I know you’ve got a nice juicy steak. And you think that’s amazing. And it is. But it’s not enough to make me buy it.
Why not? I’ll tell you why not.
Two articles caught my attention this week, and each provides the answer to how nonprofits can share what they do in a manner that inspires passionate philanthropic investment.
In Part 1 we covered 5 steps to woo your donors with a communications strategy. Today we’ll look more closely at 9 key communications tools you can use effectively to build closer relationships with your supporters. Some are extraordinarily simple. It’s just that many nonprofits fail to use these tools consistently, or well. If you make a practice of doing so, you’ll be well ahead of the game.
You want to be the favorite child, don’t you?
Did you know that half of donors give 2/3rds of their annual giving to a single charity. That’s why you want to become the “favorite.” Wouldn’t it be terrific if your donors adopted you and thought of you as a member of their family?
Truly, that’s how important you want to become to your supporters. But it won’t happen just because you’re a “good cause.” There are oodles of great causes out there. Oodles. It will happen only when
Keep telling yourself you need a better website to build greater awareness for your cause?
You can certainly do this. But are you asking the more important question?
Why the heck do you want greater awareness? And why would anyone want to be aware of you? Those are the questions too many nonprofits fail to ask. So ask. Seriously. Take a moment. I’ll wait.
“Because we want more people to know about us.”
WHY?
“Because we want to educate them about what we do.”
WHY?
“Because we want more people to support us.”
AHA! Now you’re getting somewhere.
Now ask yourself how getting a better website is going to get you more support. Chances are it won’t. Not really. Because folks are on a journey towards you that builds – from awareness… to interest… to engagement… to investment. And the kicker is that the latter two are where all the action happens. Awareness and interest alone are passive. They won’t get you the active investment you need to sustain your mission.
Engagement precedes investment!
Sadly, most nonprofit websites are lousy engagement vehicles. They’re especially lousy when compared with a blog.
Love Your Donors
Some special valentines today for you, and for your donors. Got that loving feeling? Don’t keep it to yourself. Share.
Outside the box gems today. Thought-provoking stuff to get your juices flowing and help you work smarter. This is the year to get off the treadmill and try something new!
You had me at hello.
That’s what your constituents should think and feel when your email arrives in their inbox.
Hello is a way to call attention… a greeting… an invitation to a dialogue. Does your email do that? Does it easily capture your intended reader’s attention? Does it greet them warmly? Does it encourage interaction with you?
If your emails aren’t getting the open rates you’d like, it’s time to take charge!
Here are some great links from around the nonprofit web. Plenty of food for thought, useful tips and some ‘to do’s’ to try out. Happy end of January (how did that happen?) To your success!
Imagine what it would mean to your mission if you doubled the lifetime value of all of your current supporters.
I recently listened in on an interview between Gail Perry and Jay Love of Bloomerang. It’s a great listen, and the two of them fired me up to write another post on the importance of focusing your efforts on donor retention.
Do you know even know what percentage of donors you’re retaining? According to Jay, less than 5% of fundraising offices know this answer! So, you’re not alone. But you can do better.
Here are some great 2014 To-Do’s to set you up for success in the coming year. Some is keying into trends so you’re not left behind. Some is honing your tried-and-true strategies to build a sustainable nonprofit. This is the year to get thoughtful – and smart. No more status quo, resting on laurels or just going through the motions.
At least if shouldn’t be so hard. After all, the commercial sector manages to retain 94% of their customers. Then why does the nonprofit sector only manage to retain 41%? Even worse, new nonprofit donor retention is only 19%, down from 27% in 2011. That’s abysmal. What’s going on?
Why are our for-profit brethren beating the pants off of us when it comes to retention?
Today I went to research something online and ended up viewing the first entry Google gave me – which was on Wikipedia. To my delight, I ran into an awesome fundraising campaign (this is an occupational hazard with fundraisers – we actually like and admire things like pledge breaks when they’re done well)!
