Donor Preferences Analysis

🔴🟡🟢🔵 𝗛𝗼𝘄 𝗯𝗲𝗵𝗮𝘃𝗶𝗼𝘂𝗿𝗮𝗹 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗳𝗶𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗵𝗲𝗹𝗽𝗲𝗱 𝗺𝗲 𝘀𝗲𝗲 𝗺𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝗰𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗹𝘆 I’ll admit it: I used to treat all donors (and colleagues) the same. I believed if we shared a compelling case for support — everyone would just 𝘨𝘦𝘵 𝘪𝘵. Right? Wrong. Then I discovered behavioural profiling. Tools like 𝗖-𝗺𝗲, which help people understand different communication and thinking styles: • 🔵 𝗕𝗹𝘂𝗲: Detail-oriented, analytical, cautious • 🟢 𝗚𝗿𝗲𝗲𝗻: Supportive, values-driven, steady • 🔴 𝗥𝗲𝗱: Results-focused, action-oriented, decisive • 🟡 𝗬𝗲𝗹𝗹𝗼𝘄: Big-picture thinkers, emotionally expressive, people-focused Understanding this has changed the way I work. 𝗪𝗼𝗿𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗗𝗼𝗻𝗼𝗿𝘀: 🔵 People with a 𝗯𝗹𝘂𝗲 behavioural preference will likely scrutinise your financial accounts 𝘣𝘦𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘦 the first meeting. They’ll want your impact data, KPIs, and maybe even your reserves policy. Don’t bury the facts — lead with them. Be prepared for detailed questions. 🟡 𝗬𝗲𝗹𝗹𝗼𝘄𝘀 love emotion, vision and big-picture impact. They want stories that tug on the heartstrings, bold ideas, and opportunities to connect personally with your cause. Paint them a picture. 🔴 𝗥𝗲𝗱𝘀 want to know: what’s the goal, how do we get there, and what’s the ROI (in money or impact)? Be brief, bold, and have a clear ask. 🟢 People with a 𝗴𝗿𝗲𝗲𝗻 behavioural preference are relational and thoughtful. They’ll value your values. They’ll want to see trust, ethics, and long-term community commitment. Authenticity and care matter most here. 💡 𝘚𝘢𝘮𝘦 𝘥𝘰𝘯𝘰𝘳 𝘢𝘱𝘱𝘦𝘢𝘭 — 𝘧𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘺 𝘥𝘪𝘧𝘧𝘦𝘳𝘦𝘯𝘵 𝘸𝘢𝘺𝘴 𝘵𝘰 𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘯𝘦𝘤𝘵. 𝗪𝗼𝗿𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗖𝗼𝗹𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗴𝘂𝗲𝘀: I’ve also used these insights to build better internal relationships: • I don’t overwhelm Blue colleagues with big visions without the backing data. • I give Green teammates time to process and space to contribute. • I keep meetings short and outcomes-focused for Reds. • And I bring energy and enthusiasm into brainstorms with Yellows. When we meet people where 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘺 are, things move faster — and smoother. 🧭 It's Not a Box, It's a Compass Profiling tools aren’t about labelling people. They’re about increasing self-awareness and empathy, so we can communicate more effectively. And in a sector where relationships are everything — with donors, volunteers, trustees, and teams — that’s a game-changer. Have you used behavioural tools like C-me, Insights, or DISC in your work? What’s worked (or not!) for you.👇 #charitycomms #fundraising #donorrelations #leadership #communication #Cme #nonprofitlife #charitysector #personaldevelopment

