Getting What You Ask For

How much is too much?  Or too little?  When you are working on a major gift, you have time to make a suggestion, back up and lower or raise the amount.  You get to talk with the donor and find out what they are comfortable with.  But for an appeal, or simply on your website’s donation page, you either leave it up the donor—something I do not recommend—or you give them about 3 suggestions plus a place to write in “other.”

At a recent workshop, that very question came up, and the conversation was interesting.

The person asking noted that their end of the year appeal is the main individual fundraising effort of the organization. But recently, he’s they’ve become convinced that they are asking for too little: $25, $50, $75.

Several other participants thought that was fine, but I am of the belief that people will go where you lead.  I would up that ask significantly—and make the spaces in between much larger.  I want people to think about what size gift they are going to make. The more they think about it and say “yes” the more committed they are to our organization.

I would start by looking at how much my donors typically give to this appeal.  I wouldn’t look at average gift:  That often gets skewed by a very large and/or a very small gift.  Rather, I would want to know what size gift gets the most donors.  That amount would be my starting point and I would go up from there.  Unless, of course, I wanted to increase that starting point.  If, for example, like our workshop participant, your last appeal gave them small gift choices with little distance between, I might just start by doubling or tripling my ask.  So instead of $25, $50 $75 I would consider $50, $100, $150.  Or $75, $150, $225.

Of course, these numbers are not written in stone.  Play with them.  What gives your donor an opportunity to make a real choice—do I give $150 or stretch and go for $1,000?  And remember, you area always offering $_____Other.

Your messaging on the site or the reply device should make that clear.  Your gift of any size is truly appreciated.

But do ask your donors to stretch and make a more thoughtful gift.  You may  be surprised to discover that often you will get what you ask for.