Here’s what I found superimposed at the top of the screen:
Philanthropy, Not Fundraising
Are you confident your employees – all of them – are fully engaged in your mission so they don’t bungle openings to turn inquiries into interest, interest into involvement and involvement into investment? Do your workers just do their job, or do they understand their real job to be part of your greater vision-focused undertaking?
Unless you’ve created a culture of philanthropy in your organization – one where everyone who works there is fully informed and passionate about your work and the values you enact in the community – then you’re inevitably going to blow opportunities to garner vital support. Under-informed workers lead to disengaged workers. Disengaged workers lead to disengaged constituents. And here’s how it happens.
This week it’s about the three things that will boost your year-end giving: (1) social media done well will drive awareness of your cause and the current opportunity to make an impact; (2) creative, compelling content presented in the form of a story will trigger emotions that inspire philanthropy, and (3) your user-friendly, up-to-date website will make it easy for would-be donors to connect with you, donate and then continue to stay connected – and feel good about it – over time. This week’s links will give you food for thought – plus actionable tips.
When they turn into a sweetly warbled tune.
If you want birds to visit your window ledge on a daily basis you must woo them patiently and feed them. Only after you’ve satisfied their needs will they return on a regular basis and, on occasion, reward your persistence by trilling a sweet song.
It’s the same with donors and social media.
Are you muddling along because you don’t have the resources you need to invigorate your fundraising? Are you working hard, but maybe not so smart? Are you making the most of opportunities to steward donors so they’ll repeat their gifts? And what about your donor thank you’s – are they good enough to get you a second gift? Take a look at this week’s links if you could use help in any of these areas.
We’re entering prime gift giving season. The tinsel is up, the craft fairs and sample sales are on, and the retail stores are gearing up for what they hope will be huge crowds. Whether this makes your blood run hot or cold, there’s no stopping it. The “hunt” for the perfect gift is on!
Guess what? Your nonprofit has the perfect gift! All you have to do is sell it. Here’s how…
As year-end fundraising approaches, just doing it the way you’ve always done it – or imitating the way others do it – may not be enough to set you apart from the crowd. So… our theme this week is to think outside the box – just a little. Teach yourself a few new tricks, and get outside — literally! — to invigorate your fundraising. So… let’s start with a post of almost the same name!
I’ve been asked this question many times.
One of the ways I’ve answered is with my own question: If you could invest 20 cents to get a dollar, would you? If you could invest 50 cents to get a dollar, would you?
Just a few links this week, since I know you’re winding down after Halloween revelries and may be in a sugar-induced coma. Grab a cup of coffee and check these out. They’ll get November off to a good start!
Planned Giving
Click-It: Year-End Planned Giving Ideas to Include in Tips to Donors. Today is Dia de los Muertos — a time for honoring departed souls. What better day to
Fear not! The Nonprofit Blog Carnival is back, offering tricks and treats galore from nonprofit experts all around the web to help you find, cultivate, solicit and steward your major donors.
Pick a goodie or two from this great baker’s dozen. After all… it’s the season!
This week’s links include some thought-provoking stuff. And a reminder of what you need to do to prepare for Halloween!
Email Frequency
Click-It: How Many Fundraising Emails Should You Send a Year?
I unlocked Pandora’s box with my last post, 5 Things Your Board and CEO Don’t Get About Fundraising and Donors. Especially when it comes to board members, many of you say their behavior has you scratching your heads much of the time. So, here are 5 more things that too many boards simply don’t seem to understand:
1. It costs money to make money. This one is odd, since many of these folks seem to understand the concept of ‘investment’ when it comes to their day jobs.
That’s the question that has fundraisers everywhere scratching their heads and crying in their beers.
Hmmn…
Donor retention has continued to plummet every year for the past seven years. It’s really, truly an awful problem. For some unknown reason, all that hard work you put into acquiring new donors is, seemingly, being wasted. Why?
This week’s links are a real potpourri of pretty darn interesting stuff. Check ‘em out!
Events
Click-It: The Secret of the Five Top. Simply brilliant advice from Seth Godin. I dare you to try it at your next fundraising event. And if you’ve done it, let us all know how it worked!
