Sue’s Muse

Like most fundraisers, I stay on the lookout for the next “BIG” thing.  Something that will give me an edge to raise those dollars. 

We continue to hear statements like … Direct Mail is DEAD … eMail is DEAD … TV is DEAD. 

R-I-G-H-T.

Reams, both real and virtual, have been written on blogs and industry publications to debunk these myths such as:

1- Direct mail still raises more than any other direct response vehicle (The Agitator);

2- eMail is still the #1 form of reaching people online (yes, even young people - eMail Insider ); and

3- TV viewership is up 1.5% over 2008 - great news for DRTV - nielsenwire).

So what is the next “BIG” thing?  Who knows … after all, were you participating in social networking sites five years ago? 

One thing that did catch my eye recently was a piece on the Today Show talking about Augmented Reality.  (Yea, I still watch Meredith, Matt, Ann and Al.) 

David Granger - editor of Esquire Magazine - unveiled their December issue (due out next week) that, when held up to a web cam, will play a video on your screen of Robert Downy Jr. and other celebrities on inside pages.  Mr. Granger explains that this technology isn’t designed to change the essence of the magazine, rather it is there to enhance the user experience.

Kind of reminds me of the newspapers in the ‘Harry Potter’ movies, where photos move around as the reader scans the pages.

The technology is not simple (and I would surmise not cheap)  … it requires layers of data … but thinking about how far online communications technology has progressed since I first tried e-mail fundraising in 1996, imagine this becoming accessible to the masses … it could bring a whole new meaning to interactive marketing.

Regards,

Sue

Email fundraising has been around for quite a while … okay, not as long as direct mail … but for a while.  I can remember trying to raise funds back in the 90s using names purchased from Juno. 

So when I read a recent article in AFP’s eWire, about a survey of 50 nonprofits conducted by email service provider Return Path, that concluded nonprofits were missing out on the power of email marketing … I was not totally surprised.

As fundraisers, we know that successful philanthropy is about building relationships by first capturing a donor’s interest and then ensuring ongoing cultivation and stewardship for continued support.

Major gift folks target donors’ sweet spots, and ensure that they continue to receive information and updates centered on THEIR interests.  But, for years, those of us in direct marketing have had to cast a wide net hoping to capture a potential donor’s interest by listing numerous programs and services provided by an organization.

Online now provides direct marketers the tools needed to make that personal connection – without having to meet face to face … but it appears the majority of nonprofits are still not taking advantage of curent technology beyond a personal salutation.  What a waste!

So why the reason for missing such a great opportunity … especially now?  Could it be that someone other than fundraisers are creating and sending emails … or is it a matter of not enough resource of time, staff and money to make it happen?  

Whatever the reason(s) … nonprofits should evaluate the effectiveness of their current online programs … and start making the changes necessary to recruit and retain their online donors.  After all, your donors are more important to you than you are to your donors.

Regards,

Sue

Do your subject lines grab your readers attention?  Are they compelling enough to persuade your readers to  click and look further?  Once they are there, is your content compelling enough to make them read on? 

Need some help deciphering these tricky waters?  If so, then ‘Network for Good’ has just released its Nonprofit Email Marketing Guide: 7 Steps to Better Email Fundraising & Communications, including strategies, tricks and messaging techniques that will get your constituents humming!

The guide has some great tips, no matter what your organization’s size.  Have a wonderful weekend and happy reading.

Regards,

Sue

No flies on you … you’ve invested time and organizational resources on your social networking sites.  You can now be found on all the biggies … Facebook, Twitter, MySpace, Flickr, and YouTube.  But is all this effort really paying off?  

I have always viewed social media sites as marketing tools … a way to share information about organizations, causes and programs.  It was simply a bonus when sites created opportunities to support nonprofits through such programs as TwitCause, Twitgiftly, Facebook Causes, and YouTube Nonprofit.

According to a recent article in eMarketer, … enhanced relationships, building a brand and lead generation are also benefits of investing in social networking.  Even though the article is focused on commercial use … it is not hard to see how these same tactics and strategies can be used to promote nonprofits.

