1. Where are your donors?
2. How much time do you have to devote to social media?
3. What will you be sharing on social media – and listening to?
4. How will you be measuring your engagement?

For the nonprofit interested in creating a truly donor-centric organization, engaging in social media is a win-win.  Theory, though, doesn’t tell you what to do.  Enter 101 Social Media Tactics for Nonprofits: A Field Guide, a new book from Melanie Mathos and Chad Norman.

Filled with, yes, 101 tactics, the book actually numbers and breaks down those tactics into five key areas:

1. setup
2. communicate
3. engage
4. fundraise
5. measure

It’s like a formula – and I do love formulas – and it covers all the basics an organization new to social media needs to get started.

Melanie Mathos agreed to answer a few questions about how to apply 101 Social Media Tactics to the “small shop” fundraiser.

 Melanie, what suggestions would you have for a small organization new to social media, particularly, say, an organization where the executive director is also doing the fundraising or there is one lone person acting as the marketing/communications/fundraising department?  Where do they get started?

Well, I can speak from experience! The organization I volunteer with, Fields to Families, is in the same boat. (Only our boat is being steered by one part-time volunteer coordinator!) For a small organization that is volunteer-run or has one employee wearing multiple hats, a great place to start is getting a Facebook page setup and using it to engage with your supporters while promoting volunteer opportunities, news, and events. The viral nature of Facebook will help your message spread further than you could ever imagine. And, it gives you an opportunity to interact with supporters, answer questions, etc. We also use Twitter as a way to quickly mobilize volunteers, as last-minute opportunities often pop up. Lastly, we’ve built quite a photo history on Flickr. It is a great platform, not only for organizing your photos, but it also has many social elements that lend to sharing. The absolute best place to get started however is with a strategy – the tools or tactics come in along the way.

 Do you recommend outsourcing social media or having volunteers do it?  

I think it is always best to have someone who is dedicated to the mission take the social media reigns. Whether that person is a paid staffer or a volunteer, they can speak in the “I” voice and authentically represent the organization. There are many tools, for example Hootsuite, that allow multiple people to manage updates without stepping on each other’s toes. This is a good solution when you have volunteers pitching in – just be sure you provide clear processes and guidelines.

When time and resources play such a big factor, should an organization limit themselves to one tool – say Facebook – or try to engage on all platforms?

With all of the platforms springing up what seems like daily, it is impossible to engage on all of them in a meaningful way. For any organization, the best thing to do is to look at your goals and strategies and then pick the tools that will get you where you want to go. For example, Google+ and Pinterest may be new and exciting, but unless they meld with your demographics (young techies, or moms, for example), then it may not make sense to add them to the mix. Facebook covers the broadest demographic, but if your organization is trying to reach teens, then you may want to look at other platforms entirely.

 Lastly, with changes to Facebook seemingly occurring daily and new social media tools like Pinterest regularly appearing, how can the small nonprofit keep abreast?

Our goal with 101 Social Media Tactics for Nonprofits was to share some of the best tools and tactics. We continue that learning on www.101SMT.com, as everything is in a state of perpetual change! Even though you may not choose to build a presence on all platforms, that doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t be listening and participating on an individual basis. That is the absolute best way to keep up. Follow organizations with similar missions and see how they are engaging. National Wildlife Federation, Humane Society of the United States, and the American Red Cross all have excellent social media programs and can serve as “social media mentors.” Read blogs like Mashable, and follow nonprofit social media experts like Beth Kanter, John Haydon, Frank Barry, and others. Participate in industry associations like NTEN, or social media-focused groups like Social Media Club. The resources are endless!

Blackbaud’s recent Growing Philanthropy in the United States report revealed that nonprofits have made little headway into reducing donor attrition rates.  According to recent data collected by the Association of Fundraising Professionals,”the pattern of retention for cash giving in the U.S.has worsened, with some organizations experiencing upwards of 70 percent attrition between the first and second gift.”

