Online marketing can play a key role in hitting your year-end fundraising goals. Learn how to stay on track through the busy season with a little planning now to get the word out about your cause.
During this free webinar, you’ll get tips and ideas for using online channels to reach the people who matter most.
In this webinar, you’ll learn:
How to grow your list and segment for the best results
Ideas for your year-end fundraising campaign
How to best promote your campaign
About the guest: In addition to nearly 30 years of experience in the nonprofit sector, Michele Hickey has an MS in Professional and Technical Communication from NJIT, an MA in Nonprofit Management from the New School University, and a BA in Business from Rutgers University. In 2003, she founded Silver Lining Communications, LLC which specializes in content development for the nonprofit sector. She works with nonprofits of all sizes and types, from higher education institutions to grassroots organizations. She has been a Constant Contact Certified Solution Provider since 2018.
About the session
This webinar discussed strategies for non-profit organizations to maximize their year-end giving campaigns. The session covered various aspects of planning and executing a successful fundraising campaign, including preparing the email list, planning the campaign, and promoting it through various channels.
Key speakers
- Stephanie French, Content Manager for Webinars, Constant Contact
- Using social media and paid ads to amplify the campaign
Takeaways
Takeaway 1: Online giving continues to see significant growth, making it crucial for nonprofits to optimize their digital marketing strategies for year-end giving season.
The webinar highlighted the importance of online giving in the nonprofit sector, with a 21% growth in online donations last year and nearly 30% of all online gifts made via mobile devices. "Last year we knew that online giving grew by nearly 21%, that represents more than a 32% increase over the last three years," said the host. The trend towards mobile donations was also emphasized, showing the necessity for charities to ensure mobile-friendly donation processes. Moreover, with average online donations reaching $177, the potential for significant fundraising through online channels was clear.
Takeaway 2: The key to successful year-end giving campaigns lies in careful planning, targeted messaging, and effective use of various online marketing channels.
The panelists emphasized the benefits of careful planning and targeted messaging for successful fundraising campaigns. "With a solid online marketing strategy, you can conquer and get those year-end donations that you really need," said the host. Notably, they discussed the idea of creating a campaign that resonates with potential donors and effectively communicates the value and impact of their contribution. Furthermore, they pointed out the need to promote the campaign across various online channels, including email, social media, and paid ads.
Takeaway 3: Leveraging tools like segmentation and text-to-join can help nonprofits grow their email lists and reach the right audience.
The webinar discussed various tools and strategies that nonprofits can use to grow their email lists and reach the right audience. Segmenting the email list was strongly recommended for more personalized and effective communication. "Segmentation is basically categorizing your list in different ways, either creating separate lists or tagging certain people within various lists," said Michelle Hickey. Furthermore, the use of text-to-join was suggested as a powerful tool for growing email lists, with the panelists emphasizing its simplicity and effectiveness.
Takeaway 4: Social media can play a vital role in promoting fundraising campaigns, reaching new supporters, and keeping existing followers engaged.
The importance of social media in promoting fundraising campaigns was another key focus of the webinar. The panelists underscored the potential of social media in reaching new supporters and keeping existing ones engaged. They suggested creating compelling posts that tell success stories, share helpful and valuable information, and generate a sense of urgency around the cause. The use of hashtags and user-generated content were also encouraged to boost visibility and engagement on social media platforms.
Takeaway 5: Paid advertising can amplify nonprofits' efforts and reach a broader audience.
Lastly, the webinar discussed the potential of paid advertising in amplifying nonprofits' fundraising efforts. With options like Facebook and Instagram click ads, lead ads, and Google Ads, nonprofits can reach a broader audience and drive more donations. The panelists highlighted the importance of visual content, actionable headlines, and concise text in creating effective ads. They also mentioned Google Ads Grants, which offer qualifying nonprofits free advertising on Google, as a great opportunity to leverage.
Insights surfaced
- Online giving has grown substantially over the years, with a significant portion of donations made through mobile devices.
- Having a solid online marketing strategy can help non-profits attract year-end donations.
- Segmenting the email list can improve the effectiveness of the campaign by sending relevant information to different types of supporters.
- Social media can be used to spread the word about the campaign and encourage supporters to share with their networks.
- Paid ads can help amplify the campaign and reach a wider audience.
Key quotes
- "With a solid online marketing strategy, you can in fact conquer and get those year-end donations that you really need in order to support your cause." - Stephanie French
- "Donation amounts like I said they increased. Overall donation amounts averaged 737 dollars and online donations specifically averaged 177 dollars." - Stephanie French
- "I think the ones that tend to really have a lot of lift to them are things that create a bit of a sense of urgency." - Michelle Hickey
- "Email plus letters (direct mail) work best together. Can you speak about that? I think that makes perfect sense." - Michelle Hickey
- "I do have a couple of clients who are small enough where they're actually using Constant Contact as their primary database." - Michelle Hickey
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