Strategic Planning for Dummies

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How to do organizations create good strategic plans?  The answer is simple…keep it simple.  Strategic plans should be living, breathing, flexible documents.  They should be a benefit to the organization, not a hindrance.  They should be reviewed regularly, and they should be changed.  They are intended to help you grow, not stiffle your organization.

Here is a great simple document that you can use to help you start creating a strategic plan: https://www.edmonton.ca/programs_services/documents/PDF/StrategicPlanningForDummies.pdf

Take-away:  After you have created your plan, place your goals in a public space.  This will allow your organization to easily view them, track them, and determine if you are making progress towards accomplishing them.

Top 10 Ways to Kill Your Year-End Fundraising Campaign

/ Bridget L. Brandt / 2 Comments

It’s time…if you are not already planning your year-end campaign, you better get started.

This year, more than ever, you will need to stand out…everyone is getting it now, so the competition for $$$ is real!

  • They will want to know you are making an impact
  • They will need to be engaged
  • They will need to know it’s worth it

So, let’s help you avoid making some serious mistakes.

1.  It’s not about you!

Make sure you focus on the donor…what is in it for them?

2.  Don’t make a plan.

I’m sure you will remember what you wanted to do in October when December rolls around.  Take a day to actually make a timeline…when are you sending a letter, a postcard or even 2, when are the emails going out, what social media assets are you going to use.  Failure is inevitable if you don’t make a plan!

3.  Be Vague.

It’s important for donors to understand what you need, what you will do with the donation, and the impact it will make.

4.  Use a boring mailer.

Long paragraphs, multiple pages, no white space, and no story is sure to kill a campaign. Another sure-fire killer is using a plain No.10 white envelope.  Consider using over sized postcards..they really stand out in the mail.

5.  Don’t update your web site.

The first place donors considering giving will go, will be your website.  Make sure you have a clear donate now button, and make sure it goes to a page that makes it easy to give to you.  Make sure you share your impact…what have you done this year…why should they give you their $$$?

6. One & done.

As you are planning your campaign, keep in mind that it is a campaign.  That means one mailer or one email is not enough.  One is better than none, but it is not a year-end campaign.  You have to start somewhere, but work to increase your touches each year and adding multiple touch points will help ensure a quality campaign and strong results.

7.  Don’t use social media.

 

While social media alone does not make an annual campaign,  it sure can boost awareness during that time period.  It can help keep your organization top of mind and in front of prospective donors.

8.  Don’t send your final email during the last two days of December.

The last day of the month is the strongest day of giving for the entire year.  Your year-end campaign needs to have an email component that launches during the last couple of days of the year, and a final push on the last day of the year.

9.  Don’t hand write your thank you notes.

Nothing says thank you like a tax receipt.  A tax receipt is not a thank you.  Make sure you send a hand written thank you.  Enough said!!!

10. Don’t put your hard work to future use.

Most organizations fail to follow-up with new donors and annual donors throughout the year.  Make sure your donors feel like they are a part of the organization even if they only give once per year.  Establish a welcome program and a quarterly campaign that keeps those annual donors in the loop.

Take-away:  Now is the time.  You have a  huge opportunity to grow…MAKE IT HAPPEN!!!

How to create a nonprofit video on a tiny budget.

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Animoto is one of my favorite tools.  Yes, I am aware that it has been available for some time, but it just keeps getting better and easier to use.

I am speaking as the keynote for Habitat for Humanity on Monday.  One of the tips I am recommending is using video to entice and engage volunteers.  I decided to make a quick example rather than just a recommendation.

 

Not even joking this video took me 6 minutes to make on Animoto.  I know it is not the world’s greatest video, but seriously…6 minutes.

All you need to do is drag 5-10 pictures to the desktop, add your logo, and a few text clips. Presto, you have a volunteer video.

If you have very limited time and budget, this is going to change your life.

Take-away: Video is great for your site, for engagement, and your budget using Animoto, so start creating.

New Donor Survey

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As some of you know, I had the pleasure of working for Abila.  Their latest survey is great. I am reposting this article from Nonprofit Times so you can all learn from it.  Nice work Abila!

By NPT Staff – April 14, 2016

Nearly three-quarters (72 percent) of donors indicate that organizational content has bearing on their decision of whether or not to donate. Common reasons for not donating because of content include messages being too vague (35 percent); programming featured that the donor is not interested in (25 percent); and, dull and boring messaging (24 percent).

The data is from Abila’s Donor Loyalty Survey. The Austin, Texas-based software provider’s survey is based on responses from 1,136 donors who have made at least one donation during the past 12 months. For the full survey results, visit http://www.abila.com/lpgs/donorloyaltystudy/

The survey revealed that donors prefer messaging to be short and sweet. Three-quarters prefer a short, self-contained email with no links, while a two or three paragraph letter or article (73 percent), email with links to other articles (65 percent) and YouTube videos less than two minutes long (60 percent) are also popular.

Videos longer than 10 minutes (36 percent) and podcasts (31 percent) are the least preferred content types. Posts to Facebook are favored compared to Twitter posts 53 percent to 37 percent.

