Supported by

A GOOD CALL:
USING THE
TELEPHONE FOR
SUCCESSFUL
FUNDRAISING
Excellent fundraising for a better world
About the Institute of Fundraising

The Institute of Fundraising (IoF) is the professional membership body for UK fundraising. We
support fundraisers through leadership and representation; best practice and compliance; education
and networking; and we champion and promote fundraising as a career choice. We have over 560
organisational members who raise more than £9 billion in income for good causes every year, and
over 6,000 individual members.

www.institute-of-fundraising.org.uk

About Ethicall

Based in Bristol, Ethicall is a specialist telephone fundraising agency, delivering telephone fundraising
campaigns for national and local charities, large and small. Here at Ethicall, we don’t always shout about
what we do, but we are “proper passionate” about our work and pride ourselves on keeping each of our
charity clients and their supporters really happy. As our name suggests, we believe in embracing ethical
and green principles across every aspect of our business, from how we treat our staff and suppliers, to
our recycled stationery. Since starting the company eleven years ago, we are proud to have raised over
£60 million for our clients and donated over £1.3m to a range of UK charities.

www.ethicall.org.uk

With grateful thanks to contributors, which include:

2 Excellent fundraising for a better world

CONTENTS

INTRODUCTION: THE ROLE OF THE TELEPHONE 4

IN EXCELLENT FUNDRAISING

PART 1: GREAT CONVERSATIONS YOU CAN HAVE 6

WITH SUPPORTERS:
1. Saying thank you and more (supporter care) 7
2. Reaching new supporters 8
3. Taking supporters to the next level (supporter development) 10
4. Gift Aid 11
5. Legacies 12
6. Event fundraising 13
7. Inbound calls (responding to supporters and others) 14

PART 2: HOW TO MAKE A GOOD CALL 16

1. Planning a telephone campaign 18
2. Working with third parties 23
3. Being responsible with personal data 25
4. Monitoring & compliance 30
5. Myth busters 32
6. Useful guidance 33

Excellent fundraising for a better world 3

INTRODUCTION: THE ROLE OF
THE TELEPHONE IN EXCELLENT
FUNDRAISING
For more than 35 years, charities How can charities use the phone to support
have relied on the telephone as a their fundraising?
means of building relationships and Each charity has a different approach. For
engaging with existing and potential some, this might mean a relatively small
supporters. While today’s digital world number of calls to thank supporters or an
opportunity to touch base with major donors
has opened up new opportunities and
and potential legacy supporters, updating
communication channels, the telephone them about the charity’s progress. For others,
remains a valuable way of connecting the telephone may well be their only means of
with supporters, delivering a unique and talking with thousands of supporters across the
personal experience. country, a vital way of creating and deepening
relationships. While charities often use the
Why might a charity want to make a call? telephone to reach out to supporters, it’s also
an effective inbound response mechanism for
The telephone is a great way to create rapport,
fundraising appeals and more.
to inspire people and provide a great experience
which connects supporters with a cause. As a
communication channel designed specifically
to enable conversation, it offers a wide range
of opportunities to raise funds, develop long-
“Having used the telephone
term committed supporters, and to maximise since 1997 to inspire individual
donor satisfaction and lifetime value. Of course, supporters, we find it is a great
the telephone is also widely used to further
the charity’s wider work beyond fundraising, way to speak with people
providing information and support for directly and enable them
beneficiaries, carers, volunteers and more.
to understand more about
How can the telephone enhance the supporter the children and families we
experience?
help and what a difference
A call gives supporters the chance to find out
more about the charity, the impact of their regular giving can make.
donations and to ask any questions they might Our telephone fundraisers
have. They can steer the conversation in line with
their own interests. A good call will leave them
now have over 100,000
feeling inspired, nurtured and valued, regardless conversations in any one year.”
of whether they are in a position to donate.
Amy Klein,
Direct Marketing Acquisition Manager Direct
Dialogue, Great Ormond Street Hospital
Children’s Charity

4 Excellent fundraising for a better world

 10 reasons you might want to make a call

1. To find and reach new supporters – Calling potential supporters to discuss the work of the
charity, inviting them to become donors or to support the charity in other ways, like getting
involved in a sponsorship event or joining a lottery programme.

2. To say “thank you” – Welcoming and thanking people for their continued support, inspiring
loyalty and reigniting commitment to the cause.

3. To communicate impact – Contacting supporters to let them know what their donations have
enabled the charity to achieve, building relationships and empowering donors.

4. To gather feedback – Asking supporters for their thoughts on any aspect of the charity’s
work and incorporating their feedback in future planning.

5. To convert supporters to regular giving – Communicating with cash givers or non-financial

supporters about the opportunity to become regular supporters.

6. To increase donation values – Encouraging donors to upgrade to higher levels of support.

7. To diversify support – Inviting supporters to diversify or deepen their involvement, taking

part in events, charity challenges, volunteering and more.

8. To talk legacies – Using the phone to open or continue discussions about legacy giving,
making supporters aware of the importance of gifts in wills to the charity.

9. To encourage take-up of Gift Aid – Informing supporters of the benefits of Gift Aid and
encouraging them to apply it to their donations if eligible.

10. To check future communication preferences – Confirming whether and how supporters
would like to be communicated with in the future, including telephone.

“Phone not only helps us build rapport with new supporters and
keeps long term supporters updated with the impact their gifts
make, it also plays the vital role of being our biggest driver of
upgrades. Upgrading in turn improves donor loyalty, meaning we
can do so much more to protect the planet we love.”
Tom Micklewright,
Supporter Development Manager, Greenpeace

Excellent fundraising for a better world 5

PART 1:
GREAT
CONVERSATIONS
YOU CAN
HAVE WITH
SUPPORTERS

6 Excellent fundraising for a better world

1. TO SAY THANK YOU AND Welcome and thank you calls
PROVIDE GREAT SUPPORTER When supporters have signed up to donate to
CARE the charity through another means, a welcome
call can be a fantastic way to strengthen the
Because of the ability to reach out to new foundations of that relationship, thanking them
supporters, the telephone can sometimes be for their support, gauging the depth of their
seen primarily as an acquisition tool. However, connection to the charity and establishing how
the telephone is one of the most versatile best to communicate with them going forward.
communication channels and can be incredibly
effective when used for a range of supporter care Similarly, a thank you call timed to coincide
or stewardship purposes. with the anniversary of a supporter’s first
donation or following an increase in their gift
Enabling honest and open conversations on level, can be a great way to re-engage and
a range of topics, the telephone can reignite deepen the relationship.
supporters’ passions for the cause, deepening
relationships, helping charities understand
donor motivations and more. Consider the many “Thank you Crisis! You just
ways you might use the telephone to enhance
supporter relationships, which might include rang me… You didn’t ask
welcome, thank you and feedback calls. for anything… You didn’t
even hint at a donation…
“While the telephone is a You simply rang me to
fantastic way to ask for funds, say “Thank You” for our
if you only use it for financial continued support and to
asks, you run the risk of wish me a nice day… How
turning off supporters. Never lovely… Made my day… It’s a
underestimate the power of pleasure to support such a
a simple thank you or update brilliant charity.”
call to communicate just how Crisis supporter on Twitter
much you value their support,
explaining what a difference it Feedback calls
has made.” Asking supporters for their views on relevant
issues, the charity’s work and any communication
Alex Weeks-Smyth, or fundraising activity can not only provide you
Client Services Director, Ethicall with useful feedback but also build rapport. Using
the phone to cultivate a two-way relationship
can be instrumental in developing a mutually
beneficial supporter journey and, over the long
term, achieve the best possible lifetime supporter
value. Put simply, it makes supporters feel
important and valued.

