FundRaising Success

You will be automatically redirected to fundraisingsuccessmag in 20 seconds.
Skip this advertisement.

Advertisement
Advertisement
 
 

NTC Roundup: Major Gift Fundraising and Social Media

April 20, 2010 By Margaret Battistelli

If I asked a group of major-gifts fundraisers to tell me the first “opposite” words that come to mind when I say “major gifts,” chances are many of their responses would be some variation of “social networks.”

The fast pace and apparent shallowness of sites such as Facebook, YouTube and Twitter, as well as blogs and other online communities, seem to be the antithesis of what major-donor fundraising is all about.

Not so, according to fundraising consultant Carolyn Appleton, who presented her case at the Nonprofit Technology Conference held in Atlanta earlier this month. In her session, "Major Gift Fundraising and Social Media," Appleton tackled the old-school perceptions of social media applications, mainly that they:

  • Provide opportunities only for brief communications.
  • Do not provide for in-depth discussions.
  • Focus only on young users.
  • Generate small, quick donations rather than significant, five-figure-plus commitments.

First off, Appleton debunked the myth of social networks being just for young people, explaining that Facebook’s largest user group is ages 35 to 54 and that the site’s 55-plus population is growing at lightning speed. These still aren’t exactly your major-donor prospects, but they're getting close.

She also reminded that many major gifts come from corporations and foundations, whose representatives encompass a wide age range.

Appleton advised using social media to engage supporters, introduce them to your mission, solicit smaller gifts and get them involved with your organization. But it's also a good place to start the more in-depth engagement vital to major-gift solicitations, which traditionally have been built on long-term, carefully cultivated relationships with donors.

“Start the major-gift process by securing a small donation via social media; then use social media to research, educate and cultivate prospective contributors over time, leading to a significant ask,” she said.

For example, organizations can post detailed documents and slide presentations that enhance donor understanding of mission and need to sites such as drop.io, Google Docs, Scribd, SlideShare and others.

 

Companies Mentioned:

SPONSORED CONTENT

MORE ON CAMPAIGNS / FUNDING SOURCES >>

FROM THE BOOKSTORE

(PDF Download) Direct mail, email, mobile, social media, video, search ... the marketing landscape can either be a minefield where mistakes can kill campaigns, or a perfectly integrated mix of channels that maximizes the reach of the message and gives a nonprofit the best chance to capture more donor dollars. <b>In <i>"The Art & Science of Multichannel Fundraising" </i> from DirectMarketingIQ, the roadmap to that "perfectly integrated mix" is thoroughly laid out in over 130 pages -- <u>it's specifically created (and priced) for nonprofits</u>. </b> First, 9 chapters from leading fundraisers give you the latest best practices in multichannel fundraising, including how to: • Choose the right channels for your campaign • Develop creative that works across multiple channels • Revitalize the direct mail component of your multichannel mix • Make sure email plays its increasingly important role perfectly • Seamlessly integrate mobile marketing into the fundraising campaign • Boost your online strategy with social media • Create a multichannel donor renewal campaign • Figure out that you're doing right — via testing and results measurement • Use all the pieces of the multichannel puzzle Second, in 8 robust case studies, find out the secrets behind multichannel fundraising campaigns that worked. About DirectMarketingIQ The Research Division of the Target Marketing Group, DirectMarketingIQ (www.directmarketingiq.com) is the marketers’ go-to resource. Publishing books, special reports, case studies and how-to-guides, it opens up a new world to those who seek more information, more ideas and more success stories in order to boost their own marketing efforts. DirectMarketingIQ has unparalleled access to direct marketing data – including the world’s most complete library of direct mail as well as a massive library of promotional emails across hundreds of categories – and producly produces content from the most experienced editors and practitioners in the industry. <b>Note: You must have Adobe Acrobat Reader in order to read , The Art & Science of Multichannel Fundraising which is in PDF format.</b> The Art & Science of Multichannel Fundraising

(PDF Download) Direct mail, email, mobile, social media, video, search ... the marketing landscape can either be a minefield where mistakes can kill campaigns, or a perfectly integrated mix of channels that maximizes the reach of the message and gives a nonprofit the best chance to capture more donor dollars....

ORDER NOW

Your everything-you-need-to-know guide to personalized URLs, including: <b>Best Practices </b> on why they work, campaign strategy, multichannel creative, analytics, and <b>10 Case Studies</b> PURLs for Profit

Your everything-you-need-to-know guide to personalized URLs, including: Best Practices on why they work, campaign strategy, multichannel creative, analytics, and 10 Case Studies...

