Face-to-face & telemarketing most effective recruitment channels for Spanish donors

Face-to-face and telemarketing are the most effective channels for attracting supporters in Spain, responsible for 37% and 36% of acquisitions respectively, according to a report from fundraising association AEFr.

The figures, from AEFr’s Reality of the Partner 2019 report, reveal that while telemarketing’s share has remained stable since 2017, face-to-face is seeing annual growth, rising from 24% in 2015. The third most successful channel however, mail, has seen a decrease in the number of new supporters it is recruiting, from 9% in 2017 to 6% in 2019.

The report also shows that the average annual amount individuals give to charities in Spain rose more than €5 between 2017 and 2019, reaching just over €138.

In addition, a joint study by AEFr and Kantar Millward Brown shows that overall, 86% of Spaniards have supported a charity in some way, with 55% having contributed financially. Slightly more women than men have donated, at 55%, with donors having an average age of 49. Around two-thirds (67%) of donors are married or in a relationship, while 49% have a university education, and 36% are upper-middle class.

Children and the elderly are the causes that both most concern the Spanish, and receive the bulk of aid.

Empathy (36%) and ethics or feelings of justice (32%) are the biggest drivers for donating, while lack of trust and financial problems are the greatest barriers. However, 8 out of 10 Spaniards believe that the image of NGOs is the same or better than in recent years, and that the work of NGOs is very important, mainly because of their ability to help.

AEFr will be discussing these figures and more on 11 December at its Radiography of the Fundraising Sector, Trends and Three Visions of the Future event in Barcelona. The event will examine the country’s fundraising trends and challenges, drawing on the conclusions obtained from the studies by the AEFr and other sector data.

Fernando Morón, AEFr’s director, commented:

“At the AEFr we believe it necessary to stop once a year and reflect as a sector where we are and where we are going. Beyond sharing experiences among fundraisers or having new and updated knowledge, organisations such as the AEFr should favour reflection as well as a focus on the environment. With the Radiography of the Fundraising Sector event we seek to establish a dialogue that allows us to look to the future, understanding the present.”