Online Fundraising: Beyond the Donate Button · 2013-04-02 · a coordinated, multi-faceted process...

Beyond the Donate Button

Emerge 2013

4/1/2013

www.NonprofitRD.com 1

1 of 64 Beyond the Donate Button www.NonprofitRD.com

Online Fundraising: Beyond the Donate Button

Rich Dietz Nonprofit R+D

[email protected]

@nonprofitrd

www.NonprofitRD.com/FB

www.NonprofitRD.com/IN

www.NonprofitRD.com/gplus


Richard Dietz Richard has spent the last 20 years working both in and with a wide variety of nonprofit, political, and government organizations, as well as technology companies focused on the nonprofit sector, including Sage Nonprofit, Convio and KIMBIA. Richard holds a M.S.W. from the University of California at Berkeley and a B.A. in Political Science from UCLA.

Nonprofit R+D is dedicated to helping smaller nonprofits fully utilize technology and the web to support their missions through training, best practices, and support.


Agenda

1. Overview

2. Online Fundraising Strategies

a) Website Fundamentals

b) Fundraising Campaigns

c) Storytelling

d) Email Marketing

3. Action Steps


Our Goals Today

• Get you thinking about some new ways to improve your online fundraising efforts.

• Encourage you to take action and test out new ideas

• No campaign is ever perfect or “ready”

• Only way to improve is to get something out there and test

• Pick one or two ideas and add them to your campaigns.


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Soap Box


Text Heavy Slides… oh no!

I promise I do not just read the slides • Boring!

Why text heavy slides •You don’t have to take notes – the info is there for you later

•You can focus on the “ah-ha” moments

•They will still make sense 6 months from now

Download at www.NonprofitRD.com/emerge


Don’t Panic….

There is help out there

Google is your friend,

just ask for help.


What you talkin’ about Willis?

SaaS, CRM, CMS

ROI, API,

wysiwyg

Open-Source

Fundraising Platform

Tweet, ReTweet, Twit?

Blah, Blah, Blah


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Experts have all the answers…

No, not really There are “best practices,” but you must test in your organization Testing is the key,

• Much easier to do online • If it works, do more. • If not, try something else.


Soap Box


Overview of Online Fundraising


What is Online Fundraising


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What is Online Fundraising?

Online Fundraising is NOT a Donate Button

We see Online Fundraising as: a coordinated, multi-faceted process of soliciting donations using online tools, including but not limited to websites, email, Search Engine Optimization (SEO), video, social media, etc.


Online versus Offline Fundraising

The focus of this material is Online Fundraising

If you also do offline fundraising: • Integrated or Multi-Channel Fundraising can be very successful • Online should enhance and compliment your offline • Don’t think of them as separate items • Coordinate both into a cohesive “conversation” • http://www.blackbaud.com/bb/targetanalytics/multi-channel.aspx


Why Online Fundraising

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Online Fundraising Bootcamp

Why Online Fundraising? • Online giving is the fastest growing channel & growing fastest for small orgs

• Double digit growth year over year since 2009 (13-75%)

• 87% of orgs had at least one online gift of $1,000+

• 65% said they will make an online gift this year

» Young donors (86%), 35 – 64 (68%), Over 65 (53%)

• Direct mail donors – 29% made their gift online

• 93% of Millennials gave to nonprofits in 2010

– 21% gave $1,000 or more

• 26% who gave via mail said they were going to give LESS this way in 2011

www.cygresearch.com/download www.onlinegivingstudy.org

www.millennialdonors.com blackbaud.com/2011OnlineGivingReport


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Compare to Other Industries

• 94% of internet users shop online

• Airline tickets

• Online/Digital music • The Hockey Stick

• 1st billion songs sold in 1,033 days

• 5th to 6th billion songs sold in 202 days

• Now 1billion about 45 days • 15,000 per minute


Why Online Fundraising? • Need to start now,

• if you want to get in front of the wave • to build relationships with younger donors • can take 3-12 months to see significant results online

• Use the information and statistics to educate and advocate within your organization


