Has your fundraising and member acquisition efforts fallen into a routine? Are you essentially sending out the same stuff over and over to your direct mail list and email list?

What are you testing in your fundraising “lab”?

There’s an aspect of repetition that’s fine: When you have a control … use it.

On the other hand, even a smooth running engine needs tuning and adjusting on a regular basis.

That’s why you do regular testing on your fundraising communications.

In fact, direct response marketing demands on-going testing. That’s part of the secret. That’s why testing is fundamental to your fundraising.

What to test

• Outer envelope. First step is to get it opened so the letter can be read. Test a different image, color versus black and white, full envelope design, plain envelope, teaser and no teaser, and possibly special faux envelopes for true emergencies. Also test using a different size of carrier envelope.

• Add a lift note or buck slip. Often times this one simple change can do the trick. Related variations are to add a post-it note or a handwritten note on the letter.

• New copy or a variation of the copy. This ranges from a completely new letter to a new headline and lead. It can even include testing a shorter letter along the same lines, or adding more detail for a longer letter. Do NOT assume that just because you never read a longer letter that no one else does. Many incredible, long-standing controls are longer letters. Find out what works best for your fundraising campaigns.

• Drop the brochure. Especially in acquisition, a brochure or other enclosure usually depresses response. Yet within some niches (e.g., arts and culture), they often work well. In any event, it is easy to test. And of course you can also test a totally different approach to your brochure.

• Make me a better offer. First off, be sure to ASK. I’ve read many a letter where they never ask me to donate or do anything else. Make it CLEAR what you want your readers to do. Oh, and also make it clear what they get for joining or making a donation. Next find a way to strengthen your offer. Add an interactive device. Tie the offer to an online poll they can easily respond to. If you use freemiums or premiums test variations of them.

• Add urgency. Whenever possible find a way to add a deadline. Give readers a good reason to respond as soon as possible. And explain the consequences if they don’t. Do they lose out on something? Does another person get diagnosed with a disease with no hope for a cure? Does another nonprofit close their doors because your foundation ran out of grant money – and who else is hurt when they close their doors? Deadline and impact. Spell it out.

• New reply device. When was the last time you overhauled your reply device? Many people glance at that first to get the gist of what you’re asking. If it looks okay, then they start on the letter (and the starting point is usually the P.S.). Some donate without reading. Can your reply device do the job solo?

• Add a coin to a package. Use a price point to tie the coin to the letter copy.

• Use handwriting (actual or QUALITY simulated) on the OSE; or inside on the letter. But I have a strong preference for “real” handwriting.

• Use a live stamp on the carrier envelope. Consider going first class.

• Gift amounts and gift strings. When was the last time to tested variations of these?

• Signer of the letter or email.

• Email subject line. More ideas on subject lines here.

• When a letter or email is sent. Timing is everything, as the saying goes. Email can get down to the day of the week and the time of day. It’s also impacted by the time zone of the recipient.

• Flexible payment terms. An association could test this for membership dues.

Those are at least 15 ideas on what you can test to nudge a higher response rate or a higher average gift value out of your marketing and fundraising campaigns. And even a fraction of a percent increase can add up to an impressive amount on your bottom line.

And don’t try to test too much at once. When you vary multiple elements you’re never quite sure which change did the trick (or conversely, which change hurt response). Have a control and send it out to a statistically significant portion of your file. Then send the test version to the other file segment.

Keep your fundraising and marketing machine well-tuned. Keep testing.

What has worked best for you when testing your direct response appeals?

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Too many nonprofits are afraid to be different. They get so hung up about being “professional” that they forget about being human. And I find that quite ironic for a charity.

In your copy – the words within your direct mail letters, emails, text messages, newsletters, press releases, case studies, social media updates, etc. – you must sound like a human. And you must also stand out from the crowd.

Sometimes I feel like I harp on this topic to the point of nausea. If you’re already a master at writing this way – sorry to bug you once again. On the other hand, if you’re like the vast majority – please study this post carefully and be willing to change.

