Someone stole my mail and put me in a direct response stranglehold?

By Ronnie Richard

Someone stole my mail.??

Yep, just snatched it right out of my mailbox. And the worst part is they took our kids’ new passports—we know what was missing thanks to Informed Delivery.??

So. Incredibly. Frustrating.?

But I’ve calmed down (mostly). And, as it often does, my brain started connecting the dots between this event and nonprofit marketing. I began thinking about fundraising, both in the mail and online.?

More on that in a bit because this is a newsletter, right? In this issue, we’ve got a few interesting tidbits for you:?

• The challenges of digital attribution?
• As loans pile up, Americans may cut charitable giving?
• 5 areas of nonprofit need that the right tech can solve??
• Microsoft’s Copilot could make your work life easier?

Playing digital detective is getting tougher?

OK, back to my postal pirate. It got me thinking about nonprofit direct mail.?

Once an appeal is delivered to a mailbox, we really have no insight into what happens. The next action we see is when someone makes a donation.?

For the many who don’t give, we can’t see where they stopped. Maybe the story didn’t move them to give. Maybe they glanced at the envelope and just chucked into the recycling pile. Or maybe someone snatched it from their mailbox.?

The point is that we don’t know, but we understand that it’s part of the process.??

Yet when it comes to online giving, we want—and expect—to know every single detail around a donor’s gift. We especially want to know which channels led them to give.??

Was it the Facebook ad? The email we sent? Organic search? How did they get here? How?!??

The reality is that it’s not that simple.??

Emily (Sciantarelli) Ajalla , RKD’s Director of Digital Media Strategy, explains how we need to look at the digital ecosystem as a whole. Privacy changes have created a big gap between the perceived effectiveness and the actual effectiveness of digital channels, especially media.??

It’s a good read and worth your time—especially if you need help explaining the value of digital media to your board.?

The next challenge for fundraisers: Consumer debt??

In last month’s Group Thinkers Update, I wrote a lot about the economy and some internal debate on what it has in store for charitable giving. This month, I want to dive a little deeper into one particular aspect: consumer debt.?

During the pandemic, many people built up their savings due to a combination of less spending and government support. But inflation has had a stranglehold on the global economy these last two years, and any savings have dried up.?

Higher prices. No more savings.?

That leads to one clear result: accumulating debt. Recent reports bear this out:?

A new Federal Reserve report shows that:?

• Household debt rose another 1.3% to $17.3 trillion in the third quarter of 2023.?
• Most of that debt is home mortgages, but there’s another troubling stat that stands out: Credit card debt is up 4.7%.?
• Q4 numbers could be even higher now that student loan payments resumed Oct. 1.

Prior to the pandemic, a survey by LendingTree found some interesting stats around debt and giving:?

• 71% of respondents said that debt prevents them from donating more to charities.?
• 56% of respondents said they don’t make enough money to donate.?

There is some positive news on the horizon for those in the lower income bracket. In 2024, 16 states are raising their minimum wage. And that’s after 25 states just raised their minimum wage this year.??

Building the right tech to solve 5 nonprofit needs?

Speaking to my colleague Vidya Chadaga always brings a smile to my face.??

That’s because our Executive Vice President of Products is so passionate about her goal to build technology products that help nonprofit organizations.??

In fact, she’s been chronicling her journey here on our blog.?

In order to build the right products, Vidya says it’s essential that we start from a foundation of empathy. It doesn’t matter how cool the features are if the product doesn’t solve a real problem.?

In her latest post, she shares five areas of need that have stood out as ones that can be addressed with the right technology products:?

• Accurate and accessible data?
• Actionable insights drawn from relevant dashboards?
• A strong understanding of donors to deliver better experiences?
• Timely optimization across channels?
• A better way to invite people into deeper relationships?

Any of those sound familiar??

Microsoft’s Goose to your Maverick?

Nonprofit employees routinely wear multiple hats. Soon, you’ll have an AI assistant who can grab a few of those hats off your head.?

Microsoft has launched its new AI-powered Office assistant, called Copilot. It will feature automation that can summarize Word docs, write email drafts, create PowerPoint presentations, etc.?

Check out our digital roundup for more on this and other topics (like Facebook and TikTok tinkering with ad-free options).?

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If you’ve made it all the way to the end, I’d love for you to share your favorite Thanksgiving side in the comments. Mine is baked macaroni and cheese—I’m salivating just thinking about it.?

As we inch closer to the end of 2023, I wish you all the best of luck in your fundraising! And keep a close watch on your mailbox and your packages this holiday season.?