Marketing corner is one of the features of PG Calc’s monthly eRate eNewsletter. This page is a digest of marketing insights provided in that newsletter.

September 2010
Sometimes an article comes along that makes me stop and think. I read such an article recently and thought that if there was one thing a development office could do to improve its fundraising, this would be it. It’s a simple idea, but that's the beauty in it. The article is entitled "Charities Seek to Strengthen Ties to Donors Who Give Modest Sums," in the Chronicle of Philanthropy dated May 16, 2010. This article could have been titled "Redefining Stewardship."

Since the Chronicle of Philanthropy is a paid subscription we cannot provide a link, but I would highly encourage all fundraisers to get a copy of the Chronicle article and heed its advice. I should add that although this article doesn't address planned giving directly, its observations apply to planned gift fundraising just as well as they do to annual gift programs.

Here are the take-aways:

• Prospects between high-end annual fund and major gift donors have been neglected
• The cost of raising money from these mid-level donors is very low
• Mid-level donors fill the gap left by the increasing difficulty in acquiring direct mail donors
• Changing mid-level fundraising strategy can have a significant effect on a charity’s bottom line

August 2010
I recently read a post entitled “Gifts Misunderstood” by renowned permission marketer Seth Godin that got me thinking about much of the marketing material I read, edit, and create.

"A gift costs the giver something real. It might be cash (enough that we feel the pinch) but more likely it involves a sacrifice or a risk or an emotional exposure. A true gift is a heartfelt connection, something that changes both the giver the recipient. The way I understand gifts is that the giver must make a sacrifice, create an uneven exchange, bring himself closer to the recipient, create change and do it all with the right spirit."

Certainly there is a place for material that talks about gift vehicles and how they work, but doing that is the easy part. How much of your marketing material tells a story so compelling that someone raises their hand? I think it's time to swing the pendulum the other way and focus on the mission and strengthening the connection between your reader and your organization.

July 2010
Almost anyone who has a hand in marketing knows what a focus group is, and given this familiarity, it’s hard to know why this tool is so underutilized. Most often a focus group is used for input to design, but there are many areas in which a focus group could make a difference in your planned giving program.

Focus groups are most useful for gauging public perception, which makes them an effective way to get direct and valuable feedback on many different facets of planned giving marketing; it could be your overall messaging and mission, a tag line, your website navigation, a direct mail campaign, or changes to your legacy society. The list could go on and on.

Benefits:
* Fast: Feedback is immediate
* Tangible: Information is actionable; can confirm or change project direction
* Inexpensive: Minimal out-of-pocket expense (just time)
* Interactive: Facilitator can probe at different levels and gather information via non-verbal responses
In most instances the benefits far outweigh the considerations, but we’ll name them anyway:

Considerations:
* Facilitator: Focus groups require a skilled and experienced moderator
* Audience: Generally 5-8 attendees, but selection is important; make sure the profile matches your constituents
* Lemming syndrome: Describes the risk of being mislead when people’s responses build from other's responses
* One benchmark: It isn't a statistically valid representation of the larger population so it’s only one of many tools marketers use

The important point to remember is that a focus group is not difficult to execute. It just requires some forethought and organization. And yes, we can help too.

For more information, contact Ann McPherson at ann@pgcalc.com or call 888-497-4970.

June 2010
Why is eMarketing important? For starters, the return on investment (ROI) of eMarketing is one of the key reasons businesses are attracted to this medium. When executed correctly, eMarketing’s ROI can far exceed traditional marketing strategies. Another reason is its visibility - you cannot dismiss the ability to reach millions of people. It has redefined how businesses interact with their customers. Immediacy, relationship building, trackable results, and interactivity are other important benefits of eMarketing.

If you don't have a formal eMarketing plan in place here are few things you can do today to jumpstart your efforts:

- Start an email acquisition campaign - everyone can improve upon the number of people they reach

- Meet your donors where they congregate on the Web - don't waste time creating a net community

- Optimize your website’s key words - search engines are still the primary source for prospects to find information

These days it just makes sense to use all of the communication choices available to you, and eMarketing techniques can be some of your most effective ones. 

May 2010
Marketing is an indispensable part of a successful planned giving program, yet our experience suggests that many planned giving professionals find it challenging to put strong marketing efforts into action and refresh them consistently. PG Calc is pleased to introduce several new marketing services that are integral to any successful planned giving program. These services will benefit your program while respecting your budget.

- Conducting a marketing program audit
- Conducting a marketing collateral audit
- Creating a marketing starter’s kit
- Cultivation and solicitation planning
- Writing custom copy for your website, newsletters, email campaigns, or brochures

Learn more about how we can help you improve your marketing program and your results

April 2010
Social media continues to be a hot topic among fundraisers as we explore and leverage the power it has to offer. Getting involved with social media is not particularly hard. There are many online communities where your organization can participate - Facebook, MySpace, Twitter, YouTube, Flickr, LinkedIn, Stumbleupon, Digg (just to name a few), and of course, blogging. To demystify how social media can help your cause, you must be clear about what you are trying to accomplish and then determine which avenues will take you there.

While the sweet spot in social media for planned giving has yet to be uncovered, our message to anyone who works in development is to start NOW. If your development office isn't involved with social media, you are missing a critical component of your marketing plan.

So how do you demystify the complexities of social media? The same way you eat an elephant, one bite at a time.

In September 2009, the Case Foundation interviewed Beth Kantor, a leading expert on the use of social media by non-profits. In this interview she answered some of the most popular questions people have about social media. It's worth a look, whether you are planning your first step or you're already well under way.

Watch the interview

March 2010
How can you improve your marketing program? One way is to treat it as a process and not a project.

A project has one or more measurable objectives, a start, and a finish. Marketers sometimes fall short by viewing their marketing programs as a series of projects, one at a time. In a given plan, there may be multiple direct mail campaigns, and frequently they are evaluated individually as successes or failures. Instead, manage your program as a process. By definition, a process is more complex than a project, but the payoff will be huge. By treating the program as a process, you are forced to look at it through a different filter. Processes show movement in direction over time, progression. 

Building relationships with your donors is a process, so why shouldn't your marketing be too?