Making Event Participants More Successful with Social Media Tools

Making Special Events More Successful withSocial Media Tools

Presented to AFP Massachusetts Chapter Brown Bag

May 19, 2010Mark Davis, Director of Enterprise Internet SolutionsBlackbaud

Derek Drockelman, Strategic Account ManagerBlackbaud

Mark Davis | Page #2 © 2010 Blackbaud

Session Agenda

Social Media and Event Fundraising Trends

Research Project and White Paper

Summary of Research Findings

Best Practices

Case Study: American Heart Association


Email as the Historic Driver of Online Growth

2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009* $-

$250,000,000

$500,000,000

$750,000,000

$1,000,000,000

Estimated Annual US-Based Online Event Fundraising

Online fundraising represents about 30% of the overall event fundraising

Compared to 5% for the overall giving (Source: Giving USA 2008)


People Spend More Time on Social Networking Sites than Email

Source: Nielsen/NetRatings Report March 2009


Why Bother with Facebook?

Facebook Statistics1

• Over 400 million active users

• 2/3 outside of college• Fastest growing

demographic is 35 years and older

Email vs. Facebook• 27 Average Emails• 130 Average Facebook

Friends1

Fundraising Myth?• Fundraising not

successful on Facebook3 • Fundraising Success in

Events

Sources:1. Facebook.com Statistics2. Nielsen/NetRatings Report March 20093. Washington Post, April 22, 2009


The Promise of Social Media

Facebook

Twitter

Source: Google Trends


Research Project Outline Charity Dynamics / Blackbaud Partnership

1,750 Events in 2009 and 1,000,000 participants

Project Objective· To investigate the impact that social networking sites like

Facebook, Youtube and Twitter have on fundraising efforts enabled by Sphere® Events™.

Research Methodology· Staff Interviews· Data Analysis· Participant Surveys· Website Canvassing

Download White Paper at: http://www.blackbaud.com/rwr

http://www.blackbaud.com/rwr

http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.thetechherald.com/media/images/200848/FacebookLogo_13.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.thetechherald.com/article.php/200848/2515/British-juror-removed-after-asking-Facebook-friends-for-case-opinions&usg=__d1R-8t0F50ce3IFPrjXoh8FQWfQ=&h=400&w=600&sz=11&hl=en&start=13&um=1&tbnid=Dv2nKpYU3QTjxM:&tbnh=90&tbnw=135&prev=/images?q=friends+asking+friends+logo&hl=en&rlz=1T4GGLL_enUS307&sa=N&um=1


Social Networking / Friends Asking Friends

• Update activities

• Speak up for causes

• Express opinions

• Influence others

• Active

• Community leaders

• Proud of your organization

• Emotional stories

• Reach friends & family

Social

Networking

Friends Asking Friends

Participants


Research Questions Are Facebook and Twitter effective solicitation tools for participants?

Does using a YouTube video impact a participant’s fundraising success?

How does email fundraising compare with Social-Media fundraising?

Who is using these tools?

What are the best techniques to make sure they are adopted?


SUMMARY OF RESEARCH FINDINGS


Email vs. Facebook Feed vs. Tweet


Social Media Impact on Returning Participants

Increase Fundraising Goals Matched by

Increase Fundraising Totals

Returning Participants Using Twitter Increased

Fundraising Goal 4X

Social Media Tools Incentivized Returning

Participants

$256.72$225.90

$70.55

$22.97

$0.00

$50.00

$100.00

$150.00

$200.00

$250.00

$300.00

Fundraising Goal Total Online Donations

Twitter Users No Social Media

Annual Increase in Participant Fundraising Goals and Donations from 2008 to 2009


Facebook - Boundless Fundraising Results

Avg. Participant Raises 15 to 40% More with Boundless Fundraising Application

75% of Boundless Fundraising-Driven Donations are from New Donors


Profile of Participants Using Social Media

Top Fundraisers· Use all tools available· Email· HQ Updates· Video· Social Media· Blogging· Offline

Slackers· Will make a couple of clicks to

use easy social media· Will not send email, upload a

picture· Go from $0 to low dollar

fundraiser· The “Coolness Factor”

http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.mcglinch.com/blog/uploaded_images/slacker_rocks-763854.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.mcglinch.com/blog/labels/doodles.html&usg=__1R46geMenSBKjPzqmybikXw5xec=&h=475&w=478&sz=45&hl=en&start=25&tbnid=OoqsHPF4pO_CAM:&tbnh=128&tbnw=129&prev=/images?q=slacker&gbv=2&ndsp=20&hl=en&sa=N&start=20


Profile of Participants Using Social Media

The more connected to the organization, the more likely to use all available tools including social media

· Team captains

· Top fundraisers

· Volunteers

· Higher participation levels (Runner vs Walker, the longer the distance)