Excellent fundraising for a better world 7

“The phone is the main “Developing real relationships
opportunity we have for with supporters requires
an immediate two-way authenticity and significant
conversation with supporters. emotional intelligence.
Conversations allow us to When building rapport is
understand who they are, approached the right way and
why they support us and genuine conversations are
what is going on in their lives. struck with supporters, this
When this is captured and is where the magic happens.
used correctly, it can really Not only do you achieve
enhance all communications long-lasting relationships and
with supporters across longer lifetime value, but you
different channels.” also achieve higher ROI on
Becki Young,
your fundraising efforts.”
Supporter Development Manager,
Jonathan Hazzlewood,
Care International UK
Client Director, Return Fundraising

2. REACHING NEW What makes for a great recruitment campaign

SUPPORTERS • Quality data – One of the most important
considerations for a recruitment campaign
Recruiting new supporters is increasingly
is that you’re using the best data available.
challenging in today’s post GDPR world and yet
This could be contact information that you
it remains vital if you are to ensure a diversified
hold already on your system (volunteers,
and sustainable supporter base. The telephone
beneficiaries, past supporters, event
can be a particularly strong channel to attract
participants and more) or new prospects.
supporters across a range of demographics,
Telephone agencies can often help in sourcing
enabling an individually tailored approach which
new prospect data. Ultimately, the better the
can improve the supporter experience.
data you secure for your campaigns, the more
successful your campaigns are likely to be.
As with any recruitment campaign, it’s important
(See Being Responsible with Personal Data).
to take a strategic approach and identify what
you want to achieve and how this will fit within
• Clear, honest and inspiring case for support –
your broader fundraising and communications
When recruiting, your case for support is
plan. While the ideal outcome may indeed be
critical. You’ll need to communicate why you
a new tranche of regular supporters, every
need support and what it will enable you to
conversation has the potential to achieve a
do. Make sure your case for support is clear,
range of outcomes, whether that is a donation,
honest and inspiring.
lottery player or event participant, to raised
awareness of the charity’s brand and a deeper
understanding of the work you deliver.

8 Excellent fundraising for a better world

• Think through a range of options for ways people can support you – It’s important to consider a
range of options within your script or call guidelines that will appeal to different people’s interests.
A conversation should have room to find out more about the supporter’s motivations about what
they like, what they’re interested in, and you should be ready and flexible to respond in a way that
works for that individual. This might mean using relevant case studies to convey the charity’s work or
offering different levels or types of support – as well as potentially providing information about your
charity’s services for them, or other ways they can get involved, for example through volunteering.

• Feedback or information requests – While the initial purpose of the call may be to recruit supporters,
consider what other information you could gather to maximise its value and to improve the donor
experience. This might include asking for feedback or verifying contact data. You can cement this
approach by incorporating such information within your campaign goals.

• A plan for what happens next – Make sure you have plans in place to follow on from any recruitment
campaign, including how and when you’ll next communicate with those who choose to give and
those who don’t.

“Through an engaging, two-way conversation you can explore

a supporter’s motivations and preferences to donate. It’s also
an ideal opportunity to introduce other products such as lottery
plays as an alternative to the standard regular giving ask.”
Richard Hill,
Managing Director, DTV Optimise

Questions to consider when planning your recruitment campaign

• Who will you call and how will you source their names and numbers? Are you targeting a
specific demographic or a cross-section of the population?
• If sourcing data from a third party, how will you carry out due diligence and confirm that they
have lawfully gained the necessary consent for you to call?
• How will the names and numbers be cross-checked against suppression lists and current
supporter data?
• What will you do if they ask you not to call again?
• What do you expect from this campaign and are these goals realistic? What will happen if you
don’t achieve those goals?
• What is your case for support?
• How will you brief or train your fundraising team?
• What information do you expect fundraisers to capture during the call? Have you checked that
your database can hold this information?
• How will you follow up with those that donate and those that don’t?

Excellent fundraising for a better world 9

3. TAKING SUPPORTERS TO THE and sponsored event participants to become
donors (or vice versa), encourage cash or ad
NEXT LEVEL
hoc givers to join a regular giving or lottery
programme, or increasing the level of current
The advantage of calling existing charity
supporters’ gifts (upgrade or uplift calls). While
supporters is that you’re likely to have an
the purpose of the campaign may well be to
established relationship with them – they’ve
build your regular income stream, recognise
donated to you or done something to give you
that this may not be the best or right option for
support. Because of this, telephone calls to
everyone that you call.
supporters can deliver a particularly high return
on investment and success rate.
“Genuine conversations are
“Having a conversation in real beneficial in their own right,
time with supporters allows over and above an ask. In a
them to stop what they are recent upgrade campaign
doing for a few minutes and for Dogs Trust, almost half
really consider their support of the supporters chose to
and the impact of their increase their donations,
giving. We see time and time with more than 98% doing
again that simply having a so over the phone. As well
conversation with supporters as producing a strong
improves lifetime value.” return on investment and
Bethan Francis,
communicating to supporters
Managing Director, Stratcom UK how much they mean to the
charity, Dogs Trust learned
Of course, it’s important to remember that each a great deal about their
supporter’s perception of and engagement with donors, including their future
the charity will differ. Some may feel a deep-
rooted connection to the organisation and its contact preferences.”
work, while others can be less engaged. So it’s
important that any supporter development Natalie Bailey,
campaign includes a range of options, both Director, NTT Fundraising
financial and otherwise, to enable people to
continue their own unique supporter journey
with the charity.