Ouch.

Your organization’s thank you letter is the important first step in creating loyal, lifetime donors.  Does yours have all 10 essentials?

1.  Joy.  You want, first and foremost, to make the reader – the donor, your friend, your supporter – experience a genuine sense of joy when they open your letter.

Try envisioning a tired, working mother arriving home early from the office after stopping by the sitter’s to pick up her sick three-year-old.  She’s just listened to 50 minutes of news on her commute home, all the while worrying about her daughter’s fever and frustrated over the time it’s taking her to reach her.  Daughter falls asleep in the car on the way home and, after tucking her baby into bed, mom settles in with her mail, off her feet for the first time in hours.  Bills, circulars and your thank you letter complete her pile.  Your donor opens your envelope and reads …

You are creating miracles!
Every day, thanks to your support of blah blah blah organization, a lonely, homebound senior will receive the gift of food and friendship blah blah

Suddenly your donor is a hero.  She’s making your work possible and you’ve let her know –  in no uncertain terms.  Somehow her life seems a little less exhausting than it did 15 minutes ago.

2.  Speed is of the essence.  You must get your thank you letters out within the first 48 hours.  When your dog has an accident on your living room rug, rubbing his nose in it two hours later isn’t terribly effective, is it?  What system can you put into place to ensure promptness?  30 minutes a day every day first thing in the morning thanking donors?  What will work for your organization?

3.   Personalize.  Your thank you letter (or any letter coming from your organization for that matter and that includes emails) should be personalized.  These days there is absolutely no excuse for the “Dear Friend” letter.  No excuse.

4.  Reference the amount in the body of the letter.  It’s nice to include the date of the gift as well for tax receipt purposes.

5.  Reference what the gift was towards.  Was it an in memoriam gift?  An annual appeal gift?  A matching gift appeal?

6.  Is the donor’s past giving acknowledged?  If a donor has given every year for the past seven years you’ll want to be sure to let them know how much their continued support means to you.

7.  Tax deductible language can be printed in an italic, 8 to 10 point font, centered, below the signature and PS.

8.  Don’t forget your PS.  The PS can be used to drive donors to something new – a Facebook page or a new Twitter account.  Perhaps a new blog on your site or your new enews.

9.  Point the reader in the direction of a contact person in your offices.  “If you have any questions or you’d like to stop by and tour our facilities, please call Mary Ann Development at 555.555.0055. “

10.  Never, ever, ever ask for a second gift.  Now I may change my mind on this one someday.  But I highly doubt it.  There are two schools of thought on whether an organization should have what’s known as a “soft ask” in a donor thank you letter.  You can read the debate, between two well respected fundraisers, here.  According to nearly every recent poll, women are increasingly taking the lead in philanthropic decisions.  Put simply, women write the checks and are more finely attuned to good etiquette.  It simply isn’t good manners to include any ask within  a thank you letter – and that includes including a business reply envelope.  Your thank you letter’s sole purpose should be to thank your donor.  Period.

Want more?  Download the eBook, Lifetime Donor Attraction System to learn how you can create a system for WOWing your donors…all year long!  Even better?  It’s free!

Nope, chances are you’re an executive director or development director who is responsible for writing the grant proposals, maintaining the communications calendar, copywriting, database management, event planning, stewardship and more.

#smNPchat on Twitter was created in 2010 with you in mind.  On the first and third Friday of every month, Marc Pitman, Amy Sept and I dish on how you can create maximum impact in your marketing and fundraising efforts – in minimum time.  We talk about the fun and challenges of “doing it all” in a one-person shop, including individual giving, online giving, copywriting, social media, leading your board, grants, time management and more.  And we’ve featured special guests, including Gail Perry, Mazarine Treyz, Jeff Brooks and more –  answering your questions on targeted topics.

