Our Services
We provide all the major components for successful telephone fundraising:
State of the art facilities
Our firm is fully automated, which presents many distinct advantages to our clients. Also, the fully automated system allows for optimal monitoring by our clients.
Strategic planning
Before we make a single contact, we spend as much time as necessary in creative and strategic planning sessions with key staff at your organization, to be certain that we have a firm grasp of all the issues you face. We thoroughly review as much background material as you can gather -- newsletters, annual reports, sample direct mail packages, etc. -- as we develop the focus of the campaign.
Script & Fulfillment Package Development
We work closely with you to make sure that the script meets your approval and our mutual objectives -- it must be a fair representation of the organization, as well as an effective strategic tool.
While it's important to have a concise and compelling script, it's also important to understand the reality of telemarketing as conversation. Callers need more than a couple of paragraphs and three or four generic objection responses to be successful. So we will translate as much of the background information as we can into scripted material, to prepare the operators for any number of possible circumstances that may arise.
At the same time, we will develop artwork for your approval, and assume all responsibility for the printing of pledge forms and envelopes to be used in fulfillment packages.
Initial fulfillment packages are mailed within 24 hours -- weekends included -- to specified and unspecified pledges, hedges, and "refusal/send envelope." This latter category is not reflected in the statistics, but we have found that sending packages to refusals who request them can lift results significantly.
Within several weeks following the initial mailing, all specified and unspecified pledges, which have not yet been fulfilled will receive a reminder mailing.
Operator Training
We think its folly to give an operator five minutes to look over a script and then expect them to adequately represent you. We provide our callers with written background materials, video and audiotapes when available, and ample time to absorb your information. We are committed to extensive training on your issues, goals and challenges, as well as any special considerations you may have about courtesy to donors, etc.
Segmentation, Targeting & Testing
We know from experience that your donor file is not one generic mass, but rather distinct segments which perform quite differently from one another.
We break down your file into segments according to last gift date, dollar level, original join method and/or other criteria in order to "separate the wheat from the chaff." Of course, the point is not just to have impressive spreadsheets with a lot of rows and columns and then fully penetrate the file anyway.
The point is to reduce your expenses and eliminate waste, cutting out those segments, which aren't working while zeroing in on those segments, which are productive.
From the very beginning, we will carefully "test the water" in each segment before going full steam ahead. And if it makes sense, we may recommend splitting various segments to test two or more different messages in order to determine the most effective approach.
Monitoring and Remote Monitoring
Our supervisors not only monitor the conversations between our callers and your donors, but they have the option to patch into the call, identify themselves, and assume control of the call. This provides our callers with maximum support, and it assures you that your donors will be communicated with effectively and appropriately.
In addition, we offer you the option to listen to the calls yourself, from your home or office, through off-site Remote Monitoring.
Statistical Reports
At a minimum, we provide the following hard copy reports:
Cumulative Statistical Performance Report
The Cumulative Statistical Performance Report will provide pledge results in a detailed breakdown by donor file segment as well as in summary form by campaign.
Credit Card Report
The Credit Card Report will provide the details you need to process credit card pledges, if you offer that option.
Prospect Feedback Report
The Electronic Feedback Report and File Update Report provides you with any name and address changes given to our operators, as well as any special requests from your donors for more information, etc.
Analysis and Recommendations
We won't just provide you with a mound of statistics and leave you cursing your fax machine. We'll tell you what the numbers mean. Through frequent telephone conferences and periodic written reports, we will provide you with an interpretation of the statistics, as well as our recommendations for both short- term and long-term strategy, in light of the results.