Typically, supporter development campaigns

aim to increase people’s commitment to the
charity, the depth of their relationship and/or
the level of gift. In practical terms, this might
mean developing volunteers, campaigners

10 Excellent fundraising for a better world

 How Gift Aid works
Questions to consider when planning
Enabling charities to claim an additional 25% on
supporter development calls
donations from UK income tax and/or capital
• What is the purpose of your call and gains taxpayers, Gift Aid increases donation
what are you asking supporters to do? values significantly without incurring any cost
to the donor. One declaration can apply to
• Is this a fundraising or administrative call? donations made in the past four tax years as
• Which supporters will you call and do well as applying to present and future donations.
you have a legal basis to do so? What’s more, higher rate taxpayers can often
• What options will you offer different claim additional tax relief for themselves.
supporter groups (including those that
give and those that do – volunteers) for So long as the call does not contain any ask for
developing their relationship and support? funds, marketing consent or any marketing or
promotion of the charity, Gift Aid campaigns can
• How will you follow up with those that
donate and those that don’t? be classed as administrative calls. Supporters
often welcome these calls and the majority
of eligible taxpayers choose to Gift Aid their
4. GIFT AID donations when asked.

The telephone can be an extremely effective What Gift Aid supporters need to know
way not only to explain how Gift Aid works, but It’s important to explain how Gift Aid works
to confirm whether supporters are eligible to and to ascertain that supporters are eligible
apply it to their donations. A recent government at the start of the process. Be aware that
study (published March 2018), indicates that people’s circumstances change and the
one quarter of donations from eligible taxpayers telephone is a useful channel for going back
are not currently Gift Aided, amounting to over to supporters to check their Gift Aid status as
£500m of potential charitable income, which taxpayers. This might include students moving
could yet be claimed. into full-time employment or adults retiring
from the workplace.

“You can quickly increase Gift Aid What records should you keep
penetration of your donor file with As well as keeping your own records of Gift Aid
a short phone call. The phone is donations, you’ll need to keep a record of the
declaration itself. HMRC will accept oral Gift Aid
particularly good for targeting declarations so long as you keep an auditable
those who don’t respond to the recording, otherwise you must send a written
copy of the declaration to the supporter giving
Gift Aid ask on donation forms, them 30 days to cancel. Remember to keep
those that actively avoid thinking records of any Gift Aid donations for six years
after the end of the accounting period they
about ‘scary and complicated’ relate to.
tax affairs.”
Steve Morris, General Manager, Unity4

Excellent fundraising for a better world 11

 Useful links
and provide supporters with
bespoke information that may
Find out more about how Gift Aid works
from the HMRC at:
influence their decisions.”
Ben Smith,
• Claim Gift Aid
Client Services Director, Listen
• HMRC Guidance on Gift Aid
• Charitable Giving and Gift Aid Research
Report for HM Revenue & Customs
Opening up the legacy conversation
September 2016 (published by HMRC,
March 2018) A legacy call can be a great way to explore
• Gift Aid model declarations your supporters’ views and introduce the
idea of potentially leaving a charitable gift
in their will. During your conversation, you
5. LEGACIES might establish whether supporters have a will
already, if they have considered including a
The decision to leave a legacy is not one that a charity and how far they might be along that
supporter usually makes on the spot. And yet, a process. This information can then guide future
sensitive conversation with a committed supporter communications, targeting legacy marketing
about the importance of gifts in wills can be a at a more focused and interested group.
highly effective way of getting supporters to start Consider coinciding your calls with campaigns
thinking about a legacy gift. This means that the like Remember A Charity Week, when public
telephone is increasingly used to discuss legacy awareness is likely to be at its peak.
giving, particularly when following up a legacy
mailing or other communication. Bear in mind that, because the topic of leaving
a legacy can be a particularly personal and
sensitive matter, the timing of the call can
influence whether someone wants to talk about
“Legacy fundraising by it then and there.
telephone allows you not only
Telephone conversations are also a great
to provide more information opportunity to bust any myths around legacy
to supporters on the impact giving, communicating that it’s easy to do, it’s not
just for the wealthy, and that charities, family and
a gift in their will can have, friends can all be accounted for in a will.
but can uncover a surprising
number of existing pledgers
you may not already be aware
of. A stewardship programme
is key and telephone can be
the backbone of this, allowing
you to keep abreast of any
changes in their intentions

12 Excellent fundraising for a better world

 When it comes to calling challenge event
Questions to consider when making participants, pre-event calls can enable charities
legacy calls to distinguish the drivers for people getting
involved in that event. Are they doing it because
• What is the purpose of the call and do they are deeply passionate about the cause
you have a legal basis for making it? or because a friend asked them to? Their
• How will you measure a successful call? motivations will likely influence their supporter
journey and understanding this can help shape
• What information are you looking to your communications timeline.
gather and what questions will you
ask supporters?
• If a supporter clearly does not wish to “Event calling can include
discuss legacies, how else can you use registration, stewardship,
that call? Can you convert the call to a
thank you call? conversion and post
• How will you follow up with supporters event calls. For each, it’s
depending on whether they have an important to think about the
interest in leaving a legacy gift to your
charity and/or when they are likely to
participants’ motivations
review their will? and what they need from
• What will you do if they offer to support the conversation. It’s a
your charity in another way?
great opportunity to make
Useful links participants feel valued,
Remember A Charity
answer questions and help
www.rememberacharity.org.uk them with fundraising ideas.
Ultimately, any conversation
6. EVENT FUNDRAISING must be about optimising
their experience.”
Charities often use the telephone to support
event-based fundraising activity, inviting people Natalie Bailey,
to attend fundraising events or take part in Director, NTT Fundraising
sponsorship challenge events, and to offer
guidance and support to those that have already
committed to doing so.

If you’re calling to promote an event, the call will

be deemed a marketing call. However, if you’re
calling event participants to make sure they have
the information they need or to offer support, this
is typically an administrative call.

Excellent fundraising for a better world 13

7. INBOUND CALLS – Although an inbound call in response to an
appeal can be quite transactional, this need
RESPONDING TO SUPPORTERS
not be the case. Skilled call handling can
AND OTHERS ensure the supporter builds rapport and has a
great interaction with the charity. It provides
While the telephone is a great way for a great platform and opportunity to enhance
charities to reach out to the public, it is also a engagement and relationship building,
fantastic response mechanism and ‘inbound putting in place the building blocks for a
calling’ can be a really useful way to further long-standing relationship.
engage with supporters.

Customer care and beneficiary support

“We see inbound fundraising
Most charities encourage calls from the public,
often offering specific helplines for supporters used as a successful
as well as beneficiaries, giving people an easy fundraising channel either
and convenient way for them to get in touch.
Publishing an inbound telephone number on its own or as part of a
enables you to encourage and respond to multi-channel approach.
supporters’ questions, allow them to change their
communication preferences, or enquire about It’s important that the call
information they have received. Inbound lines centre and media agency
can also be used to offer relevant guidance and
advice to the public and beneficiaries.
work closely together to
ensure a high call answer
Direct response fundraising appeals
rate is delivered. The benefits
In a fundraising context, an inbound telephone
campaign often takes the form of a fundraising
of inbound is that it puts
appeal made via television, radio, social media, supporters in control of
newspaper advert or any other channel. The
campaign message encourages the public to pick
when the conversation takes
up the telephone and call to make a donation, place and the interaction is
request information or to help in some other immediate, while the original
way. People can call at a time that is convenient
to them and about a subject that they wish to call-to-action is still fresh in
discuss, driving the direction of conversation. their mind.”
Of course, there is no knowing how many Richard Hill,
people are likely to contact you at any one Managing Director, DTV Optimise
time and so arguably the biggest challenge for
inbound calls is capacity. For this reason, many
organisations outsource their inbound activity
to specialist agencies who can adjust to the
scale of each campaign.

