L'utilité d'une check list

Lorsqu'on prépare un mailing, il est utile vérifier que l'on n'oublie rien, même les points les plus cruciaux. Je me souviens, voici quelques années, un client m'a adressé le mailing pour que je lui fasse une lecture critique. C'est un travail que je fais très souvent et qui permet d'avoir un regard neuf sur un projet déjà bien avancé. Dans ce cas, ils avaient tout simplement oublié l'adresse où poster les chèques du bon de retour !

Voici la check list proposée par nos amis de SOFII :

A checklist to help supercharge your fundraising appeals

By Damian O’Broin

Checklists are great. They can make onerous tasks more manageable. And in a busy agency or fundraising department they can be a lifeline to ensure that work is done properly and to the highest standard.
So today I thought I’d share with you two of the checklists we use at Ask Direct to ensure that the campaigns we produce are as effective and compelling as possible.
If you use these 12 points to review the campaigns you produce, it will supercharge your fundraising appeals.
I’ll be honest, though. It can be very difficult to create appeals that tick all 12 of these boxes. We rarely manage to do it. But we’re always trying to get there.
I should also say that we didn’t invent these. We stole them from people who are far cleverer than we are.


The first checklist we stole from Patrick Renvoisé and Christophe Morin, who wrote a book called Neuromarketing (Thomas Nelson, Inc, USA, 2007). In it they argue that the part of brain responsible for action, what they call ‘the old brain’, only responds to six stimuli. And if you want to motivate people to take an action – such as giving money to your cause – you need to use these stimuli.


So here’s checklist no. 1, the Neuromarketing checklist.

1. Self-centred

The old brain only really cares about itself. So you need to make sure that your fundraising appeals are about the donor, not about your organisation. The donor should be the centre of the story, the hero of the piece. Your organisation is merely the trusty sidekick who helps her achieve whatever remarkable thing it is that you’re asking for her help with.

2. Contrast

Our old brains are finely attuned to contrast, difference and change. We notice the new. Does your appeal surprise? Is it unexpected? And does it move between the bad – whatever problem you’re trying to solve – and the good – the positive outcome you’re hoping for?

3. Tangible

The old brain isn’t good at abstract concepts. It likes things to be tangible and concrete. It doesn’t want to end poverty, but it would quite like to stop a child from going to school hungry. It doesn’t get environmental justice and sustainable development, but it would like clean drinking water and not to have an incinerator built next door.

4. Beginning and end

Our old brains pay most attention to what comes at the beginning and the end. The middle tends to be a bit of a mush. Think of your favourite novel. You can probably recall how it starts and how it ends, but I doubt you could relate in detail everything that happens in the 300 pages in between. So make sure the most important information is at the beginning and end of the appeal. And make sure there’s a good story to tie the rest of it all together.

5. Visual stimuli

Apparently the old brain doesn’t even understand words. So make sure you have strong visual stimuli to engage people and move them to action. Wherever possible use images of people, ideally looking straight at the camera.

6. Emotions

As they say in their book, ‘…researchers have demonstrated that [we] make decisions in an emotional manner and then justify them rationally.’ If you want people to take action, you have to engage with their emotions. Make sure your fundraising appeal packs an emotional punch. If it doesn’t, it shouldn’t go out.

So that’s the first six. They’re the easy ones.

We also stole the next six. They come from Robert B Cialdini, author of Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion (William Morris and Limited, Inc, USA 1993), who identified six ‘weapons of influence’. Here they are.

7. Reciprocation

Give something. Someone who receives a gift feels obligated to return the favour. This is why premiums – stickers, labels, pens – lift response. But this a lever of influence you need to use with care and prudence. You don’t want a sense of obligation to descend into resentment. Perhaps there are better things you can ‘give’ to your donor, such as special access, insider information – or even gratitude – that would cement and deepen the relationship and a shared sense of obligation to each other.

8. Commitment and consistency

Once people publicly commit to something, they tend to stay consistent with that commitment. I came across a great example of this recently at the Institute of Fundraising National Convention, when Craig Linton of the Greater London Fund for the Blind showed their donor pledge form. New donors area asked to sign a pledge (not compulsory) to ‘continue my regular gift for as long as I can afford it. I reckon these few words will really help to reduce their attrition rates.

9. Social proof

Social proof is hugely influential. We are surprisingly herd-like and will often take our lead from others. How can you demonstrate social proof in your appeals? One technique that has worked in telephone campaigns is to tell donors how much other people gave to the appeal. The donor is very likely to follow suit. Try to think of ways of showing the breadth of support for your cause. If people know other people ‘like them’ – people of the same gender, or from the same locality – support you, they’re more likely to do so themselves.

10. Liking

We prefer to say yes to people we like. So, is your organisation likeable? Do you seem human, genuine, friendly, caring? Do you demonstrate this with excellent donor care?

11. Authority

We are also remarkably easily swayed by authority. Do you come across as authoritative? Do you sound like you know what you’re talking about? Are you experts in your area? Interestingly, one way to convey this is by talking in detail and specifics, using concrete language. The more detail you provide, the more vivid your storytelling, the more likely it is that your donor will believe you. More on that here.

12. Scarcity

Scarcity and exclusivity are powerful motivators. But they can be hard to apply in general fundraising appeals – you often want as many people as possible to contribute. But you should always consider ways to employ scarcity. A J Leon, again at the Institute of Fundraising National Convention, had a great example where he limited the number of donors to a project to a hundred. And these 100 people got special access and benefits. It was a runaway success. You can watch it here

So there you have it: twelve things to aim for in your next fundraising appeal.

Savoir parler au téléphone

Le sourire, et un bon script, sont la base du succès.