Want to jump in?  Here are the rules of the game:

1. Always use the hashtag #smNPchat.  (But you don’t need to be in the midst of a chat to share great information.  Whenever you come across something that may be of interest to the small nonprofit community, use the hashtag.)
2. Use software like TweetChat or TweetGrid.com.  Your tweets will be automatically tagged and you’ll find participating much easier!
3. Pay attention to the housekeeping rules featured in the first five minutes.  Do take a minute to introduce yourself – even if you’re only lurking.
4. #smNPchat is fairly free-flowing but we typically follow a 4-5 question format.  Try to stick to the question at hand.
5. Often we’ll have a free handout, listing recommended articles or resources.  It’s helpful if you read up prior to the chat and are prepared with your own reactions.
6. Please don’t abuse the hashtag or chat to pimp your products. Amy, Marc, or I will let you know if we feel you’ve crossed the line.
7. Retweet comments you find particularly helpful to expand the conversation. RTs often bring new people into the conversation.
8. Mind your manners.
9. Share the love. Let your friends and colleagues know about this week’s chat by tweeting the details often.
10. Got an idea for a chat topic or would you like to present as a guest expert?  DM any one of us and share your thoughts!
11. Schedule it. Download the 2012 chat schedule and be sure to add #smNPchat to your Google calendar.  We don’t want to miss you!  (Check Twitter for notifications on chats that are rescheduled due to holidays)
12. Twitter chats are fast!  And they can be slightly intimidating to those not familiar with the medium.  Feel free to jump right in and share.  We’re glad that you’re here!

Put your focus on the lifetime value of a donor – and educate your board as well.

Do you need a plan for 2012?  Learn why nonprofit about.com called Simple Development Systems your “road map to success that can take the scary out and bring in a sense of comfort, self-confidence, and focus about what can and should be done.”

What resolutions will you be making to advance your organization in 2012?  I asked a few of my friends and colleagues to share their best resolutions for 2012.

Nonprofit database expert Robert Weiner said “like many people, my resolutions are often the same year after year.  If you’ve tried and failed to keep your resolutions, keep trying.”  His offers a resolution that every nonprofit should heed:  Be good to your data.  Robert says “I wrote this post two years ago and still stand behind it   I hope nonprofits will resolve to be good to their donor data.  That means making sure that there are documented standards for how data is stored, that staff are trained on those standards, that data is entered properly, that someone is in charge of keeping your data clean, that you know what is and isn’t a gift and how to properly issue tax receipts, and that you treat your donors’ data with the care and confidentiality it deserves”

Jeff Schreifels of Veritus offers up Six New Year’s Resolutions that will Change Your Life…or at Least Make You a Better Major Gift Officer–#5 Be Curious—Ask More Questions.

I think nonprofits should resolve to ask more in 2012. Hopefully in the context of researching, engaging, and loving on donors and prospects. But if they did all that without the ask, next year would be dismal. My mantra? “More asking in 2012!”
Marc A Pitman, CFCC, The Fundraising Coach

1. Work on Partnerships.
2. Fund Development. Get at least two development staff/consultants to help you.
3. Learn. Take a webinar, attend a workshop, read a book. If you know how to be better, you will do better.

Mazarine Treyz, Wildwoman Fundraising

1.       Make fundraising a priority.
2.       Focus on the donor, not themselves.
3.       Spend more face time with their donors.

Sandy Rees, Get Fully Funded

I offer some new year’s resolutions for board members:

Here’s the post, followed by commentary from Andrea Khilstedt of Asking Matters.

When someone gives more than $500, in addition to a thank you letter, they also get a personal phone call within 24 hours of receipt. I send an email to my board saying I have donors to thank; they email back saying they are available and I assign calls.

Here’s an email I sent to them today (name changed.)

Dear Board Members,

I usually ask you to call and thank those who give donations of more than $500. Today, I’d like to ask someone to call and thank someone who gave $20 to the annual campaign.

Why?