14 Excellent fundraising for a better world

Excellent fundraising for a better world 15
PART 2:
WHAT MAKES A
GOOD CALL

16 Excellent fundraising for a better world

Depending on the purpose, the audience and the you can call for fundraising and administrative
fundraiser, every call will be different. While it is purposes and that you handle every interaction
unlikely to be someone’s only interaction with respectfully and sensitively.
the charity, a successful telephone conversation
can be a transformative moment within Knowing the rules
their own unique supporter journey. A great
There are several rules and legal requirements
telephone call will be one that not only adheres
that apply to telephone fundraising. These
to best practice guidelines but inspires existing
include the need to:
or potential supporters to engage further with
the charity. 3 Ensure you have a lawful basis for contacting
anyone over the telephone. Be aware that the
Enhancing the supporter experience rules for who you can contact vary depending
on the purpose of the call.
A telephone call is an opportunity to create
that pivotal moment; a positive and deeply 3 Check your list of contacts against relevant
inspirational supporter experience. suppression lists, including the Telephone
Preference Service (TPS) and Fundraising
Consider each and every call from the Preference Service (FPS), to ensure you are
supporter’s perspective. That means keeping an clear about who you can and can’t call.
open mind as to how that individual might be 3 If you’re using consent as your legal basis,
able to and want to engage with the charity. A you’ll need to check that your consent is
telephone conversation is a unique opportunity more recent than any FPS registration.
to find out more about those motivations. Conversely, existing consent will override
a registration on the TPS, so long as that
consent complies with the Data Protection
“The power of letting a Act 2018. (Information on legitimate interests
is covered later in this guide).
supporter speak and just
3 Collect and use any personal information
listening to what they have fairly and in keeping with data protection
to say can be the biggest regulations.

gift you can give a donor. To 3 Make sure you have a written agreement
in place with any third parties/suppliers.
hear a voice that cares, to This should articulate their roles and
listen and to thank them, can responsibilities for the campaign, including
how they will protect the public (particularly
leave a donor feeling noticed, those who may be vulnerable) and how to
feeling respected and proud to ensure complaints handling, data protection
and other legal requirements will be met,
support your cause.” together with the costs involved.
Ben Suffell,
Many of the regulations relate to who a charity
Managing Director, QTS Fundraising
can contact in what circumstances and how
to look after that data. (See Being responsible
with personal data). Brush up on the rules in the
While some people relish the opportunity to
Code of Fundraising Practice and the guidance
discuss the charity’s work in this way, others
resources below.
may prefer not to discuss it over the telephone.
So it’s particularly important that you know who

Excellent fundraising for a better world 17

 Useful links and build the foundations for committed
and lasting supporter relationships.
• Code of Fundraising Practice, 7. Make your agency part of your
Fundraising Regulator fundraising team – if you’re working
• Communication with Individual Donors, with an agency, introduce them to
Commission on the Donor Experience beneficiaries and let them see your work
Persistent Misuse, Ofcom in action. The more you engage with
• Guide to the General Data Protection them, the better they can convey your
Regulation (GDPR), ICO messaging and the greater insight they
• Guide to Privacy and Electronic can deliver about your donors.
Communications Regulations (PECR), ICO
• Direct Marketing Guidance, ICO 8. Be clear around your approach to
people’s contact data – create and
deliver clear, thorough data protection
statements so the supporter knows
Top tips how you will use their details and
communicate with them in future.
1. Don’t always ask for money – develop a 9. Monitor campaigns using short and
communications strategy that uses the long-term measures – while immediate
telephone for a range of purposes, not feedback can help you shape and improve
only asking for funds. campaigns, it is longer-term results
2. Tailor every conversation to the individual that will convey how successful the
– make sure that your conversations reflect campaign has been in building supporter
that person’s unique relationship and relationships and aiding retention.
involvement with the charity, providing 10. Test and explore what calls work best
fundraisers with as much relevant to meet your goals – this could be
supporter history as possible. welcoming and thanking supporters,
3. Aim to inspire and re-ignite supporters’ donor acquisition and development,
passions when you call – where support for event participants, legacy
relevant, remind them why they give promotion, exploring corporate
and the difference it makes, encouraging partnerships, handling calls in response
supporters to feel hopeful and to an appeal and more.
empowered by what they can do to help.
4. Listen to what people say – every 1. PLANNING A TELEPHONE
conversation is a chance to learn more
about supporters and to deepen those
CAMPAIGN
relationships. Ensure their feedback (and
What makes a successful telephone fundraising
that of your fundraisers) is channelled
campaign? For each and every organisation
into future campaigns.
this will differ, depending on the purpose of the
5. Time it right – tailor the supporter journey call, the audience you’re reaching out to and
so that the timeline of calls is appropriate many other factors. The telephone may be one
and that nobody receives a repeat call. component within an integrated multichannel
6. Don’t be afraid of using the telephone as campaign. In all cases, good planning is vital.
an acquisition tool – it’s one of the most
effective ways to reach new supporters Whether you wish to use the telephone to reach
a select and targeted group of supporters, or

