5 Keys to Pulling out of the Economic Nosedive
This is my latest Fundraising Success=20 column - timely stuff, I think, so I=E2=80=99m sharing it here.
It=E2=80=99s ugly out there, and if you=E2=80=99re the pilot of your = fundraising endeavors,=20 you=E2=80=99re getting pretty sick of the turbulence. Many of us = are rendered=20 nauseous by the sight of the goals on our development dashboards. = Some=20 nonprofits are in a fiscal nosedive. And as any financial pundit = worth his=20 market metaphors will tell you, falling is no fun, especially without a = golden=20 parachute.
In situations like this, some people panic. Others get = inventive. =20 Let=E2=80=99s all pledge here and now to stay in the latter = category. As a wise=20 man once said, worrying is not thinking and complaining is not action. =
Here are five keys to pulling yourself and your message together to = survive=20 2009. They are all variations on an important theme: give donors = what they=20 want during tough times.
1. Give donors what they want: to feel good.
That=E2=80=99s right. Donors want to feel good, especially = right now. =20 They want a helper=E2=80=99s high. They want to have an impact, = make a difference=20 and attain an emotional ROI. You don=E2=80=99t give that to them = with a desperate,=20 doom and gloom message about your dire need. Even if = you=E2=80=99re feeling=20 negative, there is no need to share that emotion unless there is a happy = windup=20 to your appeal. Who can the donor save? What can they make=20 possible? How can they be a superhuman life-changer for a small = sum? =20 Tell them that. It=E2=80=99s good stuff. It=E2=80=99s = motivating stuff. It=20 works. DO NOT LOSE SIGHT OF THIS. Times are tough and if you = can=20 make people feel good about themselves and what they=E2=80=99ve done, = that=E2=80=99s worth a lot=20 to them.
2. Give donors what they want: to hear from people they know.
Now=E2=80=99s a good time to change up the messenger. People = are going to be in=20 a kind of mental fetal position this year, clinging to their nearest and = dearest=20 in this scary world. So if you put your cause in the mouths of = their=20 friends and family, you=E2=80=99re going to get much further than you = would messaging=20 alone. Ask your supporters to spread the word about you. The = messenger will be key this year, and it=E2=80=99s best if it=E2=80=99s = not you.
3. Give donors what they want: tangibility.
People are pinching pennies and seeking value this year, whether in = the=20 aisles of Wal-Mart or when giving money. You need to show = you=E2=80=99re going to=20 be a very trustworthy, efficient and effective steward of their money, = and=20 there=E2=80=99s no better way to do that than to be very concrete. = Where will the=20 money go? What dollars buy what change? What good is going = to result=20 from a gift? Answer these questions many times: when a donor = gives, after=20 they give, and next time you contact them for help.
4. Give donors what they want: flexibility.
Not everyone can give as they have in more prosperous times. So = recognize that fact and give them flexibility in how they support = you. How=20 can they volunteer their times or talents? How can they assist you = in=20 spreading the word? How about monthly giving =E2=80=93 modest = amounts deducted=20 from their credit cards? Make it easy for people to help, no = matter how=20 hard the times.
5. Give donors what they want: personalization.
Last, don=E2=80=99t forget to do everything you can to personalize = your=20 messages. Donors are going to be hit up for money left and right = by=20 desperate parties this year. If you show you see them as a person = and not=20 a walking wallet, you stand a better chance of standing out. Ask = them=20 about their interests so you can cater to them.
I=E2=80=99ll also add a bonus sixth point, which is that if these =
things aren=E2=80=99t=20
working at all, that tells you something. One explanation is hard =
times,=20
but that=E2=80=99s not the whole story. If you can=E2=80=99t prove =
your relevance to=20
donors or supporters, you have more than the recession to blame. =
You need=20
to call up a few folks and find out why you=E2=80=99re failing to =
connect. Or ask=20
yourself if you are targeting the wrong audience. Or question if =
you need=20
to join forces with an organization better positioned for =
outreach. Keep=20
looking till you know why you=E2=80=99re failing =E2=80=93 and then have =
the courage to fix the=20
underlying problem. The more you think instead of panic, the =
greater your=20
chances of pulling out of your nosedive and taking flight.
Posted by
on 02/02 at 08:01 PM
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Comments
Good post. I personally like #5 since that is my = business. All=20 prospects, donors in particular, want to feel special. Blasting = out=20 letters to =E2=80=9CDear Valued Supporter=E2=80=9D just = doesn=E2=80=99t cut it. And research=20 shows that personalization super-charges response rates up to = 5x. But=20 most nonprofits try to find a cheap way to communicate and raise = funds. =20 Getting personal takes more time and money. But if the cause is = worth=20 it, don=E2=80=99t the donors deserve it?
Posted by David=20
Moore on 02/03 at 11:21 AM
Good advice. We tried many of these tactics for our new = Valentine=E2=80=99s Day=20 promotion at Children=E2=80=99s National Medical Center. It=E2=80=99s = personalized=E2=80=94donors were=20 thanked for their past support. It=E2=80=99s = tangible=E2=80=94kids will get real cards=20 in person. And how can a donor not feel good knowing their small = contribution will make a child smile?
Posted by Mark=20
Miller on 02/03 at 03:37 PM
Great article!
We are trying just what you are talking about.
Last year we =
started a=20
non profit organisation and we really want to give the internetvisitor =
a feel=20
good experience!
We do this my uploading new video=E2=80=99s, bi =
montlhy.
So=20
people that donate can actually see what=E2=80=99s happening with =
their donations.=20
Communication is key!
Feel free to check it out:
Thank you.
Jaap van =E2=80=98t Kruis
The Solotrekkers =
Foundation=20
Amsterdam
Posted by Jaap vt=20
Kruis on 02/04 at 09:47 AM
I particularly like your point #4 because it will do a lot to build = the=20 relationship with donors.
This is the time to focus on getting to know your donors. They = represent a=20 scarce resource. So get to know them and mix with them at every = opportunity.=20
Thank you for your significant post. All nonprofits should take to = heart!=20
Posted by Ted=20
Grigg on 02/04 at 06:13 PM
Terrific suggestions everyone, and eloquent points. Scott - = great=20 suggestion on board members. David - great point about = personalization. =20 Mark - great campaign (definitely worth blogging - let us all know how = it=20 goes!) and Ted - you are right, the theme song for fundraisers this = year=20 should be =E2=80=9Cgetting to know you!=E2=80=9D
Posted by
on 02/05 at 06:59 AM
Good post. # 3 is dead on. Donors expect a return on their = investments in=20 the form of helping people, and want to see concrete evidence of that = help.=20
Posted by Peter=20
Goodwin on 02/11 at 02:33 PM
Fantastic post and comments! Thanks for sharing this information! =
Posted by Shane Hudson =
on =20
02/13 at 10:11 PM
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Extremely timely and wonderful post. This is what nonprofits need = to hear=20 and the direction they need to take.
There are so many inexpensive but effective ways to get the word = out but it=20 takes a little more work (but less money) on the part of a nonprofit = to still=20 accomplish their goal.
One example is to utilize your board = and staff=20 to have coffee occasionally with your donors to find out what is on = their=20 minds and to reinforce the mission of the organization. Nothing like = going=20 directily to the source to get accurate and timely information that = can be=20 used to reach targeted audiences or to see were you are failing so you = can=20 improve your results.
Don=E2=80=99t think that there aren=E2=80=99t donors questioning = why they donate at this=20 time and it=E2=80=99s better if we remind them about our particular = mission as opposed=20 to someone down the street doing it.
Great job on this post Katya!