Name: How to Make the Right Ask with Smart Fields and Ask Ladders in Blackbaud Altru®
Uploaded: 2025-04-30T19:31:15.096Z
Duration: 30 min 32 s
Description: How to Make the Right Ask with Smart Fields and Ask Ladders in Blackbaud Altru®

Transcript for "How to Make the Right Ask with Smart Fields and Ask Ladders in Blackbaud Altru®": Hello, everybody. Welcome to this all through session. That's going to be talking about ask ladders and how they can be used with smart fields. Ask ladders are a pretty neat feature that, we're kind of sad to say don't often get utilized by Altru users. So I'm hoping that this session, while relatively tidy, helps illustrate to you that these are a great feature to set up, and it's a pretty straightforward process to help you raise more in your appeals. But to get things started here, let's talk a little bit about housekeeping. First and foremost, the webinar audio, is going to be broadcast through your computer speakers. So if you do encounter any audio or technical issues such as slides freezing, usually a quick refresh of your browser is the best way to get it working again. And the worst case scenario, simply leaving and logging back in will, typically resolve those types of issues. But please use the chat feature on the right to ask your questions. We do have a couple of fine Altru experts behind the scenes helping folks answer your questions. But, also, you know what? If you know the answer to the question someone is asking, don't hesitate to use the chat feature to, hop in there and, interact with your fellow Altru users. Now next to chat, you should also see docs. Please click on this to access a PDF of today's slides. I also included the, help document regarding, ask ladders as well. And I think that you'll see for the most part, like I said on, the previous slide, this is a pretty straightforward process, and that PDF should really help guide you through the process of setting up an ask ladder. You can also adjust any settings by using the cogwheel at the bottom of the event space. And finally, you, can also use the tabs on the top of the event space, to see the agenda, meet your speakers, and so forth. But slides can be a bit squished in Goldcast as well. So if you are having this issue, hover over the right hand corner of the display and click the box to expand the slides as well. And also this is being recorded, so you should receive a recording of this, session. Should arrive tomorrow afternoon about twenty four hours after the conclusion of the session. But oftentimes people can get into that recording by using the same link that they used to get here. Alright. So a little introduction to me. I am Geoff Arbuckle. I'm a customer success manager here in the arts and cultural space. I am located in Beech Grove, Indiana. I'm an avid comic book and movie fan. I'm a lover of animals, particularly cats, of which I have two, Kirby and, Sadie. And, you know, right now, Kirby is sleeping right behind me. But in case you see a tail run by, that's usually him. He sometimes likes to get pretty animated while, I'm doing a session like this. Sadie likes to stay kind of out of the limelight. So I doubt that you would, that she's going to be causing much grief here for me today. Alright. So with that and with, folks getting into the session here today, let's dive right in, shall we? And to do that, we're going to begin by defining what ask ladders are. And what they are is a, simply a group of suggested gift amounts that appear on a solicitation. You know, and these can be set up in a few different ways. And they use, smart fields, which is in the title of the session. This is the primary place where we're really going to talk about what they are and where they can be managed. Simply put, smart fields are the fields on Altru that help calculate the ask ladder amounts. And you can target your asks by suggesting amounts based on a constituent's latest gift, their largest gift, their average gift. And there are other areas that you in which you can do that as well. But you can also, use ask ladders for pledge cards, recurring gift solicitations, and annual fund solicitations. Now the calculation is based on revenue smart fields or research list if you have research point. And smart fields are managed and added by going to administration and clicking on smart fields under the data header. And smart fields can use several transactional fields in the revenue types menu like, donations, pledge payments, and more. Smart fields can also use specific date ranges too. So if you want to create an ask ladder based on donors giving from, say, the last calendar year or the last specific date range, you can do that as well. But if you do use ResearchPoint, you can create and find research lists under prospects as well. Now let's talk about something that is a little bit more of a technique around ask ladders and how they might be able to really kind of benefit, raising those that more money through those appeals. The P. E. A. T. Technique predicts that requests for giving are more likely met with compliance when an unorthodox request amount is used in replace of traditional request amounts. Now this comes from a slightly older study, but the researchers used panhandlers to test this. And, when somebody asked somebody on the street, can you spare any change? About 44% donated. But when they asked, can you spare a quarter? The donation rate increased to 64%. But then when they asked, can you spare 17¢ or can you spare 37¢? It turned