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Fundraising Tuesday | Nonprofit Marketing: How to Build and Maintain Donor Trust

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A guest post by Mike Snusz of Tatango

The success of your nonprofit hinges on the relationships you build within your community. To inspire donors, volunteers, and corporate partners to join in your collective impact, you must first establish a foundation of trust.

Your donors want to make a difference. Before they decide to give to your organization, they need to be sure that you’ll deliver on your promised impact. In fact, according to Independent Sector, 83% of U.S. donors state that nonprofits must earn their trust before they support them, and 80% need to see proof of impact to continue their support.

In this guide, we’ll discuss four essential marketing strategies to build trust and strengthen your donor relationships.

1. Use text messaging for one-on-one communication.

Modern technology has fundamentally changed how people interact with one another. Think about the most recent interactions you’ve had with your friends and family. Chances are, many of them occurred over text messages or phone calls.

Smartphones provide a convenient and personal way to stay in touch with your audience. After all, 46% of Americans spend five to six hours a day on their phones. By incorporating text messaging into your nonprofit’s marketing strategy, you can open the door to more authentic, one-on-one conversations with donors.

According to Tatango’s nonprofit text messaging guide, this communication channel is particularly powerful due to benefits such as:

  • High open rate. Subscribers open 99% of the text messages they receive from organizations they support, which is four times higher than the open rate for email marketing messages.
  • High read rate. 90% of text subscribers open messages within just three minutes of receiving them.
  • Personalization. Your nonprofit can segment its text subscribers and only send them messages that are personally relevant to their interests and preferences. In doing so, you can illustrate how much you value them as individual contributors to your mission.
  • Maximized reach. With the right tools, you can mass-send tailored text messages to your entire audience, saving your staff time without sacrificing personalization.

Beyond sending fundraising appeals and broadcasting important updates via text, you can make the most of the channel by encouraging donors to share feedback and ask questions. This type of direct engagement can make them feel like you care about their input and bring them closer to your nonprofit.

2. Make transparency a priority.

When donors give to your nonprofit, they want to know what happens to their generous dollars. By focusing on improving transparency across your marketing communications, you can enhance your organization’s reputation and convince donors that your mission is worth supporting.

A few key ways to boost your nonprofit’s transparency include:

  • Presenting detailed financial information. Make it easy for donors to find your Form 990 and other financial documents, such as your balance sheet or income statement, by adding them to your website. Consider adding infographics to help them visualize your financial performance.
  • Providing frequent impact updates. Through email newsletters, social media posts, and blog articles, inform donors about your latest accomplishments and how their contributions made them possible. If you encounter any challenges or setbacks, be open about sharing them with your audience, along with the steps you’re taking to address them.
  • Publishing annual reports. An annual report allows your donors and other community members to view a snapshot of your nonprofit’s activities, accomplishments, and financial health over the past year. These reports hold your nonprofit accountable for the goals you set at the beginning of the year and allow you to celebrate your most impressive wins with your community.

To ensure that you’re only communicating accurate progress and results to your donors, keep your nonprofit’s database organized and up to date. Double the Donation recommends following data hygiene best practices such as developing data entry standards and using data appends for more effective internal and external reporting.

3. Collect and share authentic stories.

Facts and figures can go a long way toward persuading donors that your nonprofit is a reliable and powerful force for good within the community. However, compelling stories are what leave a lingering impression in the minds of your donors.

To keep your donors invested in your mission, collect personal stories from:

  • Beneficiaries
  • Donors
  • Volunteers
  • Board members

Once you’ve curated a collection of stories that demonstrate your impact and the importance of your cause, share them on your nonprofit’s website and social media pages. Then, use text messages and email newsletters to encourage more donors to explore these stories and connect with the people within them. Just be sure to ask for permission before sharing someone’s name or picture in your marketing materials to respect their privacy and preferences.

4. Promote multiple ways to contribute.

As you spread the word about your latest fundraising initiatives and ask for donations, ensure that donors feel comfortable giving to your nonprofit by providing them with several ways to contribute. For example, you could create a “Ways to Get Involved” page on your website, where you describe various opportunities such as:

To provide options that appeal to your specific donor audience, send out a survey to gather their direct input. You may learn that your donors are interested in giving through their smartphones, using donor-advised funds, or exploring cryptocurrency donations.

As you prepare to infuse your marketing materials with transparency and build trust through meaningful donor conversations, make sure you have the right tools to support your efforts. Research nonprofit text messaging platforms, website builders, and other innovative marketing solutions to equip your team for success. Before long, you’ll have a well-developed multichannel marketing strategy that nurtures strong, lasting relationships with your nonprofit’s donors.

Mike Snusz, Director of Nonprofit Customer Experience at Tatango

Mike Snusz brings 19 years of digital fundraising experience to his role as Director of Nonprofit Customer Experience at Tatango, a text messaging platform for nonprofits and political campaigns. Prior to Tatango, Mike spent 15 years at Blackbaud leading a team of digital consultants that helped nonprofits improve their online fundraising, monthly giving, email marketing and peer-to-peer fundraising programs. Mike started his nonprofit career managing the Ride For Roswell from 2003 to 2005 in his hometown of Buffalo, NY.