18 Excellent fundraising for a better world

to engage thousands of supporters, you’ll need
to plan for the campaign as part of your wider Inbound calls
fundraising strategy. This means weighing up
the risks and opportunities and considering the While many of the same principles apply
overarching supporter journey. for incoming and outbound campaigns,
when planning inbound activity, you
As with any fundraising activity, your telephone may need to consider and plan for a
campaigns should be carried out in line with broad range of potential reasons for an
your organisational values. Think through what individual’s call. Is he/she responding
you hope to achieve from the campaign, how it to the call to action? To donate or get
will be carried out and monitored, and what your involved in some other way? To complain
success measures will be. about the appeal or cancel a donation?
Ahead of any inbound campaign, do some
Here are some questions for you to consider scenario planning, exploring why someone
that will help you prepare for a successful might call and how you will respond. In
telephone campaign: each scenario, identify some responses for
different supporter groups.
Planning the strategy for your campaign
• What is the purpose or objectives of the Delivering your campaign
call/campaign?
• Who will make or receive the calls?
• Is the call for fundraising/marketing purposes
• If you will be working with a third party, what
or is it an administrative call?
due diligence has been carried out? Has
• Who is your audience? a brief been agreed and is there a written
• Will you call your own charity contacts? If so, agreement in place? (If asking for financial
do you have a legal basis to call and is there support, a fundraising agreement will be
enough data to make the campaign viable? legally required and all campaigns will need a
data processing agreement.)
• Do you need to source new contact data for
people to call and how will you do this? • How will your partner help to guide and
shape your campaign? What are their
• Are you clear on the rules for who you can recommendations? (See Working with
and can’t call? Third Parties).
• What policies are in place – or should be put • How will your telephone fundraisers be
in place – defining the charity’s approach to briefed and trained?
vulnerable people, data protection, charity
branding etc? • What should fundraisers do if they suspect
somebody they call might be vulnerable?
• What are the success measures/targets for
the campaign and how will they be measured? • Are the payment facilities and processes
Consider not only short-term gain, but in place to obtain donations securely over
compliance, retention measures, supporter the telephone?
satisfaction and lifetime supporter value. • What other forms of charity support can the
• What are the risks and how will you mitigate fundraiser offer or accept over the telephone?
these? How will these be documented and (This might include lower donation levels than
reviewed as the campaign progresses? the initial suggested amount, a different gift
frequency or other forms of support such as
offering to volunteer.)

Excellent fundraising for a better world 19

• What is the management and sign-off
process for writing the messaging and for the
campaign as a whole?
“It is vital that telephone
• How will the calls be monitored and against
fundraisers receive the training
what measures? (Remember that even if you needed to support them,
outsource the calling, you will need to carry
out your own call monitoring.)
and to protect the charity.
• What data will you capture during the
Training in compliance and
campaign, how will it be processed and used protecting those in vulnerable
in the future?
circumstances should be
• What are your reporting requirements?
Consider the information you need to provide
refreshed at least every 6
under the Charities (Protection and Social months. A charity should look
Investment) Act 2016.
at any third party’s fundraising
training programme, how it
Responding to the needs of people in is monitored and how often
vulnerable circumstances
refresher training is carried out.”
When calling the public, be alert for any
Helen MacKenzie,
indicators suggesting that an individual is
Founder & CEO, Purity
confused about the nature of the call or isn’t
able to make an informed decision, always
treating the public fairly and with respect. If
the fundraiser is speaking clearly and slowly,
but the recipient is regularly asking for
information to be repeated or cannot follow
the conversation, this could be an indicator
of vulnerability and a donation should not
be processed.

Fundraisers should be able to pick up

signs that indicate that someone is in a
vulnerable circumstance or needs extra
support to make an informed decision – this
might include calling back at another time
or communicating with that supporter by
letter or email, giving them more time to
consider the correspondence or discuss it
with friends or relatives.

Useful link: Treating Donors Fairly, Institute

of Fundraising guidance

20 Excellent fundraising for a better world

 • What are the expectations on
Training Telephone Fundraisers fundraisers making a call? How rigid
must your fundraisers be in sticking to
Any fundraiser handling calls will need the call messaging?
training and support. If you are using
• Can you imagine the call from the recipient’s
a specialist agency, their fundraisers
perspective? How will they feel when they
will already have a good understanding
listen to you and what can you do to ensure
of general telephone fundraising and
people feel respected and valued?
compliance, however you will need to
ensure they also understand the key • How will the call vary for different supporter
messages of the campaign and know how groups and how should telephone fundraisers
to respond to other queries that may crop handle any rejections?
up. This will mean providing fundraisers
with updates throughout the campaign on
the charity’s work and on any potentially “Humans give to humans.
controversial issues that may arise. It is It’s important to allow the
important to engage with the training
process, ideally attending or participating in fundraiser’s personality to
relevant sessions. You will need to consider: shine through, to be personal
• How will fundraisers be trained to deliver but not over-bearing, and not
your messaging? to sound like a canned script.
• Who is best to deliver that training?
Is there a campaigner, beneficiary But make no mistake, having
or someone involved in the charity’s a script is crucial as it gives a
service delivery that could help to
inspire the team? fundraiser a pathway through
• What opportunities are there to the conversation. It’s impossible
demonstrate your work in action – a site
visit, a helpline call?
to foresee and be able to
• How will fundraisers be briefed of any script every conversation but
changes to the campaign?
• What can you do to inspire and
a good script uses unfussy
motivate fundraisers? and transparent language and
enables a fundraiser to move
Preparing key messages for your call seamlessly between supporter
Have you drafted call guidelines or a script that interaction and meeting the
includes a strong, easily communicated case
for support, a thank you or other message?
call objective.”
Remember that a script can be a useful guide
Steve Morris,
and prompt for fundraisers, but that any genuine
General Manager, Unity4
conversation will need to be flexible and
free-flowing, depending on the interests and
responses of the recipient.
• How will the messaging come across in an
aural context? Is it written with the intention
of being spoken and heard?

Excellent fundraising for a better world 21

Call scripts or guidelines
Telephone scripts or guidelines are important to help fundraisers know what they should or shouldn’t
include in the call and can be a helpful prompt, particularly when it comes to the legal requirements
that should be referenced during the call. But it’s important to remember that conversations must
feel natural. Scripts are not often read out verbatim, with the exception of required statements for
data protection or Gift Aid for example.

The strength and versatility of the telephone as a fundraising medium is that it enables authentic
dialogue between two individuals and this means that there needs to be flexibility in how the
conversation progresses. Involve others in writing your messaging, trialling what works best and how
different approaches might be perceived. Be sure to discuss with your fundraisers what the most
important elements are of the call and to re-assess the script throughout the campaign, adjusting it in
line with supporter and fundraiser feedback.

Fundraising call compliance checklist

Make sure that your fundraisers follow all the relevant parts of the Code of
Fundraising Practice.
Check that it is a convenient time to speak and that the recipient is happy to receive your call.
State who you are calling on behalf of and why.
Confirm that you are speaking with the correct person.
Declare that the call is being recorded (ask if this is okay).
Deliver a solicitation statement (if a financial ask is made).
Make sure that fundraisers don’t make a financial ask more than three times on any one call.
Agree whether the donation is eligible for Gift Aid (where relevant).
Summarise what has been agreed during the call.
Ask whether the recipient is happy for the charity to call again or to receive communications
by other means (where relevant).

After the call

• What data will be collected from the call and in what format will you collect or receive it?
• What confirmation will supporters receive of their donation?
• How will you communicate next with those who signed up and those who didn’t?
• What went well/what didn’t? What can you learn from that?
• How will you deal with any feedback; positive or negative?
• What will you do if a supporter wants to cancel their donation?