Online Fundraising Strategies


Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maslows_hierarchy_of_needs


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Online Hierarchy of Needs

Avoid Shiny Objects

Today focusing

on the Foundation


Strategies and Tactics

1. Website Fundamentals

2. Fundraising Campaigns

3. Storytelling

4. Email Marketing


Strategies and Tactics

Focus on the basics of each strategy and tactic • Each one could be an entire training course • I have done entire webinars on a single tactic • See which ones might be right for your org

Not intended to be all used at once • Select one or two, test them in your campaigns

Add more strategies and tactics over time


Website Fundamentals


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Website Fundamentals

1. Most Wanted Response

2. Prominent Donate Button

3. Capture Email

4. Simple, Clear Navigation & Design

5. Simple Donation and Registration Process


1. Most Wanted Response (MWR)

What do you want folks to do when they reach your site? • Who visits your site

• What are they looking for

• What do you need them to do

Too many choices = No action (Jam Study)

Make those actions easy to find • Above the fold

• Big buttons or easy to find pathways



www.bestieswithtesties.org



www.littlereddoor.org


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Could be your MWR

Big, bold and easy to see • Don’t make supporters work for it

On Homepage and EVERY page • Every click loses conversions

• Where’s the checkout?

Strong Call To Action (CTA) • Weak – “Click here”

• Stronger – “Help ___ Today”, “Make a difference”



www.coloncancerpreventionproject.org/


3. Capture Email

#1 way to raise money online…still • Email >> Landing Page

Opt-in box – with incentive to sign up Easiest way to connect and follow-up

• 7 touches – marketing principle

• Follow up can be very effective – progress, success, more help


3. Capture Email

www.greenpeace.org/usa/en/


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Navigation • Must be by user focused and not by department

• Focus on the most important things you need your donors to KNOW or DO (MWR)

Design

• Goolge/Facebook vs. crazy clutter sites

• Avoid clutter

• Don’t make your prospect think…

Custom graphics



www.iesabroad.org



www.acumenfund.org


5. Simple Donation/Reg Process

47% of donors give up before they have made a donation because the online journey is not intuitive and engaging (http://www.nomensa.com/about/news-items/charities-fail-make-online-impact)

Shorter is better • You can always ask more questions later

Strong single call to action • Remember the jam study

Form should be embedded on your website • At very least it should look like your website

http://www.nomensa.com/about/news-items/charities-fail-make-online-impact













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5. Simple Donation/Reg Process

www.napervillehumanesociety.org


Website Audit Questionnaire

Download with the slides:

www.nonprofitrd.com/emerge


Fundraising Campaigns


Fundraising Campaigns

THE key to online fundraising.. Or any fundraising for that matter Fundraising Campaigns are the framework

• You could run a successful campaign with just this info • The other Strategies and Tactics can then be added to this framework


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Definition: Fundraising Campaign

Many Definitions when you search for this: • Most common is usually something like…

“a campaign to raise money for some cause”

For our purposes this is a bit too generic


Our Definition

A Fundraising Campaign is: “A coordinated series of actions that utilize

• a specific goal • a clear call to action • a sense of urgency (Timeline), • a compelling story, and • part of a larger supporter cultivation system


Our Definition

Coordinated series of actions • Not a donate button or a single email • Multi-appeal (7 Touches)

Specific Goal • Focus should be on a specific program or need • Monetary goal should be relevant to the need

• Not just a number, but what that number will mean

Clear call to action • What do you want them to do? • Tied to the specific goal


Our Definition

Sense of urgency (Timeline) • Don’t let them put it off until later • Ex: If we don’t raise the money by Aug. 1st, then we can’t launch this school year

Compelling Story • More on this in the next section • Stories increase emotion and donations

Part of larger supporter cultivation system • The donation is only a small part of the Fundraising Campaign • Continuous follow up and engagement – Long term benefits


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Storytelling


Stories = Connection

Stories create an emotional connection

People give to People (animals too) • Individual stories are more effective

• Late night infomercials

• Childhood Hunger vs. four-year old Marie

Inspire supporters with passion • Get a nonprofit person talking about successes

• Always write your own content

sethgodin.com


Stories are compelling

Stories are compelling.. Donation pages are not Create campaigns with “stories” in mind