 

Fundraising Tuesday: 4 Innovative Strategies To Inspire Donors To Keep Giving

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A guest post by Jessica King of Getting Attention

Your nonprofit’s future depends on how much you inspire your donors today. However, with limited time and resources, keeping donors motivated to continue giving can feel like an uphill battle.

This guide is here to help! We’ll explore four inventive strategies to keep your donors inspired and committed to your cause, helping your nonprofit to build and retain a thriving supporter community.

Use Google Ads to Promote Fundraisers

Google has captured 90% of the global search engine market share, so chances are that most of your audience uses it. By tapping into Google’s extensive platform, you can stay connected with your current donors and reach new interested supporters.

One of the best ways to do that is with Google Ads, which places your website’s content at the top of search page results for relevant queries. You just need strong landing pages for your latest fundraisers and compelling ad copy.

You can also use Google Ads’ advanced targeting features to reach different segments of your audience based on their demographics, interests, location, and online behavior. This ensures that your ads are seen by the individuals most likely to be interested in your cause.

Getting Attention’s nonprofit advertising examples article shares several examples of powerful Google Ads, like this one from the Glacier National Park Conservancy (GNPC):

A Google Ad from the Glacier National Park Conservancy

For context, GNPC raises funds for preservation, education, and research initiatives related to the park’s natural and cultural resources. To fund its mission of preserving and protecting the park, the organization sells merchandise like Glacier National Park hats, hydro flasks, and informational guides.

In the Google Ad above, they’re promoting an educational resource about camping in the park. This ad is designed for people who are likely to visit and gives helpful information for their trip. It positions GNPC as a trusted resource and encourages users to explore their site to learn more about their work and the park.

How To Get Started

The best part of Google Ads is that nonprofits can benefit from the Google Ad Grants program, which provides eligible organizations with up to $10,000 per month in free advertising credits. This allows your nonprofit to run search ad campaigns without straining its budget.

Apply for Google Grants by researching your eligibility, creating a Google for Nonprofits account, and filling out the grant application. Once approved, focus on relevant keywords and create ad copy that highlights the impact of donations and includes a clear call to action.

Offer Diverse Giving Opportunities.

While donors want to support your mission, every donor also has their own preferences for how they want to support your nonprofit. Promote different ways to engage with your cause, such as:

  • Fundraising events. Host in-person and digital events to bring your community together. Your events can range from gala dinners and charity auctions to fun runs and virtual meetups, offering diverse experiences that appeal to different interests.
  • Recurring donations. Offer supporters the option to set up monthly or quarterly donations. A recurring giving program makes it easy for donors to contribute consistently by making giving automatic.
  • Workplace giving opportunities. Employee giving programs like matching gifts, volunteer grants, and payroll deductions extend donors’ impact and allow them to give back effortlessly.

Choose in-person or digital fundraising campaigns to engage donors based on your audience’s preferences. Pay attention to how they’ve engaged with your cause in the past to determine future activities.

Create Impact Reports

Share impact reports to show donors you’re putting their gifts to good use. NXUnite’s donor recognition guide suggests either featuring a list of donors in your annual report or creating a separate “gratitude report” to exclusively showcase donors’ impact.

These reports build trust by demonstrating how donor support translates into tangible results. Here are key elements to include in your impact reports:

  • Beneficiary and volunteer stories to communicate the impact of contributions and build an emotional connection
  • Quantitative data such as the number of people served, programs implemented, or resources provided
  • High-quality visuals like photos, infographics, and charts to make information easier to digest

Once your report is ready, share digital versions via email newsletters, your website, and social media platforms to ensure it reaches a broad audience. Consider creating a dedicated page on your website where donors can access current and past reports. For major donors or stakeholders, you might also provide printed copies.

Get Creative With Appreciation

Sincere thank-yous make donors feel valued and appreciated, encouraging them to continue their support. Reaching out with appreciation forges a deeper connection and reinforces the importance of their support.

Here are three effective strategies for thanking your donors and inspiring ongoing generosity:

  • Send personalized thank-you eCards. Custom eCards are a unique and heartfelt way to thank your donors. Tailor each eCard to include the donor’s name, a specific example of how their contribution will be used, and a personal message of appreciation. This creative approach not only shows donors that their individual support is valuable but also allows for visually engaging thank-you messages.
  • Publicly recognize donors. Highlight your donors in newsletters, social media posts, and on your website. Share stories and photos that celebrate their contributions and the impact they’ve made.
  • Host donor appreciation events. Organize appreciation events, such as thank-you dinners, virtual meet-and-greets with your nonprofit’s leadership, and exclusive webinars that provide updates on your projects. These events offer donors an opportunity to interact with your team and ask questions.

