www.techfoundation.org 2008 nonprofit technology conference online fundraising basics: how to get...

www.techfoundation.org

2008 Nonprofit Technology Conference

Online Fundraising Basics: Online Fundraising Basics: How to Get StartedHow to Get Started

Presented by:

Kathleen A. SherwinDirector, TechFoundation

[email protected]@techfoundation.org



04

Barack Obama raises $6.9 million online in the 1st quarter of ‘07

Obama

13 million Americans make online donations in response to Hurricane Katrina

Hurricane Katrina

Dean shatters Clinton’s record of raising most money in single quarter, thanks largely to online donations.

UNICEF raises $18 million online for Tsunami relief in 1 week

Howard Dean, Tsunami

05

07

Brief History of Online Brief History of Online FundraisingFundraising



Let’s Get Started!Let’s Get Started!

Basics: Fundraising with Email- What You Need to Know

- Planning Process

- Preparing for Success

- Numbers Breakout Session Online Fundraising: Beyond Email Breakout Session Next Steps & Resources Q&A



If you’re actually serious about online fundraising

Ingredients for an online fundraising program

What makes an online fundraising program successful

How to tell if it worked

What You Need to KnowWhat You Need to Know



Website/Email + Online Donation Processing Vendor

+ Donation Pages + Supporter List

+ Calendar of Appeals...

Planning: Ingredients…Planning: Ingredients…



Planning: What You’ll Be DoingPlanning: What You’ll Be Doing

Establishing a calendar

Writing good copy

Designing / implementing web pages

Coding HTML

ASP Implementation

(message/pages)

Testing and Sending

Reporting/Number Crunching



Planning: Technology You NeedPlanning: Technology You Need

Website

Website data tracking/reporting

Donation form(s) and processor

Broadcast email tool



Planning: Donation PagesPlanning: Donation Pages

Customized for your campaign

Ask for lots of info

Require only what’s necessary

Pre-populate fields, if possible

Keep copy short and sweet



Planning: Donation ProcessorPlanning: Donation Processor

Vendors process donations for you, take cut of amount processed (2%-5%)

Many options:- Paypal- Google Checkout- eTapestry- Entango- Network for Good- Groundspring- Democracy in Action



Planning: Know Your SupportersPlanning: Know Your Supporters

Have an active, engaged list of supporters

Know who they are

Know what they are interested in

Know why they signed up - that issue is what they’ll give $$ to



Planning: Calendar of AppealsPlanning: Calendar of Appeals



1,000 people must receive your email1,000 people must receive your email

If you want to generate 10 gifts...

250 must read it 250 must read it (‘open’)(‘open’)

50 must click donate (‘click-50 must click donate (‘click-thru’)thru’)

Avg response rate to fundraising messaging [for NPOs] = 0.3%

Online Fundraising MathOnline Fundraising Math



Ok, I want to get started.

For real.



✓ Is it up to date? (programs, events, services)

✓ Do you tell people what you want them to DO? Over and over again?

✓ Good, clean writing?

✓ Easy to navigate? (cut the fat; and no silos)

✓ Does everything actually work?

✓ Opportunities for dialogue, engagement?

✓ Quick and easy email signup?

✓ Is it compelling?

✓ Transparency?(how is $ spent? privacy policy?)

Preparing for Success: The Preparing for Success: The WebsiteWebsite



✓ is large and responsive

✓ receives steady stream of trusted and relevant communications

✓ has opportunities for meaningful online engagement -- other than giving $$

Preparing for Success: The List Preparing for Success: The List

A good list is key to successful online fundraising.

A good list:



Size Matters: List BuildingSize Matters: List Building

Bring your offline donors online

Conduct engagement campaigns (issues,

advocacy, etc.)

Do fun stuff to show you care (Flash,

quizzes, e-cards, contests, etc.)

Buying names (carefully!)

Chaperone another organization’s list and

have them do the same for you

Hijack the news cycle (aka have a disaster)



Preparing for Success: The CopyPreparing for Success: The Copy

An email appeal is NOT An email appeal is NOT your latest direct mail your latest direct mail

piece sent out via email.piece sent out via email.



Preparing for Success: The CopyPreparing for Success: The Copy

Keep it short Make it engaging Get right to the point Be specific Be relevant

- Timing (send it after a big disaster)

- Topic (target email to portions of your list who you know are interested in saving the banana slug)

Have a good ask (the best writing won’t save a bad idea)



Madeleine’s Patent-Pending Criteria for

Successful fundraising campaigns

It gets opened

It converts

It’s concise

It gets noticed

Think subject lines & timing

Think thank you pages and follow-up

Think specificity, transparency

Think scan-ability, length, and getting to the point

Think creative & design

It minds its manners



Consider Your Donor’s InboxConsider Your Donor’s Inbox



……and BREAK THROUGH the noiseand BREAK THROUGH the noise



How to Tell if it WorkedHow to Tell if it Worked



A Language LessonA Language Lesson

Delivery

Open Rate

Clickthrough Rate

Conversion Rate



321

Make the website work for THEM (not you).

Write good emails, regularly. (Only some can be asks for $$.)

Watch the numbers, experiment, and adjust.

3 Steps for Raising $$ with Email3 Steps for Raising $$ with Email



And a 4th StepAnd a 4th Step

SaySay"Thank You""Thank You"



Breakout Exercise - 15 minBreakout Exercise - 15 min

Taking Stock- What is your organization doing now?

- How is that working for you?

Easy Next Steps?- What have we covered so far that

you can implement right away?



Not-so-basic EmailNot-so-basic Email

Many offline tactics work online:- Matching Gifts

- End-of-year Giving

Email offers unique opportunities:- Appeals to help reach a goal,

showing real-time (or nearly) progress



Beyond EmailBeyond Email

Donations as gifts

Selling stuff

Affiliate programs

Have your supporters do the work for you



Have Supporters Ask for YouHave Supporters Ask for You

Encourage supporters to invite their friends to donate with e-cards

Create Personal Fundraising Pages

- Allow supporters to recruit friends to donate

Create badges for supporters to post on blogs, that link to your donate page

Facebook Causes



Other Factors for SuccessOther Factors for Success

Cohesive narrative arc

- Communication with your supporters is consistent, tells a story

Organizational buy-in -- from the top!

Willingness to experiment and test and adjust campaigns accordingly



Breakout Session - 15 minBreakout Session - 15 min

Get creative: What do you want to try?

What have you tried?



Wrapping UpWrapping Up

Plan ahead, get your tools ready

Send the right message, to the right people, at the right time

Test, test, test

Analyze results



Tools and Approximate CostsTools and Approximate Costs

Donation Processing Vendor- Ex: Paypal, transaction fee 2%-4%

Broadcast Email Tool- Ex: Constant Contact, $15-$150/mo

OR All-in-one Tool, combines email broadcasts and donations- Ex: Democracy In Action, starts at

$200/mo + setup fee

Also: Facebook Causes (free!)



ASP Vendors Consultants

ResourcesResources

NTEN TechFoundation Network for Good Grassroots.org TechSoup

Vendors that offer training:- Democracy in Action

- Convio

- Kintera



ASP Vendors Consultants

If You Need to Bring in HelpIf You Need to Bring in Help

WatershedEchoDittoDonorDigitalM+R Strategic ServicesSea Change StrategiesLots of small consulting firmsLots of big firms who’ve added online

www.techfoundation.org 2008 nonprofit technology conference online fundraising basics: how to get...

Documents

online fundraising math

online fundraising ingredients

online donations

action slide

sweet slide

planning process

steps resources qa slide

donation processor vendors