As donor behavior and media platforms continue to change here are some new core practices to keep in mind when communicating in 2014 and beyond. If the donor base is on the move, you should be too!

2. Issues Affecting Fundraising Today:
 Foundations are under increased pressure to perform
 Traditional forms of communication, when used
alone, are not reaching donors effectively & efficiently
 Competition for donations has increased
 Donor behavior has changed

3. Here are four simple steps you can take to
grow your donor base

4. # 1 - Develop an Integrated Cross-Media Plan to Better
Reach Your Target
 98% or more of traditional direct mail is ineffective
 Donors today prefer (by a factor of 7x) to use a digital response option as opposed to
traditional response mechanisms
 Give them a digital option, use “Call-to-Actions” (CTA’s) to drive increased interactions-
whether donations, dialogue, or both

5. # 2 – Give Your Social Media a Strategic Facelift
 Change the focus of content from being “about you”, to content specifically aimed at eliciting
feedback
 It’s one thing to “get likes”; it’s another thing entirely to use social media the way it was originally
intended… as a forum for discussion and interaction
 If you look at all of your posts from the past three months you should be able to spot areas where
a slight shift in what you posted could have done more to incite dialogue and further establish
relationship opportunities

6. # 3 – Make Mobile a Key Part of Your Communications Plan
 The heavier hitters, the affluent in the 50+
community have reached nearly a 50%
Smartphone adoption rate
 With 99% push messaging open rates you can’t
afford to ignore this medium any longer
 When evolving your mobile strategy start
simple – Use all of your communication vehicles
to add donors’ cell #’s to your database

7. # 4 - Ensure That Board Members & Benefactors Are Using Digital Communications
to Drive Their Personal & Professional Contacts to Your Database
With easy to follow instructions board members can be taught how to use digital
communications in their various “spheres of influence”
This method of “local viral growth” can have a
dramatic impact on the quality and quantity of
your potential donor base. Give them a digital
plan; board members want to help!

8. Remember, when it comes to fundraising today…
 Old communications tactics no longer apply
 You’ll still have direct mail, stewardship, events, and major
donors
 But, your strategic plans and tactical approaches should
change with the times- after all, your donors already have

9. Let me know if this deck was helpful.
Peter Winters, Integrated Marketing Specialist, MSP Digital Marketing
917 301-9100 pwinters@mspdigital.com
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Cross Media Implementation
www.mspdigital.com