So - is it all paying off?  Well let’s check some numbers … Twitter is estimated to currently have 18 million users in the USA (a 200% increase from 2008), and Facebook now reaches over 300 million world wide.  Yeah, I would say that that kind of outreach could really pay off.

Regards,

Sue

I have been an avid reader of Seth Godin’s (author of Permission Marketing) blog ever since I first heard him speak at a Get Active Conference several years ago.  Ideas such as “Small is the new big because big has gone from a huge advantage to a liability” and “The ability to change fast is the single best asset for any person or organization” really resonated.

In Seth’s latest blog he chides nonprofits for not being the top 100 followers on Twitter.  Is the work you’re doing not important enough to follow, or is it (and I’m betting it is) paralysis in decision making in the face of change?

I have to admit that I can’t buy in 100% to his theory that nonprofits are paralyzed by fear … oh yes there is resistance at some nonprofits when the word CHANGE is mentioned … but that is also true in many commercial businesses? (Need I mention the term bailout?)

So I decided to look at the top 10 charities listed in the Chronicle of Philanthropy.  Leaving out two which are gift funds, of the remaining eight –  four have prominent social network links on their homepages, one you have to click through to join our community which then has links, leaving three with no social media mentions. (Two of these are affiliate-based, and many their local chapters use a variety of social networking tools.) 

The top 100 Twitter followers – well let’s see. There are numerous celebrities, political bloggers, national media outlets and, oh yeah … “The World Economic Forum” ranked at #76, a Swiss international not-for-profit foundation.  We progress!

Regards,

Sue

Recently while listening to one of my favorite TV talk shows … a guest possed the question ”Why would anybody blog - it’s so yesterday!”  The speaker seemed to feel that everyone should communicate in 140 characters or less. 

I will admit that sometimes folks do drone on … I mean “Why use 4 to 5 words when 10 will do?  Where can one go to share thoughts and ideas with oodles more characters? 

You could try Woofer.  It is a micro-blogging site set up initially as a gag by a couple of friends (Peter Martin and Portman Wills) in around three hours.  The main difference?  Woofer requires a minimum of 1,400 characters.  So much for the gag … the site has over 11,000 users and 13,000 woofs.  We will have to wait to see if it really does become a Twitter competitor.

For those real Twitter fans who simply don’t have time to go through all the palaver of finding just the right Tweet or multiple Tweets to stay current … then Tweetmix just might be for you.  Tweetmixx will match your interests, while ensuring that you don’t receive multiple Tweets on a common subject.  Very clever software -  just tell them your pursuits and specially selected Tweets will soon be coming your way!

How does this relate to your constituents?  Social net-workers are like donors … some Tweet, some use Facebook, MySpace, YouTube and, yes, even good old blogs. They have a preferred channel … just like donors prefer to give through mail, online, phone, face to face, or participating in an event.   

Don’t try and make the choice for them … use every channel available. Your donors will use their preferred way, so make sure your message is there.

Lastly - this business changes constantly. Stay awake, learn about any new channels and make sure you appear on the new ones that last, say, a couple of months - they could be the next New Big Thing.

Regards,

Sue

Imagine that you are in a foreign country … you want to go for a bike ride … you send out a Twitter saying where you will be in around 6 hours and hope some folks can join you.  You figure around 50 - 60 people will show up.  You get there and there are over 1,000 people waiting to ride with you!

That is what happened to Lance Armstrong recently in Dublin, Ireland.  Yeah okay I hear you … that was Lance Armstrong … but it shows how quickly a Twitter message can spread … especially from the right messenger.

To Tweet or not to Tweet … it has to be the easiest decision for a nonprofit to make if you are wanting to either get into the social network space or add to your tool kit.  Unlike other social networks that require significant time and resource to update pages and pictures … Twitter can provide a quick snapshot on programs, promote an event, ask for support or provide 3rd party endorsement in less then 140 characters. 

You can:  Share images (Flickr2Twitter), Share video (Tweetube), Raise Money (Twitpay), Lobby (Tweet your Senator), Start a petition (Twitition) … there is also TwitCause and Twitgiftly just to name a few possible uses.  

