Since our politicians "solved" impasses over the federal government shutdown and debt ceiling by kicking the can down the road to early next year, some nonprofit fundraisers, not to mention retailers, express worry about the potential drag on holiday spending. A recent post by Angie Moore in Fundraising Success magazine's blog, urged nonprofits to exercise both watchfulness and calm. Yes, fundraisers did report a drop in giving as measured by immediate channels, such as Internet and phone, during the actual shutdown, and market researchers confirmed the negative impact on consumer behavior: 40% of consumers cut spending as a result of the shutdown, with 32% of consumers making $100,000 and up cutting back and 37% of consumer earning $75,000-$100,000 tightening their belts. Since those income brackets represent the donor targets of many fundraising campaigns, it's not unreasonable to worry that donors might stay conservative with their wallets over the holidays. But what's a reasonable marketing response? We like Moore's advice to 1) first avoid panicked, potentially unproductive changes in campaign strategy and budget; 2) but keep a close eye on metrics (such as open rates, online giving, call volume, pledge and donation amounts); and 3) if you see a reason for concern confirmed by data from vendors and fellow fundraisers, tweak the tactics with quickly measurable results (online, social, and telemarketing, for example). For the full article, see http://www.fundraisingsuccessmag.com/blog/angie-moore-fundraising-government-shutdown
David Kanter, President and CEO of AccuList, is a list brokerage and direct marketing expert. For more than 30 years, he has helped companies and nonprofit organizations achieve their marketing goals. With David's Direct Marketing Forum, he shares, and invites others to share, helpful direct-marketing industry news, trends, analyses, resources, and tips for success. Please read our Comment Policy.
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