Jeff Bullas recently shared seven tips to finding “your” writing voice. And that’s what prompted me to write about this topic once again.

Here are his 7 tips with my twist added to make them more relevant for fundraising copywriting:

1 – Show your personality

When representing your charity (or association), you might not have as much leeway in letting your personality shine through as an individual does. Nonetheless, it’s important for the signer of your letters and emails to push the envelope a bit. If you’re dull and boring and sound like an institution spouting the same ole’ message . . . how can that possibly inspire anyone to donate?

2 – Display your humor

Why not? Have a bit of fun. Especially within social media. Although I admit you have to be careful with humor. Perhaps you can gently introduce it by relating what your nonprofit does to a popular movie comedy; using a movie to make a point in a fun way. Or have someone create a warm cartoon. Get creative.

3 – Put yourself in your audience’s shoes

This is HUGE for charities and associations! One way to do this is to use the Stanislavsky method. Think like a donor. And the longer you’ve been working at your charity, the harder this is to do.

4 – Expose your imperfections

Nobody’s perfect. This includes your nonprofit. When you make a mistake; fess up to it right away.

Another way of looking at this is that the stories related to your organization are full of drama. They’re full of life’s bumps, scrapes and scratches. Expose that in your copy.

5 – Reveal your passion

I like how Bullas says it: “Allowing the passion that drives you to radiate and express your ideas and creativity will allow the genius that is you to shine. Passion is not a singular word but a synergy of interests, skills and focus that is wrangled and woven together. Put passion on display.”

I also wrote about this not too long ago in my blog, Six Principles of Great Nonprofit Content (see Principle #5).

6 – Tell your stories

If it’s appropriate to share part of your personal story … please do so. Any specifics on why you’re so passionate about the mission, why you work there, and so forth all add up to a much stronger connection with your readers – the donors and/or members. You become real. You have struggles just like them.

In any case you also need to master the art of nonprofit storytelling as you share stories about your mission and the people you help.

7 – Develop brand “you”

Here the focus is clearly on your nonprofit’s brand (as opposed to your personal brand), yet don’t forget the previous six tips. Your nonprofit brand ought to be something you can summarize in a key phrase or two; a simple sentence. And when I say simple … I mean simple. This automatically eliminates your mission statement.

As Bullas says in his post, “This is more an art than a science, but it’s worth a try.”

Skillfully incorporate all seven tips into your nonprofit copywriting and you’ll sound human. You’ll stand out from the crowd. Donors will be more inclined to support your cause. You’ll help more people.

More related posts:

It’s “Us” or “Them” – Writing reader-centric copy

Bore your nonprofit readers – 11 common copywriting mistakes

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I like email. I like sending text messages. And I use both extensively. Yet neither of them grabs my attention like seeing someone’s handwriting on an envelope or note card that I receive.

This is one reason I don’t believe direct mail will ever die, because it’s how we send each other handwritten notes, cards and letters.

And in the nonprofit world, I also believe sending a handwritten note is one of the most effective forms of cultivation available.

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Don’t think handwriting is important?

Let me ask you this: Would you send a sympathy card with a typed message on the inside? If you answered “yes,” I’d be stunned and deeply disappointed.

Why exactly is the handwritten note so powerful? Why does it make a BIG impact on your donors?

• Handwritten messages take more time to create – the manual writing; the care to not misspell because ‘spellcheck’ isn’t available; and the time to write neatly so it can be easily read.

• Handwriting isn’t easy or time efficient. That’s partly why it’s exceptional.

• It costs more – and people know this – especially as compared to email, text messages or a social media update/message. The stationery, the stamps, and the logistics of getting it mailed all add to the cost.

• There’s something very personal about handwriting. It’s “real.”

• Personal handwritten messages stand out in a world of fast, digital communications.

• The handwritten note is becoming a lost art. How sad.

• It’s not only the elderly that appreciate the gesture.

