Coding ExerciseCoding Exercise

Focus Group #$2$:

Donor Engagement $$ Question One $-$ Why do you give $($a phrase$)?$

Participant: Well, I like the United Way because it$$s a way to support a broad range of organizations with one gift, not have to get on a donor list for $42$ other organizations, all send you follow up letters saying we could use more.

Dr$.$ Cronin$-$Gilmore: Bob?

Participant: I guess I would say, I look at it in the broader sense that giving is the right thing to do$,$ as part of our freedom of living in this country with helping other folks and I am not a flaming liberal. I am a very conservative person, but I believe that it is our duty since we$$ve been very successful in life to be able to share with others, and this is just one of the slots that fit the slots of giving that I give to$.$

Dr$.$ Cronin$-$Gilmore: Okay and Chris?

Participant: Well, I know I$$m going to be giving a certain amount and United Way is like a one stop shopping mutual funds so$,$ it is a convenient way to give, and I$$d echo the sentiment$,$ it is a one place to give.

Donor Engagement $-$ Second Question $-$ What is your motivation for giving?

Participant: Well, much along the lines of what this gentleman said, you know I just feel it$$s important to give back to the community, and to support, you know, a wide variety of organizations.

Donor Engagement $-$ Third Question $-$ Is empathy a reason for giving?

Dr$.$ Cronin$-$Gilmore: Linda you$$re shaking your head.

Participant: I would think so for some of$,$ especially for what I donate to I think, you know if I was in their place I wouldn$$t$.$ I$$d boss many to help me$,$ you know, so I think it$$s important that when you can you support others that are, you know, maybe having a rough spot in their life or$...$

Donor Engagement $-$ Fourth Question $-$ In general, how are retention $($a careful approach to money$)$ and worrying about family finances related?

Participant: It has really affected me or our family giving, primarily because we$$re pretty much retired and that$$s the point, so we didn$$t have a job to lose.

Participant: If there$$s no change in my financial situation, then there$$s no change in my giving.

Participant: Same, I agree with that.

Participant: Are you talking about it in general or are you talking about to the United Way?

Dr$.$ Cronin$-$Gilmore: I$$m talking about this group$$s opinion.

Participant: But giving in general or giving to the United Way? I$$m sorry I was late.

Branding $$ Question One $-$ How many demographic groups are represented today? Baby Boomers? Gen X$?$ Gen Y$?$

Participant: Pre, pre$-$baby boomer.

Professor: I believe that is called the greatest generation.

Participant: Ya$,$ ya the greatest generation.

Participant: Silver hairs, we$$re the ones that drive in Florida

Branding $$ Question Two $-$ How would you describe the United Way brand in a few words?

Participant: Umbrella organization.

Participant: I like the clearing house that you came up with earlier.

Participant: You could add community to that, because I think you have a sense of community coming out of United Way, every United Way has the community.

Branding $$ Question Three $-$ Has the brand changed over time? If so$,$ how?

Participant: I feel like its more community and more local now, but that$$s probably just because the presenters have come in our company had been more local and talk about things that are happening right in our area. I like that, I think it$$s a good deal, that$$s my perception, I don$$t know if it$$s true or not.

Participant: I think that$$s true, I think you do see how it affects the community more than it used too. It was so broad before, just you$$re giving to the United Way now they$$ve honed in on more $$what does the United Way do in your own community?$$

Participant: Which I think is smart because it$$s probably not all that wise to tie it nationally.

Branding $$ Question Four $-$ What demographic does it appeal to and why?

Participant: I think it appeals more to baby boomers and folks before that. I mean I really see some difficulty with younger generations, having a value in giving. You know whatever it is that you have going on in your office you can always depend that some of the younger one aren$$t going to participate.

Participant: I have the impression that it$$s not that, it may be that the younger generations give less, I don$$t know that, but I also think it$$s pretty easy to give to the United Way and I think that ease would translate itself into appealing to younger generations. You go online, click a few things and take care of it$.$

Dr$.$ Cronin$-$Gilmore: So it$$s set up more towards their generation now.

Participant: Well, I think that it would appeal more than some other organizations that, where the process is not so simple and in our case we are approached through work where there are a bunch of young people, they can just take care of their charity in ease right there, so it$$s back to that one stop shopping. So$,$ I think there are so