Are We Prepared For the Rising Tide of Philanthropic Thought? A 2023 study of why the affluent give, conducted by the Bank of America and the Lilly School of Philanthropy, shows a significant shift in philanthropic thought. Younger affluent individuals (those born in 1981 and after) are creating a philanthropic agenda that differs significantly from that of Baby Boomers and the Silent Generation. If present trends continue, younger individuals will establish education as the greatest cause, displacing religion, the dominant reason to give for older individuals. Following close behind in younger individuals' philanthropic priorities is climate change. The top two preferences of younger individual eclipse all other preferences of older individuals including healthcare and veterans affairs. The chart below shows the need to harvest the goodwill that has accrued to the favorite causes of older generations while increasingly feeding the appetite of rising generations. Organizations like colleges and universities need to be avoid misdirecting their appeals - such as trying to get older individuals to respond as fervently to climate change or assuming younger individuals will be as passionate about healthcare. Even more important is for all organizations to understand donors are increasingly likely to attach themselves to causes, then find the organizations that best advance them. Therefore, they are less and less likely to begin as or become institutional loyalists. Their cause orientation will make them less receptive to appeals to subsidize operations and more focused on specific ways to advance their favored causes to the betterment of society. One need only look at the many appeals made by institutions of higher learning to see how so few understand current and emerging philanthropic realities. So many are still stuck on antiquated ideal of alumni "giving back," never mind the indebtedness of many or the unevenness of economic opportunity that constitutes their reality. Many persist in those antiquated constructs despite a 38 year decline in alumni participation and the fact that now less than one in 10 alumni "give back." If institutions wanted to attract more philanthropic energy, their leaders will have to grasp the simple fact that they must behave, respond, and organize like a cause and stop acting like a fixed-in-time, entitled institution.

My nonprofits in the community - are you planning a donor survey in the next two months? Here are some examples of how you can ensure that the data does not sit silently in your work folders but actually lets it help you take meaningful actions. Example 1: Say your survey question is: "How likely are you to continue donating to our organization in the next year?" ● Data says: If 60% of donors say they are "very likely" to continue donating, but 30% are "somewhat likely" and 10% are "unlikely," this indicates a potential drop-off in donor retention. ● Turning that data into action: Focus retention efforts on the "somewhat likely" group. Create a targeted campaign that re-engages these donors by highlighting recent successes, impact stories, or new initiatives they might care about. Additionally, reach out to the "unlikely" group to understand their concerns and see if any issues can be addressed. Example 2: Say your survey question is: "Which of the following areas do you believe your donation has the most impact?" ● Data says: 50% of respondents say their donation has the most impact on "Education Programs," while only 10% say "Healthcare Initiatives." ● Turning that data into action: Understand the why and promote the success and need for your "Healthcare Initiatives" more prominently, aiming to increase donor awareness and support in this underfunded area. Example 3: Say your survey question is: "What is your primary reason for donating to our organization?" ● Data says: If the top reason to engage is "Alignment with my values" (40%) followed by "Transparency in how funds are used" (35%). ● Turning that data into action: Emphasize your organization's values and transparency in all communications. Regularly update donors on how their funds are being used with clear, detailed reports, and align your messaging with the core values that resonate with your donor base. Example 4: Say your survey question is: "How satisfied are you with the level of communication you receive from our organization?" ● Data says: If 70% of donors are "satisfied", 20% are "neutral," and 10% are "dissatisfied," there's room for improvement in communication. ● Turning that data into action: Understand the "neutral" and "dissatisfied" groups to pinpoint where communication may be lacking. This could involve increasing the frequency of updates, personalizing communications, or providing more opportunities for donor feedback and engagement. Sit with the data you collect. Read the numbers. Read the stories. Read the hopes, barriers, and interests of those humans in your data. The best possibility of a survey is to make the humans in that data feel included and belong by listening and acting on their perspectives. Co-create change with your community in those surveys. #nonprofits #nonprofitleadership #community #inclusion