• A well-crafted handwritten note shows a deeper investment and level of appreciation than a simple thank-you is able to do. But please don’t limit your use of handwriting notes to thank-you messages.

• It’s tangible. It’s more memorable than email, text or other digital messages.

• It adds up to this: Handwriting communicates value – specifically, that YOU value the donor

Perhaps you’re thinking: Who has time for this?

First off; I realize your time is limited. Whose isn’t?

Yet that’s precisely why a handwritten note is such a marvelous cultivation strategy.

Whether it’s adding a handwritten note onto a typed letter . . . or writing a handwritten thank-you card . . . or enclosing a handwritten note to a major donor with an article on a topic of great interest to them . . . or anything in between, you send a loud and clear message that you value the donor receiving your handwritten message.

I believe everything you do is cultivation. This strategy of weaving handwritten notes into your donor communications is unique. It’s worth making the time to do it – to find a way to make it a regular part of your stewardship and fundraising.

That’s not all. Sincere, thoughtful and consistent cultivation increases loyalty, donor life-time value, retention, and your total funds raised. Remember: High touch trumps high tech when it comes to warm, personalized cultivation and fundraising. Direct mail delivers this high touch.

More on this topic:

8+ ways to better serve and cultivate donors and members

Donors and Teddy Bears Have a Lot in Common

6 Top Cultivation Methods (AKA: Stewardship)

Revive Direct Mail

This resource may also help you cultivate mid-level and major donors with a clever, personalized style. You can buy a batch of custom made cards, or have them do it all for you – even write the “handwritten” message … BlackSheepPostal.com

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Today I share a collection of tips to make your fundraising appeals – direct mail or email – a whole lot more effective.

And in keeping with the spirit of the title, I’ll stick to the points and not pontificate:

• Speak (I mean out loud) what you want to write. Then write what you said; how you said it.

• Define the purpose of the appeal; the goal

• Write the P.S. first – your offer

• Don’t be a nit-pick grammarian. (Read the first bullet again)

• Lose the jargon

• It’s NOT about your nonprofit

• Hero of your mission is the donor or member. Make this clear in your copy.

• Have plenty of white space – yes, even in email

• Use a larger font, and one that’s easy to read

• Black (not gray) colored font on white background is the easiest to read; body of your copy ought to be black on white

• Short sentences. Short paragraphs.

• Letters should not look like a business letter. Indent paragraphs. Do not justify margins.

• Highlight key passages (bold; italics; or underlining depending on the channel)

• Write reader-centric copy

• Tell a great story – master this art

• Clear call-to-action

• Don’t ramble

• Use emotion, passion, and opinions

• Write for skimmers

• Employ direct response principles

• Use a warm, friendly tone

• Show how donors make a difference

Concepts seem simple; yet few can do them well. That’s your challenge.

Related posts:

Bore your nonprofit readers in 11 different ways

2 Fundamentals of a Strong Fundraising Appeal

5 Most Common Mistakes in Fundraising Copy

People of ALL ages go online to research before buying, before donating, before traveling, before doing a wide variety of actions. And because print sources of information are becoming more and more limited (e.g., Yellow Pages, newspapers), the importance of having quality information about your charity or association on your website is an absolute requirement.

Did you notice that I said “quality” information? This includes quality design.

Yet with all the resources available these days, there are still scores of nonprofits with mediocre websites.

They ‘drop the ball’ when it comes to website layout and content. Or they spend all their effort on glitzy images and forget basic communication principles.

For example: Tons of “wow” photos don’t replace quality content and layout – the workhorses that actually get visitors to donate or join.

A recent article by MarketingProfs triggered my post today. They highlighted 6 top reasons (based on an analysis of 1-million websites) that small business websites fail. And I believe the same problems hold true for nonprofit websites. I’ve added a seventh failure to their list of six.

What are the seven ways nonprofit websites ‘drop the ball’ and consequently yield less-than-optimal results?

