Using donor surveys in planned giving
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The document discusses the challenges charities face in encouraging estate giving due to people's aversion to mortality reminders. It suggests using oblique communication methods that focus on personal narratives and significant life stories to engage potential donors. This approach, supported by experimental research, aims to foster a willingness to give by relating estate planning to broader topics like health and family values.
![Female, 63
widowed
‘The reason I selected Help the Aged...it was
after my mother died...And I just thought – she’d
been in a care home for probably three or four
years. And I just wanted to help the elderly...I’d
also support things like Cancer Research,
because people I’ve known have died...An
animal charity as well, I had a couple of cats.’
Bequest charity representing loved ones
“‘[In my will I have a gift to] the
Cancer Research. My father died
of cancer and so I have supported
them ever since he died.’
Male, 89
married (Routley, 2011, p. 220-221)](https://image.slidesharecdn.com/usingdonorsurveys-170606150121/85/Using-donor-surveys-in-planned-giving-38-320.jpg)
![Were there any family members in your life who were
particularly influential in shaping your views on the
importance of nature conservation?
More willing to
give or bequest to
conservation NPO
Grandmother
Aunt
Mother
Not
statistically
significant
Grandfather
Uncle
Father
If you happened to complete a new will in the next 3 months,
what is the percentage likelihood you might leave a BEQUEST
gift to [org]? 1,125 participants](https://image.slidesharecdn.com/usingdonorsurveys-170606150121/85/Using-donor-surveys-in-planned-giving-45-320.jpg)
Using donor surveys in planned giving
- 1. Academic research and practical applications Professor Russell James III, J.D., Ph.D., CFP® Texas Tech University
- 2. Charities often seek to GET estate giving information…
- 3. But, are disappointed with the lack of response…
- 4. Charities often seek to GIVE estate giving information…
- 5. But, are disappointed with the lack of response…
- 6. So, what’s the problem?
- 7. So, what’s the problem? Death.
- 8. Regardless of terminology or packaging, estate planning is planning for one’s own death. It is a strong reminder of the reality of one’s own mortality. Experimental research has identified consistent reactions to mortality reminders
- 10. Distract: I’m too busy to think about that right now Differentiate: It doesn’t apply to me now because I (exercise, have good cholesterol, don’t smoke…) Deny: These worries are overstated Delay: I definitely plan to think about this… later Depart: I am going to stay away from that reminder Forms of Avoidance
- 11. Seminar Tonight: Estate Planning What you see Seminar Tonight: Your Upcoming Death What the subconscious sees
- 13. Communicating Obliquely Personal mortality topics are subconsciously aversive to most people. Wrap them in other topics to sidestep the initial avoidance response. A common theme in several successful approaches to introducing planned giving
- 14. Senior concerns Health Finance Estate planning Planned giving Charitable Estate Planning The Oblique Seminar You “just happen” to communicate about planned giving in the context of something else Christians and the Law Religious liberties Stewardship / estate planning Tax-smart giving Current giving tips Planned giving tips “Since you’re thinking about ways to protect yourself and your identity, why not think about ways to protect your estate, as well?” We ended with an abbreviated seminar on how to be sure your estate is in order (with appropriate charitable bequests in place).” -Barbara Diehl, Journal of Gift Planning, 2006 Identity theft?
- 15. 4 S 1. Story 2. Story 3. Story 4. Shut up So, what’s new at Texas Tech? 1. … new coach … 2. … new building … 3. Oh, and Mary Smith did a neat thing. Did you know Mary? She graduated two years before you... No? Well, Mary spent her career helping other people get their finances in order and she recently signed a new will that one day will endow a permanent scholarship for our financial planning students. Concept from Jeff Comfort, Oregon State University The Oblique Conversation
- 16. The Oblique Focus Group Bigelow & Kolmerten (Journal of Gift Planning, 2008) set up a donor focus group “about why no one seems willing to learn about planned giving by attending workshops …The participants, in order to give advice about workshops on planned giving, had to ask questions about CRTs and CGAs…Thus, like scientists who discover a cure unexpectedly, we had inadvertently found our answer where we least expected it: the best venue to teach people about planned giving was not a workshop or a seminar but a focus group.”
