Notebook

Fundamentals of Online Fundraising - Getting Started

Magnolia Web Strategywww.magnoliawebstrategy.comworktogether [at] magnoliawebstrategy.com

Overview

7 Starting PointsBest PracticesLessons LearnedHelpful Resources

Starting Points
#1 - Goals

If you don't know where you're going, any road will get you there

Starting Points
#2 - Reflection

Step back and reflect: Evaluate your current fundraising process.

Look at your organizational profile and direction align plan to organizational work.

Look for opportunities to incorporate online activities into your offline activities and/or campaigns.

Starting Points
#3 - Website

Drawing on your reflections: Who is your target audience?

Are you speaking to them?

Secure online donation processing.Extra Credit:

Site analytics, statistics and conversion goals.

Starting Points
#4 Lists, Lists, & Lists

Make sure emails lists are: Current, clean, and GROWING.

Growth important to fundraising returns.

Segment your lists.

Starting Points
#5 E-Communication

Email is where most online fundraising happens. Always use an email service provider.

Track your results.

Keep it short.

Drive people back to your website.

Starting Points
#6 Fundraising Campaigns

Develop specific online fundraising campaigns. Special appeal that's promoted vigorously.

Choose the tools to fit the campaign (not the other way around).

Starting Points
#7 Staffing, budgeting, tracking & reporting

Who will do the work?

Plan & staffing must be aligned.

Track your progress: always be aware of your goals and match your numbers monthly.

Best Practices

Keep it: personal.

timely.

consistent.

action-oriented.

Create relationships.Dont be afraid to experiment.Watch the numbers to determine what is and isnt working.

Lessons Learned

Don't be afraid to start small

Don't oversell expectations while underselling the work involved.

Don't be afraid to fail.

Planning is EVERYTHING

Choose social media tools to match your plan, not just because they're popular.

Helpful Resources

Websites & Articles:

http://www.madelinestanionis.com/writing_rules_article.html

http://www.madelinestanionis.com/writing_sixways_article.html

http://www.fundraising123.org/article/10-things-avoid-email-campaigns

http://www.frogloop.com/care2blog/2009/6/3/why-nonprofits-need-to-grow-their-online-lists.html

http://magnoliawebstrategy.com

Books:

Raising Thousands (if Not Tens of Thousands) of Dollars with Email Madeline Stanionis

Nonprofit Internet Strategies Hart, Greenfield, Johnston

Fundraising On The Internet Warwick, Hart, Allen

Credits
resources used in preparation of this presentation

Network For Good (http://www.fundraising123.org)Echo Ditto (http://www.echoditto.com)John Kenyon (www.johnkenyon.com)Frogloop Blog (http://www.frogloop.com)