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Fundraising Tuesday: Diversify Your Fundraising

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A guest post by Carey Aron, Fun Pasta Fundraising

No matter what the endeavor, it’s never a good idea to have “all of your eggs in one basket.” When it comes to fundraising for nonprofit organizations, multiple avenues for generating revenue means less risk of interruptions in the donation stream. The global pandemic certainly exposed the importance of a diverse fundraising portfolio.

When you make an effort to diversify, peace of mind is just one of several important benefits:

BENEFITS OF DIVERSE REVENUE STREAMS

  • You’ll broaden your supporter base
  • You’ll boost and protect revenues
  • You’ll mitigate unexpected risks to your dollars

GIVE SOMETHING, GET SOMETHING

An interesting and rewarding way to supplement your fundraising is to connect with supporters by running a product fundraiser. Generous people love to give but getting a little something in return is an added treat!

Here are some clever ideas for “product fundraisers”:

  1. Food: small-budget items that can generate significant dollars; fun pasta, pizza kits, candy, or frozen foods
  2. Outdoor Greenery: the perfect “homegrown” community fundraiser; flower bulbs or Christmas trees – every house needs both!
  3. Home Accessories: great for meaningful gifts or inspirational décor; you can sell candles, kitchen gadgets, home accessories and other items for the household

Product fundraisers are a great way to get your creative juices flowing! Nowadays most product companies offer online ordering and home delivery, so distribution is simple and hassle free.  If you need a dose of inspiration, here is the story of a young man who thought inside the box to create a successful pizza fundraiser during the pandemic.

 

CONNECTING WITH UNTAPPED SUPPORTERS

Upscale annual fundraising events are an effective way to attract deep-pocketed supporters, but unique product fundraisers offer an affordable option for countless untapped donors at every level.

A wide variety of products can be offered throughout the year. (Some items can be tied to the holidays; others will entice participants no matter when they are presented.) What a great way to develop a year-round connection with people through products!

  • Reach new supporters with low price-point affordable offerings
  • Create an opportunity to have fun and interact with supporters
  • Give supporters a way to secure a gift for themselves or to those they love

GENERATE EXPOSURE ON SOCIAL MEDIA

Consider this: No one is going to post a photo of a check they’ve written to a nonprofit on their social media platforms. But, they may very likely show off a fun product they received through your fundraiser!

Let’s revisit the ideas presented earlier and imagine the social media possibilities:

  1. Food: lots of posts featuring kids eating fun pasta or colorful lollipop “bouquets” and cute snaps of adults enjoying a childhood treat for a good cause
  2. Outdoor Greenery: your supporters can share photos of their new bulbs on Instagram and follow up with each other about their plants’ progress
  3. Home Accessories: neighbors alert each other on Facebook about where to buy cute candles for friends and family

 In our own fundraising business, we find that fun, unique products spark positive conversations not only on social media but also at the dinner table. Talk about a rewarding combination! We are honored to not only help organizations generate donations, but to also strengthen family and community relationships.

Whatever your nonprofit’s fundraising approach has been in the past, take a minute and review these possibilities.  This year, like no other before, is a time to consider diversifying!

Carey AronCarey Aron is President of The Pasta Shoppe & the Fun Pasta Fundraising team.  For more than two decades, they have been creating innovative, healthy, fun pasta for families!  Fun Pasta offers a unique, online, and contact free product fundraising program for groups of all sizes.

When not in the kitchen whipping up a pasta recipe, Carey can usually be found hiking in local parks, ripping recipes out of food magazines, or binge-watching Netflix with her husband and 8-pound Maltipoo.

 

Fundraising Tuesday: Two New Ideas for Renewing Donors

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Renewing donors takes loveRenewing your donors is much more effective than acquiring new ones. You already know they’re interested: they expressed that with their first gift! And if you have been saying thank-you and reporting on what you did with their gift (and what difference it made), they should be in the mood to give again. You’ve shown them the love!

It costs less to renew donors than to find new ones. Over time, they become your loyal supporters–or rather, you become their favored organization! Instead of asking themselves, “Am I going to give to this group again?,” they think “How much?” and “How often?” And sometimes, “Who can I tell about this fabulous organization?”

With that in mind, I want to congratulate WNYC Public Radio for giving me two new ideas for wooing those donors toward renewing.