- 17. The Oblique Investment How is Death Insurance Sold?
- 18. The Oblique Survey Why are response rates so much higher when we ask many questions instead of just one?
- 19. We don’t telegraph “death” with the communication We ask for input, opinion and information Death topics appear only in the last half Communicate obliquely (don’t lead with death)
- 20. Keys to building a survey Keys to using a survey
- 21. Ask meaningful questions Emphasize lasting impact Bring to mind life and family connections Use best phrasing to increase interest Keys to building a survey
- 22. Ask meaningful questions The survey allows you to learn what is important to your donors Results can communicate more powerfully to leadership than “just your opinion” Make it independently important
- 24. Will live beyond them Something reflecting the person’s life story (community and values) Permanence is psychologically attractive H
- 25. In a survey of over 4,000 Americans, among those expressing a difference in preference, people wanted more permanence for bequest gifts than for current gifts by greater than 2 to 1 “an immediate expenditure of all funds to advance the cause of the charity” v. “the establishment of a permanent fund generating perpetual income to advance the cause of the charity forever”
- 26. A poverty relief charity was described as an organization that focused on either “meeting the immediate needs of people” or “creating lasting improvements that would benefit people in the future” Normal Group Average Gift Death Reminded Group Avg. Gift Immediate Focused Charity $257.77 $80.97 Permanent Focused Charity $100.00 $235.71 *participants giving share of potential $1,000 award (Wade- Benzoni, et al., 2012)
- 27. Emphasize lasting impact Begin with seeking input on what is most important about the organization’s work Descriptions intentionally use language emphasizing permanence
- 28. Preliminary reminder questions that increased willingness to give to environmental conservation organizations
- 29. In a survey of 5,000+ people, asking this increased rating of organizational importance, willingness to donate, and leave a bequest, for environmental nonprofits Legacy Questions Please rate the importance to you of the following (1) Being a good example for the next generation. (2) Making a lasting impact in the world. (3) Insuring that your values will be remembered by future generations.
- 30. Life stories Bringing to mind the life relationship with the organization and the cause (self-identity)
- 31. Charitable bequest decision making emphasizes “visualized autobiography” brain regions Contrast Brain Region MNI co-ord inates Peak p FWE Clust-er p FWE (1) Beq> Give Lingual Gyrus -2, -78, -2 .004 .000 Precuneus 26, -66, 42 .102 .009 (2) Beq> Vol Lingual Gyrus 2, -80, -4 .007 .000 Precuneus 30, -66, 40 .180 .004 Precentral Gyrus -34, -3, 36 .397 .001 (3) Beq> (Give+ Vol) Lingual Gyrus 0, -78, -4 .001 .000 Precuneus 26, -66, 42 .007 .001 James, R. N., III & O’Boyle, M. W. (2014). Charitable estate planning as visualized autobiography: An fMRI study of its neural correlates. Nonprofit and Voluntary Sector Quarterly, 43(2), 355- 373.
