How to Speak Well (Enough) With Your Extraordinary Family of Trusting Supporters … in These Darker Times

“Tom Ahern … is one of the
country’s most sought-after
creators of fund-raising
messages.”
The New York Times
How to Speak Well (Enough) With
Your Extraordinary Family of Trusting Supporters ... in
These Darker Times
A special presentation
by Tom Ahern for
Unanticipated events happen
© 2020 Tom Ahern 1

© 2020 JOYAUX/AHERN 2
WHAT
CHARITIES
FEAR

Fundraising now is insensitive. If you ask people to give, your message will likely reach people who have lost
their jobs, taken serious hits to their investments, even lost loved ones to the virus. Of course, this is always a
possibility. It doesn't make your message insensitive. There's nothing you can do that forces a donor to give, and
they know that. All we can ever do is put the need out there and ask them to help if they can. Same as always.
Someone might complain (or someone did complain). Someone will complain. The only type of fundraising
that gets no complaints is the kind that nobody notices. Your job is not to avoid complaints; it's to raise funds.
And when you handle a complaint with grace, kindness, and the truth ... it sometimes turns into a great
relationship.
Fundraising now is exploitative. Exploitative is telling people to buy an unproven medication you have a
financial stake in. Telling people the truth about a real need and giving them the opportunity to make a difference
is not.
It might get worse later. Yes, it might. But that's no reason to wait. All we know right now is how things are
right now. A donor who gives now is a donor who is more likely to give later. Their compassionate is not a zero-
sum thing.
They might give now instead of at year end. See above. It's possible some donors might make their planned
year-end donation now. If they do, great! You have the revenue now, when you really need it! And a lot of those
same people will give both times.
We need to cut costs. If income is down, you quite likely need to cut costs. But the worst possible thing to cut is
fundraising. That only means you'll have to make deeper and more painful cuts later. Remember, every dollar you
spend on fundraising results in several net dollars coming back to you.
Big picture, many nonprofits face serious financial pain, now and in the coming months. But going silent on
donors has only one guaranteed outcome: That will make it worse.
Believe in your donors. They cared about you before this crisis. They'll care afterward. And they care in the midst
of it. Some may be less able to give, but don't take it on yourself to decide for them that they can't or won't.
Future Fundraising Now, Jeff Brooks, April 8, 2020
3© 2020 JOYAUX/AHERN
NO!
SO?
JOKING?
YEAH?
O~COME~ON
DUMB
IN
CONCLUSION

© 2020 JOYAUX/AHERN 4
WHAT’S
ACTUALLY
HAPPENING

April 2020 via Mark Phillips, Bluefrog

Overall, Bloomerang customers that sent
fundraising appeals raised $1.35MM more
during the COVID-19 crisis than they did
during the same time period last year! We
wanted to highlight some of those success
stories here. [videotaped case studies are
found under “Freebies” menu]
HOPE

© 2020 Tom Ahern 7
“WE CANCELED
THE EVENT &
MADE MORE $$!”
Naperville (IL) Education Foundation

8
From Bloomerang’s COVID-19 Fundraising Success Stories online
© 2020 Tom Ahern
1. Email cancels 27th annual fundraiser;
$100,000 in donations at risk
2. Email announces new Kid Booster Crisis
Fund (to replace donations lost at event)

9
© 2020 Tom Ahern
3. Long day-of email virtually shares some
experiences from the canceled event
Final result? Instead of netting $75,000 after
expenses, the foundation netted $100,000+

© 2020 Tom Ahern 10
“DITTO FOR US.
CANCELED THE
EVENT & WENT
OVER GOAL!”
Peace Community Center, Tacoma, WA

11
© 2020 Tom Ahern
1. Email cancels big annual benefit but
retains goal of raising $100,000
2. Five emailed appeals lead up to the day
of the canceled event. This is the final
ask.

12
© 2020 Tom Ahern
3. When the campaign closed, a wonderful thank-you email was sent. It saluted the
community’s values and generosity and included a heartfelt video from the ED.

