Surfers Against Sewage getting it right

A look at the excellent cover letter I received from Surfers Against Sewage this week…

As a child, I spent a lot of time sailing dinghies and falling in the sea. There were a couple of summers where I would lose my voice. I can’t be certain, but it is possible the poor water quality of the Solent in the late ‘90s/early ‘00s was the cause. Since then, I have been a supporter of Surfers Against Sewage (SAS).

In that time, SAS have evolved from a relatively small, single-issue campaign group, into a formidable force in the world of environmental advocacy. They’re a small team, making a big impact. This success is no doubt in part due to their excellent supporter care.

The tone and frequency of their communications ticks all the right boxes and the Pipeline newsletter/magazine is genuinely interesting to read. It’s not just an exercise in self-congratulation - “look at the amazing work we’ve done” - but a vehicle for thanking supporters and sharing interesting articles on the challenges and opportunities for the marine environment.

The most recent issue of Pipeline arrived through my door this week, accompanied by the cover letter below. Scroll down quickly and give it a read - especially the fourth paragraph.

I was surprised and impressed.

Here is a charity that cares so much about their supporters, it is telling them how to reduce the amount they give.

This isn’t information buried deep in their website, but the fourth paragraph on the cover letter, in the centre of the page. They’ve even given the email address of the appropriate person to talk to.

Yes, this paragraph comes immediately before a request for donations (this is a letter from a charity to its current supporters - a request for funding is to be expected and is absolutely OK), but when was the last time you saw a charity actively provide information on how to give less?

I don’t know the demographic composition of SAS’s members, but it is probable, given the charity’s area of work, the majority live in coastal areas. UK government statistics show that coastal regions are among the most deprived (based on multiple indices of deprivation) in the country. Therefore, there is a strong possibility there are SAS members who are worried about the effect of the coronavirus pandemic on their jobs and personal finances.

By providing information on how to reduce the amount of their monthly giving - effectively saying “It’s OK if you need to do this” - SAS will bank a great deal of goodwill with those supporters. Even if they receive less money from them right now, they won’t lose that supporter entirely.

Much of SAS’s work is advocacy and campaigning, which requires the support of a legion of ambassadors and volunteers. It’s not just a case of giving a few quid and that’s the end of it. SAS supporters email their MPs, sign petitions, write letters to polluting water companies, give talks in schools, conduct beach cleans, host fundraising events, and extend the reach of the organisation far beyond that which the head office staff could achieve on their own.

Maximising the engagement of this passionate, committed supporter base is arguably more important to a campaigning organisation like SAS than maximising the £/donor figures.

Yes, more money means they’re able to do more work, but this letter suggests to me that SAS recognise the long term “return on relationship”, plus sensible organisational and operational changes, is what will help them overcome any short term loss of income caused by the effects of the coronavirus pandemic.

The cynic might argue they’re only doing this because it makes them look good, or because of some reverse-psychology nudge-theory tactics that will result in an increase in donations. Maybe it is. I don’t work for SAS and I don’t know any of the people who work there so I have no insider knowledge of their intentions. But, based on what I do know about them, and what I receive from them as a supporter, I don’t feel that to be the case.

Instead, I would argue that this letter - opening with an honest statement of the difficulties they’re facing, then recognising that their supporters may be facing similar difficulties, before closing with a donation request - shows this to be an organisation that recognise and appreciate the deep connection they have with their supporters.

As I said above, I expect a letter from a charity to include a donation request. That’s OK.

But a letter from a charity acknowledging the difficulties the supporter might be facing, and giving their blessing should they need to give less? That is unusual.

That they have done this - looking beyond the immediate needs of the organisation’s income and expenditure figures, and out to their place within their community - implies a level of care and attention to detail that is encouraging and reassuring to someone who gives SAS money with the expectation they will do great work with it.

It may well be the case there are loads of charities doing this, but of the charities I support, SAS are the only one who have sent me a letter like this.

If you’re reading this and work for a charity, I would encourage you to think about what you can do to support your supporters right now. Indeed, even if you don’t work for a charity, consider what you can do to support your clients or customers.

I’m not saying this to admonish or be judgmental of anyone who hasn’t sent a letter like this - and I recognise I’m not telling you anything revolutionary that you wouldn’t instinctively already be aware of - but intend this as an external prompt to provide you something to think about if you get the opportunity to do so.

I have worked at charities and completely understand how stressful and all-consuming it can be to fundraise during a crisis. I can only imagine what it must be like trying to deal with the current situation which is unprecedented and has no obvious end in sight. With furloughed staff, reduced income, and a whole world of uncertainty, taking the time to stop the day-to-day ‘fire-fighting’ and look at the long-term, bigger picture is hard.

However, if you’re able to do it, and take 5 minutes to put yourself in your supporters’ shoes, there’s a good chance your fundraising will benefit as a result.

And to the team at Surfers Against Sewage, if you’re reading this, keep up the good work!