The Pentera Blog
Prepare Today for Tomorrow's Donors
In planned giving, like any field, it's smart to anticipate future trends. One trend that planned giving professionals won't want to miss is the upcoming cohort of Generation Y donors. Marketers are paying attention to this group because it numbers over 70 million. These individuals are currently ages 19-36. They are also described as the Millennial Generation or Echo Boomers. Below are things you need to know to prepare now for Generation Y donors.
The Generation Y cohort relies heavily on social networks and peer-to-peer interactions. These individuals believe they can make the future better and want real-life examples. This group also appreciates an organization's honesty and focuses on a larger purpose. They like diversity and interactive experiences.
Common Traits of Generation Y Include:
• Enjoys independence and autonomy.
• Focuses on a larger purpose and making the future better.
• Relies on collaboration.
• Appreciates truth and honesty.
• Likes real-life examples.
• Appreciates diversity.
• Participates in interactive Internet experiences.
As such, use marketing materials that give them real-life examples. One way to do so is through success stories and personal donor stories in your print and Web-based materials. Make sure you include ethnic and cultural diversity in the photo selections for your materials.
Your mission is important to this group. They will appreciate your honesty and your focus on a larger purpose. Show them how they can make the future better through their support of your organization. Provide information on how they can contribute through various gift options, such as a deferred-payment charitable gift annuity or through a provision in their will.
Marketing for planned-giving professionals is a rapidly changing endeavor. The above information represents only a brief overview of the type of expertise we at Pentera have been utilizing in our life stage and generational cohort marketing for more than 35 years. To download a complete copy of Pentera's whitepaper, A Generational Marketing Primer: For Planned-Giving Professionals, go to: http://www.pentera.com.
