Smooth running, well integrated campaigns
Smart fundraisers capture the attention of prospects and donors by strengthening traditional channels with digital. If you don’t do this . . . then you lose.
The loss is fewer funds raised because you acquired fewer donors, retained fewer donors, upgraded fewer donors, etc.
In other words: Nonprofits must consistently execute integrated fundraising/marketing campaigns. Backup direct mail and telemarketing with tailored email, social and other online campaigns.
It’s NOT one or the other. The best prospects, donors and members are found – and retained – by the use of both traditional and digital fundraising/marketing. Your challenge is finding the ideal mix for YOUR nonprofit that drives revenue growth.
Donors and members are consumers first
The people supporting your nonprofit are probably spending far more of their time as consumers than they are as donors or members. This means what they’re exposed to in consumer marketing influences their interactions and expectations of your organization.
So use retail as an example. The more successful retailers are integrating traditional channels with digital. Those who fail to do so are going bankrupt.
Chip Grizzard of Grizzard Communications Group made this same point in a recent blog post: “Digital integration is and will be key to your success.”
Mr. Grizzard also stated: “Today, more than 65% of new donors do their own “showrooming” by checking out a charity’s website before donating. And we know that more than 45% of online donors received a direct mail piece within 30 days of the donation. Your donors are researching you online; are you welcoming them to your homepage with compelling, simple and relevant content?”
The September 2012 issue of Direct Marketing News had a feature article relating to the integration of print with digital.
It stated, “50% of consumers say they pay more attention to direct mail than email marketing.” I say again … Consumers are also donors, members and advocates. Their consumer behavior doesn’t do a 180-degree turn when they interact with your nonprofit.
Key points from this DM News article include:
• Find the right consumers donors and then target them through the media mix they use
• Consider the cumulative effect of all touch points
• Create useful messages that can travel across fundraising/marketing platforms (e.g., let supporters use Facebook to vote on something you sent in print; and test QR codes)
• Format for tablets that are experiencing a fast-growing adoption rate across many age groups, including Boomers.
• Direct mail plays a key role in acquisition
• Direct mail can be an effective nurturing tool. Plus it has a “… degree of credibility that digital media doesn’t.”
• Direct mail has to complement a multichannel campaign
Tying it all together is data. Understanding the data (on donors, members, etc.) is a requirement for a successful integrated approach. You also need to use the data to help all the channels work together for maximum impact.
How integrated are your fundraising campaigns? Finding the right mix of traditional and digital is essential for nonprofits to not only survive, but to thrive. Integrate or lose. That’s the bottom line.
Related posts:
Acquisition: To hunt or NOT to hunt for the masses
Retention is the new acquisition
Donors, Consumers and Cause Marketing
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Photo credit: RalphBijker via PhotoPin.com
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