Legacy Research and Focus Groups: To ensure you develop the most evidence based legacy campaign, we meet: your donors, prospects, volunteers, service users (and their families) and staff and ideally trustees or board.
When they make a Will
Why they make a Will
Why and when they change their Will
Why they do not make or change their Will
Whether they would like a free or discounted Will and if they do – then how the idea should be promoted
What they know about Wills and the barriers and perceptions (or misperceptions) they have
What messages they would find helpful and useful
Who should give Will making advice from your charity
Which channels they use to fund out about Will making and what information can be discussed in each channel (websites, social media, newsletters, legacy brochures, events, advertising, direct marketing etc)
Having found out all their emotions about, and reasons for, Will making we progress onto legacy giving
Have they left any legacies to charities
If they have: then what motivated that decision
If they haven’t then why not.
What their knowledge is on the different types of legacies
What might motivate them to leave a charitable legacy
Which messages would turn them on or off
Who are the best legacy heroes/champions to promote the messages
Which channels are likely to make theme take action
The best call to action to help them do it
How they want to maintain contact with your charity (if indeed they want any encouragement (or engagement)
What (if any) recognition would they like for their families and friends after they have gone
We test any thing you like!
And just in case you are thinking this is all very “death” focussed – it isn’t. The first part of every group concentrates on every part of their philanthropy life and how they feel about all your communications and the number of charities and causes they support and why they support them.
And then we have a number of questions (which are just stunningly useful) to gain their real potential.
Focus groups for each audience or segment have different objectives to break down internal or external barriers. And the trustee/board focus group concentrates on ROI and evaluating and monitoring performance to get them on your side.
Legacy Research and Focus Groups: As you now gather this research informs your strategy. Without research your strategy is based on guesswork. One problem is that current research is based on “planned giving” in the USA and we are NOT AMERICAN!
A word of warning: Every part of the UK, and the world, is different. For instance: tax savings can be important for wealthy people but less well off prospects hate the tax-saving message because it conveys the impression you have to be wealthy to leave a legacy. In the UK only 8% of those who die pay inheritance tax so be careful!
We can help you in any research you want to provide an evidence-based strategy. Developing a sustainable and cutting edge strategy is an ambitious objective and we try to break new ground in every campaign to provide a unique aspect to each one we are involved in. Each cause and each charity is different and so are the motivations to give legacies.
Focus groups can ensure you stay up to date with changing trends. And legacy giving trends are changing fast.
Asking your stakeholders really focused questions enables you to gain an informed view and to unlock your legacy potential.
Facilitating bespoke legacy focus groups, Radcliffe Consulting has helped over 600 charities fine tune their legacy fundraising strategy in this way. Whether you are a small local charity or a global cause operating around the world we can help.
One thing is for sure: 1 in 3 of your stakeholders is a prospect (volunteers, committed donors, HWNI, lottery player, lapsed donors, staff, those who listen to your community presentations, service users) are keen to leave a legacy – the key is how you do it. And you can only find the solutions through research.
Get in contact with us here.