Au téléphone, le sourire se voit. Telle était la phrase répétée par mon interlocutrice voici une vingtaine d'années quand j'écrivais un article pour un encyclopédie de marketing publiée alors par les éditions Atlas.

Cette entreprise de services téléphoniques formait ses opérateurs à sourire car l'expérience prouvait qu'une personne affable et souriante était mieux en mesure de faire passer son message qu'un opérateur mal embouché.

Je ne suis pas un grand expert de fund raising téléphonique, mais je l'utilise assez pour savoir que le résultat final dépend non seulement du sourire de l'appelant, masi aussi de la qualité de son script.

Voici un article de Joe White, disponible sur le site de SOFII qui apporte un point de vue sur le travail préalable à la conversation.

Joe White.

In the following article, veteran telephone fundraising specialist Joe White, president of Left Bank Consulting in Canada, critiques the three sample telephone scripts on this page. These scripts are real and were used in fundraising campaigns. Names have been changed to conceal each organisation’s identity.

What’s in a phone script?

Critique of sample script no. 1

There are a number of problems with this script. Firstly, the wording is awkward; it is not written in a natural conversational style. While thanking donors at the start of a phone script is a basic requirement of telephone fundraising, making an assumption about what a donor ‘knows’ is a mistake. Lots of donors don’t read your direct mail or newsletters. Instead, use the personal connection to deliver something different, new and interesting.

This script doesn’t engage the donor. It focuses on what the charity is doing and the sentences are far too long: 39 words, 27 words. Shorten your sentences and be conversational because you face losing donors with scripts that drone on and on.

The first ask is wasted as it is written in the third person. At its most basic level, fundraising is people asking people for money. Keep the ask simple and personal. In this script, what exactly does ‘reach out to more animals’ mean – getting an email address?

I prefer scripts that help callers to make a personal connection with the donor, such as ‘We really appreciate your support of our programmes to help animals that we both love. Do you have an animal – perhaps a pet dog or cat?’ Using this technique helps to make a connection between the caller and the donor. However, callers have to be careful not to lose control of the phone call by letting the donor chatter away for 20 minutes about Fluffy, her pet cat.

The wording of the second ask is also clumsy. When you write a phone script, take a few moments to read your sentences out loud to see if they pass the ‘conversation test’. Would you really say something like this? Scripts need to provide the callers with support. They should use concise language that can frame the discussion.

Finally this script continues to be all about the organisation – I don’t think there is a single ‘you’ in this script. It should be full of phrases such as ‘you understand’ or ‘you helped to make this possible’ or ‘you love animals’ and should be full of thank yous.

Critique of sample script no. 2

I don’t think calling people for a ‘brief update on our work’ is very compelling. In this script, why not start with ‘I’m calling to talk to you about the pending increase in electric rates. The increases are outrageous.’ Interject some emotions as it will involve and capture the attention of your donor.

It’s good to remind donors (especially lapsed ones like those addressed in this script) that they have benefitted (saved money) because of the efforts of the charity. However, the figure of 10 billion dollars is hard for most people to grasp. Instead it might have been better to say that ‘Free Hydro has saved rate payers like you and me about $120 per year.’ This will immediately get their attention and their gratitude.

The first sentence in the third paragraph has 52 words. This does not resemble any conversation that I’d be likely to get into. See if you can shorten this sentence and make the information punchier. For example ‘Free Hydro is working to help you by suing in court if we have to. We’re lobbying the politicians and we’re putting pressure on the decision-makers.’

When you are trying to have a personal one-one-one conversation, don’t use the third person, ‘We are calling past supporters of Free Hydro and asking them to help with a generous contribution.’ Write something like ‘I am calling you because you have supported us to keep utility rates down. I’m calling for your help again now’ instead.

In the second ask, don’t apologise for asking for financial support. Be proud – you’re working for this great and important cause. Make sure your scripts get this across. Try, ‘This is a great cause. I’m sure if you were able to you might consider another gift. I’m sure we can find a good level for you.’

Notice the language ‘working to hold politicians accountable’ versus ‘we’re holding politicians accountable.’ Why use two verbs? Be direct, assertive, proud, and confident. People give to urgent, exciting and dynamic causes.

The third ask is lame. I’d rather go right to ‘thanks very much for your time. Before I go, will you match last year’s gift of $25 to help us make a difference?’ You’ve done all of the explaining and this person just wants to get off the phone by this time. Give him a final chance to make a gift and then end the call.

Critique of sample script no. 3

I like this script. It thanks the donor and reminds her or him of the goals and importance of the college.

However, problems arise in the second paragraph. It states that the board of trustees raised fees and it is hurting low-income students. It then uses nuanced language as a call to action and weakly suggests that ‘we have to do a bit more.’ This is hardly motivating – we can all do a bit more.

The third paragraph successfully keeps the donor’s focus on ‘needy students’ and puts the significant date of the end of December into the donor’s mind.

Mentioning a credit card in an ask in almost assumptive. It’s as if the donor has already agreed to make a gift and is just deciding whether to use MasterCard or Visa.

The second ask uses a great technique called the ‘symbolic ask’ which seeks to create a logical or emotional connection that makes it easier for the donor to nod ‘yes’ which is close to saying yes to a contribution.

The third ask is right to the point and short: ‘help us reach our goal’ and ‘you can close the gap.’ It is designed to make it easy to say yes.

Remember that 70 per cent or more of calls end as refusals. Staying on the phone, connecting with donors on a personal level and getting them nodding/agreeing during your call are what good fundraisers should do. The script is a tool that guides and offers them examples of language that can facilitate getting a yes.