My first nonprofit fundraising job was as unexpected as it was enlightening. I was a newly-divorced single mom in need of employment, and lighted on a position looking for strong writing skills and experience. I sent in my resume and a writing sample immediately, and was asked to come in for an interview a few weeks later. When I found out the organization wanted a grant writer, my heart sank, as I had no experience in that field whatsoever.
The executive director assured me that writing experience and a willingness to learn were the main pre-requisites for the job, which resulted in a long conversation about communication. After the executive director spoke with a few people I had worked for previously, I was hired, and, with the help of my mentor/boss, learned not only to write grants, but even more importantly, advanced my knowledge of person-to-person fundraising.
Personal Connections: Critical to Fundraising Success
The first thing my mentor taught me was how critical it was to make personal contact with donors, potential donors, and other decision makers. Personal donors and even foundations received hand-written notes from the executive director, who made sure she knew everyone’s first name and as many personal details as she could learn.
The main idea my mentor conveyed was that donors want real connection with organizations they support—which is why strong writing skills are so important. She also emphasized that donors should not only hear from you when you need money. And while most fundraisers now use digital communication, it’s still possible to make a case for support without sending handwritten notes to each and every donor (though it’s wonderful if you can).
Specific Needs, Specific Audiences
As there are numerous nonprofits out there, competition for fundraising dollars is fierce. How do you position your organization to find supporters who genuinely care about your work and want to fund it?
First, you have to let your specific audiences know who you are and what you’re trying to accomplish—and there will never be a “one size fits all” audience for your mission. There are, instead, different audiences, and each one has specific preferences and needs.
One group may be long-time supporters who know your organization well and believe in them. Another group may have attended classes or tagged along with a spouse or friend to an event. They need to be cultivated as donors before they agree to give. If your organization is based in your state but serves people nationwide, you’ll need a different approach than if you are serving people locally in your state or city.
For example, if you are trying to raise money for an internship program, recent college graduates who were interns should receive a different email than older adults whose grandchildren are interns. “Who has time for any of this?” you ask (and I can hear you asking it right now).
All I can say is you don’t have to reinvent the wheel for each letter. Yet, just as you tailor your resume for different job applications, you can also tailor a few different letters for different audiences.
Goals, Tips and Tools
Though we live in a digital age, most non-profits currently employ a broad menu of direct-mail and digital appeals. Interestingly, direct mail often brings in the highest number of donors, but emails and texts also play an essential role in attracting donors, according to recent research.
Your goal in fundraising digitally is to get viewers to open your emails and read them. Before you even write your first word, start by asking yourself the following questions:
- How did each potential donor find you?
- What group does she or he belong to (returning donor, new member, someone who attends events, vendor or family member)?
- What is important to this particular donor or group of donors?
- How can your organization echo the values of those you want to cultivate?
Through my work as a fundraising professional, I learned people rarely give to organizations or concepts—they give to people who mean something to them. That’s why you have to know your audience and learn what they care about. You can do that through surveys, focus groups, social media events or blogs, online newsletters, or calls and meetings whenever possible. Your aim should be to spark enough interest from a would-be donor to result in a name/phone/email you can add to your mailing list.
Before you add any contact information to your mailing list, be sure you have permission to send emails and avoid these harmful email practices. Sending messages without permission can result in consequences you don’t want or need—among them, fines or other penalties.
What to Know Before Starting Your Fundraising Campaign
To generate sign-ups from possible member/donors, you have several options. Offer sign-up links on your organization’s website, in bios, posts, and video captions, offering subscribers special gifts or privileges. You can also contact someone directly, provided that you have an existing relationship with them.
Another point to consider when sending out fundraising emails: don’t overuse them. In fact, less is often more when it comes to digital fundraising. Chances for success are far better when you share information judiciously, rather than bombarding viewers with messages that may feel overwhelming.
We already know emails can be effective, but what about texts? I recommend sending them only to those who have a genuine connection with the organization you represent—and referring to a previous email or direct mail campaign. This decision is based on how I feel when I receive texts from organizations I don’t know—so it is subjective—and rooted in my experience as a donor, not a fundraiser. Yet, I think being a donor should inform our fundraising decisions.
One of the biggest decisions you must make about sending emails is the platform you use to send them. Mailing services such as Zeffy are free—a bonus for organizations strapped for cash. Zeffy uses donations rather than fees, while other mailers offer low-cost options. Once you find a platform, you can begin tailoring your message to segmented audiences. That may mean sharing a particular story that fits with your audiences’ preferences, or an intriguing contest or photo-essay about something viewers deeply care about.
Follow Ups and Staying in Touch
Follow up your campaign email with a reminder message, and then a heartfelt thank you to everyone who donated. It’s also vital to stay in touch when you are not asking for money, as my mentor said. Monthly newsletters often capture more attention than fundraising campaigns, and are an excellent way to build trust and connections. You can add a line about donations to your newsletter as a subtle way to solicit donations. Texts with photos or even short contests or jokes can capture donors’ attention as well. Will you be successful with every campaign? No. Will you bump up against surprises and decide to go in a different direction? Yes. The important thing to remember is that digital fundraising can be done with a personal touch. And while it may not be as personal as a handwritten note or an in-person lunch, a segmented email can further your fundraising goals quickly and efficiently—bringing in new donors in a shorter amount of time than you might otherwise expect.
Jenna Zark, Principal at Zark Writing LLC, has worked in journalism, public relations, video script writing, philanthropy, and communications positions. She is an award-winning playwright and published author whose most recent book Crooked Lines won six recent awards, and is now available as a second edition and audio book at Emery Press. Visit www.jennazark.com to learn more.