22 Excellent fundraising for a better world

Tips for a good call • Watch out for signs of vulnerability
– If you have any concerns that the
If you’re calling the public for fundraising individual may be confused about the
or marketing purposes, here are some nature of your call or vulnerable in
useful tips: any way, don’t take the donation and
politely end the call.
• Make the purpose of your call clear –
Whatever the reason for your call, be
honest and upfront about it, making sure
it is clear to the recipient. 2. WORKING WITH THIRD
• Don’t be embarrassed about making an PARTIES
ask – If you’re including an ask for funds
or another form of support, don’t shy Some charities will be well equipped to manage
away from it. Explain what you’re asking and deliver their telephone campaigns in-house,
for, why people’s support is so important, but many will rely on external specialists to meet
what a difference it makes and what you their needs, providing expertise, equipment,
hope to achieve. resource and capacity.

• Be real – The call should reflect the Third parties might include telephone fundraising
unique tone of your charity and be agencies, call monitoring specialists, data suppliers
delivered honestly and respectfully. and more. Such specialists play a fundamental
Avoid fundraising clichés, taking this role in UK fundraising, inspiring millions of people
opportunity to tell your own tale. to donate or support charities in different ways.
• Less is more – It’s hard to take in too The insight, innovation, and extra capacity they
much information on any one call, so provide can enable you to increase and engage
keep your messaging short, helping your supporter base, bringing the charity closer to
listeners remember your key points. achieving its long-term objectives.

• Avoid using too many statistics – Facts

and figures can be an effective way of “Telemarketing agencies have
illustrating a point, but too many can be
confusing. When you do use statistics, always been an extension of
explain what that means in real terms. who we are as an organisation
• Consider the call from the supporter’s and are seen as vital
perspective – The way a call is
constructed and the language used ambassadors and partners in
is an important factor in engaging helping to raise funds for our
supporters and making them feel
inspired and valued. humanitarian and programmatic
• Show that you’re listening – Hearing work around the world. It
what the public has to say is a huge enables us to challenge each
advantage of the telephone. Encourage
supporter interaction, listen to their other to think differently, to test,
views and be willing to explore aspects to fail, to learn and to improve.”
of the charity’s work that they are most
interested in. Uke Kalu,
Head of Direct Marketing, Care International UK

Excellent fundraising for a better world 23

 Are you ready to work with a partner? Questions to ask when selecting your partner

• Do you have a policy in place for working • Does each potential partner have the
with third parties? expertise and capacity to deliver your
campaign?
• Have you discussed this with your
trustees and are they happy for you to • What experience and track record do
approach supporters in this way? they have?
• Have you completed a risk assessment? • When will they be able to do it and how
long will it take?
• How will the campaign fit with your
central strategy? • How much will it cost?
• What brief will you ask them to fulfil? • What are the likely returns or results
(both short and long term)?
• What process will you go through to
select a partner? • What industry standards do they
adhere to?
• How do they motivate and pay their
Identifying the right partner
fundraisers?
If you’re looking for a suitable partner to help
• What policies are in place to protect
with your telephone campaign, make sure you
the public, particularly those that may
have a clear concept of how and why you need
be vulnerable?
their support. The clearer you are about what
you want to achieve, the more likely you are to • What sort of data do they work with,
be able to identify the right partner and rely on how is it procured and screened against
their expertise to guide you towards the best relevant suppression lists?
way of achieving your campaign goals. • How often will they update you about
the campaign’s progress?
You’ll want to ensure that any partner has the
expertise you’re looking for, shares the same • How will the campaign be monitored?
ethical values as your organisation, and has (See more in Monitoring & Compliance).
commitment to best practice. This includes how • Can they be as passionate about the
partners pay their staff and other fundraisers. cause as you are?

Useful links:

• Working with Third Parties – Code of

Fundraising Practice, Fundraising Regulator
• Compliance Framework, Institute of
Fundraising (IoF member benefit) –
this includes guidance on working with
third parties, tips on due diligence, the
requirements of a fundraising agreement,
monitoring and more.
• Successful Partnerships for Sustainable
Fundraising, Institute of Fundraising
guidance.

24 Excellent fundraising for a better world

Ensuring a successful partnership
Remember that even though you are working “The most successful
with a partner, you have responsibilities to ensure relationships we have
that their work is compliant – that involves due
diligence on potential partners as well as ongoing with charities are those
monitoring of their work. You will need to put where we have developed
in place a clear contract or agreement which
defines the parameters of the campaign, how it
true partnerships, with
will be delivered, the pricing and remuneration engagement at all levels
structure, data protection arrangements and
policies for dealing with vulnerable people. You
from senior management to
will also need to define the key performance the fundraisers themselves.
indicators for the campaign, how it will be
monitored, responsibilities for complaints
Face to face training with the
handling and more. charity, and if possible their
beneficiaries, can enhance
What to put into a successful partnership
the call quality and results,
Once you have selected and committed to a
partner, it is important to trust and support as it helps build fundraiser
them to deliver high quality fundraising and engagement and encourage
supporter care on your behalf. But a successful
partnership is a two-way street and the more truly authentic conversations.”
you put in, the more you are likely to gain. So
make sure you have carefully considered not Helen MacKenzie,
only your expectations from the campaign and Founder & CEO, Purity
how success will be monitored, but how you will
support and guide the agency to get the best  
possible results. 3. BEING RESPONSIBLE WITH
PERSONAL DATA
This might include attending training sessions to
inspire and inform those who will be calling your Since the General Data Protection Regulation
supporters, inviting them to see the charity’s (GDPR) came into effect in May 2018, data
work in action or to meet beneficiaries, sending protection has become one of the most
relevant updates and congratulating them on common concerns for fundraisers. Charities
their successes. Ultimately, it is about treating have had to change the way that they manage
your selected partner as an extension of your data, which has led to more secure procedures
team, trusting them to play their part and for processing data as well as giving
continuing to engage and support the campaign supporters greater control over how they are
at all stages of its development. communicated with.

While results will likely include financial

returns, always remember that the key
outcome and advantage of telephone
conversation is the ability to build and
strengthen supporter relationships.