Mobile
Click-It: Top 5 Reasons to Use Mobile. This post has all the data you need to
Wondering about the future of fundraising? Check out this week’s links!
Social and Mobile
Click-It: Nine reasons why social and mobile are the future of fundraising. I bring this to you because there’s been debate going on, instigated by our provocative friends at The Agitator. Tom Belford wrote a post — Crafting vs. Producing… Writing Songs vs. Jingles — somewhat dissing email appeals in favor of traditional mail appeals. Why? Supposedly a more rewarding, bonding emotional experience to ‘open’ rather than ‘click.’ I don’t buy it. I’ve seen plenty of moving email appeals. They’ve inspired me to give; I’ve seen others inspired to give. Sure there are too many that are dry as dust. But there are dull, flat snail mail appeals as well. Good email appeals work. Heck, there’s no one right channel for all people anymore. Far from it.
As fundraising professionals it’s up to us
A quack at it?
Yes! Because I’m guessing you don’t have your ducks lined up to make this year’s email appeal worth all your effort. What do I mean? I mean the lion’s share of folk receiving your email is simply going to hit ‘delete.’ And that’s just not going to pay your bills.
You need to get all your duckies in a row. And I know exactly which two are missing.
Planning your year-end fundraising? Check out this week’s links!
Year-end Planning
Click-It: 5 Things to do now for year-end fundraising success. From Network for Good comes this checklist of all the stuff you should be thinking about. Now! Here’s my favorite: Now is the time to put yourself in your donor’s shoes and thoroughly test your donation process, website, emails, and any other donor-facing elements. Identify any pain points and fix them now while you have some time. None of the above steps will matter if your supporters get hung up on your donation page, are stymied by your website, or can’t reach a real person when they attempt to contact you.
Online Donations
Such great links this week. Let’s get started!
Corporate Partnerships
Click-It: Safeway Foundation: 6 Tips on How to “Partner” with a Corporation Thanks to the folks at Third Sector and guest blogger Christy Duncan Anderson, E.D. of The Safeway Foundation for this great insider perspective on the sometimes mysterious business of securing business sponsors.
Philanthropy, Not Fundraising
More than ever before nonprofit leaders must lead from vision, not mission. Why? The world is moving really, really fast. Blame it on the digital revolution if you wish. But why waste time laying blame? It is what it is. Instead, get into the 21st century. Now.
The present (what you’re doing) is nothing more than a springboard to the future (the change you’re endeavoring to bring about). That’s what folks want to invest in. Positive change.
Nonprofits have tended to forget their visions in order to justify continued existence. Sometimes founders and other leaders become too wedded to the status quo. They can’t let their babies grow up.
First, some words:
Now… on to this week’s great links…
This week’s Clairity Click-it – your eclectic array of easy to-“click-it” links to posts I’ve found thought provoking. With, of course, a few comments of my own.
Body Language
Click-it: 4 Body Language Cues You Need to Know When Networking. It’s important to remember that first impressions count. A lot. You may be unconsciously giving the wrong one. This article by Ivan Misner in Entrepreneur describes how to avoid this. I myself have to constantly remind myself not to keep my arms folded (signifying boredom or being closed off). If you’re up for the challenge, try this suggestion from Misner:
Earlier this week I posted an article talking about how fundraising professionals need to become Engagement Journey Guides. One of my readers, Amy K., suggested that was a mouthful and offered up the term “Engagement Sherpa.” That got me thinking, so I looked up the word. Sherpa means “a member of a people noted for providing assistance to mountaineers… [and who] have achieved world renown as expert guides.” Hmmn. I really like that!
Think of your donors as mountaineers. They’re on an ascent. It’s not just towards the top of your donor pyramid.
Philanthropy, Not Fundraising
Here’s a true story. Some years ago, while working for a family service agency, we became involved in a discussion about job titles. Should folks stay as directors or become v.p’s? Should my title remain ‘Director of Development’ or switch to ‘Advancement’ or ‘External Relations’? I researched titles elsewhere. Yada, yada, yada. I finally said I really didn’t care. Just call me ‘Maven of Money’ or ‘Diva of Dollars.’
