Bill Scott “Is Your Core Monthly Ask Hard To Get?”

Is Your Core Monthly Ask Hard To Get?

Now that might be the question of the year. Most stations have a monthly core ask. Some ask for $30 a month, others ask for $40 a month. The vast majority of radio stations fall in one camp or the other.

So what happens when it gets really hard to get your listeners to respond to your monthly core ask? That might be the question that many have asked this year. You might feel comfort in knowing your station is not the only one facing this.

Before I answer that question, let me confirm, you want to have recurring monthly donations, even if it’s not at your core ask. On average, a donor who sets up a recurring donation gives 42% more per year than a donor who gives a one-time gift.

So do you give up on your core ask? Perhaps you lower your core ask? In most cases, I would continue your monthly core ask at the level you have it. For the sake of this article, let’s assume you have the correct monthly core ask for your station. After the first day of fundraising, you find it really hard to have your listeners give at that monthly core ask. First, don’t give up. Your monthly core ask sets the bar where you want it. Secondly, don’t be afraid to ask for other monthly levels.

I have seen this with multiple stations this year, where hitting the monthly core ask is really hard. However, hitting the core ask with a single gift is no problem. For example, getting a $40 a month gift might be difficult but listeners will give you a $500 or even a $1000 single gift with no problem. I sense people have money right now but they might be scared of the future so they would rather give you the whole amount at once.

It will be interesting to see if monthly giving goes back to normal in the Spring or if we need to adjust to a new way of budgeting and fundraising. The good news is, listeners, continue to be very generous in their giving this fall and you should expect a great fundraiser.

Bill Scott – Chief Content Officer, Vidare Creative / www.VidareCreative.com. Contact Bill at bill@vidarecreative.com