out about three quarters of the people I asked ended up complying and making, the the, the the gift to the person. So that last test was about asking for basically something specific without really saying anything else. It made the person being asked feel as though, there was a specific purpose for the request. It peaked their interest in how they could help the individual. So really, that's kind of what we're getting at here. Is there a way that we could potentially make it, make an ask ladder, be able to really kind of ask for those amounts, in a way that is non intrusive but also piques the the donor's interest into giving. So with that, let's get into creating an ask ladder. Now we will start by going to marketing and communications. And here under configuration, you will find ask ladders. And when you click on that, from this screen you can add, edit, or delete an ask ladder. For this example, we're going to add a new ask ladder. So to do so, you'll click add. Now first, we'll need to provide a name for our ask ladder. So in our example, we're going to create an annual appeal ask ladder. Now in the amount field, you will choose an entry amount for the ladder. The entry amount is the basis for our ask amount calculations. And here, we can choose smart fields for entry amounts such as the latest gift or average giving or you can use a research list that was generated from ResearchPoint. But in this example, we're going to choose the smart field latest payment amount, which is the last one in this picture here in our drop down menu. Now let's discuss some important tips on using smart fields. Now here are a few best practices for using smart fields with ask ladders. Use revenue application amounts. So when creating a smart field for ask ladders, use the revenue application amount field. Then I would also recommend that you include donations from everywhere. The revenue type should include donations from both sales orders and back office transactions. And make sure that you are always refreshing your smart fields. Don't forget to run your smart field prior to running an appeal mailing if it is not already scheduled, to automatically run on a recurring basis. And you can process the smart field to refresh it, by going to administration, click smart fields, click the arrow next to the smart field that you plan to use, and then click to process the smart field. And it will update and show you the last time it ran and some results around that as well. That's key because it will always just remember the last time that it was run, unless, again, it was automatically scheduled to run every so often. But most of the time, you're going to have to go in there and make sure that you refresh that so that it's giving you up to date and current information. Now going back to creating an ask ladder, let's look at the definition section of the ask ladder. The, and these are the options you have to set your different ask amounts. And starting here is, you know, you want to start to kind of basically create ranges that the ask ladders are going to calculate from. So that's the column there for amounts at or above. This is where you will click on it and define the, giving range for the ask ladder level that you're about to build. Now some samples that we are using here, our first range will be $0. Our second will be $25, and our third will be $50, and so on. The first range will apply to anyone with the latest gift value from 0 to $24.99. The second will apply to anyone with the latest gift from 25 to $49.99 and so on. So, basically, as you are setting up these, ranges, the next range will basically determine the high end of the ask ladder range for the previous level. So once we put in $25, that made it that 0 to $24.99 and so on. The next thing that we will have, to look at here are our, you know, once we define that different, average or the different, gift ranges that we want to use from the last gift amount, We will want to specify what type of ask ladder we would like. You can select either add, multiply, or fixed under the type. Now, let's start with fixed for our first range. But to kind of help, you know, to define these, add, multiply, and fix, add simply adds values entered to the ask columns to, from the ask columns to entry amounts. Multiply will multiply the entry amounts by the amounts entered. And fixed is, this is to use the values entered, for all constituents in this entry amount range. So we're gonna start with that fixed one for our first range. And when you select this option, you will define fixed ask amounts for, and for this example, we're going to use $10, 20 5 dollars, and $50. Now because the first range are for donors who gave less than $25 as their latest transaction, their asks in the appeal will say $10, 20 5 dollars, and $50. Now for our second range, we're going to choose add. And this one's the most simple to describe because this will just simply add the ask amounts to the person's last gift. So if someone gave $30, their ask amounts, if we set it up to be 25, 30 5, and $45, will be displayed as $55, 60 5 dollars, and $75. So pretty straightforward on that one. It's just going to add whatever our ask is going to be to that latest gift that they gave. And now this, slide here is going to kinda serve two purposes here. For our last range, we're going to choose the multiply. Altru will multiply the values entered in the ask fields based on the entry amount. So the asks for this range that we're going to put in is 1.5, two, and two point five. Altru will multiply the latest gift by those amounts. 