Why a fundraising audience cannot be too general

A fundraising audience can answer the phone, care about the cause and talk for ages while still being completely wrong for the result.

First: are they answering?

If the calls are not being answered, I know the leads or the time they are being called is the first problem. Brilliant agents cannot have a conversation with people they never reach.

Caring is not the same as being able to give

A list can reach younger people who genuinely care about the cause but cannot afford a regular gift. Their interest is real. They are simply the wrong people for a campaign measured by money now.

A long emotional call can hide the wrong audience

Another list can reach older people who want to talk, share every feeling and tell a long story but never intend to put their hand in their pocket. Those calls may look engaged because they last, but the list is still wrong for a giving campaign.

That is why broad targeting fails

A general audience mixes people who will not answer, people who cannot give and people who enjoy the conversation without any intention of giving. The agent may do a beautiful job with all three and the campaign can still fail.

If the people are right, test the opening

Once I know the leads contain enough people who can and might give, I look at the wording of the introduction. The first few seconds decide whether the right person understands the call and stays for the real conversation.