We nonprofit marketers have sweated and tested to create the perfect donor communication. But it doesn’t exist.
Humans are so different in so many different ways that there is no perfect donor communication; there is only a perfect communication for each individual. Our current segmentation and customization efforts barely scratch the surface.
Artificial intelligence/machine learning gives us a unique opportunity. We can better select who gets what communication. We can automate communications to strike while irons are hot. And we can get all the benefits of 1:1 personalization with all the benefits of scale. All this increases revenue and decreases cost.
But we must also steer clear of perils. We must maintain the safety of our brands, exclude the biases that sometimes affect our communications, and keep AI’s goals our goals.
Nick Ellinger’s new book, The Perfect Donor Communication: Increase revenues and donor satisfaction with personalization and machine learning is a roadmap.
First, he tackles the why, with all the benefits of improved segmentation and customization. Then, he addresses how, with a crawl, walk, run, and bicycle approach to machine learning, with steps that improve your net at every point.
Together, we can use machines to achieve great human ends if we fundraisers and marketers use it wisely and in partnership with what also makes being human great.
If you want to learn how to harness machine learning and AI in ways that can actually drive increases in net revenue, check out this podcast episode and get Nick’s new book!
This episode is sponsored by my friends and colleagues at DickersonBakker.
We’re on a mission to show ministries and other nonprofits that there’s a better way to fundraise. One that prioritizes relationships and long-term net revenue. One that focuses on human connection instead of transactions.
If you’re feeling unsettled in your fundraising approach, reach out to start a conversation today.