Her name is Mary Smith and she sent a note with her donation letting us know that she is unemployed. She could have chosen not to give, but she didn’t. Her note means that she wishes she could give more. Giving when it is hard to give is an exceptionally meaningful act.

If you would like to call her, please let her know that $20 is an important gift. Last year, nearly $15,000 was contributed by hundreds of people who gave less than $100 each – many of these were $20 gifts. We need each of these people to make that choice to give every year. She is part of our community and it takes all of us together to make our work successful.

If you would like to call her, please let me know and I will share her number.

There are three reasons to make a call like this. First, everything I said above is true. A stretch gift is a deeply meaningful gift, whether a person is stretching to give $20 or $20,000.

Second, a healthy annual campaign is built on a broad foundation of small gifts. (yes, it’s the gift pyramid again!) We want all of our $20 donors to repeat their gifts each year and increase them over time, while many new $20 donors come into the campaign for the first time each year, filling in the bottom of the pyramid as other donors move up.

Third, Mary probably won’t always be unemployed. She has told us that she wishes to give more, and one day she will be in a position to give more. How much more depends on how she feels about us. Also, she is likely to make or revise her estate plans at some point in her life. The single most likely prospect for a planned gift is a long term donor who gave small or moderate gifts every year for more than ten years.

I spent a lot of time writing about one individual who has given us $20. It’s not a waste of time – but it also underscores why it’s so important to have a large team building and nurturing our many relationships, from our $20,000 donors all the way to Mary.

Thanks,

Rene

The Chair responded right away, pleased to make the call. I look forward to hearing how it went.

I share this for a couple reasons. First, does anyone think I made a mistake? Why? Does anyone have a story like this to share? I’d love to hear it.

I have been with this organization for two years. When I first arrived, I was told there were issues with donor fatigue. One of the first things I did was put a comprehensive donor stewardship plan in place and jumpstart our cultivation efforts. My plan had a lot of deep personal cultivation with major donors, and more generic, less frequent outreach with those giving smaller donations. After two years I’ve seen a huge increase in giving in the major donor group, and not much movement anywhere else.

The reason for having a stewardship plan that has more personalized activity at the top of the donor pyramid is not actually that major donors are more important, it’s that there are fewer of them, so a deeper plan is more manageable.

Andrea Kihlstedt • You raise a great question about how to make the people in your funding base feel as special as major donors. And as you suggest, getting board members to make thank you calls is a great strategy. Has anyone thought to engage program staff in that way too? Or how about personalized e-mail thank you notes? e-mail can feel very personal while being quick and free.

What I specially like about board members making thank you calls is that it reinforces their own commitment to the organization at the same time it acknowledges the donor!

What do you think?  Personally I think that Rene is doing a marvelous job at building relationships and setting the stage for long-term sustainability.

Are you a member of a development office that is fully integrated into your organization, and part of programming and long range planning meetings? If so, congratulations and read no further, this article is not meant for you. This article is for the vast majority of development staff who has a back office and is expected to conjure up the funds to run your organization’s programs.

Why is integrating programming and development staff so important? Brian Reich in his newest book, Shift and Reset: Strategies for Addressing Serious Issues in a Connected Society, gets to the heart of the matter, ‘Funders want wins, not tries.’ The funding world is competitive. Organizations need to solicit fresh perspectives and to create a holistic and organic approach to serving their mission most effectively. Breaking down internal silos and promoting partnerships between departments allows for a freer exchange of ideas and a better understanding of the larger issues that impact an organization’s sustainability.

So rather than focusing on WHY this trend is so prevalent, let’s focus on HOW to better integrate the development and programming functions. Typically, development staff intersects with program staff at events and at meetings with major donors. More frequent contact and communication between development and program staff members will help to create a more efficient and targeted organization. The goal is to create a true partnership between the program and development functions. Here are some ideas to create a better-integrated organization (and make your job easier!)

