10 Features of the Best Power Dialer for Fundraising

Here’s what to look for in the best power dialer for your fundraising efforts

Fundraising calls are indispensable for nonprofit organizations that depend on charitable giving to stay afloat. And to get the biggest return on the time you invest in those calls, you need the best power dialer you can find. 

A power dialer will help you dial numbers much more quickly, of course. And that can help when you want to make as many calls as possible. But the best power dialer is much more than just a faster way to contact supporters.

There are also numerous power dialers on the market. Some are better than others, and some have features that may meet your needs better than another product. Still, some features are essential to success with fundraising calls. Here’s what to look for.

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Call Logic’s auto-dialer and call management software offers dozens of helpful tools to increase your success and simplify your daily tasks. Call for your free consultation today to learn more!

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Want the best power dialer for fundraising? Look for these 10 features

1. Click to call. It might seem counterintuitive to say that the best power dialer should have a click-to-call feature, especially since one of the selling points of a power dialer is that you can make more calls more quickly. However, a click-to-call feature is an invaluable option. You may need time to record notes about the call or look at information regarding your next call. You don’t want a donor to answer the phone only to listen to you fumble and trip through a script. 

2. TCPA compliance. Compliance is a serious issue, and ignoring it could come at a considerable cost. There also happens to be some potentially confusing information around fundraising and compliance. For example, if you’re fundraising for a nonprofit charity organization, you don’t always have to abide by the Do Not Call list. However, you still need to maintain a DNC list for that specific charity if the person requests that you don’t call them. This can get complicated if you are fundraising for multiple organizations. So rather than take a chance on non-compliance, the best power dialer will offer live scrubbing of DNC lists. 

3. Instant connection. If you’ve received calls from telemarketers, you’re likely familiar with the “telemarketing delay.” This is the time between when you answer the phone and are connected with the organization calling you. There are some problems with this delay that can hurt your success rate. For one thing, that delay is a sure sign that the call is from a telemarketer, meaning people may hang up on you before you can even say hello. Worse, though, is that the Telemarketing Sales Rule considers a call abandoned if there is a delay of more than two seconds between the time a consumer answers the phone and the call is connected to a representative. An abandonment rate higher than 3% violates the TSR. 

4. Whisper coaching. Especially for new fundraisers, whisper coaching can be an incredibly helpful training tool. With this feature, a supervisor can listen in on a live call and “whisper” helpful tips without the donor hearing. 

5. Excellent customer service. No matter how great your power dialer is, at some point, you will have questions, or something will come up that needs a fix. From ensuring you have the right product to onboarding to being there when you need help, customer service is an essential component of the best (and the right) power dialer. 

6. Pre-recorded voicemails. Some of your calls will go unanswered. You can listen to their outgoing message, then leave a message of your own. You could also hang up and try again another time. But the best power dialer software offers you the option to pre-record voicemails, so when your call goes unanswered, you can click and let the software leave the voicemail while you move on to your next call. 

7. Simple pricing structure. It’s hard to budget when you don’t know how much your software will cost each month or when you have to add or subtract services you need. Therefore, a pricing structure should be simple and easy to follow. For example, with Call Logic, you get the full power of our software at one price, so you don’t have to add on services like voicemail drop or a built-in calendar. 

8. Robust reporting. How well are your fundraising campaigns working? Do you have some stand-out fundraisers? Or some people who could use additional training? With reporting features, you can discover all of this and more. This is especially helpful if you’re fundraising on behalf of a charity and need to provide reports to them. 

9. Donor information screen. One aspect of fundraising that can make things easier is that you often talk to repeat donors or other supporters. To help increase connection and build those relationships, it’s advantageous to have some information about the person you’re speaking with. That’s why a pop-out screen with supporter information is useful. You have a record of calls and donations, as well as other helpful notes from previous calls, so you’re never starting from scratch. 

10. Transfers. While seemingly simple, it’s a good idea to make sure your power dialer will allow you to transfer calls. Situations may arise that require a supervisor or different fundraising agent, and you can streamline the process with a quick transfer. 

There may be other features or benefits that you might prefer in a power dialer, and that’s good to be aware of. However, it’s also good to know which features are essential in any dialer, so you can be sure to choose the best power dialer for your fundraising goals.