Practice Areas

Donor and Non-profits

No other marketing research firm has more experience than the principals of WRS when it comes to Donor Enhancement and Membership Research. In fact, we have actually trademarked this term and the corresponding methodology - Donor Enhancement Research.

Organizations that depend on donors have retained WRS for its membership expertise and analysis. These groups continue to profit from the information learned through our surveys of their existing donor and membership files and lapsed donor and membership for as long as a year. WRS' time-tested and innovative approach has initiated revolutionary developments in the donor/membership marketing and fundraising efforts of its clients.

Few understand the potential dramatic impact on net funds achieved through file survey analysis. WRS recognizes that organizations reliant on direct mail fundraising have to take a closer look at their donors/members and approach in order to compete in a cost-effective way.

Rising production and postage costs, increased competition, scarcity of names and a general national shift in giving patterns were certain to cause tremendous fracture in a once fairly predictable fundraising industry. As these changes occurred, many once dominant forces proved ineffective and incapable of surviving primarily as a result of a lack of information on what proved to be their main source of funding.

Donor and membership file survey research allows for both a better understanding of the changes in thinking and giving patterns of your donors and for a much more focused long-range plan. Our experience in donor/membership survey research has enabled us to monitor the shifting demographic, pyschographic and contributory evolution over the last several years. This expertise and historical perspective are brought to every survey that we perform.

A survey of your donor/membership file will reveal important information such as the following:

• Donor/Membership profiles
• Demographic attributes
• Lifestyle characteristics
• Shifting file characteristics
• File opinion and attitudes
• Contribution patterns
• File segmentation opportunities
• Identification of issue driven sub-groups
• Copy message/themes/signers
• Mailing frequency
• Techniques for donor retention/lapsed donor and prospect conversion
• Competitive information
• Direct response opportunities
• Alternative donation methods