Not didactic, this time, but almost unbelievable examples of success
Howard Lake | 14 April 2020 | Blogs
In my last blog, I extolled the virtues of tackling the current fundraising challenges by focusing on the experience you could be giving your supporters rather than the activities you were cancelling. I realise that I was somewhat didactic; telling you what you must do rather than making suggestions. I make no apology. You were very generous; I received not a single criticism nor challenge.
But I was talking about principles. Beliefs which I hold dear. I didn’t have any concrete examples to back up my beliefs.
A week on, Richard Turner does. Almost unbelievable ones. Quite marvellous ones. I confess to having had a frisson of pleasure whilst watching this. I had been proved right, and beyond my wildest dreams. I strongly urge you to spend just thirty minutes of your life watching Richard’s webinar. It is jam-packed with illustrations, interviews and real-life examples, and based on different insights about why donors give.
I won’t spoil it for you but let me give two of his examples.
One fundraiser sent the charity’s supporters a very neutral message. If they wanted to reduce their regular giving, or indeed take a ‘payment holiday’ that was absolutely fine and was understood. However, he also gave those who were in a position to do
so, the opportunity to upgrade.
I was totally amazed by the response. For every one person who down-graded or stopped, 100 upgraded. I had to double-check the number of zeros. I assure you it’s right.
Another fundraiser, at very short notice, changed the appeal the charity intended to make, to one which focused on the impact Covid-19 was happening on the people the charity was set up to help. They got more response in the first day than they
would have expected in six weeks.
These are not exaggerations. Nor are they special. They are merely examples which show how supporters will respond, in these awful times, if you ask them nicely.
Please watch, listen and open your mind to what is possible.
Giles Pegram CBE
7.iv.2020
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About Howard Lake
Howard Lake is consultant editor of UK Fundraising. He founded the site in 1994 and successfully sold it in 2022. As director of Giving X Ltd he is exploring growing giving on a massive scale.
He is the founder of Fundraising Camp and co-founder of GoodJobs.