Tag Archives: prospects

Researcher Bias In Stelter Planned Giving Report

Beware courtesy of xadrian on Flickr

Bias is apparent in The Stelter Company’s newest research report, “What Makes Them Give?” The planned giving study recommends expanding communications and outreach to younger and less loyal prospect pools than traditionally thought appropriate. Much of Stelter’s business is communications, direct marketing and outreach.

It’s in their corporate interest to encourage charities to reach out to larger pools of prospects by direct mail, email, calling and website engagement because they have business lines in all those methods.

For lots of decades, Planned Giving pros have promoted estate and retirement plan gifts to prospects in their mid-50s and over. That’s the age at which it’s been believed people generally begin to think of their long-term plans as charitable vehicles. Before then, plans are for protection of family and gifts to loved ones, for the most part.

Also, being in the will or IRA of a 40-something is less valuable than a 70- or 80-year-old because of the vastly greater likelihood that the younger person’s charitable interests will change–perhaps many times–before their death in 50 or 55 years.

Stelter’s research recommends starting promotion at age 40, claiming 60% of best prospects are age 40 to 54. That conclusion may be completely correct.

But because of the company’s bias I cannot rely on their study as evidence of trends that suggest activities that will increase Stelter’s revenue.

Along with direct and email products and campaigns, the company offers a calling program. The more people charities mail to, email and call, the more potential revenue for Stelter.

That creates researcher bias, notwithstanding the research was conducted by a different company hired and paid by Stelter.

“What Makes Them Give?” also suggests expanding Planned Giving prospect pools by setting aside beliefs about donor loyalty as a predictor of giving.

To turn prospects into donors you have to communicate with them, so larger prospect pools benefit Stelter’s bottom line.

The study includes a good number of recommendations unrelated to expanded communications and outreach, including rethinking recognition societies. Those are untainted by Stelter’s bias.

I’d love to expand Planned Giving prospecting. I really would.

We don’t yet have objective research concluding that would be a wise investment of charities’ hard-earned money and limited time.

Nonprofit Radio for October 19, 2012: Leadership & LinkedIn News

Big Nonprofit Ideas for the Other 95%

Listen live or archive:

Tony’s Guests:

Norman Olshansky
Norman Olshansky: Leadership

Norm Olshansky, consultant and co-editor of “You and Your Nonprofit” shares his advice on nonprofit leadership. His premise is, “Everything starts with leadership.”

 

 

Maria Semple
Maria Semple: LinkedIn News

Maria Semple, The Prospect Finder and our prospect research contributor has two new offerings from LinkedIn. BoardConnect helps you find the right people to serve as board members and Reasons2Call reveals touch points for making contact with the people you want to talk to.

 

 


Top Trends. Sound Advice. Lively Conversation.

You’re on the air and on target as I delve into the big issues facing your nonprofit—and your career.

If you have big dreams but an average budget, tune in to Tony Martignetti Nonprofit Radio.

I interview the best in the business on every topic from board relations, fundraising, social media and compliance, to technology, accounting, volunteer management, finance, marketing and beyond. Always with you in mind.

When and where: Talking Alternative Radio, Fridays, 1-2PM Eastern

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Here is a link to the audio podcast: 114: Leadership & LinkedIn News. You can also subscribe on iTunes to get it automatically.
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Nonprofit Radio for September 7, 2012: Get Out and Positively Communicate & SECrets

Big Nonprofit Ideas for the Other 95%

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Tony’s Guests:

Interviewing Sharyn Abbott at NextGen:Charity 2011
Sharyn Abbott: Get Out and Positively Communicate

Sharyn Abbott is the author of Mixing It Up! The Entrepreneur’s New Testament and her strategies apply to small- and mid-size nonprofits, too. At the NextGen:Charity conference in 2011 we talked about networking your nonprofit; recruiting and hiring motivated people; and positive communications. Sharyn reads my face to tell me what kind of communicator I am.

 

 

Maria Semple
Maria Semple: SECrets

Maria Semple is the author of Panning for Gold: Find Your Best Donor Prospects Now! and our prospect research contributor. This month she pans for research gold in SEC corporate filings.

