When determining annual goals and solicitation plans, PACs of every industry are being more strategic. What used to be an annual solicitation letter has turned into targeted outreach to separate groups using creative messaging that resonates. Using a key finding from our “Corporate PAC Benchmarking Report” of 2009, you can better understand this shift and use new techniques for your next solicitation campaign.
Background:
With economic conditions clamping down on personal spending – as well as layoffs and retirements – fewer employees are participating in PACs.
Key Finding:
In 2009, the Public Affairs Council surveyed 135 corporate PACs and published its findings in the “Corporate PAC Benchmarking Report.” A key finding: Overall annual PAC receipts had increased while overall participation rates had declined. The reason: Average individual federal PAC contributions by senior managers and those in the restricted class had increased to fill the gap.
Five Approaches to Consider:
1. Senior managers give at higher levels than other employees. Identify PAC members who are C-Suite or VP-level who haven’t maxed-out their contributions and send them personalized messages. Give them more incentives to get involved, perhaps by appealing to their competitive spirit with a competition among department heads. Suggest that your CEO make a pitch during meetings. Get to know senior managers and set realistic targets for each based on their giving history.
2. Restructure your incentive club levels: Is there a cluster of PAC members giving .5% of their annual salary who might be willing to contribute at a slightly higher rate if asked? Have several PAC members contributed once to attend an event and fallen off the radar since? Determine which collections of PAC members are giving at similar levels, then seek to boost their contributions incrementally. Build an incentive club to get the $50 contributors to give $100, or add a level between $500 and $2,000. Describe clear benefits for joining in all PAC correspondence.
3. Give them more reasons to give more money. While personal spending is down, interest in and understanding of the legislative process is at a peak. Take advantage of this heightened awareness and give your PAC a grassroots focus. Tie what’s happening in D.C. to business goals and paint a clear picture of how contributions will help educate decision-makers so you can achieve those goals.
4. Use PAC match programs to your advantage: If you want to increase existing contributions or the average donation of your contributors, consider only matching contributions that exceed $250, $500, or some other set amount. You could also match contributions that meet or exceed suggested giving guidelines at 100 percent and match all other contributions at 50 percent, or not at all. Match incentive club giving at 100% -- a technique that’s most effective when you have a high rate of participation in the PAC and want to bring more existing donors into incentive club level giving. Remember: When creating a PAC match program, carefully consider the qualifications for involvement. Matching every contribution dollar-for-dollar is easy, but it probably won’t help you achieve your specific goals.
5. Survey members so you know their expectations before you solicit them. Are employees no longer responding to your pitch or the way you deliver it? Surveys and focus groups can provide employee suggestions that help you tailor your solicitation strategy and significantly boost participation and receipts.
