Tom Ahern: Everything I Know as of 6/15/16

© 2016 Tom Ahern | www.AHERNCOMM.com

1

Your job, if UHCF really wants to fundraise itself out of a slow death, is to get a well-educated and –informed male, 68 years old, living in another state, to give you a gift.

Good luck.

2

“Ladies and gentlemen, this is your captain speaking. Welcome aboard this flight to somewhere between here and where you actually want to get to. Flight time tonight could be anything from one to six hours, depending on how well we do.

“We’ll be flying at an altitude that we hope will be slightly higher than last year but not as high as we flew four years ago when flying was easier. We cannot at this stage commit to a specific altitude. Obviously we hope we will go reasonably high.

“We are hoping for a smooth flight but if there’s any turbulence we’ll conclude air flight is unrealistic in this current climate and land immediately.

“Now, sit back and enjoy the flight!”

>> Don’t. Toby Bourke, former fundraising head, Greenpeace



3

“A donor’s heart isn’t stuffed with cash, it’s filled with passion. And that’s what you have to tap into, dear fundraisers.” Shanon Doolittle

“What do you think Universal Health Care does?”

“Something like Doctors Without Borders?”

4© 2016 Tom Ahern | www.AHERNCOMM.com

Describe UHCF’s purpose in 2 words.(It’s not supposed to be easy. It’s supposed to be nearly impossible without a lot of thought.)


“Clean water”

© 2016 Tom Ahern | www.AHERNCOMM.com 6

“Patient satisfaction”


A fundraising “case for support” answers just 3 predictable questions ...

Not necessarily in this order, though.



Why now?What’s the big hurry?

What changed? Why is this URGENT?1


Why now?What’s the big hurry?

What changed? Why is this URGENT?1WHY IS THIS A

PRIORITY?


Why us?What are we doing that’s so uniquely wonderful that the

world should want more of it and support our new plans?

2

“We’re a little, mission-driven place that wants to be recognized for providing the best care for the poorest people.”

– Susan Kelly, president Charles Drew U. of Medicine and Science, 2008

12

So, what do you folks do?



Why us?What are we doing that’s so uniquely wonderful that the

world should want more of it and support our new plans?

2“WE’RE #1!”

Not sure why you matter?

Pretend your organization, project, program, idea, mission or vision has

gone away.



Why you, the donor, might care?3

Connect with what’s already in their heads!


“Your donors have identities (e.g. bird enthusiast, cancer survivor, caregiver of someone with mental health issues, member of local community, religious person who is giving in concert with their faith) that explain why they chose to give to you. You are simply choosing to ignore it.” But they won’t.

DonorVoice, May 2016© 2016 Tom Ahern | www.AHERNCOMM.com 17

“Donors are staggeringly ignorant of the causes they

support.”--

Richard Radcliffe


DONORS MAY BE IGNORANT, but what they DO have in abundance are their own personal values, interests, beliefs, connections, experiences, upbringing, lost loves, secret passions, regrets, fears, angers, hopes, and built-in empathy [except for psychopaths]...



“All fundraising copy should sound like someone talking.”

-- George Smith


Thought for today....

Write drunk. Edit sober.(ancient advice followed by reporters)

Don’t be afraid to show the ugly.


23

Source: NYU neuroscientist Joseph LeDoux, in Emotionomics

“Negative emotions are linked to survival – and are much stronger.”


The amygdala

If there are no problems to solve, donors have

nothing to do.


Dear Jill,

What can I tell you?

Roe v. Wade celebrates its 43rd birthday this January.

Some of you remember. On that landmark day—January 22, 1973—a lawyer from Texas, an amazing female in her mid-20s, finally convinced the US Supreme Court to grant American women control over their own pregnancies.

It's been downhill pretty much ever since, I can tell you.

Mind if I share with you what scares me?

I fully expect 2016 to be the worst year yet for Planned Parenthood here in Minnesota (not to mention the other two states we desperately try to serve: North and South Dakota).


“Did phenomenally well in 2015!”

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DONORLANDIt’s a rough neighborhood.


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Beginning of mail

End of mail

Elapsed time: 1-3 seconds



The first gift you ask for is my attention.

28

The average attention span of an adult

human in 2013 was 8 seconds.

We’re #1!

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“What is our gift of joy?”


30

The gift of joy


31

The gift of joy


32

Editor: Michelle Brinson

The gift of joy



The gift of joy

The gift of joy

The gift of joy

Welcome toa family


“Synthetic family”

35

Source: Russell James III, 2014© 2016 Tom Ahern | www.AHERNCOMM.com

“Synthetic family”36© 2016 Tom Ahern | www.AHERNCOMM.com

The donor is IN the story frame


NOT just a spectator.

Donor, who art thou?



Arts = “Arts lover”Children = Adults (hardwired)Environment = “Nature lover”Faith-based = Those in the fellowshipHospice = Families of deceasedJustice = Tests well w/ AmericansLibrary = Patrons, “library lover”Hospital = “Grateful” patientsUniversity = Graduates

Natural constituencies

11 Questions Every Donor Asksby Harvey McKinnon

“Why me?”“Why are you asking me?”“Do I respect you?”“How much do you want?”“Why your organization?”“Will my gift make a difference?”“Is there an urgent reason to give?“Is it easy to give?”“How will I be treated?”“Will I have a say over how you use my gift?”“How will you measure results?”


