There has never been a more important time to master nonprofit fundraising. Nonprofits need to know how to craft a compelling pitch that tugs on the heartstrings and the purse strings. To do that effectively, you must know how to communicate with the right supporters at the right time before, during, and after fundraising events. We’ll show you how to do that in a more organized and efficient way.
3. • Helped Komen Greater NYC increase their online fundraising by 30%.
• Helped the Ellie Fund win a national online fundraising contest ($53,000 in 24-hours).
• Helped Twin Cities Habitat for Humanity raise over $215,000 during a #GiveMN event.
John Haydon is one of the most sought-after digital marketing
experts for nonprofits and charities. He has helped hundreds of
nonprofits realize their best marketing and fundraising results.
John helps nonprofits, charities and community foundations get
more from their digital investments with strategic coaching,
consulting, and training.
He is also the author of Facebook Marketing for Dummies, and
Facebook Marketing All-In-One (Wiley).
3
4. Agenda
4
1. How to craft a compelling pitch
2. How to identify and segment your audience
3. How to drive fundraising event registrations
4. How to identify best times to send donation emails
5. How to retain more donors with email
6. How to craft a compelling pitch for your event
Your sales pitch should cut through the clutter
6
Noise
Lack of attention
Competition
7. How to craft a compelling pitch for your event
Find out what is important to your supporters
7
Social media
In email metrics
Through survey responses
Listen to comments on:
8. How to craft a compelling pitch for your event
8
Consider your survey
questions carefully
9. What makes a pitch compelling?
How to craft a compelling pitch for your event
9
10. 10
How to craft a compelling pitch for your event
The 4 Elements of a
Compelling Pitch
Story
Contrast
What’s in it for me? (WIIFM)
Urgency
15. To get your email opened!Your subject line has one job…
How to craft a compelling pitch for your event
15
16. To get your email opened!
How to craft a compelling pitch for your event
16
17. What is it?
Post this:
Recency to offline interaction
How to craft a compelling pitch for your event
Recency to online interaction
Recognition of the sender
Subject line
Relevance
Factors that
influence open rate
17
18. To get clicks!Your email message has one job…
How to craft a compelling pitch for your event
18
24. • Donors
• Volunteers
• Advocates
• Marginal interest
• Event attendees
• Sweepstake participants
• Newsletter subscribers
All supporters are not
created equal
24
25. • First-time donors
• Returning donors
• Monthly donors
• Major donors
• Gave over a year ago
• By donation amount
• By program
All donors are not
created equal
25
26. What is it?
Post this:
First-time donor
How to craft a compelling pitch for your event
Returning donor
Monthly donor
Major donor
Lapsed donor
Segment based on actions,
interest and participation
By donation amount
By event
By program
26
27. • How to identify/segment your audiences
Topics
Types of emails
Email frequency
Let your
supporters choose:
27
28. Target more highly relevant subscribers
with timely marketing emails
How to identify/segment your audiences
Online donation
Volunteer signup
Newsletter subscriber
Pledge signer
Event registrant
Survey taker
Other actions 28
29. NOTE: The “trigger” is the action that kicks off a drip campaign, like joining your list, opening or clicking.
How to identify/segment your audiences
Use automated messages
to communicate in a timely way
The
Trigger
Someone
registers
for your
event
29
30. How to identify/segment your audiences
Use timed messages to stay top-of-mind
Day 1 Day 3 Day 5
Message 1 Message 2 Message 3
“Thank you for registering
for our event!
Invite your friends.”
“Event news, please
share.”
“Other ways you can
help…”
30
35. SET UP
- 3 months
PROMOTE
- 1 month
REMIND
- 1 week
INSPIRE
The big day!
THANK
+ 1 day
WHAT’S NEXT?
+ 1 week
Mobile friendly event
page
Drive traffic with
direct mail
Update event page
with social proof
Close registration and
add important details
for registrants
Update page with
event pics (link)
Thank again, tell
registrants what’s
next
Develop stories and
content
Engage community
with stories
Ask registrants to
share top stories with
friends
Encourage
participants to share
on social during event
Feature event pics
Share stories for next
event
Write email drip
campaigns
Early registration
email campaigns
Send 1-2
FOMO emails
Email last-minute
details to registrants
Send email blast
with event pics
Thank again,
tell them what’s next
Assemble
ambassadors
Ambassadors start
promoting
Ambassadors
last-minute push
Encourage
ambassadors to share
on social during event
Thank by phone
and postcard
Coffee and bagels
Google Analytics Native ad retargeting
Target friends of
event registrants
Stop all ad campaigns
Thank all participants
in thank you video
Debrief metrics
How to drive fundraising event registrants
What to do before, during and after an event: a checklist
35
37. • Easy to send
• Promote events, advocacy actions,
volunteer opportunities, etc.
• Lets you measure engagement
• Lets you segment subscribers
Examples:
• Newsletters
• Action alerts
• Campaign launch
How to identify the best times to send donation emails
Blastingyourlist
37
The good
38. How to identify the best times to send donation emails
• Can be an interruption
• Engagement rates can be low
• Difficult to drive multiple actions
• Competing action calls
The bad
38
Blastingyourlist
Examples:
• Newsletters
• Action alerts
• Campaign launch
39. How to identify the best times to send emails
Thebenefitsoftriggeredemails
Triggered by subscribers
Timely and relevant
Repeatedly invites action
Engagement rates are higher
2
1
3
4
On-boarding emails
Follow-up series
Action triggers
Retention series
39
Benefits Types
40. How to identify best times to send donation emails
How to lowerunsubscribesusing opt-outmessaging
40
41. How to identify best times to send donation emails
41
MoreTipsforReducingOpt-outs
42. How to identify best times to send donation emails
42
Timingis everything
2
1
3
Right people
Right content
Right time
43. How to identify best times to send donation emails
43
Speakto the mostinterested
2
1
3
People interested in events
People who downloaded a resource
People who joined a campaign
44. How to identify best times to send donation emails
44
Alwaysaimto be helpfulto yoursupporters
2
1
3
How can you empower them?
How can you connect them with outcomes?
How can you be useful?
46. How to retain more donors with email
46
7 FactorsThatInfluenceDonorRetention
Donor feels important
Donor feels appreciated
Donor gets updates about their impact
Donor feels your organization is effective in achieving its mission
Donor knows what to expect with each interaction
Donor receives sincere and timely ‘Thank You’ Messages
Donor has opportunities to make her views known
47. 47
On-Boarding Email #1) Say Thanks
B
A
C
Message tone: Thank them with no
strings attached. Be encouraging and
express appreciation.
Timing: Immediately after donation.
Testing: Create 2-3 variations to split
test. This will help you discover the
best approach.
48. 48
On-Boarding Email #2) Report back about their gift
A
C
Message tone: Talk about what their
donation did, not what your organization
did. Be encouraging and express
appreciation.
Timing: If your donor system allows,
create a rule to automatically send these
messages 30 and 90 days after the gift
was made
Testing: Create 2-3 variations to split
test. This will help you discover the best
approach. Also test timing (30 and 90
days).
B
49. 49
On-Boarding Email #3) Invite donors to give again
A
C
Message tone: Thank them for their
support, here’s a new challenge.
Timing: Within the first 90 days
increases retention.
Testing: Create 2-3 variations to split
test. This will help you discover the best
approach. Test variations with 10% of the
list, then use winning elements for 90%.
B
50. 50
1. Craft a Compelling Pitch
a. Story
b. Contrast
c. WIIFM
d. Urgency
e. Focus on the 3P’s People, Problem, Payoff
2. Segment based on interest and actions
a. Let supporters choose their timing and interests
b. Rely on automated emails for more timely messages
3. Drive registrations by preaching to the choir
a. Focus on those who already love the cause, supporter, organization
b. Make sure you have everything set up before promoting event
4. The best time to send is when your message is most relevant
a. Timing is everything
b. The most interested are those most engaged with content
c. Messages will be welcomed if they are helpful to supporters
5. Retention
a. Thank the donor
b. Inform them about their gift
c. Make the donor feel appreciated
Takeaways
Summary
51. Learn to communicate better
with your base
Free Email Fundraising Course
https://johnhaydon.lpages.co/email-
fundraising-basics-ebook/
Stop blasting your list. Start raising more money.
