your website doesn't matter! why email still rules online fundraising
DESCRIPTION
Newsflash: Your website doesn’t matter and your Facebook friends don’t care! Shocked? Studies show that when it comes to online fundraising only one thing really matters: the quality and size of your email list. Email remains the primary driver of online donations. This was true for Obama’s 2008 campaign for President, and remains true for most, if not all, nonprofits raising money online. Yes, you need a secure, functioning website where you can send people so they can donate money online. But supporters will never go there on their own in numbers enough to move the needle. While we all love our Facebook friends and Twitter followers, nonprofits are raising very little money via social networks. At the end of the day the most reliable way to increase the amount of money your organization raises online is to maintain and grow a high quality email list. Focus your Facebook and Twitter outreach on building relationships with your followers and fans and listening to their feedback. About the Speakers: Lauren Miller, Director Of Email & Online Communications Programs, Blue State Digital: Since joining Blue State Digital in 2005, Lauren has developed online communications, fundraising, advocacy, outreach and social media programs for more than 100 political, nonprofit, cultural, academic and corporate clients, including the Democratic National Committee, Senator Ted Kennedy, Wal-Mart Watch and Americans United for Change. As Director of Email & Online Communications Programs, she currently oversees a team of talented writers and strategists who work with more than 75 active engagements around the world, including the American Red Cross, United Way, Partners in Health, the NAACP, and the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network. Prior to BSD, Lauren served as State Volunteer Coordinator for the California Democratic Party and worked in their communications department during the 2004 election cycle. She holds a B.A. in Political Science and Middle Eastern & North African Studies from the University of California, Los Angeles. Dionna Humphrey, Senior Email Campaigner, Greenpeace: Dionna recently started as the Senior Email Campaigner with Greenpeace USA. Dionna is responsible for developing and implementing metric-driven, multi-year email strategy to maximize the organization’s fundraising and online advocacy campaigns. Dionna has worked in grassroots advocacy for more than a decade, focusing primarily online fundraising and advocacy strategies for the past 6 years. As an independent consultant she assisted her clients with online fundraising, including both email and web. Prior to branching out on her own, Dionna worked as a Campaign Director with MomsRising and Director of Advocacy with the National Parks Conservation Association, where she was responsible for the online and offline grassroots strategy and capacity building. Dionna graduated from the University of Hawaii at Manoa with a BA in Women’s StudiesTRANSCRIPT
Your Website Doesn’t Matter!
Why Email Still Rules Online Fundraising
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Presented By:Lauren Miller, Blue State Digital and Dionna Humphrey, Greenpeace
Moderated by: Eric Rardin, Care2
May 12, 2011
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For Audio: 1-408-792-6300 Event Number: 666 643 785
For Audio: 1-408-792-6300 Event Number: 666 643 785
Nonprofits use Care2 for:
• Online Advocacy
• Email list growth
• Donor lead acquisition
• Driving traffic to website
• Advertising and branding
• Surveys and research
• Education and outreach
What is Care2?
Citizens use Care2 for:
• Starting or signing petitions
• Volunteering
• Donating $
• Spreading news
• Commenting on blogs
• Starting groups (organizing)
• Joining nonprofits
• The largest online community of people “making a difference”
• 15 million “do-gooders”
Websites don’t matter?Well, not exactly, but…
…It does if you’re not these guys.
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So what’s the secret?1. Grow your list in
smart, efficient ways.
2. Empower people to take action at key moments.
3. It’s not about the money, it’s about getting people involved in the process.
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ORGANIZATION
How do you grow your email list?
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1. Smart organic list growth.
Plan your calendar to tell a story
Take advantage of things you can’t predict
Never send an email without an action
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2. Collect emails offline.
Develop a system to get signatures back into your CRM/CMS quickly.
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3. Partner sends from allies.
Joint petitionsReciprocal sends
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4. Social media/SMS
Promote actionsEmbed formsAdvertise
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5. Paid acquisition
Care2/cost per acquisition campaigns
Social media advertising
AdWords
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I’ve got my list. Now what?
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1. Segment based on interests.
Where do they come from?
What do they want to do?
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2. Take advantage of moments.
Fundraising deadlines Internal news: reports, conferences, events,
milestones met, etc.External news: legislation, court rulings, etc.Media: advertisements, commercials, videos,
etc.Personal stories you can featureHolidays/days of importanceOther solicitations: direct mail, phones,
events, etc.
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3. Don’t ask for a million bucks.
1 time donors become repeat donors.
Repeat donors become recurring donors.
Use donation history to customize the ask.
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4. (Some) gimmicks work (but don ’t overdo it).
GoalsMatchesPremiumsDeadlines
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5. Non-donation emails can be your best donation emails.
People like to reward good behavior
Daisy chain non-donation actions to donation pages
Keep the % of emails that directly ask for money low
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Email Matters- Dionna HumphreySenior Email Campaigner
Does your website matter?
Yes but ONLY if you drive people to it.
What happens when they get there?
How do they get there?
What do you want them to do?
How do you get them there?
Quality not quantity is key!
Options for building your list: list swappaid acquisitionorganic growthemail list appendsevents
Now what? Cultivate!Give new subscribers something to do
ask them what’s important
flag their interest
Engagement pathway
Email Matters!Now you’ve got a cultivated, motivated list -
keep them engaged.- ask for money - report back on your victories- tell your story
Email is keyVisuals
links above the fold
short paragraphs
reinforce the message
when appropriate, use deadlines
Where does social media fit in?
Usually not a big source of revenue BUT
continually engaged
primed to take action and get on your list
Thank you.
Questions?
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