Mixing New Fundraising Tools with the Old
“What I don't like,” writes Pamela Barden in Fundraising Success Magazine, “is fundraising programs that don't raise funds and the attitude that it has to be ‘either/or’ when it comes to things like email and direct mail or social media and newsletters. I much prefer ‘both/and.’
“Conversely, you can't achieve fundraising success simply by copying what another nonprofit (campaign) is doing,” Barden continues. “Don't copy. Innovate. Try new fundraising tools along with older ones. Spiff up the older ones, and see if the new twists help.
“Someday, email may bring in more money than direct mail, but that's not today. Keep doing both – or start doing the one you aren't – and strive to make every single tool you use the most cost-effective one in your arsenal. After all, it really doesn't matter if X is more successful than Y; what matters is that, overall, your fundraising program is successfully funding your good mission.”
Podcast: Making Money with Donor Newsletters
The Fundraising is Beautiful podcast did a 26-minute interview with Tom Ahern, author of “Making Money with Donor Newsletters.” And while sending out a monthly newsletter to every voter in your district probably doesn’t make much financial sense, sending one to your top donors – at whatever level you determine qualifies for “top” – absolutely makes all the sense in the world.
If you’re not sending out a donor newsletter, you absolutely should listen to this interview.
Click here
3 myths of email fundraising
“More and more of people coming to me for coaching seem to think that fundraising can be done 100% online,” writes Marc Pittman, The Fundraising Coach. “It's as though there must be a great pool of donors just waiting to give and putting up a website will funnel all their money to them. It's a digital version of the Field of Dreams Fundraising Myth.
“No one tool can do all the heavy lifting for your fundraising program. Here are some of the myths that I'm seeing…”
Click here
6 Ways Campaigns Can Use Instagram for Fundraising
“Over time through powerful visual storytelling, a nonprofit can build a strong brand and grow its Instagram following,” advises Nonprofit Tech for Good, “but without the ability to link to a donate page inside of Instagram, it’s difficult to inspire your Instagram followers to do more than simply like and comment on your photos.
“However, provided your nonprofit has the graphic design skills necessary to embed text and graphics upon images, you can use Instagram for fundraising.”
Click here to find out how.
A Sample Donor Appreciation Certificate
Network for Good notes that the #1 reason a donor gives to your organization or campaign “one time” instead of “recurring” is the way they were treated after they gave the first time.
Unbelievably, some campaigns and organizations don’t even bother sending a template thank you letter, let alone a hand-written card. Foolish. As every good salesman knows, it’s far more difficult to get a new customer than keep an existing one.
Unless you don’t have any existing donors yet, you might want to take today and focus on talking to your existing donors and keeping them happy rather than chasing new donors. And a great way to do that would be a unique, thoughtful “Certificate of Appreciation.”
Click here for a great example that you can modify and “swipe” to suit your campaign.
Famous Last Words
“Your donor appreciation efforts don’t have to be expensive or flashy, but they need to be genuine. Connect with your donors on a personal level. Donor love shouldn’t feel automated or mass produced. Think about the difference between a handmade construction paper Valentine vs. a preprinted stack of cards. Which one feels more sincere?” – Caryn Stein
What You Missed in This Week’s Campaign Hot Tips
Campaign Hot Tips is a short, daily e-newsletter for Winners Circle members. Here’s what you missed this week if you’re not yet a member…
- The Alligator and Negative Campaigning
- The Strangest Fundraising Secret
- 10 Simple Campaign Twitter Tips
- Top 10 Most Popular Symbols Used in Subject Lines
- For Candidates Whose Poo Don’t Stink!
For more information and a one-month/no obligation trial membership in the Winners Circle, click here