Animal Welfare Professionals

Hi everyone! 

As a small organization with a high adoption volume, if we could inspire the majority of our adopters to become donors, that would make a BIG difference for our financial sustainability... But when we looked at how many of our adopters actually became donors, the percentages were in the low teens. (Not optimal, that's for sure!) We're eager to do better, and I'd love to learn more about your experience in this area:

• What techniques have you found effective to inspire adopters to make a first gift?
• What have you tried that hasn't worked?
• What is your adopter-donor conversion rate?
• How do you measure the conversion rate and/or what timeline do you aim for?

Here are some of the things we've looked at and tried:

1) We looked at the results of our post-adoption surveys. Most of the feedback is glowing, so adopters do for the most part have a positive view of our organization and their experience here.

2) We tried an appeal mailing specifically targeted to people who had adopted in the last 6 months. It was a flop! Almost no response.

3) We trained our front counter volunteers to invite every adopter to make a donation at the same time they pay their adoption fee. We also created little donation cards with kitty photos and info about what specific donation amounts can fund. This has resulted in a substantial increase in gifts, most in the $5-$50 range. (It's too soon to tell what percentage of those adopter-donors will make a second gift.) 

4) We're planning to do a trial Adopt-a-versary Card mailing 1 year after adoption to see what effect that might have.

I'm looking forward to hearing your thoughts and insights - thank you!

~Shelley

We started adopt-a-versary card 3 years ago.  This past year we have received more responses of a donation, but still not enough to cover the cost or printing, mailing and staff time.  However, we are 'friend-raising' with this, so we look at it as a long term relationship building, but not short term cash income.  Every year we evaluate, and every year we do it again.

Thanks, RJ, that's very helpful to know!

Thank you RJ that's a great idea.

I think the teens is fabulous and something to be proud of! Most of your adopters come to you for the transaction of exchanging an adoption fee for a cat. If you're converting more than 10% of them to donors, I think you're doing great! I don't have our conversion numbers in front of me, but I'd be thrilled if they were that high! 

We ask all adopters to make a donation at the time of adoption. We thank them all at that time and send a follow-up thank you. All adopters (whether they donate at the time of adoption or not) are added to our mailing list for 12 months after adoption, then drop them off if they haven't made a gift. If they opt-in to our email newsletters at the time of adoption, they'll get those until/unless they unsubscribe. If they give, they go into our regular rotation. While most adopters don't become donors, many of our most loyal and generous donors started as adopters. That includes many of our bequest donors. So you're on track to be investing time and energy to court them! 

Thank you, Karen, that's very helpful perspective! Thank you for the words of encouragement, too. >^..^<

We also do the "adoptaversary" but we do it online. All adopters get an email about 1 month before their pet's adoptaversay inviting them to create a facebook fundraiser in honor of their pet with a suggested funding range of $200-$300. It's our first year really pushing this so I don't have a ton of data on how much more we have this year than last year but just eyeballing it, I would say we have at least 2x if not more private fundraisers being done. The emails are low cost and we have a particularly active facebook community so this seemed like a good fit. Let me know if you want to see our emails and attachment (instructions on how to set up a personal fundraiser).

Attachment(s)

Adoptaversary fundraiser email_LiveLoveAnimalRescue.pdf   2.51 MB 1 version

What a unique approach! The Facebook fundraisers do seem to have a lot of potential to get supporters motivated! I'd be very curious to see any of those emails that you'd like to share: my contact info is Shelley@SeattleAreaFelineRescue.org. Thank MEW!

done! Let me know if you don't get the email

This is a great idea!  Thank you for sharing!

I would love to see this as well if you don't mind!!  lori!@homewardboundgoldens.org  Thank you!!

done! Let me know if you don't get it!

oops, had an extra character in my above email....it's lori@homewardboundgoldens.org  ,sorry about that!

Just got the bouceback. No worries! just re-sent

Great idea!! Would love the email also northstarshihtzurescue@gmail.com

The document is posted in a comment above and you can just download. You need to be logged into Maddie's pet forum to see the link. Good luck!

I would also love to see this email! sdubuc@spcamc.org Thanks so much for sharing!

@Live Love Animal Rescue, Love this idea! Would you be able to attach your emails and attachment to this post so everyone in the forum has access?  You can edit your post by clicking on the three teal dots to the right of your post and clicking on 'Edit'. Then you can just click on "attach file" to attach files to your post. If you need help, please let me know.

Done! Thank you for the suggestion. My internet is acting wonky due to the weather so took a few tries!

Thanks so much for sharing and helping so many others!!

thanks so much!  LOVE the idea!   We are just now hitting our one year officially so I'd be able to do this starting this month.     so you emailed each adopter with this attachment?   Are those the current instructions on the FB fundraiser procedure?  just making sure..I know they change FB up so often. lol .   Thanks again~ Cindy 

Hi All! Attached the PDF document that we send as a "how to" and we have uploaded a specific FB banner that fundraisers can select when they create one. We also go through all the fundraisers monthly and publicly thank them. We have a standard thank you form but when possible include a specific detail. The emails are automated so I only need to set up the adoptaversaries once per year and I check 2x per month to log all the fundraisers on an excel and thank all the completed fundraisers. 

I would appreciate seeing your emails as well. Please send to rochelle@fieldhaven.com Thanks!

Please send me the emails also.  I love the idea. info@GFFCats.org

Thanks for the samples.

Hi everyone,

I'm typically a reluctant commenter on here, but I couldn't help myself.  @ShelleyMarieLawson.  

We have also observed that adopters are *thrilled* as they're checking out and that that is the best moment to engage them.  We have, now, across over 30 thousand transactions seen a conversion rate of 22% (those are transactions that obtain a donation).  The average donation amount is over $20 and **most importantly** getting donors to start giving is best way to build a relationship with them that can turn into additional and larger donations over time.

If you're interested in seeing a demo of exactly how this works, text the word "dog" or the word "cat" (depending on which one you want to pretend to adopt) to 6503534048

You will see the prompt that adopters see as they're checking out with one of our customers.

 Feel free to reach out to me with any questions.

Thank you, Greg, that's very helpful!!

Hi Greg I looked at the app, I think it's awesome.  I sent you a private message with a couple of questions, if you don't mind answering.  

Thank you for posting it.

HEY THIS IS A GREAT IDEA! Can you please email me any more info at leigh13@ix.netcom.com 

Hi @GregLucas . I just did the text thing..that's awesome!  So you have them sign this as a contract and accept payment in one swoop via text app?  Is that thru Shelterluv?   We are a very small (150 dogs per year adopted) foster based rescue...I just wonder if it would be cost prohibitive?  I have used Shelter Luv .  I started using them at the beginning but they had so many issues with their software that I finally gave up.     Would you mind sharing how expensive this system is? and is this something you set up thru Shelter Luv or is it separate?  Does it integrate into your website? etc.?    Thanks for any information in advance.   Cindy Shotwell, Exec. Director, Must Luv Dogs, Zachary, LA   PS My direct email is:   mustluvdogs.org@gmail.com