 

 


Top Trends. Sound Advice. Lively Conversation.

You’re on the air and on target as I delve into the big issues facing your nonprofit—and your career.

If you have big dreams but an average budget, tune in to Tony Martignetti Nonprofit Radio.

I interview the best in the business on every topic from board relations, fundraising, social media and compliance, to technology, accounting, volunteer management, finance, marketing and beyond. Always with you in mind.

When and where: Talking Alternative Radio, Fridays, 1-2PM Eastern

Sign-up for show alerts!

Here is the link to the audio podcast: 108: Get Out And Positively Communicate & SECrets. You can also subscribe on iTunes to get it automatically.
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Nonprofit Radio for August 10, 2012: Working With Your Small Organization Board & See The Right CRM System

Big Nonprofit Ideas for the Other 95%

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Tony’s Guests:

Interviewing Terry Billie, Wendy Nadel & Lisa Robb at Fund Raising Day 2012
Terry Billie, Wendy Nadel & Lisa Robb: Working With Your Small Organization Board

What’s special about working with small shop boards? We’ll talk about setting expectations; recruiting; training; fundraising and assessing your board’s capabilities. My guests from Fund Raising Day 2012 are Terry Billie from the Hudson River Museum; Wendy Nadel from Yonkers Partners in Education; and Lisa Robb, executive director of the New York Council on the Arts.

 

Maria Semple
Maria Semple: See The Right CRM System

Constituent relationship management. You’ve got constituents: employees, donors, volunteers, vendors, clients. How do you manage your relationships with them and what’s the impact on your prospect management? Maria Semple is The Prospect Finder and our prospect research contributor.

This week’s segment with Maria has a survey. Please take a moment to answer three quick questions. You’ll find it below. Thank you! If you could also share it with other nonprofit professionals, I would appreciate it.

 


Create your free online surveys with SurveyMonkey, the world’s leading questionnaire tool.

Here is a link to the survey: http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/J68T3SM


Top Trends. Sound Advice. Lively Conversation.

You’re on the air and on target as I delve into the big issues facing your nonprofit—and your career.

If you have big dreams but an average budget, tune in to Tony Martignetti Nonprofit Radio.

I interview the best in the business on every topic from board relations, fundraising, social media and compliance, to technology, accounting, volunteer management, finance, marketing and beyond. Always with you in mind.

When and where: Talking Alternative Radio, Fridays, 1-2PM Eastern

Sign-up for show alerts!

Here is the link to listen if you missed the show: 104: Working With Your Small Organization Board & See The Right CRM System.
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Nonprofit Radio for June 8, 2012: Got Women Donors? and Lovin’ LinkedIn for Prospect Research

Big Nonprofit Ideas for the Other 95%

This is a rebroadcast of Nonprofit Radio from August 12, 2011.

Listen live or archive:

Tony’s Guests:

Travis Fraser
Michele Walsh & Travis Fraser: Got Women Donors?

From the Fund Raising Day conference in NYC in June, we talk about successful initiatives to expand your female donor base through targeted and appropriate cultivation, solicitation and stewardship.

My guests are Michele Walsh from the U.S. Fund for UNICEF and Travis Fraser from United Way of New York City.

 

Maria Semple
Maria Semple: Lovin’ LinkedIn For Prospect Research

Our regular contributor, Maria Semple, The Prospect Finder, is with me to share strategies for using LinkedIn to find people and organizations who can be your next employee, board member, donor or sponsor.
 

 

Here is the link to the podcast: 096: Got Women Donors? & Lovin’ LinkedIn for Prospect Research.


Top Trends. Sound Advice. Lively Conversation.

You’re on the air and on target as I delve into the big issues facing your nonprofit—and your career.

If you have big dreams but an average budget, tune in to Tony Martignetti Nonprofit Radio.

I interview the best in the business on every topic from board relations, fundraising, social media and compliance, to technology, accounting, volunteer management, finance, marketing and beyond. Always with you in mind.

When and where: Talking Alternative Radio, Fridays, 1-2PM Eastern

Sign-up for show alerts!
View Full Transcript