How do I set up Ask Strings for conditional donation requests?

Overview 

Ask Strings allow you to personalize donation amount requests based on each contact's giving history, which can increase response rates and average gift amounts. 

Step 1: Access the Ask String feature 

1. In your Direct Response Plan, navigate to a sub-segment or package 

2. Click "Add Ask String" to begin configuring conditional asks 

Step 2: Select a contribution aggregate 

1. Choose the appropriate contribution aggregate to base your asks on: 

   1. HPC (Highest Previous Contribution) 

   2. MRC (Most Recent Contribution) 

   3. AVG (Average Contribution) 

   4. Define the time period (e.g., last 12, 24, or 36 months) 

Step 3: Configure ask multipliers 

1. Select up to 6 multipliers for your chosen contribution aggregate 

2. Common multipliers include 1x, 1.5x, and 2x of previous giving 

3. Check "Include Other Amount" if you want to offer an open field option 

Step 4: Set boundaries and formatting 

1. Set a "Minimum Ask" value (floor for the lowest ask) 

2. Set a "Maximum Ask" value (ceiling for the highest ask) 

3. Choose a "Rounding" value (e.g., nearest $5) to make asks clean and consistent 

Step 5: Apply your Ask String configuration 

1. Decide whether to apply these settings: 

   1. Only to this specific package/sub-segment 

   2. To all current packages/sub-segments in the plan 

2. Save your Ask String configuration 

Step 6: Review example calculations 

1. When finished, you can see how your asks will work in practice 

2. For example, with HPC24, multipliers of 1, 1.5, and 2, minimum 25,androundingto25,androundingto5: 

   1. A contact with HPC24 of 22wouldseeaskamountsof22wouldseeaskamountsof25, 35,and35,and45 

3. Ensure the calculated amounts align with your fundraising strategy 

What else do you need help with? 

• Understanding Direct Response Plans 
• How do I create segments for Direct Mail or Telemarketing plans? 
• How do I export and complete my Direct Response Plan?