Used by Most Successful Fundraisers

Social Media Users Are Your Top Supporters

Social Media Users Come Closer to

Reaching their Goals

Social Media Users Set the Highest

Goals

$-

$200

$400

$600

$800

$1,000

$1,200

$1,400

Fund

rais

ing

Goa

l / D

onati

ons

Average Goal Average Donations


Participants are Becoming Multi-channel Fundraisers

20.6

14.7

21.9

7.2

19.5

12.5

16.3

3.4 3.8

0

5

10

15

20

25

Ave

rage

Don

ation

s per

Par

ticip

ant

Social Media Users are your Strongest

Online Communicators

Greater Social Media Use Yields Great Overall Email Use

Social Media is not Replacing Email

Fundraising


Profile of Donors Giving Online

Email Prospects· Immediate family· Close friends· Co-workers

Social Networking Prospects· Immediate family· Extended family· Close friends· Friends of friends· College and high school

classmates· Co-workers· Past co-workers· Business networking contacts


Conversion Rates and Impressions

Lower Conversion Rates Offset by Higher Impressions

Facebook (Feedraiser

)

Twitter Email0.00%

5.00%

10.00%

15.00%

20.00%

25.00%

30.00%

0.26% 0.27%

25.00%

Conversion Rate

Facebook (Feedraiser)

Twitter Email -

10,000

20,000

30,000

40,000

50,000

60,000

70,000 65,000

35,000

14,000

Estimated Impressions

Note: Assumes 500 Participants Using Solicitation Tools


Average Gift Expectations

Expect Lower Gift Sizes

Less Connection

between Participant and Donor

Less Impactful Appeal

Younger, Newer Donors

$55.53 $49.58

$57.53 $59.50

$-

$10.00

$20.00

$30.00

$40.00

$50.00

$60.00

$70.00

Boundless Fundraising

FeedRaiser Twitter Non-Social Media

Ave

rage

Onl

ine

Gift

Am

ount

42.15

41.55

42.49

44.44

40

41

41

42

42

43

43

44

44

45

45

Boundless Fundraising

FeedRaiser Twitter Non-Social Media

Ave

rage

Don

or A

ge


How Participants Find These Tools


Example: Alzheimer's Memory Walk

Provide Social Media Tool-kit· Tip Sheets, Facebook Join Links, Badges


YouTube and Personalized Videos

Arthritis Foundation’s 2009 Jingle Bell Run increased

revenue by 20%

Make appeal more interactive with higher conversions

Not enough data yet to draw conclusions


Marketing Best Practices – Make Your Participants Aware

Highlight in recruiting and phone calls

Promote use in HQ and participant engagement emails

Urge team captains to promote to their teams

Promote through own social media sites (e.g., event Tweet-ups)

Social Media participant contests (e.g., best YouTube video)


CASE STUDY:AMERICAN HEART ASSOCIATIONSTART! HEART WALK PROGRAM


Using Social Media to Expand Online Fundraising

Objectives:· Increase Volunteer Recruitment· Increase Volunteer Engagement· Define and Expand the Visual Image of Start! Impact

Phases/Timeline:· 2009 – Phase 1 – Explore Opportunities in Structured Way· 2010 – Phase 2 – Increase breadth of strategies and introduce metrics for ROI


Blackbaud Sphere® Events™ – Social Media Toolkit

Integrated Social Media Personal Solicitation Tools

Released in June 2009

Included with All Blackbaud

Sphere Events

T F Y Social Media Toolkit



Boundless Fundraising™ Application

Mission-based Widgets

Local Division Fan Page and Event

Social Media Tool-kit

Start! Heart Walk Social Media Strategies


Boundless Fundraising Strategy

Coach Participants to use Facebook and Twitter · Team Captains received Flash Drives with Key Messaging· Instructions on Start! Heart Walk Dallas Homepage· Customer Service offered M-F 8:00 am- 5:00 pm · Staff Conducted Weekly Conference Calls


Criteria Dallas Results National Projections

Social Media Users 1,500 250,000

New Revenue $220,000 $2.4M

Dallas Heart Walk Results

91% of Dallas Social Media donors were NEW

Additional Success Factors· Increased paths of cultivation· Breadth of engagement of our volunteers· Building entrepreneurial / innovative spirit of our staff


Double % of Online Income from Social

Media Channels

Increase Activity from My HQ to Facebook and

Twitter

Increase Personalization of My HQ with YouTube Videos

Advocate Use of Boundless Fundraising

and FeedRaiser

Advocate Multi-channel Fundraising (esp. Twitter)

Start! Heart Walk 2010 Social Media Objectives



Key Take-Aways Social Media Tools Provide Greater Reach with Lower Conversions

New Channels Bringing in New Donors

Participants are Becoming More Demanding Fundraisers

Keep Eyes and Ears Open for Emerging Trends

Anybody Recognize this Social Networking Website?


QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS

Mark Davis – [email protected]

Thanks!

mailto:[email protected]

Making Event Participants More Successful with Social Media Tools

Technology

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