WHAT
THEY
CAN DO
FOR YOU

AN EMERGENCY
E-APPEAL
TEMPLATE THAT
WORKS
[if you already have supporters]

15
THIS EARNED A DONATION FROM ME© 2020 Tom Ahern

16
Amount I chose. Why?
© 2020 Tom Ahern

17
Opening rate: 49.1%
Click-thru rate: 9.7%
In 24 hours: $10,686
Goal: $22,000
Sent to 1,000 emails
85 donors/avg. $125
Sending again
Same template raised $1.5 million
for small org.s in last two weeks
© 2020 Tom Ahern

1. State that the message is urgent. “I don't
normally send you emails like this ... but
these are desperate times.” Get straight to
the point.
2. Describe how the situation is hurting your
beneficiaries/cause/org. “The coronavirus is
already forcing moms and kids to the edge
of homelessness by devastating their
income.”
The Better Fundraising Co. 8-point e-appeal formula, April 2020

3. Ask for a special gift to help. “Will you please
make an urgent gift of $33 to provide emergency
housing assistance?” NOTE: Most donors are not
going to read past here, so you’ve already done
everything you need to do to get a gift from a lot
of people.
4. Very short story to illustrate need. Describing the
need TODAY. “Here's what going on. I just got
off the phone from speaking with a worried mom
named Angie. Angie waits tables....”

5. Show how gift perfectly fits need. NO “please
partner with us” language. Describe the EXACT
need. “Your gift will provide emergency housing
assistance to a mom like Angie who’s unable to
pay her rent. You save her and her kids from
being homeless.”
6. The need is bigger than one. “Just this week I’ve
already gotten more phone calls from worried
moms like Angie. Their jobs are at risk. Kids are
out of school. And daycare is unaffordable. Plus it
is still cold and wet outside. This is no time to be
homeless.”

7. Not in your budget. “There are no funds in our
budget to meet this unexpected need. But your gift
today will provide instant relief and safety.”
8. Send an emergency gift now. “Your action is
needed now. Please make your gift to provide
emergency housing assistance with urgency.
You’ll help keep a mom and her kids off the
streets for one day ... and every day counts right
now.”
BUTTON top and bottom: "MY urgent gift to provide emergency housing assistance.”
Subject line: Coronavirus Consequence: Emergency Funds Needed
Length: 300 words or much less / Grade level: 8th at worst; better for the recipient: 4th-6th
Send repeatedly: people are ignoring emails

22
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
© 2020 Tom Ahern

Ruth Frazier’s emergency direct mail appeal did
nicely day one (105 responses, $17K+)
Companion e-mail appeal brought in over $23K
in 24 hours; made $50K match as well
Senior Friendship Centers, April 2020
HOPE

Yes, you might be weary of
“unprecedented”... You might have had it
with “urgent” and “uncertain times”...
You might be tired of “we don’t know
what the future holds”... But here’s the
thing: donors ... are responding.
Lisa Sargent, April 2020
NEXT

How to talk in these uncertain times? Good
advice from fundraising guru Aimee Vance:
Empathy
Transparency
Vulnerability
BOLDNESS
25© 2020 Tom Ahern
TALK
WITH

How you know you’re on the right track
“I’m getting push back from
management that it’s too
cheesy and sickly sweet.”
Moceanic student, on how her new appeal was
received internally; 2018

If your boss is nervous, that’s
actually a good sign.
“Good fundraising makes
insiders uncomfortable. They
are not the correct audience.”
- Jeff Brooks, one of America’s top copywriters

28© 2020 Tom Ahern
Yet a major
donor
“cussed her
out”...

You will get a handful of
complaints. “Why are you
raising money for this?
Now?” Don’t worry; that’s
normal and fine. It’s an
opportunity to dialogue.
29© 2020 Tom Ahern

NEVER
WASTE A
GOOD
CRISIS

31
How to double your fundraising revenue
• Move 10% of your donors to monthly giving.
• Persuade about 3% of your donors to upgrade their giving to
the $500 level or higher.
• Get 5% of your donors to include you in their wills.
Hilborn Charity eNEWS, via Future Fundraising Now, 2017
© 2020 Tom Ahern
Never waste a good crisis.
Do something new and
different!

Erica Waasdorp, author and monthly giving expert (April 2020)
Now that the $2.2 trillion coronavirus bill has passed, it may
be a good time to ask your donors for a special gift or a
monthly gift. Just keep it short and sweet, but do let them
know you need them. I’ve seen great results with a few
organizations that did just that.
Try staying the course as much as possible on your appeals.
Printers, letter shops and post offices are working overtime to
help you stay on track. While you may expect a lower
response than in other years, you’ll at least get some money
in the door, and you may be pleasantly surprised.
32© 2020 Tom Ahern

34
75% of charitable
bequests now come from
monthly donors. A
bequest is 7 times more
likely from a monthly
donor.
Erica Waasdorp, The Sleeping Giant
© 2020 Tom Ahern

What happens next?
ACTUAL CHARITABLE BEQUEST

BASICALLY
BASIC BASICS
FOR BEGINNERS

To make your
donor feel
good!!!
37© 2020 Tom Ahern
Important!
Wanted!
Needed!
“Proud of what I did!”
Happy!
Pleased!
Entertained!
Surprised!
THE ONLY PURPOSE OF DONOR COMMS
On a journey!
Discovering!
Deeply appreciated!
Thanked beyond
expectations!

