Brandraising : Blogging for Dollars

Sure, blogs are great for communicating, but why not build in some giving opportunities while you’re at it?

Lots of love here
During our search for compelling blogs, Holly Ross, executive director of the Nonprofit Technology Network, pointed out what turned out to be the most interesting discovery, Cross Blog (redcrosspdx.blogspot.com). The Cross Blog is produced by the American Red Cross Oregon Trail Chapter and bills itself as "Disaster Proof, Fire Safe and Updated Daily." There's a lot to love about this blog — and many lessons for nonprofits of all sizes.

But before we dive in to why the Cross Blog is so fabulous, there are a few things I should point out. First, this isn't the Red Cross' primary blog. In fact, the American Red Cross also does a nice job with its primary blog site (redcrosschat.org), which includes posts created by, for or about the American Red Cross. As a fundraiser, I particularly love the big, red "donate now" button that's easy to spot, and how easy it is to access information in whatever way I prefer (by issue, by media type, etc.).

Now, back to the Cross Blog. It's hard to imagine that you could make topics like disaster relief or blood donations funny, but these wacky Oregonians can. The entry "Get Your Doughnut Fix, Boost Your Blood Sugar" starts with the local doughnut emporium and somehow inspires you to go and give blood. Or "Trapped Under Rubble? There's An App For That …" grabs your attention with humor in the headline, then delivers useful information along the way.

But the best part is the fundraising. On a regular basis, the Cross Blog features donors and fundraisers who support the Red Cross. My favorite is a super-cute kid named Claire Abraham (Jan. 26), who donated $35 from her piggy bank to the Red Cross, earmarked for kids in Haiti. The entry features a photo of Claire tricked out in her Red Cross helmet with a big smile (the Red Cross really knows how to reinforce its brand, but that's a topic for another day). The Cross Blog's fundraising message: Every donor is important; every gift counts.

How often do fundraisers wish there was a way to make every donor feel important? To celebrate the grassroots advocate alongside the major donor? From a fundraising point of view, the beauty of blogging is that you can do both. Best of all, you don't have to be the big guys to do it. In fact, telling local stories through your local blog might be even more powerful, because it's personal. 

Sarah Durham is founder and principal at Big Duck (bigducknyc.com). Reach her via e-mail at sarah@bigducknyc.com or on Twitter at @BigDuckSarah.