Why are so many Twittering?  Simplicity.

If you aren’t already doing so … why not start Twittering … and if you are … keep up the outreach … who knows - your 50 - 60 followers may also turn into thousands!

Regards,

Sue

I have been searching for several months to find something that would excite, entice and entreat me to start up Sue’s Muse again.  I found it yesterday! 

Years ago, in a session at some fundraising conference … the speaker shared a piece of information that I have never forgotten - even if I have forgotten many other details!

” A key indicator as to how well you will do with your organizational fundraising efforts is the S & P 500.”

Today, however, according to Ylan Q. Mui of the Washington Post , you can kiss the S & P 500 goodbye and instead, start watching the sales of men’s underwear.  Yes, you read that correctly … men’s underwear sales are a key indicator of how quickly the economy will bounce back. 

Why?

According to the article … it is one of those necessities that normally have stable sales … except during a downturn economy … when men will buy less and/or try and stretch the time between purchases.  It appears that men’s singular underwear sales have increased between 2004 and 2008 while purchases of multi-packs have decreased over the same period.  Are you are beginning to see the correlation?

I certainly don’t find this hard to believe … as a woman who has worn pantyhose over the years … making numerous annual purchases of said torture garments … I could pretty well rely on the fact that many of my male colleagues were still wearing socks from their high school days. 

So, as you get together with your boards, volunteers or CEO … check before your meeting … and if men’s underwear sales are up, or at least stabilizing … you can report that you just might be headed for a banner year!

Regards,

Sue

I am a big fan of FREE! 

Of course, there are those that look at that word more sceptically … and relate that if it is free, it can’t possibly be any good!  I totally disagree … especially when we are talking about sharing FREE ideas, lessons learned and fundraising advice!

This is why whenever I present at a conference … I list a number of publications such as Fundraising Success Magazine and eMarketer as great FREE resources for attendees. 

Another is the Online Discussion held by Chronicle of Philanthropy.   This is one FREE discussion that just might be worth your time.

Regards,

Sue

Chronicle of Philanthropy - Online Discussion Tuesday: Social Networking Tools

Join us Tuesday, February 17, at noon Eastern time for an online discussion about the difference among sites like Digg, Facebook, and Twitter — and how charities can use these tools to connect with potential supporters.

The guests:

Chris Garrett, an Internet marketing and new-media consultant in Yorkshire, England, and author of ProBlogger: Secrets for Blogging Your Way to a Six-Figure Income. He founded OMIQ, a company that helps businesses with their online media.

John Haydon, a sales consultant in Boston and the publisher and founder of the Web site corporatedollar.org, which offers marketing advice to small nonprofit groups. Mr. Haydon is also the author of a recently released electronic book, Twitter Jump Start: The Complete Guide for Small Nonprofits.

The Chronicle’s online discussions are free and open to everyone. People who ask questions in advance have a better chance of getting answers.

Have you ever made a donation to an organization in honor of a friend or family member instead of giving them a present they may or may not want or need?  When you made that gift …. did you give to an organization that you thought they would donate to themselves … or did you give to organizations that you support? 

When it comes to “Good Gifting”, I have done both.  Either way, I find myself agonizing over where to donate … say, to a cancer organization, international relief, or an environmental group - the options can sometimes seem endless.  But no more! 

“Network for Good” now offers “Good Cards” which can be used to make a donation to any of 1.5 million charities across the country.  How does this work? 

According to a recent article by Megan Greenwell in the Washington Post, a person can simply go to Network for Good and buy a “Good Card”… which is then sent to the recipient, either via email or as a snail mail delivered plastic card … both of which direct the recipient to the website … where they can pick their charity, or several charities, and make a donation using their card.  Similar to what happens when you give someone a store card … except instead of another coffee, sweater, CD etc., they can support a cause that is near and dear to their hearts!

So if you are still haven’t completed your holiday shopping … why not try a “Good Card” … you can’t go wrong! 

I also want to take a moment to wish to each of you a happy and healthy holiday and a bright and exciting New Year!

Regards,

Sue

P.S. I will be taking some time off from Sue’s Muse over the holidays … but will be back in the New Year!