“It’s Your Anniversary!”

WNYC’s envelope arrived in the mail with this message boldly blazoned on the front:

IT’S YOUR ANNIVERSARY

Stay current. Stay inspired. Renew today.

Look at all the things WNYC did right!

  • They used a deadline that was meaningful to me, not an internal deadline.
  • They caught my attention and made me want to open the envelope.
  • They used the word “your.”
  • They pointed out the benefits I get from giving.
  • They asked for money, right there, right then.

They also avoided doing the wrong things!

Have you ever received a blank envelope, with no return address, from an organization you supported–and when you opened it anyway, it said “We have not yet received this year’s donation”? Sadly, I have: on the same day this letter arrived from WNYC. Which one do you think received my donation?

A Personal Page for Renewing My Donation

Here’s a second great idea that I have never seen before, and I predict that many nonprofits will adopt it. You should steal it, now, for your organization.

P.S. Use your personalized online form to renew right now, rather than looking for a stamp and taking a trip to the mail box!

That’s right. The station set up an online donation form under www.mywnyc.org with my name on it. Not only that, but it had my name and address already filled in. All I had to do was choose an amount, fill in my credit card number, and click the button.

What a fabulous way to make the donor feel seen! (And on the back end, I’ll bet, it’s making it completely simple for the development department to see the renewal and thank me in real time.)

You should steal these two ideas now, for your organization.

It’s Not Renewing if I Didn’t Give Before

One thing the station did that you should NOT copy: don’t ask me to renew a gift that I didn’t make.

Yes, I gave to the program On the Media. Yes, WNYC produces On the Media. But that doesn’t mean I gave to the station…or want to.

Look, I’ve been on the inside at nonprofit organizations, and I know how much it matters to get unrestricted donations. When a donor does what I did last year–give to a specific program–it helps. But when the donor gives to the organization as a whole, the dollars go farther. I get that.

All the same, it’s dishonest to pretend I already made a donation and said “Use it where you need it most.” I haven’t said that: not yet, at least. If you want me to give to the organization instead of (or in addition to) the program I like, you have to persuade me. There are ways of doing that. Try them!

 

 

Fundraising Tuesday: Should Direct Mail Be A Part of Your Fundraising Campaign?

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A guest post by Grant Cobb of GivingMail

As you look forward to 2021 and beyond, consider new trends that begin to emerge and the long-standing efforts that persevere when crafting your fundraising campaigns. One of our favorites that continues to stand the test of time is direct mail.

Our GivingMail guide on direct mail for nonprofits shares that direct mail continues to be the leading source of individual donations in the U.S. So, yes, direct mail should be a part of your fundraising campaign.

Through our 70+ years of experience, we know a thing or two about hosting a successful direct mail fundraising campaign—and we’ve put together this quick guide so that you can too. Specifically, we’ll discuss the following key points:

  • Integrating direct mail and digital strategies
  • Building relationships with supporters
  • Thanking donors for their contributions
  • Direct mail best practices

Integrating direct mail and digital strategies

Direct mail is an important channel for grabbing your audience’s attention and encouraging them to give. But is it enough?

According to 360MatchPro’s fundraising statistics list, 16% of donors prefer to give via direct mail. That’s a good portion of your audience that will be happy to mail a check for your fundraising campaign. However, there’s still a large number of supporters who might prefer to give digitally. The solution? Integrating your direct mail and virtual fundraising strategies.

Here are three simple ways to do so:

  • Include an easy-to-type URL in your direct mailing.
  • Generate and display a QR code leading to your donation page.
  • Incorporate your text-to-give number and keyword.

Integrating your direct mail and digital strategies allows you and your supporters to get the best of both worlds. You can grab your audiences’ attention with one of the most powerful marketing and communication channels available while still allowing them to give in the most convenient way.

Building relationships with supporters

Even beyond the actual donation ask, direct mailings can greatly impact your donor relationships and how recipients view their connection to your organization.

Essentially, sending campaign updates, informational newsletters, and other types of non-fundraising asks via direct mail can be a fantastic way to communicate to donors that they matter on a level that’s deeper than their wallets. This is referred to as donor stewardship or cultivation efforts, and it’s a critical component of bringing supporters into the mix as partners.