Excellent fundraising for a better world 25

 your data, and in the case of marketing calls, to
“Fundraising is all about refresh contact preferences.
supporter relationships; Internal data
supporters are the most Look internally at your own database and
valuable and important asset identify what data you already hold and how
that any charity has. If an you can use it. Do your records show which
individuals have consented to hear from
individual doesn’t want to be you about fundraising over the telephone?
contacted by telephone, it’s in Could you use legitimate interests for
fundraising? Are there opportunities to call for
no-one’s interest to approach administrative purposes?
them in this way. So, when we
External data
talk about ‘data’ in this context,
If you need to source data externally, look for
it’s important to remember that verification that the data provider is legitimate,
we’re actually talking about signed up to relevant industry bodies (such
as the Direct Marketing Association) and is
people and how they wish registered in the European Economic Area
to interact with their chosen therefore subject to similar legislation. Be clear
about how you can use that data, whether it’s
charity. Respecting each for single or multiple use.
supporter’s individual wishes
Data protection policies and statements
will ensure you foster long term
It’s important to have clear policies to guide
relationships, leading to fulfilling you and ensure consistency. These should
supporter journeys.” include your approach to legitimate interests
and whether you will use this as the basis to
Alex Weeks-Smyth, contact specific groups of supporters. Be aware
Client Services Director, Ethicall that for marketing calls, legitimate interests will
only apply to telephone numbers not registered
on TPS/Corporate TPS/FPS or your own
Sourcing data suppression lists and in every call you must offer
the opportunity to opt out of future calls. If you
The success of any telephone fundraising
use legitimate interests to make marketing calls,
campaign is heavily dependent on the quality of
you must check your data against the relevant
data available. You’ll need to ensure you have
TPS list(s) at the beginning of the campaign and
a legal basis for calling, whether that is through
every 28 days thereafter.
consent or through another legal basis such as
legitimate interests (see FAQs).
If you have previously asked for consent and
this was not given or has been withdrawn, you
Whether you’re calling your closest supporters
cannot then rely on legitimate interests to make
or those who are new to the organisation, it is
the same call.
important to ensure that the data is accurate,
that correct permissions have been sought
Make sure that you collect the data you need to
where necessary and that you only use the
fulfil your purpose and don’t collect information
data for the purposes you state. And remember
that you don’t need. Consider what you want
that each call will be an opportunity to update
to do now and what you want to do in the

26 Excellent fundraising for a better world

future and make sure that both the data you call and relevant PECR (Privacy and Electronic
collect and the privacy notice you give, reflect Communications Regulations) restrictions apply.
this. Don’t collect data ‘just in case’. A data
protection by design approach will assist you. When can you use ‘legitimate interests’ to
make a marketing call?
You will also need to make sure that privacy
You can rely on legitimate interests as the lawful
statements are clear so that those you call will
basis to make marketing calls if you have carried
fully understand how you intend to use their
out and documented a legitimate interests
data, enabling you to reach the supporter group
assessment (LIA) and the number you are calling
you are targeting both now and in the future.
is not registered on either the TPS, CTPS, FPS
or your own suppression lists. You must also
FAQs ensure that you do not make calls to numbers of
Who can you call and for what purpose? those individuals who you have previously asked
for permission to call, but consent was either
If you’re making administrative calls, you can
withheld or withdrawn.
call any of your contacts so long as you can
demonstrate the legal basis you are relying on
How should you handle requests not to be
and that the purpose is consistent with what the
called again?
recipient would reasonably expect.
No charity will want to upset supporters or the
When it comes to marketing calls, there are wider public, so it’s important to deal with any
more stringent restrictions. You need to avoid such request promptly. Remove anyone who
calling anyone who has asked you not to – doesn’t wish to be called from your future call
directly or via the FPS. You must have consent lists and clearly identify their request not to be
to call numbers listed on TPS and/or CTPS. called on your database. Ensure you and your
Numbers not listed on these suppression lists agency have an effective way of processing
can be called for marketing purposes so long this information or transferring it to the correct
as you comply with the legitimate interests person responsible for actioning such requests.
rules and have not previously asked for consent
to call those individuals, (see below: When
can you use ‘legitimate interests’ to make a Useful links
marketing call?)
• Direct Marketing Guidance, ICO
What is an administrative call? • Guide to legitimate interest, ICO
A call can only be classed as administrative • PECR Guidance, ICO
so long as it includes no ask for funds and no • Personal Information and Fundraising
marketing of the charity or its services, this Guidance, Fundraising Regulator
includes discussion about the work of the charity • Treating Donors Fairly Guidance, Institute
or how donations may be used. Typically, an of Fundraising
administrative call might include a welcome
or thank you call, joining instructions for event
participants, verification of relevant contact or
banking data for supporters and confirmation of
Gift Aid eligibility and agreement.

It’s important to understand that if you

ask supporters for consent to call them for
marketing purposes, this is deemed a marketing

Excellent fundraising for a better world 27

CAN YOU MAKE THIS CALL?

Marketing calls (outbound, unsolicited calls)

Do you have current valid consent to call for this purpose? (and have
checked the number isn’t on FPS or in-house suppression lists?)

YES NO

You can Is the number registered on

make TPS/CTPS, FPS or any in-
the call house suppresion lists?

YES NO

You can’t Have you previously

make asked for consent and it
the call was withheld/withdrawn?

YES NO

You can’t Have you carried out and

make documented a legitimate
the call interests assessment?

YES NO

Are you confident that the Carry out and

individual’s interests don’t document a legitimate
override the legitimate interests? interests assessment

YES NO

You can You can’t

make the call make the call

28 Excellent fundraising for a better world

CAN YOU MAKE THIS CALL?

Administration calls

Do you have current valid

consent to call for this purpose?

YES NO

You can Do you need to make the call to

make the call fulfil a contractual obligation?

YES NO

You can Do you need to make the call to comply with

make the call a common law or statutory obligation?

YES NO

You can Are you relying on legitimate

make the call interests to make the call?

YES NO

Have you previously asked for consent You must have a legal basis to make
and it was withheld/withdrawn? the call. The only other bases are:
Vital interest – to protect someone’s life
Public task – this covers public
YES NO functions and powers set out in law or,
performing a specific task in the public
interest as set out in law. It is unlikely
You can’t Have you carried out and
that these would apply.
make the call documented a legitimate
interests assessment?

YES NO

Are you confident that the individual’s interests Carry out and document a
don’t override the legitimate interests? legitimate interests assessment

You can You can’t

make the call YES NO make the call

Excellent fundraising for a better world 29

4. MONITORING & COMPLIANCE
Tips for monitoring campaigns:
Whether you make or receive telephone
fundraising calls in-house or through a partner, • Listen in to calls at an early stage in the
remember that the responsibility for protecting campaign so that you can get a sense of
the public, sticking to the rules and maintaining how well your messaging is conveyed
your charity’s brand and reputation sits with and received, and whether you might
you. This means that you’ll need to monitor want to make changes.
campaigns to ensure they comply with the rules, • Commit to listening to and monitoring
industry and ethical standards, as well as pre- calls throughout the campaign. Determine
agreed success measures and other indicators. how many calls to listen to dependent on
the campaign type, your risk analysis and
If you’re working with an agency, ask for their ongoing monitoring outcomes.
input and support. Explore with them what
• Every conversation will be different;
information they can provide and the best ways
listen to several calls to get a clear sense
of ensuring a successful and compliant campaign.
of how the campaign is going and to
ensure legal and best practice standards
“It’s important for all charities are maintained.
• Make sure that it’s not only one individual
to discuss with their agencies who listens to the calls. Including
appropriate monitoring in different people will bring a range of
advance. Listening to calls perspectives to the process.

with colleagues is a great start, • Ask for regular updates about how the
campaign is performing against success
but involving the agency’s measures and review what changes
account managers, compliance could be made.

managers, and fundraisers, will • Track both the measurables (e.g.

confirming that the fundraiser checked
really make the difference.” it was a convenient time to talk and
delivered a disclosure statement) and
Ben Smith, less tangible aspects (e.g. whether the
Client Services Director, Listen conversation was a positive interaction
and built rapport).