1)    Not built right for mobile devices

Doesn’t matter how small you are, you must design for the mobile audience. If your site is a WordPress design, there are plugins to create basic adjustments for mobile audiences.

If your site doesn’t render well on mobile devices (including tablets and smartphones), then you’ll frustrate visitors and potential donors and members. In other words, very few will stick around to do anything of value on your site.

And don’t forget that the majority of people access their social media networks via mobile. So any links to your site must take them to mobile-friendly landing pages.  http://pkscribe.com/nonprofit_news/3-strategic-decisions-your-nonprofit-needs-to-make/

2) Anti-Social Media

In the small business study, 80.5% of SMB (small business) websites had no social media links – Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Google+, LinkedIn, foursquare, etc. That’s shocking!

I’d like to think nonprofit websites would post a lower number (meaning more of them do this right), but I doubt it would be close to 100%. And even if the sharing icons are there, web visitors need to find them.

This gets to be a delicate balance between your primary call to action on any given page – which is probably something other than getting visitors to share the content on a social network – and making it easy to find the social media links. But having the links / icons “grayed-out” in the footer doesn’t seem like the right answer to me either (see example below from MNcommunityFoundation):

3) e-Fail

The study cites the failure of nearly 3-quarters of the SMB websites to have an email link on their homepage for consumers to contact the business.

For nonprofits, not only does it need to be there … but it needs to be easy to find. AND, you need to give people a reason for signing up for your email list.

For example: “Join Our Mailing List” just doesn’t cut it.

4) (Lack of) Information, Please

This refers to any type of form-fill option for people to request information. This ought to be a default step when creating and updating nonprofit websites. But again, also give people the ability to reach you by phone.

Here’s another incentive for having a form-fill option where people include their email for sending and receiving your reply: It’s another way to build your email list. Just make certain that you get permission to stay in touch after replying to their initial inquiry.

5) E.T. Can’t Phone Home

You can’t escape the phone. I believe a phone number ought to be prominent on every page. Make it easy for donors and members to reach you in a variety of ways.

And when you train your call staff well, they can really improve the quality of data you have on donors; and they can become a revenue center. That’s right. They can request donations!

6) SEO struggles

If you have a website and no one can find it, does it really exist?

What are the keywords for your type of nonprofit? Is the copy on the pages optimized for SEO? Are you employing other key SEO tactics?

Done well, you can enjoy a nice chunk of organic traffic.

Here’s a seventh failure that I added to the list which is also a peeve of mine,

7) You do WHAT? And WHO are you exactly?

Within 3 seconds of landing on your nonprofit website, visitors ought to understand the gist of what you do and be able to confirm who you are. That means the content – not the images, but the content – above the fold must communicate this quickly and clearly.

Any idea what this nonprofit does?

I have no idea what they do.

Fix the problem by adding a few words to the header so the message appears on every single page people land on. On your HOME page, include a short paragraph above the fold (no scrolling required) that summarizes how donors make a difference when they support your charity. Or state how professionals will have more success in their career by joining your association.

And avoid acronyms like the plague. Associations seem to be the worst offenders of this. Don’t assume everyone coming to your site knows what the heck your acronym stands for.

The name of an organization seldom reveals what it is you do and therefore who you really are. Only a handful of household names can rely on this. For example: American Red Cross. And even they have problems getting enough people to realize the breadth of their mission.

Your website is the heart and soul of all your marketing and fundraising efforts. It is the hub of the wheel with all the spokes extending from and to it. So make the time to get it right. Fix these seven mistakes or else you’ve dropped the ball. What’s worse is that you’ll raise far less money. Your choice.

Related posts:

I hate your nonprofit website – 8 mistakes

Nonprofit web design: The risky dominance of images

Mobile-Friendly Nonprofit Websites

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I continue to come across numerous people seeking the “formula” for writing winning nonprofit stories. And you can find plenty of posts and articles promising to deliver the formula.

However; there is NO winning formula.

I’m not saying there aren’t proven story lines you can use to help you frame the structure of your story.

