Doing more with data: talk to donors “where they are”
Mar 3rd, 2009 by Amy Southerland
For nonprofits, using variable data in marketing efforts is nothing new. We’re accustomed to sending solicitations using the prospect or donor’s name and address. But that’s just the beginning. Once you’ve reached a donor, you have the perfect opportunity to begin a two-way dialogue that develops a long-term, hopefully lifetime relationship. Once someone makes a donation, you can begin to learn more.
As you capture a wider range of data and accumulate data over time, you can take what you have learned from this donor to deliver highly personalized communications. You can talk to donors “where they are” - both physically and mentally.
Using variable text that’s based on variable data, you can:
- Send each donor a message that matters.
- Provide a call to action that is specific and relevant.
- Speak in ways that reflect each donor’s current level of engagement.
For instance, if your nonprofit holds events in various locations (e.g., a health group that offers mobile health testing; an animal shelter with a mobile adoption van; a job-training program that sponsors employment fairs), you can key off zip code to deliver targeted messaging to people who live or work in close proximity to an upcoming event.
You might develop four ways to speak to donors based on their priorities, past behaviors, and current relationship to your organization. Four possibilities are:
- An invitation to attend the event as an opportunity to network with like-minded neighbors and community leaders.
- A request that they volunteer to help staff the event.
- A suggestion that they bring neighbors (or work colleagues) to the event with them (as volunteers, or to a neighborhood-based meet-and-greet)
- A low-pressure “we thought you’d like to know we’ll be in your neighborhood [or near your office] next weekend” with an invitation to drop by.
Which of these messages you deliver can key off what you know about the donor - include behavioral data, affinities, demographics, and RFM (Recency, Frequency, and Monetary value of donations).
For instance, if you know a donor is likely to be motivated by the opportunity to network and there will be some movers-and-shakers on hand at the event, you might select option A. If you are still trying to acquire a donor (or gently move them from initial donation to a greater sense of engagement), option D may be more appropriate. You could also bring in age data to further customize messages based on each donor’s generational perspective.
If your nonprofit delivers customized communications with calls to action that are relevant and specific - and, therefore, truly actionable - you’ll have a much better chance of laying the groundwork for a lasting, fruitful relationship.