• Share: Invite program staff to a development meeting to discusses current and prospective grants and current trends in funding. Likewise, request that development staff be present in program planning meetings. Synergies are likely to arise between funding opportunities and program direction.
• Involve: When writing grant proposals, ask program staff for their comments about the need and efficacy of the program. They will feel more involved and therefore more invested in the outcome of the proposal.
• Communicate: The development department can help program staff develop better programs. Ask program staff members for their opinion about what could be better executed within a program. In many instances funders are able to suggest partners to enhance program execution or consultants to assist with organizational structure.
• Set a Time Limit: Everyone is busy and overworked, so set a limit of 30-45 minutes for all meetings. Include an agenda with time limits on each section. Any in depth follow up can be done by email.
• Serve Food: A sure fire way to get high attendance at meetings.

The programming and development functions are interdependent and need each other to survive. More effective communication and an open forum for the sharing of ideas will create a healthier and more vibrant organization, and will make your job substantially more enjoyable.

Marti is the principal at Marti Fischer Grant Services, LLC in Weston, CT. She works with nonprofits on organizational, messaging and fundraising development. Marti can be reached through her website at www.mfgrants.com.

According to the author of Donor-Centered Fundraising, Penelope Burk, “90% of donors who start contributing to a particular cause stop giving by the fifth renewal request.”

And fundraising expert Adrian Sargeant has noted that “Eight of 10 first-time donors do NOT make a second gift.”

You read that right.

Eight of 10 first-time donors do NOT make a second gift.

It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to know that it’s far less expensive to market to existing customers than to keep going after new ones.  When you think about how your organization’s thank you following your donor’s first gift sets the stage for future gifts, you’ll be putting an entirely different spin on saying thank you!

It’s pretty simple really.  Saying thank you well – and often – is the most effective fundraising tool you have for building sustainable individual funding

Lately we’re seeing more creative ways of saying thank you.  CharityWater recently posted this video, where founder Scott Harrison personally thanks a very special six-year old.  Handwritten notes are making a comeback.  Organizations are hosting ‘Thank-a-Thons.’ Emily’s List used email and their site to create a personal feel in their recent donor thank you.

We’d love to hear some of the knock-your-socks-off ideas that you’ve used to say ‘thank you!’  We’re particularly interested in how you might be using social media, including video, to express your gratitude.  Have you written a particularly heartfelt thank you letter?  Write a post!

Bonus points for offering advice that can work for small organizations with limited resources.

Want to submit?  Write a blog post, or even choose a recent post that fits the theme.  Go to BlogCarnival.com to submit your post using the form there or submit posts for consideration via email to: nonprofitcarnival@gmail.com – be sure to include your name, your blog’s name and the URL of the post (not your blog homepage).

The deadline for submissions is end of day – Monday, November 28.  Check back  on  Wednesday, November 30 to see if we’ve included your post in the November blog carnival.

Even better?  By submitting your post to the blog carnival, you’ll bring new traffic to your blog and help raise its online profile. If your post is selected for inclusion in this month’s carnival round-up, you’ll get a backlink to your blog post (cool for search engine traffic, no?) and the chance to get your writing in front of new readers.

So, what the heck is a Nonprofit Blog Carnival?

It is a  monthly round-up of blog posts on topics directed at nonprofits. Each month, the host creates a  theme and sends out the call (in a post like this) for posts on that topic. Then the host collects the pertinent posts together and offers these up in a round-up post towards the end of that month.

To find out what this is all about, check out the October Non-profit Blog Carnival, hosted by Lori at Wild Apricot.  Or read more about blog carnivals on About.com.

We can’t wait to read your submissions – be sure to submit your posts by end of day – Monday, November 28.  Oh, and thank you for submitting!

Take a cue from The Other 98%, a nonprofit dedicated to “making our democracy, economy and media work for everyday Americans, not the special interests or the political fringe.” With the Occupy Movement gaining traction every day, and “We are the 99%” becoming viral, The Other 98% asks “Should we change our name?”