I KNOWdirect mail isn’t

dead; it’s a major source of major gifts


One-in-six of first gifts from $2,500+ donors was through traditional direct mail acquisition, as was one-in-four of first gifts from $1,000-$2,500 donors.

“Think of it another way, take away direct mail acquisition and a significant chunk of your future large donors will also go away.”


Source: American Cancer Society, Analytical Ones via The Agitator, 2014

I KNOWthat “legacy gifts”

are worth more than major gifts


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Source: Pareto 2015


I KNOWhow to raise money through Facebook

It’s complicated, it costs money, and it isn’t for every cause



Making money from Facebook...

I KNOWthat donors aren’t

forever


“We truncate lifetime value at 7 years because that captures almost all of the giving. Most donors give only once. It’s rare even for a long-term donor to stay longer than 7 years.”

Jeff Brooks, creative director, TrueSense


I KNOWthat targeting

younger donors is a lousy fundraising

strategy (but an OK Facebook and advocacy strategy)


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Yes, I donated to direct mail, until I was 87 maybe?

Jane Joyaux | Widowed @ 65 | Died @ 90


4%

11%

17%

22%

47%<3535-4445-5455-6465+

Donors by age (percentage)

51 © 2016 Tom Ahern | www.AHERNCOMM.com

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Source: Pareto 2015


For eyes over 60...

AIGA recommends 14 pt. for body copy.


Basic message:“Without your

help there is no hope.”



IN THE BIG TYPE

visionenemyhero

servedSource: Stephen Pidgeon and Tangible

56

“Me?”


“It is the fundraiser’s job, your only job, to make the supporter feel good about supporting your charity. You have to love your donors. The money will follow.”

Stephen Pidgeon


BY THE WAY...

From you....They want to feel good.They want to feel loved.They want to feel smart.They want to feel needed.They want to feel important.They want to belong.They want to see their values in

action.They want to win!


The virtuous circle...

You ask (and flatter).You thank (and flatter).You report (and flatter).

You cannot flatter too much.


60

Source: Neuromarketing blog

“Even when people perceive that flattery is insincere, that flattery can still leave a lasting and positive impression of the flatterer.”


Direct mail does not operate in isolation. It is part of a system that brings in new donors and

then tries to cling to them.

The most costly failures will be in your thanks and reporting.The most lucrative successes, too.



THIS IS JUST AS IMPORTANT!


THESE ARE JUST AS IMPORTANT!


THE BEST THANKERS WIN!

How to write(Hint: Make 1st ¶ short.)


President Obama’s Top 15 Moneymaking Subject Lines($690 million raised)

1. I am just so happy2. I want to do this again3. My uncle Teddy4. This isn’t already illegal?5. My place, June 14th6. Karl Rove sent you a message7. Hey8. Me again9. Saturday night10. Up late11. I love you back12. Hell yeah, I like Obamacare13. I tried.14. Wow15. Clutch



It’s come to this.No one’s safe.He won’t be taking a backseat.This borders on scandalous.Don’t lose faith.Mad enough to kick a cat?It tipped the balance.

Leads from Ozy.

“Help” rather than “give”Booth School of Business, UChicago, via Claxon, 2016


69

Don’t just ask me to DO something.

Ask me to FEEL

something.



AngerExclusivityFearFlatteryGreedGuiltHopeSalvation

Common emotional triggers

Source: Jeff Brooks reporting on AMA Journal of Marketing Research, 2011



Direct mail secret to success.......

You’re trying for “mental nods.”(I.e., they agree with what you’re saying.)

A. Lee Edgar, M.D.


If you believe inHospice as much as Ido, open immediately....

Authority figure

Mental nod

What should I do next?


Sue the bastards.

Writer: Roger Craver

TAP AN EMOTION


Always tell ‘em what to do next...

Rule #1:Don’t bore me



What it sometimes takes to triple response, from 5% to 16%







“The quirk that works.”

Writer: Patti Saunders


SURPRISE/DELIGHT ME



Client: Signature Healthcare Brockton Hospital, designer: Andrea Hopkins

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Client: PPSNE, designer: Andrea Hopkins© 2016 Tom Ahern | www.AHERNCOMM.com

Neuroscience says…

“Coming across new information triggers a chemical reaction that makes us feel good, which in turns causes us to seek out even more of it.”

Source: Wall Street Journal article by Lee Gomes, on USC neuroscientist, Dr. Irving Biederman; published March 12, 2008


Rule #3:Never stop

asking© 2016 Tom Ahern | www.AHERNCOMM.com 89

Indirect ask

Direct ask

Direct ask

Indirect ask

Indirect ask

Indirect ask

Indirect ask

Indirect ask© 2016 Tom Ahern | www.AHERNCOMM.com 90

Your letter is one long call to action.

Indirect ask

Direct ask

Indirect ask

Indirect ask

Direct ask

Indirect ask

Indirect ask

Direct ask


16 asks ... NOT a recordPS: brought in 10K+ new donors


FREE FOR YOUsofii.org

A world-sourced archive of donor communications that worked.

© 2016 Tom Ahern | www.AHERNCOMM.com 93Source: Jeff Brooks, 2014

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Tom Ahern: Everything I Know as of 6/15/16

Government & Nonprofit