they know you view them as important to you. Gifts will come in from these efforts even without a response device being included.

Review your email metrics. Center your online fundraising communications around those who are interacting with you - remember this is a portion of a conversation and those who are already reading your communications are speaking with you.

Take a look at the tools available in facebook ads. At the very least use the targeting tool to identify how many of your constituents have identified themselves as being associated with you. At the very best start to solicit those who are not likers of your page - for St. John's that is an audience of 43,000 out of the 49,160 alumni on facebook - you can solicit them to like your page or make a gift but use this to engage them.