© 2009 Convio, Inc. Best Practices for Online Fundraising Kate Millea and Adam Lemmon Convio, Inc

© 2009 Convio, Inc.

Best Practices for Online Fundraising

Kate Millea and Adam LemmonConvio, Inc.



■ eCRM Overview

■ Online Communication

■ Your “Housefile”

■ Planning for Online Success

■ Recap


eCRM Framework



■ eCRM Overview




■ Recap


Kinds of Communications

■ Scheduled Communications: timing is planned well in advance

■ Timely Communications: timing is based upon specific events or specific opportunities

■ Triggered Communications: timing is “triggered” by an online interaction


The Importance of Timeliness

■ Nonprofit organizations lose access to a stream of new online constituents as time progresses

Source: Analysis of 3 major nonprofits


Example – Timely Communication

■ Uses “Letter from the Desk of” format

■ Copy is short & to the point

■ Timely information that invites action – leads to loyalty

■ Tell-A-Friend prominent for viral outreach

© 2009 Convio, Inc. 8

eNewsletter- Scheduled Communication■ When KUT simply asked for email address, they got 5%. When they

switched the ask to receive eNewsletter, they captured 95% of email addresses.

▶ Define your objectives.

▶ Modify all offline advertising, direct mail, event registrations with a “hook” and an email ask.

“Please provide your email address to receive the latest news on cancer research in our monthly email newsletter.”

▶ Never ask for an email address without highlighting the eNewsletter benefit.


eNewsletter Template Example■ Personalized

■ Tell A Friend and Donate links above the fold

■ Excerpt-style newsletter, with monthly headline feature

■ Look remains consistent from issue to issue

■ Headlines and features change from month to month

■ Speaks to reader through clear calls to action


Feature #1

Feature #2

Feature #3

Deconstructing the eNewsletter Template

■ Top-priority links & branding consistent from month to month

■ Headlines & graphics change, but general dimensions stay the same

■ Color scheme may change, but structure is consistent

Branding

PersonalizationIn this Issue

Graphic & LeadStory Copy

Second Headline

Graphic & SecondStory Copy

Donate Link

First Headline


eNewsletters – How are they read?■ Recipients fully read only 19% of an

eNewsletter, often not scanning the entire newsletter.

■ 35% of readers scanned only a small part of the newsletter.

■ 67% of readers completely skipped introductory text at the top of the newsletter.

■ Average amount of time readers spend on an eNewsletter after opening it: 51 seconds

■ Notice the emphasis on reading the first two words of the headlines.

■ RSS feeds do not work as a substitute for an eNewsletter. Also, avoid referring to them as “RSS feeds.” Use something more easily understood, like “news feed.”

“2006 Email Marketing Snapshot”, David Daniels, Jupiter Research, 2006Email Newsletters: Surviving Inbox Congestion. Jakob Nielsen. http://www.useit.com/alertbox/newsletters.html. June, 2006.


Copy Writing: Online vs. Offline

Offline OnlineFormal, polished tone Informal, conversational “voice”

Longer copy, builds a “case”, can be explanatory

Short, to-the-point, uses “hooks” to quickly grab attention, highly condensed

One-way Two-way

Solicitation-oriented Relationship-oriented

4-6 sentences/paragraph 1-2 sentences/paragraph



■ eCRM Overview




■ Recap


Importance of Housefile

Example:

•Web Traffic = 5,000 Visitors/ Month

•Housefile= 10,000 email addresses

•Open Rate = 20 % •2,000 people might open the email

•Click Through Rate = 5%•500 people might click through to your site to learn more

•Actions = 1%•100 people might act on that email



■ eCRM Overview




■ Recap


What’s your path to online success in 2009?

Campaign Calendar: what and when

Editorial Calendar: themes, content, timing

Budget: training, staff,

content & materials

BuildCan Your Staff:■ Manipulate images?■ Work with basic

HTML?■ Be detail-oriented

(copy & visual)?■ Go through Convio

Training?

