Are You Interrupting Your Donors or Engaging With Them?

Mass direct mail appeals = Interruption fundraising
Unsolicited telemarketing = Interruption fundraising
Spam email blasts = Interruption fundraising
 
Informative Webinars = Engagement fundraising
Tours or personal meetings = Engagement fundraising
Interactive widgets = Engagement fundraising
 
Engagement fundraising not interruption fundraising
 

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Art
Art
10 years ago

While I think that I understand the distinction between engagement and interruption fundraising, I am not sure that I understand all the distinction with in the tactics listed.
Being from a large organization that utilizes Direct Mail effectively (i.e., we are sensitive to donor needs and, therefore, we provide options to donors to modify the traditional “carpet bombing” approach), we rely upon direct mail for the lion’s share of the annual fund. Further, email blasts (sending email without donor permission) and telemarketing (calling to shake the wallets of donors) are not part of our ongoing fundraising efforts.
That being said, we have stepped up one of the three engagement pieces listed (tours). We had a discussion about widgets at our monthly department meeting, so our Social Media Director is taking the lead there. Webinars are a challenge for my discipline: Planned Giving. We understand that we can reach around the Division effectively, but we are not sure of the response level. OTOH, we could look at some kind of webinar (live or on demand) that would address Financial Professionals.
My questions:
Who out there has effectively used widgets?
Who out there has effectively used webinars? (Audience, provider, content, etc.)
Thanks for making me think on a Thursday!
Art

engagementfundraising
10 years ago

Hi Art-
I think I owe you a call since our last “chat” when Greg Lassonde connected us.
The answer is…. drum roll please…. MarketSmart. 🙂 I can show you when you have some time. I think I showed Tim more.
Off the top of my head, some organizations doing great stuff are:
– City of Hope
– The Humane Society
– Charity Water
I believe: If you are not actively seeking out ways to replace interruption tactics (including direct mail) right now… you will someday. The question is… when? To me, you can’t start too soon.

Art
Art
10 years ago

While I think that I understand the distinction between engagement and interruption fundraising, I am not sure that I understand all the distinction with in the tactics listed.
Being from a large organization that utilizes Direct Mail effectively (i.e., we are sensitive to donor needs and, therefore, we provide options to donors to modify the traditional “carpet bombing” approach), we rely upon direct mail for the lion’s share of the annual fund. Further, email blasts (sending email without donor permission) and telemarketing (calling to shake the wallets of donors) are not part of our ongoing fundraising efforts.
That being said, we have stepped up one of the three engagement pieces listed (tours). We had a discussion about widgets at our monthly department meeting, so our Social Media Director is taking the lead there. Webinars are a challenge for my discipline: Planned Giving. We understand that we can reach around the Division effectively, but we are not sure of the response level. OTOH, we could look at some kind of webinar (live or on demand) that would address Financial Professionals.
My questions:
Who out there has effectively used widgets?
Who out there has effectively used webinars? (Audience, provider, content, etc.)
Thanks for making me think on a Thursday!
Art

engagementfundraising
10 years ago

Hi Art-
I think I owe you a call since our last “chat” when Greg Lassonde connected us.
The answer is…. drum roll please…. MarketSmart. 🙂 I can show you when you have some time. I think I showed Tim more.
Off the top of my head, some organizations doing great stuff are:
– City of Hope
– The Humane Society
– Charity Water
I believe: If you are not actively seeking out ways to replace interruption tactics (including direct mail) right now… you will someday. The question is… when? To me, you can’t start too soon.

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