123. Back to the Basics: Annual Giving - Jonathan McCoy, CFRE and Becky Endicott, CFRE

Intro to Annual Giving, We Are For Good Podcast, Jonathan McCoy, CFRE and Becky Endicott, CFRE

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Overview

Here's the thing. We all have something to learn in this space, but sometimes we're too shy/embarrassed/bored to ask for a basic tutorial. We've been thereπŸ™‹β€β™€οΈπŸ™‹β€β™‚οΈ So Jon + Becky are launching a new Friday series called Back to Basics. We're going to be diving into the fundamentals of donor relations, operations, planned giving, events, campaigns, branding and several other general development topics. Why? Because we see a lot of young professionals joining our sector, as well as those who have left for-profit to chase the social good dream and just other Do Gooders looking to help their passion organizations. We want you trained quickly so you can do your thing on the front lines❀️ We'll talk strategy, structures, examples and our own success and failures. So tune in as we kick off our convo with Basic to Basics: Annual Giving.

β€œWe believe annual giving is much more than trying to get people to give every year. It is a lifelong journey.”
— Jonathan McCoy, CFRE

Episode Transcript

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Episode Overview

  • Annual giving is much more than trying to get people to give every year (3:30)

  • Look through the lens of transformation (4:00)

  • The goals of annual giving: the science and the art (7:50)

  • Flip the script with annual giving: buy into long term engagement (10:30)

  • Annual giving pro tips (11:45)

  • Do this, not that. (20:00)

  • FREEBIE: 24 Actionable Annual Fund Strategies from DonorSearch (27:00)

Powerful quotes

β€œAnnual Giving is your base of the traditional donor pyramid.” -Jon

β€œThe donor pyramid base is eroding. Retention is going down, so fewer people are involved in our missions.” -Jon

β€œWe believe annual giving is much more than trying to get people to give every year. It is a lifelong journey.” -Jon

β€œLook through the lens of transformation. How can you enrich the journey over and over again.” -Becky

β€œHow do you play the long game to get smaller gifts over time? Build to repeatability, that is where the power is in annual giving.” -Becky

β€œIn this collision of time when information and content is everywhere, there is so much competition with your donor and their time and attention.” -Jon

β€œLook at your engagement strategy from a multi-level perspective.” -Becky

β€œThere are people that you are moving that haven’t made a gift, and may never make a gift. What is the narrative you are driving with your storytelling?” -Jon

β€œOnce you align on values, the gifts are going to follow.” -Jon

β€œWe’ve been in this world for almost 20 years. There is a lot of untapped potential within annual giving.” -Becky

The Goals of Annual Giving

  1. Acquisition

  2. Retention

  3. Upgrading Donors

  4. Connect Based on Shared Values

  5. Communicate Impact

  6. Deepen the Relationship By Deploying Diverse Engagement Tools

  7. Move Donors into Their Final Parking Lots

Annual Giving Pro Tips - Elevate your current program

Understand your donors - don’t lump them together!

  • Don’t lump all of your donors together when you are engaging and communicating with them. All donors are different individuals and they consume their information in different ways

Look at your mid-level donors.

  • There is a special space between the first gift and being personally managed in major gifts. Give this group a peek behind the curtain. Help them understand your vision and bring them with you where you are going.

Dive into communication segmentation.

Make giving really simple.

Monthly giving is your new best friend.

  • If you don’t have a robust monthly giving program, you are missing out. Think about monthly giving about repeatability. They’re not thinking about what is coming out of their bank account each month, they’re thinking about their impact. Make them feel like they are in community and show them the mighty movement they are a part of. Play smaller and build up!

Lean into understanding your donor’s journey.

What is typically step 1-20 of how you move through your organization. Oftentimes people skip steps, and you have to be ready for that. Understand the general flow to help you build campaigns for your annual giving pipeline.

πŸ‘‰ Do This, Not That.

DON’T send one fundraising letter a year, DO create a multi channel approach.

DON’T make a restrictive ask, DO talk about impact rather than the projects.

DON’T lump all your donors into one appeal and treat them equally, DO find ways to segment into groups.

DON’T leave the amount space blank on your pledge card, DO make personalized giving amounts.

DON’T just try to distribute something and forget to examine it, DO examine your research. Disrupt, grow, adapt, and repeat.

FREE Workshop! Write less and engage more, today!

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Intro to Annual Giving, We Are For Good Podcast, Jonathan McCoy, CFRE and Becky Endicott, CFRE
Intro to Annual Giving, We Are For Good Podcast, Jonathan McCoy, CFRE and Becky Endicott, CFRE
Intro to Annual Giving, We Are For Good Podcast, Jonathan McCoy, CFRE and Becky Endicott, CFRE
Intro to Annual Giving, We Are For Good Podcast, Jonathan McCoy, CFRE and Becky Endicott, CFRE
Try Stuff, Jonathan McCoy, CFRE and Becky Endicott, CFRE
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122. How to Create a Compelling Donor Journey to Grow Engagement - Cameron Bartlett