ORDER NOW

 

SPONSORED CONTENT

MORE ON E-PHILANTHROPY/WEB-BASED >>

FROM THE BOOKSTORE

Hitting the Email Inbox: Protect your sender rep, clean up your e-list and improve design to add dollars to your email marketing ROI <i>Hitting the Email Inbox</i> covers all the bases of email deliverability, including everything from the very basics, to reputation management, as well as coding and design, and the connections between email deliverability and ROI. As any good email marketer today knows, there are a number of obstacles standing between you and your prospect’s inbox. With anti-spam technology becoming more and more powerful and prospects being blitzed by rapidly increasing email volume, an email marketer’s concern isn’t just open rate anymore; it’s getting the email successfully delivered in the first place. <i>Hitting the Email Inbox: Protect your sender rep, clean up your e-list and improve design to add dollars to your email marketing ROI </i> features five chapters full of industry-proven best practices to achieve maximum inbox delivery. You’ll also get dozens of surefire tips and methods for improving your deliverability, including: • Developing a trigger email program • Segmenting and reviewing your results by service • Understanding the whitelist/blacklist process • Using different addresses for different segments of your file • Not falling into the whole openers/non-openers/clickers trap • Test mailing at different times of the day • Being smart about timing • Use an ECOA service • Looking into certification, and much more! <b><u>The report also includes four detailed case studies</b></u>, providing practical examples of what email deliverability tactics did and didn’t work for four real-life companies. <b><u>100% Money-Back Guarantee</b></u> Your order is risk-free. If you are not completely delighted with <i>Hitting the Email Inbox</i>, notify us within 30 days for a complete credit or refund, no questions asked. <b><u>About DirectMarketingIQ</u></b> The Research Division of the Target Marketing Group, DirectMarketingIQ (www.directmarketingiq.com) is the go-to resource for direct marketers. Publishing books, special reports, case study stockpiles and how-to guides, it opens up a new world for those who seek more information, more ideas and more success stories in order to boost their own marketing efforts. DirectMarketingIQ has unparalleled access to direct marketing data - including the world's most complete library of direct mail as well as a growing library of promotional emails across hundreds of categories - and proudly produces content from the most experienced editors and practitioners in the industry. <b>Note: You must have Adobe Acrobat Reader in order to read <i>Hitting the Email Inbox</i>, which is in PDF format. </b> Hitting the Email Inbox

Hitting the Email Inbox: Protect your sender rep, clean up your e-list and improve design to add dollars to your email marketing ROI Hitting the Email Inbox covers all the bases of email deliverability, including everything from the very basics, to reputation management, as well as coding and design, and...

ORDER NOW

PDF FORMAT <i>"Despite news to the contrary — especially from the social media space — reports of the death of email are greatly exaggerated. In fact, as your inboxes most likely show, email is growing and becoming even more sophisticated."</i> -- from <i>The Ultimate Guide to Email Marketing</i> It's true. Email marketing is still going strong, and continues to be one of the most important factors in any marketing campaign. From the first six months of 2010 to the first six months of 2011 alone, there was a nearly 21 percent increase in email volume! The average number of emails received per day in the first six months of 2010 was 472, and during the first six months of 2011, the daily average increased to 571. Marketers are having success with their email campaigns and using it more and more. That being the case, your email marketing campaign needs all the attention it can get, and knowing what works and what doesn't is the best way to start. That's where "The Ultimate Guide to Email Marketing" comes in. The Guide is brought to you by the email marketing experts at DMIQ and their extensive research into one of the largest email campaign archives in the industry. On top of latest trends, it features 19 best practice chapters from today's email marketing thought leaders. You will learn how to create a relevant email program to nurture leads and drive sales, how to best use call-to-action visuals in your emails, and how to use social email to improve marketing effectiveness. You’ll also learn: • Email Marketing Trends in 2011 • Best Practices in Writing Subject Lines • The Strategy (and Tricks) for Improving Open Rate and Response • 6 Tests to Improve Email Program Results • 5 Best Practices for the Gangbusting Email Campaign • Best Practices for Improving Email Performance • 6 Ways to Make Your Emails Mobile-Ready • Email Branding — The 16 Most Effective Strategies • 11 Best Creative Practices for B-to-B Email Marketing • The Keys to Developing a Successful E-newsletter • How to Determine Your Customers’ Email Content Tolerance • How Email Marketers Can Optimize the Social Media Opportunity • …Just to name a few! This comprehensive report also offers three in-depth case studies, so you can see practical examples of how these methods worked for real-life businesses. "The Ultimate Guide to Email Marketing" is an essential tool for any business that ever sends an email. <b><u>100% Money-Back Guarantee</b></u> Your order is risk-free. If you are not completely delighted with “The Ultimate Guide to Email Marketing,” notify us within 30 days for a complete credit or refund, no questions asked. <u>About DirectMarketingIQ</u> The Research Division of the Target Marketing Group, DirectMarketingIQ (www.directmarketingiq.com) is the go-to resource for direct marketers. Publishing books, special reports, case study stockpiles and how-to guides, it opens up a new world for those who seek more information, more ideas and more success stories in order to boost their own marketing efforts. DirectMarketingIQ has unparalleled access to direct marketing data - including the world's most complete library of direct mail as well as a growing library of promotional emails across hundreds of categories - and proudly produces content from the most experienced editors and practitioners in the industry. Note: You must have Adobe Acrobat Reader in order to read The Ultimate Guide to Email Marketing, which is in PDF format. The Ultimate Guide to Email Marketing

PDF FORMAT "Despite news to the contrary — especially from the social media space — reports of the death of email are greatly exaggerated. In fact, as your inboxes most likely show, email is growing and becoming even more sophisticated." -- from The Ultimate Guide to Email Marketing It's true....

ORDER NOW

 

COMMENTS

Click here to leave a comment...
Comment *
Most Recent Comments: