Below are some of the questions we get asked most frequently. Have a question that’s not on the list? Ask us!
Planned giving marketing differs from other types of fundraising in a few crucial ways:
A thoughtful, effective planned giving marketing program will include a number of critical elements, including:
Assessing your organization’s readiness for a planned giving marketing program may seem like a daunting task. You might start by considering the following questions:
If your organization is ready, you will find that creating a planned giving marketing program is well worth the effort and expense you put into it.
Planned gifts can be transformational for both the donor and the organization:
A thoughtful planned giving marketing program can highlight these motivational benefits, educate potential donors on ways to give that fit their circumstances and help meet their personal goals, and even strengthen donor relationships by increasing emotional investment in your mission.
Yes! You don’t need a large budget to be successful. Consider the following strategies for building a cost-effective program:
Unlike print marketing, email marketing provides its own set of metrics to help measure effectiveness. The importance of each metric partly depends on your specific goals and objectives.
While you might prioritize one metric over the others, the combination provides a comprehensive understanding of how your email campaigns are performing and where improvements can be made.
Planned gifts are among the most important ways charitable organizations raise funds. These gifts can comprise up to 30-50% of your organization’s annual revenue and offer one of the highest returns on investment (ROI) of all types of fundraising. The ROI calculation compares marketing costs to donation dollars with the resulting number expressed as a percentage or ratio.
Determining ROI can help your organization obtain other planned gifts and use your planned giving budget more efficiently. To simplify and improve your ROI measurement, consider the following:
When communicating with people who genuinely support your organization and its mission, keep in mind that they may not fully grasp:
Approach your donor communications as a combination of education, motivation, and trust building. And don’t overlook the power of stories! Whether told by donors or those you’ve served, stories educate and highlight your organization’s achievements while engaging emotions and encouraging action.
Making a planned gift can be a significant decision. Donors often hesitate to make a gift commitment because they are worried about timing, gift size, or maintaining their family’s future financial security.
Always begin by acknowledging the validity of the concerns—the donor should feel heard and understood. Then, consider doing the following:
Handling concerns with knowledge, empathy, and patience helps nurture donor relationships and is likely to ultimately result in a successful gift that benefits the organization and the donor.
There is no one-size-fits-all approach to planned gift marketing. There are opportunities to market using traditional mail, email, a web presence (planned giving website), magazine ads, and social media. What works best for your organization may depend on your specific donor demographics, your mission, and the nature of your planned giving program. Experimenting with a combination of different strategies and being responsive to your donors’ needs and preferences can help you determine the most effective combination. Keep in mind that consistent donor outreach is key to keeping your organization top of mind whenever the donor is ready to give.