Just recognize that many great stories don’t follow any of those story lines. Whether it’s a novel, a Hollywood movie, or a story within a fundraising appeal.

That being said, here are tips that may help you get closer to writing a compelling nonprofit story:

• There is no formula for writing a marvelous story. Simply principles and guidelines.

• Following absolute “rules” won’t help you write a better story. Instead follow the principle that “… this works, and has through all remembered time.” Master the form; NOT the rules.

• The more vivid the images … the better the storytelling.

• Squeeze the life out of the least things.

• Story is about thoroughness; NOT shortcuts. But this doesn’t mean you ramble on and on.

• A story is a metaphor for life. This is real life drama unfolding.

• Neat thing about fundraising stories is that there’s nothing false; it’s NOT make-believe. It’s real.

• What is a “good” story? It’s something worth telling that the world wants to hear.

• As you write, you must be moved by a desire to touch your readers. Respect them. Don’t take the cold view of seeing them only as a source of revenue.

• You need to master the art of storytelling … NOT second-guessing the marketplace (i.e., how donors and members will respond).

• It’s NOT pontificating about how great your charity or association is.

• Nonprofit storytelling is giving your donor or member the chance to be the hero of the story.

• You must believe what you write. This is why I [Karen Zapp] am selective in which charities and associations I take on as clients. Their mission must be one I either could, or do support.

• A story is WHAT you have to say … and HOW you say it.

Storytelling is also hard work. Sometimes it can take hours to write a story that’s only a few paragraphs long … yet it grabs people at a deep level. It moves them. It triggers a response.

Don’t waste your time looking for the shortcut formula for nonprofit storytelling. It doesn’t exist. Not even in pixie dust will make that wish come true.

Related posts:

How to make nonprofit stories come alive

9 photo tips for better nonprofit storytelling

Structure of a basic nonprofit story

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“What’s the big deal? These guys will be around. I’ll donate next time I hear from them.”

That just might be what many donors are thinking if YOU fail to give them a solid reason why they ought to donate right now.

In direct marketing we refer to this as giving the reader a sense of urgency.

Something too often overlooked in nonprofit marketing and fundraising.

Without a sense of urgency, your offer – whether a fundraising appeal, an invitation to join, asking them to sign a petition, etc. – may not generate as many responses as you had hoped. Urgency makes your offer more compelling and therefore more likely that people will respond.

In other words with urgency: You’ll raise more funds. Acquire and retain more members. Convert more donors to monthly giving. Etc.

Why is this? Two primary reasons.

Strike while the iron is hot. There is an old saying among direct marketers: “A decision deferred is a decision not made.”

Another reason to include urgency in your fundraising and marketing messages is to help you stand out from all the other marketing that is bombarding your prospects and supporters. Too many things are competing for their attention, and you need to give her sufficient motivation to do it right now, while the piece is still in her hands, or the email is displayed on her screen.

How do you add urgency?

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Add a time limit. It can either be a specific date, “Send your gift before June 30, 2012, so we have the funding to continue offering Masterpiece Theater this season.” Or it can be more generic, “You must reply within 15 days so your gift reaches us in time ...”

A specific date is preferred IF you can control the timing of when supporters receive your appeal. You don’t want it to arrive after the deadline!

And the shorter the time period to respond (e.g., 15 days versus 30), the more pressure there is to act quickly. But you may not want them to feel too rushed. Test it!

With email the time frames can be shorter.

Add a bonus or gift. There may be an added “bonus” or benefit to the prospect or supporter responding sooner. This is often seen when a major donor has offered to match funds raised. If a certain amount is raised even faster, sometimes the amount the major donor contributes is even greater.

Many environmental nonprofits are successful offering backend premiums as a bonus. And depending on your mission, the offer of a free report related to your mission might work well.

Limited number offer. If it’s genuine, this variation (scarcity) may also add urgency.