1.5, two, and two point five. So if we had a constituent with the latest gift amount of $50, their ask amounts are going to be $75, 1 hundred dollars, and a hundred and $25. Now, when it comes to the these three options for type, the fixed, add, multiply, it's entirely possible you will not use each one for each of your ranges, like we have here where we have the individual, ranges with a different type. You might opt to use only fixed or add, or you'll have add and multiply, or you will use the same type for each of your ranges. It is entirely up to you how you would like to approach this with your donors. But I just wanted to make sure that we illustrated each of those options. But there is one more option that I do want to call out as well, which is prompt. Now in the prompt field, we can enter a prompt for write in amounts. So for this example, we're going to type in under prompt other amount. And what that's going to do is that for each person that receives this, based on where they fall in and what their ask ladders are going to be, they will always have the option to fill in another amount to ultimately give an amount that maybe isn't suggested. Maybe it's going to be higher. Maybe it's some place in between two ask amounts. Maybe it's something a little bit lower, based on whatever their capabilities are. But we want to make sure that you include that because if you don't include that, you could potentially be missing out on people who want to do something other than those suggested amounts. But, it is a good idea to include that as well as kind of that fourth option. Now one more thing that, I definitely want to, call to your attention is, since we are using functions like add and multiply, we also want to use the round up to column to ensure that Altru is creating an even ask amount. So for this example, I will choose to round up to the nearest five, which means that let's say, for whatever reason, the person's last transaction was, say, $32 or something like that. And so when they got added that $25 for the first ask amount, instead of it saying, $57, it will say $60. If it was something that, you know, would have landed there at $62, would have been the the straight ad price. It's going to be $65. So while we did talk about that peak, technique that had those kind of more awkward, amounts that are being asked, we also want to be a little bit more realistic in the sense that, you know, it's a good idea for people to be able to, see, you know, like the the something that ends in a five or a zero, ultimately, just to make things a little bit cleaner, a little bit safer, for, you know, what people would expect to see. K? So now let's talk about using those ask ladders in an appeal mailing. To do this, what you will do is you will go into your marketing and communications and you'll click on your appeal mailings. And, here, this is where you can find which appeal mailing that you would like to, add this to. And when you do so, you will click on that and you will click the edit option for the for that, particular mailing. Now once you get in to, you know, when you get into, being able to add that ask ladder, under select, under the select recipient information to use to personalize your letter, this is where you will select ask ladder from the drop down menu. Next, we will add our merge fields to our appealing, to our appeal mailing. To do this, you'll click edit to the right of merge fields. And in the export definition, you'll need to add all of the ask ladder fields, in the middle column to selected fields on the right and then click save. So you'll wanna make sure that ask one, ask two, ask three, and, the other option, whatever it is that you typed in for that, gets included because in order for them to appear on there, you wouldn't just be able to select one of the ask. You need to select all of them so that they appear properly in your letter. And then these fields will now be exported in our CSV file and then can now be added to letter content in the content editor. And then at that point, they are ready for you to print out for mailing or send as an email. So really pretty straightforward there. At this point in time, if anybody has any questions, I'll be more than happy to take a look at those or have our, have our folks behind the scenes take a look. But, yeah, this is pretty much as, as straightforward and as simple as it can be as far as, like, just getting something added to those letters to make those appeals potentially more, more successful for you. Now while I wait for any questions that might be coming in, let me go ahead and talk about, of course, the, the resources that are always available to you, that you can use to, engage with Blackbaud and your peers. If you are interested in joining our reference program or champions, as a reference, you share your experience with prospective customers. You choose how often you can take a call, and champions help us spread the word and provide feedback. And there are tons of opportunities that we can help you spread your success and brilliance. I mean, we have stories. We have podcasts. We have blog posts. We have webinars. So if you are interested in any of these areas, let me know in the chat and, we will make sure that, we get you in touch with that team or that we get your CSM to reach out to you as well. And naturally, of course, we also have our, Blackbaud U with the curriculum that focuses on real world