The art and science of online fundraising robert wood johnson final

The Art and Science of Fundraising Online
Jocelyn Harmon
Vice President of Sales and Marketing
Network for Good

Shameless self-promotion
Network for Good is a nonprofit that makes it easy for donors to support any charity, anywhere online. We also help nonprofits raise funds for their missions through simple, affordable and effective online fundraising services, including donation processing and email outreach tools, as well free and paid training. We have processed $500 million in donations for more than 60,000 nonprofits since 2001!
Visit the For Nonprofits tab on our website at NetworkforGood.org to learn about our fundraising solutions, including DonateNow, EmailNow and EventsNow.
Visit wwwnonprofit911.org to sign up for our FREE webinars to help you succeed in winning hearts, minds and donations.
Visit our online Learning Center at fundraising123.org for hundreds of articles about online fundraising and outreach.
Subscribe to our weekly Tips eNewsletter to learn how you can do more to engage your supporters.
Leave your business card with me (and take mine!) at the end of this training if you’d like us to follow up with you!

Over $20 billion was raised online in 2010
% of Total Giving
Source: 2010 Online Giving Report, Blackbaud http://www.blackbaud.com/onlinefundraising

Online giving keeps growing
Source: 2010 Online Giving Report, Blackbaudhttp://www.blackbaud.com/onlinefundraising

88% of nonprofits had at least one online gift of $1,000 or more
Source: 2010 Online Giving Report, Blackbaud http://www.blackbaud.com/onlinefundraising

Most gifts are still coming through the mail
Source: 2011 donorCentrics Internet & Multichannel Giving Benchmarking Report http://www.blackbaud.com/multichannel

But more donors are coming in online every year

…especially new, younger donors

Donors acquired onlinehave higher incomes

Donors acquired onlinegive larger gifts

Donors acquired onlinegive more over time

33% of online giving happens in December

You should master the art and science of fundraising online in time for year-end!
What does it all mean?

6 Steps to Online Fundraising Success

1. Fix your donation page
98% percent of visitors to an organization’s donate page LEAVE before making a donation.
Remember: Offline donors are researching your organization online too!

1. Fix your donation page

Fix your donation page

8 Must haves on your donation page
One-page form.
An “ask string.”
No unnecessary fields. Hint: Don’t ask for my first-born!
No non-giving options. Your donation form is about DONATING!
Intuitive layout.
Don’t make me create an account to donate.
“Secure transaction” graphic and a link to your privacy policy.
Contact information!

4 Other important elements
Branded donation page.
Recurring gift options
Impact donation labels
On behalf of/in honor of
Third-party endorsements like Charity Navigator and donor testimonials

1. Branded donation page

Branded donation page

2. Recurring gift option

3. Impact donation labels

4. On behalf of/in honor of

4. Third-party endorsements

Blaze a trail to your donation form
Your own site!
Email appeals
Google Ads
Twitter
Facebook

2. Don’t write crappy copy
“No I won’t read it in a plane, on a train or in the rain. I won’t read it here or there. I won’t read it anywhere!”

Every email appeal must answer 4 questions
Why me?
What for?
Why now?
Who says?

Why me?
“Donating to charity is a wholly irrational act, economically speaking. It doesn't benefit you, and in fact it leaves you poorer by precisely the amount you donate (save tax deductions). Whatever is behind the impulse to give to charity, it's not obvious. As economists and social scientists have begun in recent decades to study people's true motives for giving to charity, what they've found hasn't exactly been in keeping with the flattering way we humans like to see ourselves. While altruism may play its part, there are also many other factors at play when we donate: guilt, the desire to boost our social status, the need to feel good about ourselves, even our sex drives. Any attempt to understand why we give -- or to get us to give more -- must deal with this dirty and tangled reality. – “The Secret Reasons We Give to Charity”

The Girl Effect

What for?

Why now?

Who says?