Perform final QA: Test all web & email

content

Get final approvals

Launch!

Plan Launch


Planning – 2009 Top Three Priorities

■ Examples:▶ Raise funds▶ Grow our email list▶ Increase awareness about our cause▶ Recruit more advocates▶ Recruit more volunteers▶ Communicate more effectively▶ Promote a major event▶ Build richer profiles


Your 2009 Plan

Ready Set Go!Top 3 Priorities Fundamentals Campaigns

1.

2.

3.


Create Your Plan Now!

Q4 2009 Q2 2009 Q3 2009 Q1 2009

J F M A M J J A S O N D


2009 – Planning

Housefile BuildingCampaign

Best Practices:Outreach tactics for

finding new supporters

Q&A: Tell-a-friend, eCards, viral marketing,and rewards programs

Q2 2009

Sustained GivingCampaign

Best Practices:Converting year-end

Donors to monthly givers

Q&A: Donation formsand fundraising appeals

Q4 2009

Year-End Campaign


Q1 2009

Co

mm

un

ity

| Co

nsu

ltin

g |

Exp

erie

nce Fall Fundraising

Campaign

Best Practices:Creating a compelling

ask for support


Q3 2009

Best Practices:Maximizing

year-end giving

Example:


Campaigns: Spring/Fall FundraisingMessage #1:

Send 200 youth to Yellowstone this

summer

Message #2:We still have 115

youth who need your support

Message #3:We’re able to send 178 youth – it’s not

too late to give


eAppeal – Campaign kick-

off

Sent to broad audience

eAppeal Reminder – Donating online is

fast and easy

Donation Confirmation

AutoResponder – includes tax receipt

information

After a constituent makes an online gift, they will be shifted to the audience which receives thank you messages.

Campaigns: Spring/Fall Fundraising

Campaign Close – Success statement and a reminder that there’s still time to

donate

Audience: Entire email file, minus your optional suppression list

Audience: Individuals who have donated to this campaign

Thank you for financial support – Call to Action: Tell your friends about

this campaign

*excludes donors *excludes donors

*received after donation completed

*received during week after donation



■ eCRM Overview




■ Recap


eCRM Framework


Kinds of Communications

■ Scheduled Communications: timing is planned well in advance

■ Timely Communications: timing is based upon specific events or specific opportunities

■ Triggered Communications: timing is “triggered” by an online interaction


What’s your path to online success in 2009?

Campaign Calendar: what and when

Editorial Calendar: themes, content, timing

Budget: training, staff,

content & materials

BuildCan Your Staff:■ Manipulate images?■ Work with basic

HTML?■ Be detail-oriented

(copy & visual)?■ Go through Convio

Training?

Perform final QA: Test all web & email

content

Get final approvals

Launch!

Plan Launch


Why Nonprofits Use Convio

1. Increase revenue▶ Reach and acquire new donors and retain existing ones▶ Increase giving frequency and average gift size from each donor▶ Increase response rates to direct mail using an integrated approach▶ Cultivate potential major donors and steward existing relationships

2. Lower costs and increase capacity▶ Decrease marketing and communication costs by leveraging email▶ Ease administration through online automation

3. Support their mission▶ Raise awareness of their cause and organization (increase profile)▶ Educate constituents through timely, informative, personalized content▶ Make taking action easier and more rewarding for constituents▶ Encouraging constituents to share their passion with friends


How Those Benefits Are Created

■ Software▶ Internet software with proven capabilities in:

Fundraising eCommerce Events Email marketing Web site content management

▶ Provided through Software as a Service (SaaS) model

■ Services▶ Ensure quick, successful implementation▶ Address your unique needs, mission and timeframe

■ Expertise▶ Provide best practices for success▶ Create documentable results


Contact Convio

On the Web:www.convio.com

Share your email

Contact Kate or Adam:

[email protected] or [email protected]

Documents

© 2009 Convio, Inc. Best Practices for Online Fundraising Kate Millea and Adam Lemmon Convio, Inc