Monitoring Calls • Put your own telephone number on the

call list so that you can experience a
It’s important to regularly listen to calls and live call from the public’s perspective.
ensure that the tone, messaging and impact Consider not only whether the call
of your calls meets your needs. (This might met your requirements, but how the
include listening in to live or recorded calls). conversation made you feel.
For each call listened to, document your
findings and use this information to positively • Make sure that all your calls are recorded
shape your current and future campaigns. in case you need to refer back to them.
• Give constructive feedback; positive
and negative insights can be equally
as important to improve and inform
future calls.

30 Excellent fundraising for a better world

Ensuring Compliance you work with do the same and this means
including the complaints handling process and
Complying with legislation, best practice
responsibilities in your partnership agreement.
and your charity’s individual ethical and
organisational policies is vital to strengthen
public trust. This means having clarity over
the standards and policies you commit to
“While complaints are not
uphold, that you inform, train and support your ideal, it’s crucial to be well
fundraisers and any third parties in meeting prepared. It’s important that
those standards, and monitoring campaigns to
ensure that everything is working as it should. both charity and telephone
agency agree and work to the
Compliance Resources: same complaints procedure.
The Institute of Fundraising offers a range
Throughout that process the
of resources and services to support charity should feel supported
charities and third parties with compliance. and its supporters that they
These include:
have been listened to and
Public Fundraising Certification their concerns reviewed
Programme – A compliance programme
offering Certified Status to those that have properly and thoroughly,
completed the programme. with positive outcomes put in
Call Levelling service (IoF members only) – place to ensure complaints are
An e-learning programme that supports
fundraisers with a series of 10 modules to minimised in the future.”
improve and calibrate call monitoring skills.
Josephine Patterson,
Compliance Framework (IoF members Client Services Director,
only) – A framework that features toolkits, Mango Ethical Direct Marketing
examples of a call monitoring form and
associated guidelines, what to include in
fundraising agreements, how to carry out a Don’t fear complaints. The feedback can
risk assessment and a risk register template, be incredibly valuable and provide great
as well as checklists and further guidance to opportunities for supporter engagement. Always
help you through your compliance journey. listen to a recording of the call in question and
distinguish whether any objection relates to the
channel (telephone fundraising) or the campaign
Handling complaints itself and its messaging. Talk to your fundraisers
about any feedback received, with the emphasis
If you follow the Code of Fundraising Practice,
on celebrating success and learning where
you’ll already have a robust complaints policy
things have gone wrong.
and process in place. As with all other forms
of fundraising, it’s essential to record any
complaints about telephone calls and to deal
with them diligently and swiftly, aiming to
improve future supporter experiences and to
enhance the campaign based on any feedback.
It’s important to ensure any third parties

Excellent fundraising for a better world 31

5. MYTH BUSTERS How can we identify and protect people
in vulnerable circumstances when making
Is telephone fundraising intrusive? telephone calls?

Arguably any form of unsolicited contact is The telephone is unique in public fundraising
intrusive, whether that is being stopped in as charities will already have some information
the street, someone knocking on your door or about who it is that they’re calling, even if it’s
receiving mail, emails or accepting a call. The only the recipient’s contact name and number.
advantages of the telephone is that it can give A conversation enables you to be flexible to the
people an engaging opportunity to discuss the needs of individuals, responding immediately
charity’s work, while giving them greater control. and appropriately to any signs of vulnerability,
helping to improve the quality of the call and
Recipients can speak from the comfort of their ensure that potential supporters can make
own home, choosing whether and when they informed decisions. This also enables charities to
wish to talk, asking their own questions and add information about people’s communication
ending the call at any point. They can choose preferences or special needs on their database,
if they want to be contacted again or not. although it’s always important to be aware of
For many people, a telephone call can be a the rules for handling and processing personal or
relaxed way of learning more about an issue or sensitive data (see Treating Donors Fairly).
charity’s work; an ideal setting for positive and
open conversation. Isn’t telephone fundraising expensive/just for
the big charities?
Are people being bombarded with There are so many different ways that a
telephone calls? telephone campaign can be carried out. While
While it is true that you won’t know how many the objectives and budget for each campaign
others may be calling the same number on the might vary significantly, the telephone can
same day, there are rules and regulations in play a role in any charity’s supporter care or
place which help to reduce the number of calls fundraising programme and campaigns can
made and enable people to quickly and easily be scaled accordingly from tens of supporters
opt out of marketing calls. These include the to tens of thousands. Talk with other charities
TPS, FPS and call blockers like BT Call Guardian. about their experiences and investigate which
As a result, the number of calls made within third parties might be able to help you achieve
the UK have reduced and charities following your campaign goals.
best practice guidelines are more likely to have
confidence that those they call are happy to
hear from them.

Telephone fundraising agencies have a wealth

of experience and information. Work with them
to determine the maximum number of times you
will try calling a number if there is no answer,
what calling times are recommended and the
rest time between each call.

32 Excellent fundraising for a better world

6. USEFUL GUIDANCE AT A GLANCE

Source Document/Resource
Personal Information and Fundraising: consent,
Fundraising Regulator
purpose and transparency
HMRC HMRC Guidance for Claiming Gift Aid

HMRC HMRC Guidance on Gift Aid

ICO Direct Marketing Checklist

ICO Direct Marketing Guidance

Guide to the General Data Protection Regulation
ICO
(GDPR)
Guide to Privacy and Electronic Communications
ICO
Regulations (PECR)
ICO What is the legitimate interests basis?
Compliance Framework (*IoF member benefit).
This includes:
• What must be included in a fundraising
agreement
IoF • Carrying out risk assessments and template
risk register
• Example telephone fundraising monitoring
form and guidelines
• Carrying out due diligence on third parties)
IoF Call Levelling Programme (*IoF member benefit)
Ethical Issues in Fundraising (*IoF member
IoF
benefit)
IoF Treating Donors Fairly
Successful partnerships for sustainable
IoF
fundraising
Ofcom Persistent Misuse

Excellent fundraising for a better world 33

NOTES

34 Excellent fundraising for a better world

Excellent fundraising for a better world 35
A GOOD CALL:
USING THE TELEPHONE FOR SUCCESSFUL FUNDRAISING

©Institute of Fundraising, January 2019

www.institute-of-fundraising.org.uk
020 7840 1000 @ioftweets

The IoF is a charity registered in England and Wales (No 1079573) and Scotland (No SC038971),
and a company limited by guarantee (No 3870883).

Excellent fundraising for a better world