• Across emails.. The Cliffhanger • Multichannel

http://www.austinfoodbank.org/hunger-is-unacceptable/


Storytelling creates emotion

Emotion >> Rationality • Buy based on emotion / Rationalize it later with facts

• Focus on emotion first,

• then give them the reasons why it was a good decision

What donors want to hear about: • Organizational Impact (80%)

• Success Stories (74%)

• More details about the organization (71%)

• Info on financial accountability (43%)

Community Philanthropy 2.0 survey


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The Why is Important

A Reason Why • Xerox study, Langer, Blank, and Chanowitz (1972)

• Cut in line to make copies

• 60% ---> 93% using only “because”

Simon Sinek – Why is compelling and gets action • MLK – “I have a dream” not “I have a plan”

• Apple – “Think Different”

• We challenge status quo.. Just happen to make great

computers…wanna buy one?

• Simon Sinek: How great leaders inspire action (TED Talk)

http://www.ted.com/talks/simon_sinek_how_great_leaders_inspire_action.html


Storytelling Example

rememberme.ushmm.org/


Email Marketing


Email is Still #1

Many new “tools” in the press Email still takes the prize


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Email Marketing

Email is still the most effective method • 69% prefer electronic over print communication

• Cygnus Donor Survey

Email fits perfectly into • Fundraising Campaigns • Follow Up strategies

Relatively inexpensive

Start capturing emails now!


Email Best Practices

Monthly newsletters no longer work • Too much content, lost in the inbox • Need shorter, engaging content • Tell stories over multiple emails

Relevant and enticing subject lines • Literacy eNews – January 2011, OR 5 tips to create a life long reader • Questions, curiosity, controversy • Test them - “Hey” from the Obama Campaign

Easy to digest


Frequency

Single Call to Action in every email

Don’t fear the unsubscribe • Probably not going to be supporters

• Case study – High vs. Low Frequency Emails • 23% more money • 31% less unsubscribes

• Obama – more successful = higher unsub

More frequent “asks” • Not always for money – build a relationship • Other small favors and actions


Email as Follow Up

It is really just part of the Fundraising Campaign • Build it in from the start • Series of Actions / Larger Cultivation System

Easiest way to build follow up – saying “Thank You”


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Thank you, thank you, thank you

The Power of Thank You • Most folks don’t get thanked enough • Makes both sides feel good (Maslow) • Remember the emotional connection • NJ Institute of Technology - $25 >> $5 Mill

Say “Thanks” right away (auto-generated email)

• Additional calls-to-action • What can they do from here? • Interest and support are high right now


Thank You Strategies

Thank them throughout the year • Great reason to email, You will stand out

Thank you updates • Highlight individual / Success stories if possible • Let them know it could not have happened without them • Still work to do – soft ask

Thank you Call to Action • Thanks with a request for favor


Thank You Example

Generic: Thank you for your generous donation of $xx to support XYZ Nonprofit. We greatly appreciate your support of our organization and our mission.

Personal: Thanks to you, Marie and her family will have something to eat every night this year. Your gift of $xx has helped Marie, and many more children like her, focus on learning instead of hunger while in school. We look forward to sharing more of the successes you have helped to build in our newsletter.


Action Steps


Emerge 2013

4/1/2013



Action Steps

• Commit to doing Online Fundraising

• Start where you are

• Identify and set up a fundraising campaign Email > Landing page > Donation Form > Follow up

• Select a few strategies or ideas and test

• Take action, collect results, evaluate results

• Take another action


Sign Up Online

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about our upcoming

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Contest page:

NonprofitRD.com/contest


Online Course

Version 2.0 in development

Online Fundraising Bootcamp www.NonprofitRD.com/OFB


Q & A

Download the materials:

www.nonprofitrd.com/emerge

Visit our booth for more info on our

webinars and training programs

@nonprofitrd

www.NonprofitRD.com/FB

www.NonprofitRD.com/IN

www.NonprofitRD.com/gplus Rich Dietz

[email protected]

Online Fundraising: Beyond the Donate Button · 2013-04-02 · a coordinated, multi-faceted process...

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