Here's a cautionary tale from Tom Ahern's Love Thy Donor newsletter: Following in the footsteps of your promise.
It's about a nonprofit that had an effective direct mail acquisition control that led with a powerful, uncompromising faith-based message. It brought in tons of donors.
Then something would go wrong: those donors would start getting the newsletter, produced by in-house experts on the organization's staff. It was nothing at all like the letter that brought them aboard. It told the story in jargon and with lot of data. It had lost its religious passion and spiritual focus.
That's a very expensive switcheroo. If you bring donors into the fold with the fervor of a missionary -- then start talking to them like a social worker, you are going to lose donors. Donor retention will tank, because donors will wonder who the heck is talking to them:
Newsletter editors: have samples of your organization's successful direct mail in front of you as you write. Look for key sales messages like "follow in the footsteps of your faith." Use the same kinds of messages in your newsletter headlines. Reaffirm the values that first brought your donors aboard.
This problem isn't unique to religious organizations. There are many fundraising programs that have high-powered, well-honed acquisition controls -- and barely-related subsequent communications.
It's not only revenue killer, it's fundamentally dishonest. If your high-powered acquisition control is fundamentally untrue, then you have no business using it to get donors. On the other hand, if that high-powered piece is accurate and true, you have no business wandering away from it later. Either way is a kind of big fat lie. You owe it to your donors (and yourself) to be truthful.
(This story is adapted from Ahern's forthcoming book about donor newsletters. Let me tell you, this book is going to be a must read among must-reads!)
Update: Link to Ahern's newsletter now works.