Respondents were led to this page:

But, as this multichannel fundraising infographic from @franswaa of Blackbaud shows, your organization’s online presence is critical.

Why would you leave money on the table?

Online fundraising has grown 34.5% to $20+ billion in 2010. Think about it.  When you learn about an organization where is the first place you go to find out more?

Donors acquired online who give through multiple channels give considerably more, up to three times more, than those who give through a single channel.  How can you utilize offline and online channels together?

Figure it out.

Emily’s List, the political action committee devoted to electing pro-choice female candidates, recently used a novel online method to thank their supporters.

Donors received this email, which read:

Dear firstname,

What an amazing EMILY’s List community we have. Thank you very much, each and every one of you. From those of you who have given to dozens of EMILY’s List candidates, to the thousands of you who donated for your very first time, and to all those who have added your voice and signed a petition, your support is inspiring. Together, we are truly changing the face of politics and building a progressive America.

We have something important to share with you — personal thank you notes from the candidates you’ve supported so generously and enthusiastically. Tammy Baldwin, Suzanne Bonamici, Mazie Hirono, and Elizabeth Warren took the time out of their campaign schedules to say thank you to the EMILY’s List community. Click here to read their notes.

Thank you again, from everyone at EMILY’s List.

Clicking on the link directed the supporter to a page on Emily’s List site which read:

We are so grateful for our incredible EMILY’s List community. We see every day that you are truly helping to change the face of American politics, and we want to thank you.

Our amazing candidates wanted to show you their thanks as well. Flip through the album below to read their notes to you.

Handwritten notes from candidates such as Elizabeth Warren added a warm, personal touch.

I’ve been following this particular AFP “On Fundraising” LinkedIn group topic  for the past three weeks and quite a few folk have weighed in with their opinions.   Frank Donaldson, President at Institute of School and Parish Development (ISPD) in New Orleans offered up his thoughts on why development staff turnover is so great within Catholic institutions.

I think he’s nailed it – and I don’t believe that these reasons are limited to Catholic institutions.  What do you think?

1. The leadership of that Catholic institution (pastor, principal, board, pastoral council) does not really understand Development.
2. Everything is measured by the amount of immediate money that “must” be raised.
3. There is no written strategic plan in place with measurable, reasonable outcomes.
4. No training is provided for new DD and for continued professional growth.
5. The DD is hired and the people who have been involved in the past seem to wash their hands of the responsibilities and take the attitude, “I am glad that is out of my court. We finally got someone to handle all of that.”
6. The entire effort is simply one fund-raiser after another fund-raiser and the “nickel and dime” mentality never ceases. Total burnout.
7. Too many “guarded kingdom” to overcome and therefore the lack of acceptance of the new DD’s vitality, energy and creativity.
8. Not enough team building on all fronts and this is really all about people engagement.

It was ideal in that I had autonomy as long as I got results…and I GOT RESULTS!

In less than two short years I had increased foundation grant funding by more than 90%, developed a regular column in our weekly community newspaper, single-handedly learned Dreamweaver and gotten our website up and running, spearheaded the founding of a nonprofit roundtable with the local Chamber of Commerce, launched a local health initiative, held several successful community events, and established relationships with the Rotary and area businesses.

Even better?  Our organization’s once disastrous membership campaign had grown by huge leaps and bounds.

All bases covered.

The icing on the cake was I loved my coworkers, I loved our volunteers and I loved my work. It was all perfect.

So, what happened?  Why did I leave the ideal job?

For almost two years I had experienced virtual autonomy with an executive director who was thrilled to defer the fundraising aspect of the organization to someone who knew what they were doing.  The board of directors asked questions and were thoughtful and attentive during meetings – but they didn’t interfere.  What’s more they dutifully put in appearances at events and helped when asked.

And then it happened.