By consistently and creatively thanking your donors, you can build a loyal and engaged donor base. Just be sure to connect with them in the ways they find most meaningful, whether that’s email, direct mail, phone calls, or social media.

Personalize Communications With These 4 Data-Driven Tactics

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A guest post by Gabrielle Perham of DeepSync

Imagine you’re an avid monthly donor and volunteer at a local animal shelter. You open your email inbox to see you’ve received an email from the shelter entitled “Learn more about our organization!”

You open the email to a summary of the nonprofit’s background and a list of ways you can get involved. Don’t they know you’ve been part of their community for the past five years?

Unfortunately, this situation happens all too often. To resonate with people on an individual level, nonprofits have to dig deep and personalize their messaging.

That’s why it’s important to adopt a data-driven marketing approach. With data, you can cater to different groups within your broader audience and seamlessly increase engagement. Check out these data-driven communication tactics your nonprofit can leverage.

1. Segmentation

To speak to supporters as individuals, you have to first think of them as individuals. While you may not be able to write an entirely unique message for each donor, you can target your communications using segmentation.

Segmentation refers to the process of grouping your audience based on shared characteristics, and there are many different ways to do it. Getting Attention’s nonprofit marketing guide recommends creating groups based on:

  • Level of support
  • Location
  • Age
  • Engagement rate

For example, you may create a location-based segment so you can reach out to local supporters about events you’re hosting in the community. If you don’t have enough information to create these segments, consider enriching your database.

Deep Sync defines data enrichment as “the process of supplementing your first-party data with third-party data to confirm you have the most accurate, reliable, and comprehensive database possible.” By enriching your database, you can learn more about your supporters and add valuable information to your database that helps you better reach them, including:

  • Demographics
  • Contact information
  • Income
  • Net worth
  • Lifestyle information

Let’s say you’d like to run an SMS marketing campaign but don’t have phone numbers for some of your donors. You can source this information through data enrichment, allowing you to easily get in contact with your supporters via text.

2. Marketing Audiences

Sometimes, the audience you’d like to reach isn’t reflected in your current supporter base. In this case, you can work with a data provider to create and reach a custom marketing audience. This way, you can expand your reach and unlock a new base of potential supporters who will align with your current campaign.

For example, imagine you run a political advocacy group that’s gearing up for an upcoming election. You want to encourage young people who can vote for the first time to support your cause, but your mailing list currently consists of adults over the age of 50.

To reach this group, you can use carefully compiled third-party student marketing data that grants you access to contact information for those in your target audience. Then, use this audience across online and offline channels to ensure your messaging reaches them.

3. Automation

While segmentation and custom marketing audiences can help you actively tailor the content of your messages, automation can play a supporting role in personalizing your communications. There are several ways you can use automation in this context, including to:

  • Insert personalized elements for email campaigns. Use automation to quickly add a personal touch to your emails. Individualize each message with elements like donors’ names, donation amounts, and past activities.
  • Trigger communications. Send automated communications such as thank-you emails, post-event follow-up, and event registration confirmation. That way, you can promptly communicate with donors before following up with more in-depth messages later on.
  • Send reminders. Automate reminders for upcoming events, recurring donations, and membership renewals. These messages keep your donors in the know without disrupting your team’s workflow.

When you use automation, you save your team time and energy while still improving your communication with donors.

4. Surveys

You have plenty of tactics for gathering information about your donors. Now, go straight to the source! Send surveys to hear directly from your supporters. Surveys allow you to collect constituent data that you can use to shape your communications strategy.

You may ask your supporters questions about the following:

  • Communication preferences. Ask donors how often they’d like to hear from you, through which channels, and about which areas of your organization. Communicating on their terms shows you’re committed to building one-on-one relationships with them.
  • Events and programming. Learn about supporters’ experiences with your events and programming. For instance, get their thoughts on the items you offered at your latest auction or ideas to improve your volunteer program.
  • Overall satisfaction. Lastly, ask your supporters about their overall satisfaction as members of your nonprofit’s community. Here, you can open the discussion for more open-ended feedback to glean insights into what you’re doing well and where you have room for improvement.

After collecting responses, store the results in your donor database for future reference.

To maintain a personalized, data-driven communications strategy, continuously fine-tune your approach. Constantly follow up with donors, employ A/B testing, and experiment with new tactics to improve your strategy and further individualize your messaging.

Gabrielle Perham, MBA

Gabrielle is the Director of Marketing & Sales Operations for Deep Sync. She joined the organization in 2017 and brings 20 years of experience in strategic marketing, branding, communications, sales enablement, and digital marketing. With a roll-up-your-sleeves-and-get-it-done attitude and a big-picture mindset, Gaby loves solving marketing and business challenges. She earned both a B.S. in Marketing and an M.B.A. in Marketing Management from the University of Tampa. Gaby enjoys spending time with her fiercely outspoken daughter; hiking and kayaking; rocking out in the first row of a live show; and giving back to her local community.

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