- 32. “when discussing which charities they had chosen to remember, there was a clear link with the life narratives of many respondents” Life stories Summarizing a series of interviews with planned donors, Dr. Claire Routley wrote…
- 33. References to “important in your life” increase interest Interested Now 40% 30% 12% Will Never Be Interested 6% 7% 14% 2014 & 2015 Surveys, 1,822 Respondents Make a gift to charity in your will to support causes that have been important in your life Make a gift to charity in your will Make a bequest gift to charity
- 34. With new images or pure text (no significant difference) Living bequest donor life stories E.g., “School janitor Lester Holmes died in 1992” becomes “School janitor Lester Holmes signed his will today” Message Give-Beq Gap Gap 50+ Gap Male Gap Female None 10.2 14.0 7.7 11.7 Spendthrift Heirs (Formal) 9.4 11.4 8.4 10.1 Social Norms (Formal) 8.8 11.7 7.5 9.7 Heirs + Social Norms 8.0 10.2 6.4 9.0 Deceased Beq. Stories 6.7 7.5 4.4 7.5 Living Bequest Stories 4.4 4.3 3.3 5.0
- 35. Life stories Bringing to mind the life relationship with the organization and the cause (self-identity)
- 36. In a survey of 5,000+ people, this generated the strongest intention to leave a bequest of any reminder questions tested. Life Questions At what age did you first begin to think about the importance of conserving the natural environment? __ childhood __ high school __ my 20s __ my 30s or later Which of the following have been important in your life? Time I have spent outdoors Time I have spent on a river Time I have spent in a forest Time I have spent on a lake My life experiences with wildlife My life experiences with wild birds My life experiences with trees and plants.
- 37. Life stories and family connections Bringing to mind the relationships of significant others with the cause (self-identity)
- 38. Female, 63 widowed ‘The reason I selected Help the Aged...it was after my mother died...And I just thought – she’d been in a care home for probably three or four years. And I just wanted to help the elderly...I’d also support things like Cancer Research, because people I’ve known have died...An animal charity as well, I had a couple of cats.’ Bequest charity representing loved ones “‘[In my will I have a gift to] the Cancer Research. My father died of cancer and so I have supported them ever since he died.’ Male, 89 married (Routley, 2011, p. 220-221)
- 39. Bequests to friends and family (v. charitable bequests) more heavily involve brain regions of Emotion (mid/posterior cingulate cortex; insula) and Memory (hippocampus) Tribute charitable bequests generate more brain activation, and in regions consistent with applying more emotion and memory information to the decision Philanthropy is a SOCIAL act using the mechanisms of FAMILY bonding
- 40. Change in charitable bequest intention for those with family/friend connection Total Age 50+ Male Female Memorial reminder +14.0 +14.0 +13.5 +14.0 Living reminder +9.2 +9.3 +7.7 +9.9 Connection reminder + tribute bequest offer increases interest Average share with family/friend connections to each cause Total Age 50+ Male Female Memorial reminder 22.1% 27.1% 19.5% 23.6% Living reminder 34.2% 36.1% 30.4% 36.6%
- 41. Life stories and family connections Bringing to mind the relationships of significant others with the cause (self-identity)
- 42. Family Connections Do you have more or less than two family members who consider conserving the natural environment to be important? Were there any family members in your life who were particularly influential in shaping your views on the importance of nature conservation? (Check any that apply) __Grandmother __Grandfather __Aunt __Uncle __Mother __Father __Sibling __Other family member In a survey of 5,000 people, this increased rating of organizational importance and willingness to donate, but not to leave a bequest (without a tribute mechanism).
- 43. Do memorial or tribute bequests work better or worse for different family members?