For example:  “The first 100 patrons, who respond with a gift of $500 or more receive a signed print by the artist …”

Early bird discount. This is commonly used for events and pre-publication offers for directories, books, and so forth.

How do you add urgency to your marketing and fundraising messages? How are you boosting response by giving readers a valid reason to respond NOW?

Whatever your method … here’s a word of caution: With all offers and the urgency you add, be honest. Readers will see right through the nonsense and bogus deadlines. It’s not worth the risk to make something up just for the sake of adding urgency.

More reading related to nonprofit “offers”:

Annoying lift note offers

Thoughts on your reply device

Testing the offer and more

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The perfect fundraising storm I’m referring to is the creative collision between the art and science of storytelling … with the skill of interviewing to get the story … with the keen writing of powerful fundraising copy. That triple whammy yields positive results.

In life, we can’t always accurately foresee when all the elements will combine for a truly perfect storm. But you ought to at least recognize when you can interview someone for the source of a story.

And that’s what I want to help you recognize today – the many opportunities for interviewing a donor, a member, a staff member, a beneficiary of your mission, etc. to get the story you need to craft the fundraising copy that triggers response.

It’s important because the odds are that your charity or association has multiple interview opportunities for more effective fundraising and growth.

Examples of Story Interview Opportunities:

• Elderly Care Facilities (independent living; assisted living; and/or nursing home care) – Interview the residents. Use quotes or better yet profile someone. Tell why they chose your facility, why they’re happy here and what they like best, how they spend their day, and what they get out of it. Equally important … have them share why their children and other family members are glad to have their relative in your facility. What stress and worries are eliminated? How do those family members feel? You could also interview the family members.

• College, university or seminary – Profile a student who has received a scholarship. Weave their story throughout the letter and show the value of the scholarship from the impact on that student’s life. Show the difference it’s making for the student and the dreams they’re able to realize because of that scholarship. And in some appeals (e.g., email, direct mail, website), it may even be effective to share feelings from the parents who – despite all their hard work and sacrifices – had no way to send their child to college without the help of scholarships.

• Private or charter schools – I’ve interviewed the principal of the school to get their perspective. To hear the passion in their voice as they share how the new tools, programs, and equipment helped the kids in their school.

And I’ve interviewed volunteers to find out why they donate so much of their time to help the school. These interviews have been used not only in appeals to raise funds, but to encourage more people to volunteer.

• Staff members in the field – Wide variety of missions here. What’s coming to mind most of all for me right now are missions that help the poor.

Interviews I’ve done have revealed why donations are needed to fund solar-powered generators in remote locations overseas. This way children have power for their schools; a refrigerator has power to safely store perishable food; and so on. For another mission it was what it meant for troops deployed to have a chaplain available. Then there was the impact on a village to receive medical care; or for girls in Africa to have the chance to go to school. A homeless person who uses a shelter for source of food, training, and medical care. A family who can feed their children because of food available from an area food bank. Etc.

When these staff members are overseas, you may have to interview by email.

Yet, do whatever you can to augment the email by at least a short voice conversation. Why? Because the spontaneity of the live conversation is where you unearth the gems. You can dig deeper with probing questions. You can hear the passion in their voice.

How can you get the voice interview? Possibly by using Skype; or time the interview to coincide with when the staff member back in the United States on holiday or for training.

• Legacy giving – great opportunity for a donor profile which essentially applies to any and all missions. I’ve seen PBS (Public Broadcasting System) use these most effectively in TV spots. I’ve also written donor profiles based on interviews for clients to use in their newsletters, in appeal letters, for their website and in emails.

• Veterans groups – Possibilities include interviewing donors who are veterans themselves, or perhaps family members of veterans. Find out why they give and how it makes them feel. And again, you can interview veterans themselves who were “lost” until the nonprofit stepped in and gave them training and counseling as they transition back into civilian life. Tons of examples can be cited here.

