D.C. Nonprofit Conference Roundup: How to Effectively Engage Donors Online
February 9, 2010 By Janet Spavlik
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Vinnie Wishrad, vice president, community and membership, The Jane Goodall Insitute, presented a case study on his organization's online activities, noting that the institute has a limited online budget. The organization has found success honoring milestones and events that are of importance to its constituency.
For example, when Gregoire, the oldest-known chimpanzee living in Africa, died in December 2008, JGI responded with an online condolence card, which produced about 11,000 signatures and 7,000 new e-mail subscribers for the organization. Additionally, those who signed the card then were delivered to a donation page with a soft ask, which generated approximately $70,000 for a fund JGI created to honor Gregoire.
Similarly, an online birthday card to honor Jane Goodall's 75th birthday generated about 15,000 signatures, 11,000 new e-mail subscribers and $65,000 in revenue over a six-week period.
JGI also has found success on Twitter (@JaneGoodallInst) after a staff member interested in engaging on the site volunteered to post daily on the organization's behalf.
“Get one person motivated to do it,” Wishrad said, noting that JGI devotes about a half hour each day to the site. Its Twitter site currently has more than 5,000 followers and capitalizes on its strong catalog of images with a “Chimp Photo of the Week” posting each Monday, which has proven popular, he said.
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