- 44. Ascendants – Yes Friends and descendants - No multivariate regressions on intention overall and post-reminder change Strong positive 1. Grandmother 2. Grandfather 3. Grandparents 4. Aunt 5. Uncle 6. Mother Strong negative Friend Girl/Boyfriend Daughter Boy/Boys Girl/Girls Kids Nephew Brother
- 45. Were there any family members in your life who were particularly influential in shaping your views on the importance of nature conservation? More willing to give or bequest to conservation NPO Grandmother Aunt Mother Not statistically significant Grandfather Uncle Father If you happened to complete a new will in the next 3 months, what is the percentage likelihood you might leave a BEQUEST gift to [org]? 1,125 participants
- 46. Use best phrasing to increase interest
- 47. 5.0% 10.4% 15.4% Charitable bequests are influenced by a simple social example Charitable plans among 1,000 testators Charitable plans among 1,000 testators Charitable plans among 1,000 testators Many of our customers like to leave money to charity in their will. Are there any causes you’re passionate about? Would you like to leave any money to charity in your will? No reference to charity Cabinet Office Behavioural Insights Team (2013) Applying behavioural insights to charitable giving
- 48. The social norm increased charitable bequest intentions Interested Now 31% 23% 12% Will Never Be Interested 9% 12% 14% 2014 Survey, 2,369 Respondents, Groups D/E/LateG+H Many people like to leave a gift to charity in their will. Are there any causes you would support in this way? Make a gift to charity in my will Make a bequest gift to charity
- 49. Use best phrasing to increase interest Social norms Introducing new, unfamiliar options
- 50. Interested Now 50% 31% Will Never Be Interested 8% 20% 2014 Nov. Survey, 1,006 Respondents, Groups X/Y Avoid capital gains tax by making a gift of stocks or bonds to a charity. Make a gift of stocks or bonds to charity. Mentioning tax avoidance increases charitable interest
- 51. Simple language and starting with honor Interested Now 32% 23% 13% Will Never Be Interested 11% 17% 21% 2014 Survey, 1,961 Respondents, Groups Y/B/H Honor a family member by making a tribute gift to charity in my will Honor a friend or family member by making a memorial gift to charity in my last will & testament Make a bequest gift to charity in my last will & testament in honor of a friend or family member who was passionate about the charity's work
- 52. 2014 Survey, 2,214 Respondents, Groups G/H/D Slight improvement with a percentage option Interested Now 14.4% 14.0% 11.6% Will Never Be Interested 24.1% 29.0% 25.6% Make a gift by naming a charity as a transfer-on-death beneficiary for some percentage of a bank account or retirement account. Make a gift by naming a charity as a transfer-on-death beneficiary for 10% of a bank account or retirement account. Make a gift by naming a charity as a transfer-on-death beneficiary on a bank account or retirement account.
- 53. Use best phrasing to increase interest Incorporating avoidance with delay and hypothetical framing “if you happened to sign a will in next six months” Using key phrases that have tested well
- 55. Keys to Using a Survey Level 1 Attitude shifting Education (new information) Hand raises for legacy society Level 2 Prospect identification Quantify your opportunity Level 3 Become a learning organization
- 56. Level 1: Results if you do nothing else
- 57. Attitude shifting This lead up (life story reminders, social norms, etc.) and language is calculated to generate agreement with the concept of a gift in a will There is some temporary spillover effect of this agreement on upcoming estate planning actions that may arise naturally
- 58. Education (new information) Some new concepts will resonate with some parts of the audience (e.g., results on tribute gift concept)
- 59. Hand raises for legacy society
- 60. Level 2: Results if you are able to follow up
- 61. Prospect identification Not just will plans but other planned and major gift opportunities Those with immediate interest (move to action) and those who are unfamiliar (move to educate) Only use small mailings so that follow-up can be timely and appropriate
- 62. The gap between those who have made a gift and those who would make a gift if planning occurred shows the potential return for immediate stewardship action (turning “Yes” into “Now”) Small sample results can then project to national dataset Quantify your opportunities
- 63. 5% 33% 33% 29% Current and Potential Estate Gifts (age 70+) Have already included Haven't included but would Haven't included but might Wouldn't include This 5% with signed plans generates our average $X per year in estate income Missed opportunity This 33% would leave a gift, but haven’t been helped through the planning process
- 64. Without action, these unsigned “YES’s” pass away without gifts. Nationally, >90% of substantial donors die with no gift in their estate plan.
- 65. Level 3
- 66. Scientifically perfecting the language of YOUR planned giving ask Because you are using small surveys, you can regularly vary the lead up concepts and the ask phrasing Vary only one element at a time to scientifically test the results of that one change
- 67. Measure bequest communication progress over time After perfecting the language, continuing to do small sample surveys generates ongoing results for attitudes towards bequests Quarterly tracking of these attitudes over time demonstrates the effectiveness of communications in changing attitudes Did we move the needle?
- 68. Academic research and practical applications Professor Russell James III, J.D., Ph.D., CFP® Texas Tech University