application and achieves results through expertly designed learning and, other opportunities like that. We have our customer support and knowledge base. With customer support, we would be able to make sure that you get to somebody who can help with troubleshooting or get you some, resources to you, directly. And, of course, our knowledge base has a lot of our step by step information as well. Our Blackbaud community also is a great place for you to connect, share your best practices, and support the people and organizations who change the world. This would be a great way to also, interact with folks to be able to, connect with, with other people who might be using these ask ladders and ask them how, successful they have been or or some of the things that you might have been able to, get accomplished with that as well. So let's see here. It looks like we have, let's see here. It looks like we do have one question in here. Is the application amount field different from the amount field? How does the ask letter function functionality relate to the online giving forms? And the naming convention, is there a reason to include ask ladder in the name of the ask so there is not you don't necessarily need to include ask ladder in the name of the ask ladder. That's, that's certainly something that, that you can, that you can do there. Let's see here. As far as the first question there, is the application amount, different from the amount field? I think that is in reference to Let's see here. Our folks on the back, in the background there on the q and a, would you be able to potentially see as far as the question on, Janelle's question, one and two there, if that's something that you might be able to look at. Okay. Yeah. Sounds like, Janelle, somebody is, already working on that in the background there. So hold on for that there. Is there a way to have the ask ladders triggered by prospect ratings, such as annual giving likelihood? Example, I have two donors who have given $25 recently, but one of them has an AGL of one fifty, who I want to ask for a big increase, and the other has an AGL of eight fifty, who I would yeah. So that so are you getting those, Stephanie, from, like, from ResearchPoint? Is that where you're getting those, numbers from? Yes. So yeah. You are able to, create that report from, from your prospects tab. And then that would be something that is available to you in terms of the, in terms of the options available to you when you're creating your ask letter. So you can do a research list as opposed to a smart field on that. Unfortunately, right now, Stephanie, I am not able to, but we would, that is definitely something I can follow-up with you on as far as that. Yeah. That is definitely something we can do that. You're welcome. I'll actually, make sure to get your, name and information when, when this ends, and I'll get that, get information over to you. So the ask ladders here, Janelle, are actually separate from the online giving ask ladders. Those are set up on a form by form basis. So that's the that's the difference there. Alrighty. Any other questions? As far as, Janelle, the application amount field, we can follow-up on you on that as well. Yeah. So there's one there. Interested in using the research list as the amount field for the ask ladders, but can't find some of the research list we've already created as an option within the ask ladder. I will, get you in touch with, your customer success manager on that one. They might be able to help, get that to the might be something we can help out with or it might be something that the support team can do on that. To my understanding, the application amount will pull the amount for the designation you've used as a filter versus the amount field, which will pull the total amount of the order. For my org, I've had transactions where the patron paid for tickets and made a donation in an, in one order. And so if we pull amount instead of the application amount, it'll show us the order total with the ticket price included, not just the donation amount. So yeah. Same. That that yeah. That sounds like that is what the, the the, difference is there between the application. So yeah. I think that is what we were going to end up finding when we, did a little bit of, follow-up with you there. So great. Alright. I think we have seen most of the questions come in at this point. So, yeah. So one thing I would say, if you have any additional questions or if there's anything else you would like to see in terms of, like, talking about ask ladders or setting up those smart fields, certainly, I would say reach out to your customer success manager and, we can help you certainly get into a little bit more of that. Because like I said at the top of the session, this is not something that we see a whole lot of people using. So we do like it. We do feel like this is something that people will get a great deal of, benefit from if they took advantage of it. So definitely recommend that. And so with that, I just wanna say thank you for attending. Hopefully, this has been helpful or at least something to consider as you are getting into the, into the idea of possibly using ask letters or looking at different ways that you could boost some of your appeal giving and and, some of those, boost some of the giving from your donors that, you feel like might be interested in giving a little bit more. So thank you so much today, and, I hope you have a great rest of your day. And I look forward to talking to you again soon.