One of the many benefits to your nonprofit from interviewing people and telling their stories in a captivating way . . . is that you keep your appeals “fresh”. Each letter or email throughout the year is interesting because it’s a new story. And people LOVE to read stories. We crave them.

Look at what your organization does. Make a list of all the different players you could interview for different perspectives on why it’s vital for others to support your mission.

Then combine the compelling content from that interview … with the art and science of storytelling … and use accomplished skills of writing powerful fundraising copy to create your own perfect storm.

Bottom line: The perfect fundraising storm means you get higher response and therefore you raise more funds for your charity or association. And your readers are also rewarded because they made a difference in someone’s life.

How have you used interviews to help your nonprofit?

Related posts:

Donor interviews – what to ask and how to ask it

Donors do the fundraising via video

Let your donor be the hero of your fundraising appeal … and focus on one person in your appeal

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When a donor makes an online donation … or when a prospect joins your association … or when a donor or member makes a purchase … how are you saying “thank you”?

And yes, I’m assuming you do have a thank you page people automatically see after responding to your online call-to-action (CTA). It’s also known as a confirmation page.

Are you merely saying thanks and pointing out how their gift is tax deductible? As an association, are you merely saying thanks for purchasing that book?

If that’s all you’re doing then you are literally leaving money on the table, in my opinion.

Let’s snag a few ideas from the ecommerce sector, shall we? I read an article, “11 Ways to Optimize Thank You Pages” on ElasticPath and I recommend you read it too. Because although I’m sharing a few ideas with you here that I’ve tailored for nonprofits … you’ll likely think of more when you read the article.

Leverage The Thank You Page

How can you leverage that thank you page? How can you get it to work even harder for your charity or association?

Here are seven ideas I’ve adapted from the article and reframed for nonprofits:

1 – Keep shopping:

If you do sell products (and some nonprofits do), then suggest a related / complimentary product for purchase.

Suggest related articles on other pages of your site based on the content the web visitor just responded to.

Use a testimonial from a donor as to why they named your nonprofit in their will and link to a page with more info.

2 – Let’s make a deal:

This refers to coupons. So how about a special deal on an upcoming event if they purchase right now?

3 – Get ‘em curious:

Here the idea is to use creative copy and images (not merely thumbnails) to “pre-sell and generate interest.” This strikes me as a good candidate for advocacy. For example: 6,327 have already joined the fight the last week…

People start to wonder, “What is this important fight? Maybe I ought to join in too.”

You can use two or three creative images where people can choose which CTA is most appealing. You can combine CTAs. One could include a compelling reason for them to opt-in to your email list. (Notice I said, “compelling reason”.)

4 – Survey:

This is a terrific opportunity to ask a few (I advise no more than three) questions to deepen their engagement and build a touch more loyalty.

As the article says, these requests can include an incentive to respond or not. I’m not keen on offering premiums or something similar. But I do believe in giving people a darn good reason why they ought to spend time answering your questions.

And no; merely saying that, “Your answers will help us,” is NOT a good reason. Instead, emphasize the benefit(s) to the person answering the survey.

5 – Gettin’ social:

Give donors, members and advocates a chance to share with their own social media network what they just did – made a gift to your charity; joined your association; signed an electronic petition; etc.

May also give them the chance to pin a photo on Pinterest related to what they just did.

6 – Recruit:

This is a variation on number 5. Membership organizations, advocacy groups, and so on can encourage people to invite friends and associates to also join, vote, etc. Basically give people the chance to bring their network along – to do the same thing they just did.

7 – Up-sell or cross-sell:

Offer them the chance to join your monthly giving club. Show the value of this special way of giving.

Or have an offer (CTA) to sign up for a second year membership for X dollars less; sell a popular book or other resource.

Or they’ve just joined your association and you offer a limited time discount for your upcoming annual conference. This way you don’t discount your membership fees and it’s another type of “early bird” offer for your conference.

Read the article and study the examples.

Don’t get hung up on the fact that it’s written for ecommerce websites. You can learn a lot from other markets. And perhaps you’ll even want to pay closer attention the next time you make an online consumer purchase. What is that e-tailer doing that your charity or association can adopt?

