FundRaising Success

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

Advertisement
Advertisement
 
 

Online Giving vs. Online Fundraising

March 18, 2009 By Philip King
2

This month’s topic — understanding the difference between online giving and online fundraising — is one of my favorite subjects! If I ever meet you at dinner party, don’t get me started …

In the beginning: Online giving
For many fundraising organizations, the first step to becoming digital is to create a Web site. Think of this Web site as the public lobby to your digital organization. A few questions: Is it tidy? Is it inviting? Is there a friendly receptionist?

After you complete your Web site, you’ll soon feel the pressure to change it. Most of my clients have told me that they plan to redo their Web sites in 2009. They only advice I provide here is to create your Web site using technology that is easy to change. It’s not going to be very dynamic if you have to call a computer programmer each time you want to modify it. Simple, inexpensive tools like WordPress.org are surprisingly powerful.

What fundraising organization’s lobby would be complete without a place to make a donation? Similarly, your Web site should have a quick and easy way to make a donation to your cause. Start with simple, inexpensive portal solutions like Network For Good in the U.S. and CanadaHelps.org in Canada, and upgrade from there once your needs become more complex.

It surprises me how hard some Web sites make it to leave a gift. In your lobby would you hide the stack of donation forms behind the plant? Of course not, you’d place them prominently on the front desk. Perform this test: Find someone who has never been to your Web site. Ask him to make a $10 donation online. Then observe, use a stopwatch and count how many clicks it takes. I’m willing to bet you’ll be surprised by the result.

Coming full circle: Online fundraising
Before the Internet, what did charities do? Did they sit back and wait for people to walk into their lobbies so they could find that donation form on the front desk? Successful fundraisers certainly did not. So why would you sit back and wait for people to 1) find your Web site and then 2) successfully navigate to and through your donation page?

 

Companies Mentioned:
2

SPONSORED CONTENT

MORE ON E-PHILANTHROPY/WEB-BASED >>

FROM THE BOOKSTORE

<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. <BR><BR>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. <BR><BR><EM>Hitting the Email Inbox</EM>: Protect your sender rep, clean up your e-list and improve design to add dollars to your email marketing ROI features five chapters full of industry-proven best practices to achieve maximum inbox delivery. <BR><BR>You’ll also get dozens of surefire tips and methods for improving your deliverability, including: <BR>• Developing a trigger email program <BR>• Segmenting and reviewing your results by service <BR>• Understanding the whitelist/blacklist process <BR>• Using different addresses for different segments of your file <BR>• Not falling into the whole openers/non-openers/clickers trap <BR>• Test mailing at different times of the day <BR>• Being smart about timing <BR>• Use an ECOA service <BR>• Looking into certification, and much more! <BR><BR>The report also includes four detailed case studies, providing practical examples of what email deliverability tactics did and didn’t work for four real-life companies. Hitting the Email Inbox

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 the connections between email deliverability and ROI.

As any good email marketer today knows, there are a number of obstacles standing between you

...

ORDER NOW

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

 

COMMENTS

Click here to leave a comment...
Comment *
Most Recent Comments:
Mark - Posted on March 18, 2009
Good quick overview. I would second checking how easy it is to donate online. Many NPOs don't test this. Most people won't contact your organization if they can't easily donate. They just won't. I'd also add being strategic with online communications and social networking to always focus on building relationships and think like your audience. Why should they give? Why now? Why to your organization?

Good mention of wordpress. There are some great open source solutions that don't have any licensing fees. They've come a long way and would urge your organization to check what they can get that's powerful, easy to use and affordable.

Mark
non-profit solutions
raSANTIAGO + Associates
Portland, Oregon
chris breshears - Posted on March 18, 2009
Thanks for the great article. This really hits home "People like to give to people. People need to be asked to give. Fundraisers need to be coaxed. Fundraisers will perform better if part of a fundraising team. Fundraisers need to be recognized and feel valued" I am going to work some of these concepts into www.raiseforfuture.com .
Click here to view archived comments...
Archived Comments:
Mark - Posted on March 18, 2009
Good quick overview. I would second checking how easy it is to donate online. Many NPOs don't test this. Most people won't contact your organization if they can't easily donate. They just won't. I'd also add being strategic with online communications and social networking to always focus on building relationships and think like your audience. Why should they give? Why now? Why to your organization?

Good mention of wordpress. There are some great open source solutions that don't have any licensing fees. They've come a long way and would urge your organization to check what they can get that's powerful, easy to use and affordable.

Mark
non-profit solutions
raSANTIAGO + Associates
Portland, Oregon
chris breshears - Posted on March 18, 2009
Thanks for the great article. This really hits home "People like to give to people. People need to be asked to give. Fundraisers need to be coaxed. Fundraisers will perform better if part of a fundraising team. Fundraisers need to be recognized and feel valued" I am going to work some of these concepts into www.raiseforfuture.com .