51
Editor's Notes
BRIA
If you’re joining us for the first time, allow me to introduce myself. My name is Bria Sullivan and I’m the Webinar Content Developer here at Constant Contact.
I am joined today by a very special guest who I’d like to introduce you to.
[CLICK TO NEXT]
BRIA
[READ INTRODUCTION ON SCREEN]
[CLICK TO NEXT]
Cut through the clutter. Attention is at a premium.
Noise
Lack of attention
Competition
You have to understand your people. If you want to have a successful, compelling event you have to speak their language and understand what their motivations are.
Surveys are best conducted in anticipation of an event but make sure it’s timely and relevant. You’ll know when the wrong time to survey is. You want to find out what your supporters are thinking which can help you coordinate for your event.
If you do survey them, ask the right questions at the right time and be careful what you ask.
Don’t be vague.
Don’t ask your supporters what you should already know. Don’t make them tell you what they gave.
Story
Your subject line has one job...[CLICK] to get someone to open that email!
Your subject line has one job...[CLICK] to get someone to open that email!
Your subject line has one job...[CLICK] to get someone to open that email!
Your subject line has one job...[CLICK] to get someone to open that email!
Promote your fundraising event. Email is a core part of it. But don’t forget that you need a multi-channel support effort.
Should be on:
Website
Videos
Social media posts
Commercial ads
Prints ads
Word of mouth
etc
Some of these people are regulars.
Some think it’s the last time they eat there.
You want to treat them in different ways.
If you want people to take any kind of action, you have to understand what motivates them to act!
The more you can record this information in a contact record the better you can tailor repeat requests for donations.
(pull from open rates, click rates, surveys, polls)
Segment using tags or list based upon their behavior. How much they gave, what programs they gave to, what events they attended.
First-time donor
Returning donor
Monthly donor
Major donor
Lapsed donor
By donation amount
By program
By event
Segment based upon these selections
Email frequency
Type of emails
Topics
Segment based upon these selections
Email frequency
Type of emails
Topics
You don’t have to send 3 messages, but you could send three.
Invite people who already:
Love the cause
Love the community
Love the activity
Love the sponsor
Love the org
This is a promotional guide with all the things you need to have set up before the event.
Also contains info what to do during and after the event
The best time to send is when they DO something. You can set up different drip, triggered emails or series in order to communicate at the right time for the right people.
This is why segmentation is important it comes into play here.
Setting the expectation in the confirm opt-in message. Here’s what you can expect next:
About frequency and content
On your thank you page
In your follow-up email
Right people
Right content
Right time
People interested in events
People who downloaded a resource
People who joined a campaign
etc.
How can you empower them?
How can you connect them with outcomes?
How can you be useful?
Another example from Charity Water, this one a Thanksgiving appeal.
Donor feels important.
Donor feels appreciated.
Donor gets updates about their impact.
Donor feels your organization is effective in achieving its mission.
Donor knows what to expect with each interaction.
Donor receives sincere and timely thank yous.
Donor has opportunities to make her views known.
Message tone: Thank them with no strings attached. Be encouraging and express appreciation.
Timing: Immediately after donation.
Testing: Create 2-3 variations to split test. This will help you discover the best approach.
Message tone: Talk about what their donation did, not what your organization did. Be encouraging and express appreciation.
Timing: If your donor system allows, create a rule to automatically sends these messages 30 and 90 days after the gift was made
Testing: Create 2-3 variations to split test. This will help you discover the best approach. Also test timing (30 and 90 days).
Message tone: Thank them for their support, here’s a new challenge.
Timing: Within the first 90 days increases retention.
Testing: Create 2-3 variations to split test. This will help you discover the best approach. Test variations with 10% of the list, then use winning elements for 90%.