Direct mail is also one of the most powerful communication channels for this type of relationship-building due to its ability to break through the digital clutter. Studies show that written words can keep your organization at the top of the recipient’s mind for longer than if they were to read about your work on a screen.

Thanking donors for their contributions

Even once you’ve received your donation, it doesn’t mean your job as a fundraising professional is over. Instead, it’s time to continue deepening your relationships with donors—starting with a specific, detailed thank-you.

So how should you communicate your appreciation to your supporters? There’s a bit of controversy in the fundraising space about whether an email can suffice as a thank-you message or whether a direct mailing should be required. In our opinion, a thank-you email can be an excellent first step, but it definitely shouldn’t be the last. Instead, a physical thank-you note sent to a donor’s mailbox can make a significant impact on their connection to your organization.

Luckily, free templates like these can help you craft your messages with ease. Simply start with a sample thank-you letter, and be sure to add important details like addressing the recipient by their preferred name and acknowledging their specific gift. Let’s compare these two potential messages:

  • Dear Donor, thank you for your generous gift to our organization.
  • Dear Brenda, thank you for your gift of $100 to help provide impoverished students in our community with the school supplies they need to succeed.

The first example seems like it was mass-sent to anyone who had donated recently. The latter is a specific message crafted carefully with the intended recipient in mind. The added effort that goes into sending a thank-you letter via direct mail rather than email can also show your increased dedication to appreciating donors effectively.

Direct mail best practices

Now that you understand the purpose of direct mail in fundraising, it’s essential to get your message out in the most effective way possible. Let’s discuss a few key strategies and tips:

1. Include specific donation requests

In any direct mail appeals you send, it’s important to include a specific call to action. In a typical fundraising letter, the intended action is to complete a donation.

However, making a broad request for donations can be too vague to drive results. That’s why you should be sure to include specific numbers to help guide the donor on their giving path.

Take a look at these examples:

  • A donation of $25 can feed a hungry child for one week.
  • A donation of $100 can feed a hungry child for one month.
  • A donation of $500 can feed a family of four for one month.

All of these requests are more effective and actionable than “Please donate to our organization.”

By incorporating specific dollar amounts, along with the tangible impacts of each donation size, you encourage recipients to support your organization and its mission by giving more. Plus, you can leverage the power of social proof by showing potential donors what a typical gift size is, which removes the uncertainty around what they’re “supposed to” give.

2. Invest in high-quality materials

Even the most well-written fundraising letter won’t ensure results (or donations) if you neglect the appeal’s physical aspects. If it comes across as looking unenticing or otherwise spammy, it might even go straight from the mailbox to the trash can! One way to avoid this phenomenon is by investing in high-quality materials (like paper, ink, and envelopes) for your mailings.

  • Print your direct mailings on high-grade paper (at least 60#).
  • Use a decent printer and ink so that your text/imagery is legible and visually appealing.
  • Include a pre-paid, pre-addressed return envelope with any direct mail appeals.

Putting thought into optimizing your direct mailings’ physical elements is a great way to increase your envelope open rate. At this point, your content’s quality will take over in coaxing a donation from the reader. After all, making a good first impression matters.

3. Outsource your direct mail efforts

A well-planned-out direct mail fundraising campaign could take a lot of work to pull off. However, it’s possible to outsource the bulk of the effort to a dedicated direct mail fundraising company and save time and money for your mission.

Just like working with an experienced fundraising consultant can help your team make the most of your efforts (and your fundraising dollars), a direct mail platform can help you send your appeals effectively while seeing the most outstanding results.

Not only can this type of partner provide you with free and effective donation request letters and templates, but they can also assist you in sending your letters in the most time- and cost-efficient manner possible.

Direct mail companies can even help send your mailings for less than it would cost to purchase paper, ink, envelopes, and stamps on your own—thanks to bulk discounts made available by bundling your appeals with other organizations.’ It’s a win-win!

Just remember—it’s not good enough to scribble a note and drop it off at the post office. Make sure to craft your appeals carefully to increase the likelihood of your letter being opened, read, and responded to. Good luck!

 

Grant Cobb is a fundraising specialist with over 6 years of experience in the nonprofit space. Currently the head of marketing and analytics at GivingMail, he is a huge proponent of data-driven decision making and the push to bring high-level analytics and fundraising to all.

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