IDENTITY-BASED
FUNDRAISING STARTS
HERE
DOES NOT START HERE
Adapted from Better Fundraising Co., March 2020
Connect
with
what’s
already in
her head.

Sources: Mark Phillips, Harvey McKinnon, Penelope Burk, Agents of Good, Lisa
Sargent, Denisa Casement, Ask Direct, Moceanic, Ken Burnett, Institute for
Sustainable Philanthropy ... ETC!
“She is not your donor. You are
one of her charities”

“Is this me?”
“Is this me?” “Is this me?”

IS THISYOU?
Membership
jumped 20%
with 1 letter...

If you can talk vulnerable
human to vulnerable human,
say hello.
If you can only talk like an
institution, say goodbye.

WHAT
YOU CAN
DO FOR
THEM

Our team sent simple, brief
emails to check in with
donors. Lots of responses,
some very long. People crave
care and connection.
44© 2020 Tom Ahern
In response to the coronavirus crisis: Angela McBride, March 2020

Don’t thank me for my gift.
Thank me for
WHO I AM.
Source: Mark Phillips & you & the Institute & I’m pretty sure Lisa Sargent
“Oh, you’re so welcome,
my dear charity. I like you,
too. Because you make me
feel good!”

47
KIND
CARING
COMPASSIONATE
HELPFUL
FRIENDLY
FAIR
HARD-WORKING
GENEROUS
HONEST
Source: psychologist Jen Shang, quoted in the NY Times 2012
© 2020 Tom Ahern
USE ADJECTIVES LIKE THESE

TODAY’S
IDENTITY
Who you are at this moment?
“Why would I mentally nod?”
~ a duet with Mark Phillips & Dr. Jen Shang
“Hell, yes! I’ll
do it NOW.”

Right now, they feel:
• Paralyzed
• Confined
• Victimized
• Disarmed
• Powerless
Psychologist Jen Shang

People want to take some control
over the position we are in.
Stocking up on toilet roll is just
one example of this. There is a
sense of helplessness that leaves
many people feeling very
uncomfortable. —
@Markyphillips
51© 2020 Tom Ahern
April 2020 via Queer Ideas blog

For those who are financially
secure, life is quite easy. They are
at home and secure. Leaving home
seems dangerous and they are
frustrated/guilty that they can’t do
more to be part of a solution. —
@Markyphillips
52© 2020 Tom Ahern
April 2020 via Queer Ideas blog

“As a fundraiser, you are
providing a public service. You’re
giving people a chance to be part
of a solution. And that’s probably
the best thing you can give anyone
at the moment.” —
@Markyphillips
53© 2020 Tom Ahern
April 2020 via Mike Duerksen

They could feel:
• Connected
• Cared for
• Listened to
• Together
• Capable
• Doing good for others

Jen’s just-do-it list #1:
Connect with each person
this week, however you may
do it (e.g. by email, by
phone, by social media).

Say one caring sentence to
each person this week,
however you may do it (e.g.
by email, by phone, by social
media).

Thank each person this
week, however you may do
it (e.g. by email, by phone,
by social media).

Repeatedly thank each person
throughout the crisis, however
you may do it (e.g. by email,
by phone, by social media).

Your goal: to make your supporter
(donor, volunteer) family feel together
and loved during these hard times.
They’ll cherish that the rest of their
lives. “My [charity] family
remembered me and did their very best
to help me through...”

WHAT THE
IMMEDIATE
FUTURE
HOLDS?

FREE eBOOK HERE:
http://philanthropy-institute.org.uk/reports/

There is no “perfect moment” to raise
money. There is no such thing as a
time when all possible factors are in
your favor. But there are some
surprising and significant advantages
to raising funds in hard times.
It is quite clear that difficult times
emphasize the urgency and drama
of compelling needs.
66© 2020 Tom Ahern
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