I didn’t get it.
Monkey see, monkey do is not a social media strategy.
It tends to lead to trying to force a square peg into a round hole. Huh? Bear with me. We’ll get there. First… before embarking on a social media strategy, do you ask:
You’re stretched thin. Competition for philanthropic dollars has intensified. You know that long-term survival depends on strengthening revenue streams. What are you doing about it?
If you’re like too many nonprofits, you’re missing what’s right in front of your eyes: legacy giving. The lion’s share of philanthropy in the U.S. comes from individuals. Nearly 70% of people make gifts to charity during their lifetimes; only 10% leave a bequest. Why? No one asks them! It turns out that the act of asking makes a huge difference. And don’t tell me you can’t ask because you’re too small or understaffed.
Just because you can’t afford (or aren’t quite ready yet) to mount a full-on legacy giving campaign is no excuse to avoid the basics.
This week’s Clairity Click-it – your eclectic array of easy to-“click-it” links to posts I’ve found thought provoking. With, of course, a few comments of my own.
Leadership:
Click-it: To Move Ahead You Have to Know What to Leave Behind. I love this article from the Harvard Business Review. It points to the number one reason organizations have difficulty with change:
I know your budget is tight and I understand you’re struggling to pay for your existing staff, but you can no longer afford to ignore the number one way people find out about you – social and mobile. Digital is the future, it’s increasingly important and increasingly multi-layered, and the time to start building your online community is now. Before it’s too late. Before you’re left behind.
Does Your Nonprofit Need a Social Media Manager? This is a question I’m asked a lot, and my recent post on Maximize Social Business addresses it. I think it’s a kind of funny question for 2013, given the fact that we’re in a digital world, social media is frickin’ huge and people today expect professional online communications and fundraising campaigns.
Before you hold your next fundraising event, ask yourself one simple question: WHY?
Take a minute, right now, to jot down all the things you’d like to happen by virtue of you having held your event.
I’ll wait.
Seriously, do it. Jot.
I’m waiting.
Okay, there are a few of you who don’t yet have pencils and paper in front of you. Yes, I can see you. Remember ‘Miss Nancy’ from Romper Room? [I know; I’m dating myself on this one].
Now, let me guess what you’re writing (and/or thinking).
Here’s my return-from-vacation Clairity Click-it – and I’ve got some stuff that’s a little outside the box of your basic fundraising and marketing advice. Why? It’s good to take a little trip away from the usual every now and then! So… here come some easy-to-“click-it” links to posts I’ve found thought provoking. With, of course, a few comments of my own.
Let’s begin:
It’s the new plague. And a highly contagious epidemic, from which no one is immune.
Are you showing any symptoms? I feel like:
If you checked off three or more, you’ve got the disease. 8 or more and we need to rush you to an unplugged vacation. All of the above and you need a sabbatical!
Philanthropy, Not Fundraising
“Incremental Change is Not an Option.”
What if this was your charity’s mantra? This is so different than “We keep overhead super low.” The first means dreaming on a large scale, and reaching for true solutions to social problems. The latter, not so much.
For years donors have been taught to look for low overhead as a sign of effectiveness. When you stop to think about it, it makes little common sense. Who cares if you spend only 5 cents on the dollar if you only net $71 from your bake sale? Will this solve your problem? Whatever resources are needed to solve the problem, those are the resources that must be spent. Nothing more. Nothing less.
XTRA! XTRA: NEWS YOU CAN’T USE
This just in: “Many nonprofits post on Twitter throughout the day to keep constituents up to date.” Woo-hoo! I’m jumping for joy! Over the moon! Popping champagne corks! I’m….
Wait just a dog-gone minute… Is this really a news story? What does this really tell me? How does this help me? Well, perhaps if I read the story I’ll…
Learn more.