Nonprofit thank you pages are important. They reassure donors, members, advocates, etc. that their online “purchase” was successful. And it’s a golden opportunity for you to get them to take one more step. Leverage the thank you page and get web visitors to become more deeply connected to your charity or association with one of the seven strategic call-to-actions listed above.

How are you making the most of your thank you pages?

Related posts:

Timing of your “thank you” is everything

How to write a thank you – examples and guidelines

Package gestalt includes the Thank You – online AND offline

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Photo credit: “Dot D.” via Flickr and PhotoPin.com

Influence donors. Engage members. Rally advocates. Nurture prospects.

While social media isn’t the “end-all to beat-all,” it clearly has its place in your nonprofit marketing and fundraising strategy.

The infographic below has five points as to why social media is a strong tool for influencing.

And although the infographic is referring to people in general and how social media influences their buying decisions . . . Please remember this: People are people.

Their behavior regarding how social media influences buying decisions (this includes decisions to donate, volunteer, join, etc.) is quite consistent between the consumer and nonprofit arenas. Things they respond to and share have a lot in common from one market sector to another. Bear this in mind as you study the infographic.

Specifically I want to draw your attention to points 3, 4 and 5:

3 – It’s habit forming.

• Be where the people are. They’re in social media. You need to be in social media.

• This is an opportunity to get them hooked on the habit of what’s happening with your mission; keeping close tabs on your news and activities; and how they’re helping to make it all happen.

• 40% don’t mind being interrupted for a message! Just make certain you send a message they view as worthwhile, interesting, and relevant.

4 – It influences life offline.

• Social media users are 75% more likely to spend money on music. Why not make it easy for this to include supporting your symphony, attending a concert, or buying a fundraising CD?

• Social media users are 18% more likely to work out at a gym or health club. If your mission is health related, how can you take advantage of this? Are these other businesses potential cause marketing partners? Are they places where you could advertise? Are gym and club users people to target in social media for support of your mission because they are so health conscious? I’m sure you can think of more ideas.

• Social media users are 44% more likely to give their opinion on TV programs. If you use DRTV, then take advantage. All other nonprofits can extend this to make opinion polls and surveys available in social media, email, direct mail, on your website, etc.

• Social media users are 26% more likely to give their opinion on politics and current events. Lots of associations and charities can take advantage of this via opinion polls and surveys in social media, email, direct mail, on your website, etc.

5 – It helps businesses.

• Your organization is also a business – just a nonprofit business model.

• If 65% of small business owners stay engaged with their customers via small business … why not you? And how can you leverage a partnership with a business to reach their customers via their social media network?

• Social media can nurture prospects and convert them into supporters. After all, 64% of Twitter users and 51% of Facebook users are more likely to buy the brands they follow online!

• Trying to expand your supporters and members to the under 35 crowd? Use social media to reach them, engage with them, and encourage them to share their love of your mission – and how good they feel about supporting it – with their network. 50% under the age of 35 follow their online friends’ product and service recommendations. This can extend to your nonprofit.

One more important point: I believe the small and medium nonprofits have the advantage when it comes to social media. I believe it’s easier for you to have more personal (i.e., real and genuine) conversations via social media with your supporters.

Studies have shown this to be true with small businesses as compared to the major, household brands. This is often because fewer people are involved; the organizations are local and regional and can combine online with face-to-face engagements; and so on.

What are your experiences with influencing supporters of your nonprofit via social media? Are you leaving it to luck or are you being strategic?

Oh, and since a grand holiday is only four days away I want to wish you a Happy St. Patrick’s Day!

Related posts:

Maximize Facebook ROI for Nonprofits

How to write donor-centric Tweets (includes examples)

Tis always the season for social media

Visual storytelling and social media

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Infographic found on InfographicsArchive.com

Photo credit: “MeepFriends” via PhotoPin.com