A new executive director arrived on the scene.

One who didn’t take kindly to the P.S.’s in my annual appeal letters or the handwritten notes scribbled into the margins.  Someone who didn’t understand the concept of persuasive copy.  One who insisted on eliminating contractions, along any type of writing that she termed “salesy.”   A lady who was all in my face about the extra costs of segmenting and personalizing our mailings and wanted to know why one “dear friend” letter couldn’t suffice for all.

This despite the, frankly, awesome results.

I can handle constructive criticism.  What I can’t handle is someone who was clueless telling me how to do my job.

Since I’d already picked up a few consulting clients, I packed my bags.

Unfortunately, this ED’s “thinking” is not unique. I have seen it in too many organizations entrenched in the old school, “monkey-see, monkey-do” that seems even more common in nonprofits. Monkey-see, monkey do is a way of maintaining status quo, blending with other organizations in the industry and not making any waves.

Think about it – why try something bold and different and risk ridicule? All you have to do is stay in line with what everybody else is doing and you’ll be safe.

What’s that you say?  “What about results?”

Well, not everyone is driven by results (even though they may claim they are…actions speak louder than words!).

I can hear you now:  “Not want results?  But of course I want results!”

But do you really?

Or are you more concerned about the possibility of your organization’s image being “tarnished” by something a board member might consider undignified?

Are you more content to stay within the confines of what passes as nonprofit marketing for the masses?  Are you content with “monkey-see, monkey-do?”

But beyond thanking ‘em how do you create that special relationship with a donor?  How do you go from interest and mild liking to full-fledged commitment?

And should you even care?

The First Annual Donor Commitment Report released today by DonorVoice identifies a math-based method of measuring and improving donor attitudes.  What’s more, they’ve found that moving your donors from low commitment to high commitment increases the lifetime value of a donor considerably.

How much?

The seven key drivers?

1. Effectively trying to achieve the mission
2. Knowing what to expect from the organization with each interaction
3. Timeliness of thank you’s
4. Providing opportunities to make views known
5. Providing a feeling of being part of an important cause
6. Providing a feeling of involvement and being appreciated
7. Sending information showing who is being helped

The report includes a “Key Driver Idea Bank” certain to set your creative juices flowing.  One thought?  Invite champions to write your appeals.  Scathingly brilliant!

Check out the First Annual Donor Commitment Report on Slideshare to learn more about the seven drivers of commitment, along with key ideas you can begin implementing today.

That’s just weird! It’s amazing that I even went out with him again.

What’s this got to do with fundraising?

A first donation is like a first date. An indication of interest and mutual attraction. It’s in no way, shape or form a commitment.

Building real relationships, building commitment, is a process. Processes take time.

I concur! I suspect that the talk about “email dying” has more to do with the fact that nonprofits have not, for the most part, mastered it!

After all, what better method does the small, grassroots organization have of regularly cultivating donor relationships than via email?

Following you’ll find 12 simple steps for quickly establishing your organization’s email system:

1. Locate an email service provider. Nancy Schwartz of Getting Attention recently posted this terrific article. Keep in mind: cost is not your only factor. Ease of use, deliverability rates and customer service play major roles in the selection of an ESP. I recommend iContact for all three qualities.

2. Create an e-news sign-up on your homepage. It should be prominent and located “above the fold” - meaning that viewers should not have to scroll to locate it.

3. Offer a compelling reason to sign up. I’m sorry. “Subscribe to our e-news” is not a compelling reason.

4. If your organization has access to a tech wizard, consider an attention-getting floating popup box like that featured on my website. (I know, I know. “Nonprofits don’t do that!!” Remember, now is not the time to emulate your unsuccessful peers – now is the time for boldness.) Check out John Haydon’s terrific how to article.

5. Your sign-up box should appear on every page of your site.

6. Consider how much information you want to collect when designing your sign-up box. Too much information (address, DOB, even asking for a phone numbere) might scare away a potential subscriber. An email address and first name is enough to begin the cultivation process.