What story? Oh… this is a real headline, sent to me by my friend Jimmy (a really smart marketing guy who works in the business sector), for an article that appeared in eMarketer which claims to provide “the world’s top brands, agencies and media companies with the most complete view of digital marketing available.” Yet really all the article does is report on a study by Vertical Response showing that nonprofits were more likely to be present on social media channels than small businesses surveyed in a similar study.
So, great. We’ve got some data on how nonprofits are behaving digitally. They’re putting up Facebook pages and starting Twitter accounts. Whoop-de-do.
What we do not have is a fully fleshed out narrative that tells us why nonprofits are behaving this way, who they’re targeting with their social conversations or what they’re getting out of it. We have no knowledge of their engagement plan or their engagement metrics. As I told my friend Jimmy, the fact that nonprofits are doing incrementally more on social media doesn’t really tell much of a story.
I really want you to blog. Did you know that Social Media Examiner’s 2013 State of Social Media Report puts blogging #1 at the list of the top 14 social media channels you should be exploring? I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: Your blog is the hub of your content strategy (or it should be). Build a blog and rock it. You’ll simultaneously put in place a content strategy that will enable you to easily share relevant content across every communication channel you use. Online and offline. There’s no better way to offer your constituents meaningful engagement. So… what are you waiting for?
BTW: You can learn a lot more if you download my free webinar,The Keys to Nonprofit Blogging that Drives Engagement. Did I mention it’s free?
Here are 10 tips to get you started, or to help you simplify the process so you can focus and deliver.
Unless… they reinvent themselves.
I know this sounds harsh. But check out Seth Godin’s Tried and false where he bluntly tells the truth about the tried and true: “In times of change… most of the tried is in fact, false. False because what used to work, doesn’t, at least not any longer.”
You may have been the best major gift officer on the planet five years ago. But that was then. This is now. The buying/giving market has fundamentally changed. And, yes, the culprit is the digital revolution. That’s how revolutions work. It’s truly the end of business as usual.
It’s perplexing to still hear folks ask “Do we really need social media?” Do you need to text and respond to your kid’s texts? Well… only if you want to be in touch! That question is so 2008. In 2013 it’s more like “my way or the highway.”
Here’s the problem if you’re a small nonprofit:
You’re resource challenged. You don’t have enough staff to do everything that needs to be done as it is. Now you’re supposed to add social media?! Well, which channels? You can’t do it all, for goodness sakes. There must be one best channel. Maybe you can just squeeze that in.
Listen up.
Whatever you did in the past is relevant, but it doesn’t mean it’s exactly what you should be doing today. Relevant means pertaining to or connected to. Your history is always connected with you in some manner. But it’s not always germane (central) or apropos (to the point and opportune).
If you say…
That’s not the way we do things.
We tried that; it doesn’t work.
We don’t need research; we know what our audience cares about.
… stop.
In case you don’t know, troglodytes are hermits who live in caves. There are 3 ways I’ve found that folks in the development profession fit this description. Are you a cave dweller? If so, here’s how to get out more.
Planning any special e-mail campaigns before the end of the fiscal year? This summer? If not, think about it. An e-campaign costs pennies on the dollar compared with print marketing. And the right message at the right time to the right market can empower your supporters to help you change the world.
Your success will be measured not by how many you send, but by how many get opened; then how many answer your call to action. Here are 10 basic tips to assure your email engages your audience. Oh, and I left an 11th tip out on purpose. It’s something that’s super important. If you think you know what it is, contact me with your guess. I’ll pick randomly from among the correct answers – the winner gets a 50-minute top-level review of their next e-appeal (a $200 value), at no cost.
This month’s SMIT (Single Most Important Thing I have to tell you):
Remember in ‘The Graduate’ the one word piece of advice given to Dustin Hoffman? PLASTICS. That was seen to be the wave of the future (oh how long ago that seems, and how quickly something can turn from friend to foe…. but I digress).
Recently I gave another “P” word as my best piece of advice for nonprofit marketers and fundraisers. PERSONAL. I received a lot of feedback, so I’d like to revisit this word and flesh out its multiple meanings – and how getting personal can help you achieve your fundraising and marketing goals.