The Irish satirist Jonathan Swift once quipped, “He was a bold man who first ate an oyster.” It makes you wonder, doesn’t it? Who was the person brave enough to crack open that shell and take a chance on something entirely new?
This spirit of boldness is relevant to us as fundraisers and marketers—we’re probably not taking enough risks. Testing new ideas, challenging norms, and experimenting with innovative approaches are often the keys to success, yet how often do we find ourselves sticking with what’s safe?
Are You Testing Enough?
How many times have you embarked on a project you were certain would work, only to see it fall flat? Conversely, how many times have you doubted a new idea, only to be surprised when it took off?
Testing isn’t just a good practice—it’s crucial. Even the most experienced pioneers in fundraising and direct marketing have been proven wrong and learned from their testing processes. Some of the best innovations come from what seem like the riskiest, most contrarian ideas. The key is to test everything: from your offers and messaging to your donor outreach methods and event strategies.
The Importance of a Contrarian Approach
Throughout direct marketing history, many of the greatest successes have come from taking a contrarian approach. Here are a few lessons learned from years of testing:
- Long letters can outperform short ones.
- Simple language and short sentences, even with highly educated audiences, are effective.
- Asking again from recent donors, rather than waiting, can bring in more gifts.
- Postal mail, while some say it’s fading, remains powerful.
Testing is about embracing these unconventional approaches and seeing what sticks. You won’t know until you try, and the results might surprise you.
What Should You Be Testing?
The short answer? Everything. You can test:
- Different types of appeals or offers to your donors
- Various letter signers or subject lines in email campaigns
- Packaging designs, list segmentation, and reply devices
- Even the format and approach of events or new channels like ConnectedTV
The opportunities for testing are endless, and testing helps refine your strategy, leading to better results and long-term success.
So, what risks are you willing to take today? What can you test to uncover a breakthrough in your fundraising or marketing?
Embrace boldness, and you might just discover the next great idea that will propel your organization forward.