7. Thank people for subscribing. Your sign-in box should redirect to a thank you page AND your new subscribers should receive a welcome email. If you cannot figure out how to do this, contact the customer service department of your ESP (ohhhh, that’s why you made the decision not to go with a free provider!).

Better yet? Create a three to five-part autoresponder series of welcoming emails, spaced over a period of weeks, introducing your new subscribers to your fabulous organization!

8. Make sure that you display your organization’s privacy policy.

9. Establish a regular schedule of communicating with subscribers – and stick to it. I recommend twice a month – or monthly at the very minimum.

10. Study headlines. Headlines? Yes, headlines. You want your email opened don’t you? Your email’s subject header can be more important than your copy. Words That Sell is a great little reference source you’ll want handy on your bookshelf.

11.Truly engage your subscribers. Survey them, request feedback, share your organization’s triumphs (and challenges) – but always with the thought “what is in this for them?”  (Not what’s in it for you … are you beginning to get this donor-centric thing?)

When sending a survey consider offering a $100 amazon gift card to one lucky winner. Naming a new program or creating a new organization logo? Get their
opinions!

12. Think integration and cultivation. Every direct mail piece, every social media tool (Twitter, Facebook, etc.) should link to your home page featuring your opt-in.

Further Reading
99 Nonprofits
Nonprofit email marketing tip #1 – think relationship building
What’s Paula Deen Got To Do With Your Nonprofit Marketing?

Picture this. You’ve been on your new Development Director job for all of two days when the Executive Director informs you that the organization’s annual appeal should have gone out two weeks ago and urges you to “just doctor up last year’s appeal.”

Last year’s appeal sucks.

What can you do quickly to prepare for a successful direct mail appeal?

1.  Spend some time “in the trenches.”

Don’t assume that you know your organization’s stories. Get creative.

When I worked with a nonprofit providing educational programming to disadvantaged middle school kids I not only spent time with the program staff while class was in session, I also reached out to the children’s parents and obtained written anecdotal testimonials. I engaged our program staff to learn what their greatest challenges were.

Do you work for a human service agency? Spend some time with the program staff as they work with clients. A museum? Go on a group tour. What questions are participants asking? What exhibit draws the most interest?

2.  Segment, segment and then segment some more.

All supporters are not created equal. Even the smallest database, consisting of 500 names or less, can benefit from savvy segmentation.

We’re all only too familiar with standard methods of segmentation: by gift amount, by gift frequency, LYBUNT and SYBUNT and never gave.  Of course when you limit your segmentation strictly to these methods alone, aren’t you, once again,  treating your donors like ATM machines?

How else can you creatively segment your donor base?

Remember that organization cited above? Their mission was two-fold. They also utilized gifted high school and college students as teachers. And quite a few of their donors were parents of students whose lives had been transformed by teaching in the program. So parents of student teachers received an appeal highlighting the story of one student teacher.

3.  Clean up your website’s homepage.

Make it easy to give. The first thing I do with a new client is to instruct the ED to make a gift to the organization on their site. Nine times out of ten they report back on the frustration that they felt and the number of steps they had to complete to make a gift.

4.  Learn why your current donors give.

Use the telephone. Call donors and engage one-on-one. Survey your supporters – by way of direct mail, email and social media. Offer plenty of opportunities for written testimonials. What compelled your board members to get involved? Find out.

What will you be doing to raise more money with this year’s direct mail appeal?

Thanks to my colleague, Sandy Rees, five of the best professional fundraisers have come together to offer up some fabulous resources just for you!

Join me, Sandy, Sherry Truhlar, Lori Jacobwith and Marc Pittman over at the Nonprofit Goodies Giveaway and kick up your fundraising a notch this summer!

How can you get on their radar?  Join us for a live chat at 1:00 ET today, April 25.