When you evaluate your fundraising efforts - you have two sets of data sources: what you think and what you know. What you think is often based on gut, proven experience or conventional wisdom about performance. What you know is based on data analysis, proven statistics or measurable trends. To drive real fundraising results, you need to validate what you think with what you know and then take action. In this interactive session, participants will do a self-assessment of their fundraising efforts and then learn real strategies to translate what they know into an action plan to increase fundraising. With a special emphasis on event fundraising, we will address change management, participant and donor relations, segmenting communications and using technology to maximize fundraising. Takeaways An understanding of how your data should inform and influence your fundraising strategies Strategies to take your analysis and turn it into a fundraising action plan How to effectively introduce the plan to your organization and engage them in the implementation

1. What You Think vs. What You Know:
Developing Real Strategies to
Drive Fundraising Performance
Kari Bodell
Director, Business Development 12 June 2012
Event 360, Chicago, Illinois My Charity Connects

2. What you “think” or “feel”
• gut instinct
• experience
• lore
• conventional wisdom
• what your predecessor or committee member told you

3. What you “know”
• data analysis
• measurable trends
• proven facts

4. Exercise
Make two short lists
1. What you buy at a typical visit
to the supermarket
2. What you do in the first hour of
a typical day at work, in five
minute increments

5. We help organizations use experiences
to change the world
9 years 130 events
over
2 offices 2800 sites $700,000,000
fundraised for nonprofit
130 team members 8,000 miles of route groups
30 states 500,000 participants
immersive experiences . event fundraising
peer-to-peer engagement . social impact

6. Experiences
matter
Event A
A means to development
an end Fundraising function
A real
discipline

7. A means to Mission
an end
Revenue two asks
Gifts
Donors
second “ask”
Participants
first “ask”
Event

8. A means to Mission
an end
Revenue
Gifts
two groups to cultivate! Donors
Participants
Event

10. The event fundraising equation
more people
come back
( Participants x Fundraising
)+ Sponsorship - Expenses
more new
people come = Net Revenue

11. The event fundraising equation
more participants
ask more donors donors give
larger gifts
( Participants x Fundraising
)+ Sponsorship - Expenses
= Net Revenue

12. The event fundraising equation
more sponsors
sign on
( Participants x Fundraising
)+ Sponsorship - Expenses
sponsors make
= Net Revenue
larger donations

13. The event fundraising equation
we cut costs due
to efficiencies
( Participants x Fundraising
)+ Sponsorship - Expenses
= Net Revenue we cut costs but
sacrifice quality
be mindful!

14. data: your best fren
frenemy
“where should I start?”

15. what you “think” or “feel”
versus what you “know”
worksheet

16. be mindful!
mean: average
median: mid-point
mode: appears most often

17. what you “think” or “feel”
versus what you “know”
worksheet

18. A few questions
• Was anyone surprised by how much you “thought” or “felt”
compared to with how much you “knew”?
• Which question are you most looking forward to confirming or
disproving what you “think” or “feel”?
• Can anyone share their experience confirming or disproving
something they “thought” or “felt”?
• Once you get home: what is the greatest discrepancy between
what you “think” or “feel” and what you “know”?

19. so what?

20. can we reach them?
can we communicate
with them in a
first meaningful way?
shows us who we can impact
have they shown us
they are listening?

21. The Pareto Principle
roughly 80% of the effects come from 20% of the causes

22. Where you find it
• healthcare
• crime
• economics
• management
• software
• fundraising

25. Why shampoo costs $114
Shampoo $3.00
Diet Coke $1.59
Popcorn $1.00
Toaster $24.99
Plant, House $14.99
Stationary $11.99
Toiletries $2.49
Pillow $17.99
Lamp Shade $7.99
Cereal $3.99
Candy $2.99
Gum $1.79
Bread $3.00
Toiletries $3.49
Book $4.59
Snack $2.49
Markers $5.99
Total $114.36

26. Your cumulative spend

27. Cumulative revenue: walk series

28. Cumulative revenue: one walk in the series

29. why are they participating?
have they raised
second their hand?
tells us who is likely to take action
have they taken
action in the past?

30. Affinity to an activity
• I like to cycle.
Affinity to a third party group
• I’m supporting my school / church / office team.
Affinity to participants or individuals
• I like to spend time with my friends.
Affinity to a cause
• I believe that all kids deserve a great future.
Affinity to an organization
• I care about the Boys & Girls Clubs of Canada.

31. “there’s way too
much going on”
third “I’m being asked to
do more with less”
helps determine focus
“my team is totally
maxed out”

32. “we need a plan”

33. Audience
Tactic
Timing and Frequency
Message, Call to Action, Ask

34. Audience
• First time participants, who are connected to your cause
• Returning participants who have never fundraised
• Last year’s top 5%
• Last year’s team captains
• New team captains
• Anyone who raises more than $______
• Someone who sends a fundraising e-mail

35. Tactic
• E-mail
• Something in the mail
• A phone call
• A phone call from a VIP
• An invitation to an event
• An invitation to an exclusive experience
• An event day perk
• An incentive or prize
• Recognition or thanks

36. Timing and frequency
• Know your constituents
• Identify segments
• Know your organization’s larger communications schedule
• Strike a balance between consistent and overbearing
• Ramp up as the Event gets closer
On E-Comm
• Monitor performance
• Tailor content
• Run some tests
• Use a control group!)
• Use your subject and P.S.
lines wisely

37. Message, Call to Action, Ask

38. relevant
38

39. Exercise: Twitterize your passion
In 140 characters or less,
share the reason you do this.

40. Know your story
Not “why you have a job”
but “why you do this”
• Tell YOUR story. Not someone else’s
• Make your own ask. Not someone else’s

41. The ask: 4+1
1. The need you are trying to address
2. Why it is important
3. What you are doing about it
4. “Will you help by doing X?”
The plus one: Shut up.

42. A great ask is
• Tactical
• Practical
• Authentic
• A question
• Delivered

43. Exercise: make an ask
Craft an ask for one of the
audiences you identified. Deliver
it to the person next to you.

44. “we need a plan”

45. do they have the right resources?
what support will
Fourth they need from you?
Who is going to put the plan together?
who else needs to buy in?

46. how will you help them stay focused?
how will you get
Fifth dialed in?
Who is going to execute the plan?
how will you measure it?

47. Sixth
What (or who!) could derail the plan?
how can you mitigate that?

48. Exercise: your second list
Of the 60 minutes you listed,
which 10 – 15 are most impactful
to your mission?
What are you doing during that
time?

49. Focus on high-value activities
High Low
Meeting new people Sitting alone at your desk
Sharing your story (and asking others for
Sharing routine updates
theirs)
One-on-one conversations Writing and reading emails
Reflection on what works Worry about what isn’t going right
Meetings where progress to written goals
Meetings where information is read
is discussed
Describing your vision of a better future Long complaints about obstacles
Asking for support of that future Hoping support will come along
Time to recharge and learn new things Most perfectionism

50. Stop talking about the work.
Do the work.

53. Recommend Readings
Read This Before Our Next Meeting
• Al Pittampalli
Now, Discover Your Strengths
• Marcus Buckingham
Switch
• Chip and Dan Heath
Rework
• Jason Fried

54. Contact
Kari Bodell
kbodell@event360.com
event360.com/blog
@karibodell