Re-imagining Annual Giving: Optimizing Technology to Acquire Donors and Increase Donor Loyalty
This event has ended.
Re-imagining Annual Giving: Optimizing Technology to Acquire Donors and Increase Donor Loyalty
This event has ended.
Apply evidence-based donor psychology to think differently about your donor communication strategies.
Overview
Fact #1: It’s becoming more competitive to get the attention of your donors. Fact #2: Technology is changing faster than ever before and (Fact #3) it’s getting harder to keep track of the hottest trends that can help you in your shop. If you’re wondering how to solve all three of these problems, this conference is for you.
As the founder of the fastest-growing professional association in philanthropy, our expert speaker Louis Diez will share the tried-and-true practices that he’s developed by interacting with hundreds of nonprofit professionals committed to improving donor participation. This, along with his extensive research experience, gives him the unique perspective to see what is working right now, understand why it works, and help annual fund shops quickly and efficiently implement these strategies. At this event, Louis will also share relevant donor psychology trends that must be incorporated to better inform the way we communicate with donors.
Not only will you obtain the frameworks for explaining your work to others, but you will also have the unique opportunity to try on these donor communication tactics for your own shop in real-time. If implementing up-to-date digital communication strategies feels intimidating, rest assured that Louis will address your concerns by offering solutions based on his work with non-profit organizations who have achieved great success using these recommendations. You will also acquire a network of colleagues who are daring to think differently about annual giving, and you’ll leave with an expanded toolbox of optimal technology resources that will help you move beyond “another Giving Day.”
Who should attend?
If you’re an annual giving staff member, manager, or director who wants to better understand the changing donor landscape to inform your digital communication outreach strategy to acquire and retain your donors, this conference is for you.
This training assumes a general knowledge of annual giving; however, if you’re new to annual giving, or want to better understand how donor behavior continues to change, you and your team will benefit from attending.
Agenda
Day 1: Wednesday, February 7, 2024
8:30 a.m. – 5:15 p.m. CT (local time in Chicago, IL)
Registration and Continental Breakfast
8:30 – 9:00 a.m.
Welcome and Introductions
9:00 – 9:30 a.m.
Donor Psychology 101
9:30 – 10:30 a.m.
In this opening session, our expert speaker will provide evidence-based research regarding the changing landscape of philanthropy, and its influence on donor behavior. Having a better understanding of donor psychology will be especially useful when you’re analyzing your shop’s data and making a case to revise your future strategy to acquire and retain your prospective and current donors. Each participant will bring or access their data to begin the process of how to “build their case” to pivot or re-align their annual giving donor strategy.
Morning Break
10:30 – 10:45 a.m.
Re-Imagining Your Engagement Strategy with Donors
10:45 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
For too long, you (as an annual giving staff member) may have relied too heavily on antiquated models that limit your ability to think differently about how to approach your work with your colleagues and/or donors. This session will introduce you to at least two new fundraising frameworks that will help you to become more effective in engaging, stewarding, and cultivating relationships with your donors.
Lunch
12:00 – 1:00 p.m.
Digital Content Creation to Optimize Donor Communication
1:00 – 2:30 p.m.
As a digital content communications creator, you’ll have the opportunity to learn several new tools and tactics to help you to automate, streamline, and simplify your digital communication strategy with your donors. Our expert speaker will provide you with checklists to improve your fundraising written materials, teach you how to craft high-converting emails and landing pages using artificial intelligence, and introduce you to new tools in Excel beyond the basics.
Afternoon Break
2:30 – 2:45 p.m.
Experimental Labs: Application of New Technology
2:45 – 4:00 p.m.
Now is your chance to try on these new digital communication strategies. By working in these experimental labs, you’ll have the opportunity to share ideas in the context of your unique shop, identify any challenges or new learns for implementation, and process questions with our expert speaker. Participants will choose two of the following experiments:
- Research-based fundraising writing tips
- Crafting high-converting emails and landing pages with artificial intelligence
- Data analysis and automation
Day One Q&A and Wrap-Up
4:00 – 4:15 p.m.
Networking Reception
4:15 – 5:15 p.m.
This informal reception is your chance to decompress, have some refreshments on us, and expand your network of connections. Our programs are intentionally designed for smaller groups, so this is a great time to catch up with attendees, as well as our guest speaker, whom you may not have connected with yet.
Day 2: Thursday, February 8, 2024
8:30 a.m. – 3:00 p.m. CT (local time in Chicago, IL)
Registration and Continental Breakfast
8:30 – 9:00 a.m.
Experimental Labs Continued
9:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
Let the hands-on learning continue! Louis will begin the labs with a short lesson to introduce new techniques, and then you’ll work in small groups with colleagues from similar-sized institutions to apply them to your shop. Group members will share what they developed and seek the group’s feedback to enhance their own communication efforts.
- Lab 1: Welcome Series Donor Letters: Develop communication for a “Welcome series” for your current donors or new subscribers.
- Lab 2: Gift Catalog and Sequenced Content Offers: Develop your own gift catalog end-of-year strategy and sequenced content offers as a means to attract and engage donors in a scalable way.
Note: A 15-minute break will be built into this session.
Lunch
12:00 – 1:00 p.m.
A New Way Forward: Final Tips and Advice for Re-Imagining Your Work in Annual Giving
1:00 – 2:30 p.m.
In this closing session, we’ll wrap up the conference by truly re-imaging your work as an annual giving staff member and how to implement these new strategies and ideas when you return to campus. We’ll discuss some strategies to improve your overall donor retention rates and review your current monthly giving programs to refresh or re-energize those efforts. We’ll also identify some strategies to eliminate productivity bottlenecks in your shop like bureaucracy, process, standards, and policies, and address other barriers to help you define a new path forward in annual giving.
Final Q&A, Conference Wrap-Up & Evaluations
2:30 – 3:00 p.m.
Save on In-Person Conference Registrations
Attend any three in-person conferences for $5,000 for Members ($5,500 for Non-Members) – or $1,667 dollars per registration for Members ($1,833 for Non-Members) – with a Conference 3-Pack. There’s no one way to use your 3-Pack!
- Send 3 people to the same conference
- Send 3 individuals to different conferences
- Experience 3 different conferences yourself
Location
Sheraton Grand Chicago Riverwalk
301 East North Water Street
Chicago, IL, 60611
(312)-464-1000
A room rate of $169/night is available if you book before January 24. Click here to book!
Unable to attend this event? Get the binder.
Conference binders include all presentation slides, worksheets, action plans, and additional resources from the conference. Conference binders are shipped upon receipt of payment within 2-4 weeks of the conclusion of the event.
Note: This binder is included in the conference registration price. If you are attending the conference and wish to purchase an additional binder, please give us a call at 720-488-6800.
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