Instead of broadcasting a “one size fits all” fund-raising message to every potential donor, Goodwill of Greater Washington now tailors its appeals to different audiences and has increased the number of repeat donors by 60 percent over the past five years, Brendan Hurley, senior vice president for marketing and communications, told a meeting of the American Marketing Association this week.

Goodwill of Greater Washington classified its donors and other people it wanted to reach into 25 distinct groups, including donors of used goods, buyers of goods, affluent people who could make big donations or planned gifts, and leaders of corporate foundations, says Mr. Hurley.

To successfully increase donations, he says, “You have to know who you are talking to.”

Goodwill first reached out to each type of potential donor not with a request for assistance, but with an explanation for each group of how the charity’s work benefits them.

“You have to talk to them first, then ask for money,” Mr. Hurley says.
For example, Goodwill told people who make donations to the charity that “helping us helps you,” he says. Donors who give to Goodwill’s training programs help low-income learn the skills they need to earn more money. They, in turn, are able to spend more money, improving the local economy and the quality of life for residents.

Focusing advertising on specific types of donors has also reaped huge rewards at Goodwill’s stores, where the number of buyers has increased 125 percent over the past five years and sales rose from $6-million to $8.8-million, says Mr. Hurley.