Let’s examine a common question of appeal mailings: Should I use a variable reply card with variable ask string instead of a remit envelope with a static ask string? The short answer is yes. Why? Here’s a scenario for you: Your teenage daughter asks you for $100 to go out with her friends (again?!). Being […]
We’ve previously shown how donors prefer round numbers. The pattern holds true for donations above $1,000. The following chart of 2509 donations above $1,000, compiled from annual fund results from multiple organizations, shows how much round numbers are preferred. Our Recommended Ask String Table uses these round numbers. Major donors have the biggest influence on […]
Experienced annual fund managers say that when you convince donors to give using monthly credit card or bank drafts, their annual renewals are higher. Membership organizations agree with that. Personally, I’ve had one charitable bank draft going for 30 years…it takes initiative to cancel it, and you feel guilty if you do! There are many […]
When you ask for a donation: Suggest a gift amount using an ask string. Remind previous donors when they last gave and how much they gave. The evidence is that doing so improves results. Previous blogs discuss ask strings. This post shows some examples of combining them with the right ask sentence. For more examples, […]
Data shows that annual fund donors are influenced by round numbers. Here’s how to improve your annual fund results by using the right ask strings for gifts over $100. I’ll bet that if you look at the distribution of your organization’s last annual fund gifts, you’ll find that gifts above $100 are almost all in […]
I’ll bet that if you look at the distribution of your organization’s last annual fund gifts, you’ll find that by far the most common gift amounts are $25, $50, and $100. To demonstrate this I compiled a data file of over 160,000 annual fund gifts from 30 of our clients—more than $25 million in gifts. […]
Use story in fundraising letters. Speak from the point of view of the potential donors. “I was helped, and now I’m helping”. Show what the help does. Use color photos with captions that support or convey the story in direct mail letters. Improve convenience and choices for the donor and gather more information by using […]