Interested in raising money online, but not sure where to get started? Learn the first ten steps from an industry expert who has helped nonprofits and political candidates raise over $225 million through harnessing the power of social media.
9. The most important thing:
Launch
- Don’t aim for perfection… You have to launch
a campaign and learn from it!
- You get a 2nd, 3rd, and even 30th chance to
make a 1st impression
10. Case Study
Annual Campaign:
Target: $125,000
Japan Campaign:
$18,045
Test Campaign:
$3,995
Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar Apr
11. Social Donation
Every supporter was asked to
recruit her neighbor, boss,
co-worker, friend…
19. The Basics
Step 1: Pick an objective
People “give through,” not “to”
example…
“We are raising $22,500 by October 15 for a
new classroom at our Buwaidhaa school in
Sudan… This means educating 30 more
students!”
20. The Basics
Step 2: Sanity-check your
target
– Is your date less than 3 months out?
– Is your $ target achievable?
formula… example…
10,000 supporters
X of supporters
#
X 2% response rate (historical actuals)
X $75 average donation $22,500
1.5 social multiplier
21. The Basics
Step 3: Set giving levels
– Make them meaningful
• $50 buys 10 used textbooks
• $500 sponsors one child through graduation
• $5,000 sponsors a classroom of 30 students
Remember…
People give “through,” not “to”
22. The Basics
Step 4: Upload content on Fundly
Pick a
short video
Use
pictures Keep text to a
with human minimum
faces
23. Launch!
Step 5: Send out an email
– Use your existing list
– Use the strategy you already built
• Target: ―We are raising $22,500 by October 15…‖
• Objective: ―This will allow us to open one new classroom…‖
– Make the email personal—address it from you
– Send personal update emails once per week
24. Launch!
Step 6: Facebook
– Share with your personal network once per week
• Make it personal
– “Join me in building a school! We are 50% of the way to
adding a classroom for 30 kids in Sudan”
– Post to your Facebook Fan page daily
• Ask questions
• Provide updates
25. Launch!
Step 7: Twitter
– Tweet 2x per day - Lunchtime and quitting time
– Use hashtags
– Retweet
26.
27. Launch!
Step 8: Recruit help
– Get your top supporters to set up their own pages
• Think: board members, volunteers, celebrity endorsers,
partners, etc.
– Rinse and repeat: the bigger the team, the better the
results
28. Launch!
Step 9: Embed on your site
– Get your webmaster to embed the donation form on
your own website
• As easy as embedding a YouTube video
– Make sure all channels of communication are aligned
for the duration of your campaign
• Email
• Direct mail
• Website
• Social networking
29. Victory
Step 10: Celebrate!
– Announce your milestones
– Post updates to Facebook and Twitter, encouraging
continued donations
– When your goal is reached, shout it from the rooftops!
• People like to be part of a winning team
• Thank them for their support and they will support you again
• Where possible, provide evidence of the difference the money
is making (on-the-ground photos and video)
30. Top 5 Tips
1. Start with your current
supporters
2. Do not be shy
3. Make a direct ask
4. Tell donors what their money
will do
5. Align all channels