More writing tips
Be donor-centric.
Tell a story about one person or animal.
Be brief!
Write to one person.
Use the active vs. passive voice.
Edit, edit and edit some more.
Use images in addition to text.

3. Build a great email list

6 Ways to grow your email list
Collect email addresses on your website.
Leverage offline communications and events.
Engage in online advocacy.
Get found in Search.
“Flip the Funnel.”
Engage in list swaps or chaperoned emails.

1. Collect email addresses on your website

2. Leverage offline communications
E-mail ask on a direct mail reply or insert
Separate mailing – postcard or PURL mailings

and events!

3. Engage in online advocacy

Engage in online advocacy

4. Get found in Search
Paid Ads
Organic Results

5. Do a list swap or chaperoned email

6. Flip the Funnel*
*This is a term coined by Seth Godin.

Get your best donors to fundraise for you!

You still need to capture email addresses

4. Say thank you!

So what and who cares?

4 components of a good thank you
Be personal.
Be tangible.
Be emotional.
Make it about them, not you!

1. Be personal

Be personal
Send a handwritten note (if possible).
Pick up the phone.
Send a thank you from your Executive Director or a board member.
Customize, customize, customize!

2. Be tangible.
By http://www.flickr.com/photos/createdigitalmedia/

Be tangible
Show your donors what you’re doing with their investments.
Tell ONE specific story of how your donor’s gift is making a difference.
Invite your donor to tour your facility and meet the people your serve.

3. Be creative
Gratitude tag by eekim http://www.flickr.com/photos/eekim/

Be creative.
Use beautiful stationary.
Send an e-card.
Write in your own hand.
Send a photo or video of your work.
Let your volunteers, service recipients, other donors speak for you.

4. Make it about them, not you!

Make it about them, not you!
Don’t be a Nonprofit Narcissist!
Make your donors the subject of your communications.
List THEIR accomplishments.
Make them feel proud and part of something bigger.

Learn from the best

Learn from the best
Saving Shelter Pets would like to extend a heartfelt “thank you” to each and every one of you who donated and helped us to spread the word about our participation in the contest. We have made some new friends through this experience, and reconnected with some old ones too – and for this we are truly grateful.
$5,186 of the Six Degrees donations has already been used to save over 30 dogs & puppies from death row, including the ones pictured below. [Adorable photos of dogs were included.]

5. Test and measure your results!

Test drive your donation form
Recruit unsuspecting subjects to test your donation process!

Key metrics
Donations!
Email Metrics
Open rate
Click-through rate
Unsubscribe rate
Website Metrics
Visits
Page Views
Time on Site
Bounce Rate
Traffic Sources

Average emails and response rates
The average study participant sent 3.6 emails per subscriber per monthand sent 6 emails per subscriber in December.
Email fundraising response rates were 08%.
Source: 2011 e-Nonprofit Benchmark Study

Email rates by message types
Source: 2011 e-Nonprofit Benchmark Study

6. What about social media?
Social media are not a panacea and Facebook is not FREE!

What about social media
Master the basics first!
Determine the “ROI” of your social media efforts. Hint: Think engagement vs. solicitation.
Remember to get people onto your own email list.
http://exchange.causes.com/resources/nonprofits/

Resources for you
Online Giving Study – Network for Good
2010 Online Giving Report – Blackbaud
2011 donorCentrics Internet & Multichannel Giving Benchmarking Report - Blackbaud
2011 eNonprofit Benchmarks Study – NTEN and M+R Strategic Services
www.marketingfornonprofits.org - by Me!
www.nonprofitmarketingblog.com - Katya Andresen
Don’t Make Me Think! A Common Sense Approach to Web Usability – Steve Krug
Flipping the Funnel – Seth Godin

Connect with me!
Jocelyn.harmon@networkforgood.org
@jocelynharmon
www.marketingfornonprofits.org

The art and science of online fundraising robert wood johnson final

by JocelynCHarmon on Sep 27, 2011

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The art and science of online fundraising robert wood johnson final — Presentation Transcript