Why Your Best Appeal Fails with 80% of People We ran a 5 version test of a letter. Each told the same story of the a woman who lost sight, her journey to get it back, and how donors made it possible. What changed? The story was tailored to match the reader's personality. The result? A 21% increase in response over the control. We used 3rd party data to tag everyone with their dominant personality trait, based on the Big Five model: Agreeable, Conscientious, Open, Extraverted, Neurotic. The 3rd party data is messy raw ingredients. But we have the recipe to turn it into psychological insight. Once tagged, each person got the version of the letter written for their trait. No nth testing. No guesswork. No random spin of the creative wheel. Each version told the same story — but in a way that made it easier for the reader to see themselves in it. 🟩 Agreeable “Her world grew darker… Gathering her neighbors, she shared her story. ‘Let’s do this together.’” Empathy, community, shared effort. 🟦 Conscientious “She refused to give up… Clinics were far, but she found a solution.” Determined, practical, goal-oriented. 🟨 Open “The first thing she saw was light… Then, color—rich and electric.” Imaginative, vivid, emotionally rich. 🟥 Extraverted “The world burst into life… She rallied her neighbors.” Social energy, connection, collective momentum. 🟧 Neurotic “She gripped the walls of her home… The fear of total darkness loomed.” Real vulnerability, fear, and resolution. The control? Well-written but written for nobody in particular except the subjective tastes of the writer and maybe the 12-person review committee. One-size-fits-all isn’t tailored to the donor. It’s tailored to you — your preferences, your approval process, your branding guidelines. That’s not strategy. That’s internal comfort disguised as donor-centricity. And the random nth testing only stacks failure in your corner. Randomly assigning people to versions means the test and control group contain all 5 personality types. If your control has a innate trait match (questionable at best) then you're still, on average, only speaking to 1 in 5. The other 80%? They're mismatched by design. You’re testing noise against noise. Tailoring doesn’t cost more — unless you make it cost more. If you're applying the same long review cycle to all five versions, you're missing the point. You don’t need to be a behavioral scientist. We are. Review the shared base version. If it’s factually accurate and aligned to your mission, you’re done. The psychology takes it from there. When you tailor messaging to the reader you reduce friction. You make giving easier. You make feeling seen easier. This isn’t just about lifting response, though it does. It’s about making your donors feel like the message was written for them because it was. This isn’t personalization as gimmick, it's personalization as psychological alignment. And it's highly scalable.

HALF of donors don’t return after their first gift. Why? Because most nonprofits treat donors like ATMs, not people. Here’s how AI-driven personalization can help: 1. AI analyzes donor behavior, preferences & giving patterns. No more generic “Dear Supporter” emails. 2. It segments donors intelligently. Big givers, monthly donors, one-time donors, each gets tailored messaging. 3. It automates personalized outreach at scale. Birthday emails. Impact reports aligned with donor interests. Smart thank-yous. And the results? Nonprofits using AI personalization see retention rates increase by up to 20%. Even better: Personalized emails deliver 6x higher transaction rates than non-personalized ones. What does that mean for you? More recurring donors. More predictable revenue. Less time spent chasing one-off gifts. With purpose and impact, Mario

Many organizations are sitting on a treasure trove of insights they're barely using. 🗝️💡 It's not just about collecting data; it's about actively engaging with it. Your existing data holds the power to keep your donors engaged but also predict and disengagement. How? By: 1. 𝐔𝐭𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐳𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐄𝐱𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐃𝐚𝐭𝐚: Dive into the data you already have. Patterns of past behaviors, interactions, and preferences are waiting to be discovered and acted upon. 2. 𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐄𝐧𝐠𝐚𝐠𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭: Analyze engagement metrics and communication responses to identify early signs of donor withdrawal. Tailor your outreach to rekindle their interest before they consider leaving. 3. 𝐏𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥𝐢𝐳𝐞𝐝 𝐒𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐠𝐢𝐞𝐬: Implement segmentation and predictive analytics to customize your communications. Show your donors they're not just another name in the database but a valued member of your community. 4. 𝐌𝐚𝐱𝐢𝐦𝐢𝐳𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐃𝐚𝐭𝐚 𝐈𝐧𝐬𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐬: Leverage tools and techniques like RFM (Recency, Frequency, Monetary value) analysis and machine learning to turn raw data into actionable strategies for retaining your donors. The reality is, you already possess a wealth of data that can transform your approach to donor stewardship. The challenge lies in effectively mining and applying these insights to foster deeper, more meaningful relationships with your supporters. By harnessing the power of the data at our fingertips, we can make every supporter feel like a hero to our cause. 🙌