The Science Behind the Strategies
Clients Come to Us
Because We Know What Works
We take our financial responsibility very seriously. And we know a lot is riding on how much growth you generate from your online and offline campaigns.
The revenue we generate usually pays most of the bills and keeps the lights on for our clients.
So, we know how important it is to you – to meet or exceed the budgets we forecast for every project that we manage.
So, we create captivating digital ads, coordinated email campaigns, and successful direct mail letters. But we don’t do so to win awards – or to impress others with our innovations.
We understand how to drive powerful growth for nonprofits. We base our creative on what works. Our strategies match what our clients tell us are their most important objectives. Your donors’ prior actions drive when and how we reach out to your supporters.
We Know What Works
Because We’ve Studied Human Behavior
We know certain things work because we have tested these ideas. And we continue to measure everything we do.
Direct marketing is very precise. First, we focus on what people do or don’t do when presented with different options, messages, or visual stimuli.
Every element in every channel and every pitch is based on what will motivate people to take action.
We’ve collected a robust body of knowledge about what influences human behavior. And we understand which marketing strategies create the best results in each channel.
And our strategists and creative team members, are continually thinking about how we can make those transactions even more cost-effective. How can we engage your supporters in more meaningful and rewarding experiences? How can we strengthen your organization’s relationship with your most important supporters? And what are the best ways to increase awareness of your issues, raise the profile of your brand, and accomplish your immediate and longer-term goals?
We place such a big emphasis on the continual search for knowledge because this is one of the best ways we can enhance your bottom line and produce the annual increases in net income you desire. And it’s essential to powerful growth.
Getting People to Respond Requires Skill
First, your outgoing messages face a huge amount of competition in people’s mailboxes and inboxes. Your digital ads are also going up against very savvy retail advertisers on Facebook and the other social media platforms.
So, just getting people’s attention and standing out from the competition is where most campaigns fail.
As you know, people are busy when they receive your letter or email – doing things they want to continue doing. They are not eager to take a break to send you a donation.
So, you cannot underestimate the level of motivation your outreach must inspire.
This explains why 99% of the people will almost always fail to respond to a fundraising pitch from a group they have never supported before.
The difficulty in getting people’s attention long enough to make your case for action also explains why only one-third of the people who receive an email from nonprofits actually make a donation.
Even many of your best supporters receive so many email solicitations and other requests for donations that they won’t feel the slightest pang of guilt if they ignore your next few messages.
There is simply too much competition for their time, attention, and wallet.
And yet, in the right hands, direct marketing is a powerful engine for growth.
So, when you come to Avalon, you can:
- increase your chances of success
- make your fundraising programs more cost-effective
- produce higher response rates
- raise more net income each year
- retain & upgrade more donors
- try better ways to engage your supporters
- make the most effective use of each channel (social media,
email, mail, telemarketing, website, & promotions for events)
- deepen your relationship with your donors
- generate new income streams from planned giving, Donor Advised Funds,
monthly giving and mid-level donor programs
- identify the best places to invest your limited time,
money and staffing resources
- accomplish your top priorities
NEXT: Knowing What To Do – Or Avoid