Not Until Your Mail Planning Is Done
Here is a terrific article from Beth Kanter on trends she sees taking shape in the nonprofit social media world.
Now, I do not want you to read her article until AFTER you are sure you’ve crossed all the "t’s" and dotted all the "i’s" on your year-end direct mail, email, and telemarketing appeals … to say nothing of your calls to major donors.
Only then should you read Beth’s very insightful and comprehensive article, chock full of social media fundraising and organizing examples.
Here are the social media trends she talks about and illustrates:
- Weaving Together Online/Offline Into Real Time Web Fundraising Events
- A Platform for Self-Organizing
- Social Media Fundraising As Part of A Multi-Channel Strategy
- Donors As Program Partners Not Just Check Writers
- The Maturation of Peer-to-Peer Fundraising
- Click at the Heartstrings
As you read Beth’s thoughts, I think you’ll see that some of her principles actually thread through all fundraising good practice. Some things never change … regardless of the channel.
Well done, Beth. You deserve a raise!
Tom
Behavioral Science Q & A
Integrating an individual giving appeal with other communications from a charity can have both positive and negative effects, and the outcome largely depends on how it’s executed. Advantages of Integration Brand Consistency: Maintaining a consistent appearance and messaging across all communications can reinforce the org’s brand identity and strengthen brand recognition and trust among your […]
Read Full Answer
I’m not aware of any in-market tests specifically comparing recurring vs. gift frequency language. I suspect the answer might not be the same with all gift frequencies, nor with all people. It sounds like a great opportunity for you to test and find out what works for your audience. Based on the literature, here’s a couple […]
Read Full Answer
Based on what we know from existing data, those renewal notices can actually be pretty effective in getting people to donate. They tap into our psychology – creating a sense of urgency, reminding us of past support, and using personalization to make the message hit home. They’re playing on our natural tendencies to feel obligated […]
Read Full Answer
Interesting question. I had a quick look at the testing done on this topic. On the positive side, in all cases, over half of donors decide to cover the fee. In some cases, it goes as high as 65%. Not a negligible percentage at all. Here’s another test from iRaiser showing consistent results (see point […]
Read Full Answer
There’s just one thing to consider when designing a supporter journey: the supporter. More specifically, you need to take into account: Who the supporter is i.e. their identity, which is the reason they support this cause, and their personality, which describes the way they “see” and process the world. These will determine the kind of […]
Read Full Answer
I’m not an expert in this but a quick search surfaced this article on the effect of tax reforms on 2019’s charitable giving. The researchers didn’t find a reduction. Actually, they observed an “increase in charitable contributions in 2019, even with the lower tax rates and the dramatically smaller number of taxpayers who itemize their […]
Read Full Answer