Three is a useful number for content producers to keep in mind. At the three-minute mark in videos, the minority of donors, 45 percent, is still paying close attention. Similarly, just 44 percent of donors are still reading written content intently at three paragraphs. Attentions continue to wane as the minutes and paragraphs accumulate.

Short videos are identified in the report as the most likely medium to spur action, be easily understood and convey a powerful story. Brief letters or articles do best in communicating information and are the most likely to keep donors engaged with the organization.

Other key findings from the report include:

  • The younger the donor, the more they want to hear from an organization. The vast majority of Millennials, 72 percent, want to be communicated with at least monthly, while 33 percent would like to be reached out to at least once a week. Gen Xers, 62 percent and 26 percent, Baby Boomers, 48 percent and 11 percent, and Matures 34 percent and 16 percent, prefer less frequent messaging;
  • Personalizing messages can be effective, but might also stand at the top of a slippery slope. Personalization increases engagement for 71 percent of donors, while 15 percent of donors are creeped out by such efforts – becoming less engaged;
  • Religious, 45 percent, and health, 45 percent, causes are the most preferred subsectors followed by social services, 43 percent, animal welfare, 41 percent, children’s charities, 35 percent, and education, 31 percent. Interest in religious causes is falling off among younger donors, failing to make it into the top three causes among Millennials and Gen Xers despite topping the list for Baby Boomers and Matures. Social services top the priority list for Millennials and Gen Xers, while health-related causes made the top three in all four age groups; and,
  • Donors want to see their money going directly to those in need. A whopping 92 percent of donors are happy or fine with funds going directly to service. Lobbying is the least popular expenditure among donors, with 44 percent of donors indicating that they are disappointed or angered if their contributions are being used that way.

Organizational messaging can drive donors to action or bore them to tears, the difference drastically affecting willingness to provide support.

Conflict of Interest Policy: Do you have one?

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Do you have a Conflict of Interest Policy’s?  If not, it’s time.  A comprehensive policy will protect your organization, and its leaders if it is current and up to date with the organization’s needs.

The IRS says all organizations should have a comprehensive conflict-of-interest policy that follows a traditional legal format.  This is recommend in Part V, Section 5 of IRS Form 1023.   The code asks questions to determine if the organization has procedures on handling conflicts and makes recommendations on creating a conflict-of-interest policy if one does not exist.

The full sample is here, but the overview can be seen below.

Article I: Purpose

Article II: Definitions

  1. Interested Person
  2. Financial Interest

Article III: Procedures

  1. Duty To Disclose
  2. Determining Whether a Conflict of Interest Exists
  3. Procedures for Addressing the Conflict of Interest
  4. Violations of the Conflicts-of-Interest Policy

Article IV: Records of Proceedings

Article V: Compensation

Article VI: Annual Statements

Article VII: Periodic Reviews

Article VIII: Use of Outside Experts

Take-away: At your next Board meeting, make it a point to update or adopt a comprehensive conflict-of-interest policy.

2016: Resolve to Grow Your Network

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Each year, roughly one in three Americans resolve to better themselves in some way. A much smaller percentage of people actually make good on those resolutions. While about 75% of people stick to their goals for at least a week, less than half (46%) are still on target six months later, a 2002 study found.

It’s hard to keep up the enthusiasm months after you’ve popped the cork, but it is possible. This year, just follow these simple steps to help build a great network for you and your organization.  Before you know it, you will be celebrating your successes for 2016.

1. Kindle your current network.

Reach out to the people you already know. Send emails or handwritten cards to everyone in your network. Wish them a happy New Year. Make your notes personal, and setup coffee dates to just say hi.  This is a great way to reinforce the relationships you’ve already built.

2. Use social media.

Social media is a great way to build your network, and while I am always blown away when people say they are not on XYZ network, it happens all of the time.  Even if you don’t want to share all of your personal details online, you can use social media networks to research companies and form relationships with other professionals.  Make it a point to post relevant messages about your organization, and comment on people’s pages that you want to meet or build a business relationship with.  Social media is a great way to reinforce face to face meetings, and to meet new people.

3. Attend a networking event.

Leave your comfort zone.  Find your local Chamber of Commerce, Rotary, or other networking organization and get out there.  I recommend that you select a specific networking event/group, and try to attend it monthly. I have found that when you attend the same type of meeting regularly it will help you get over the awkward first encounter.  You will also very rapidly begin to learn about those who also attend that event, and you will likely end up doing business with them.  Networking really does work if you work it.

4. Always say thank you.

I am a big fan of the thank you.  I recommend that you thank anybody and everybody with whom you interact. It sounds unnecessary but it really does makes a difference. It will set you apart from those that do not take the time to show appreciation. You never know when that tiny little thank you note will be the tip of the iceberg that landed you the big deal, got you that new job, or just made someone feel really great that day.

Take away: No matter what, “Always bear in mind that your own resolution to succeed is more important than any other.” –Abraham Lincoln.

Giving Tuesday & Your Year End Campaign

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20150929_091403[1]#GivingTuesday is less than two months away. Do you have a plan to add it to your end-of-year fundraising mix?  If not, you should.

I spoke today to a group of great nonprofit professionals today and we discussed campaign strategy, ideas, and how to get started. I think Giving Tuesday is a great way to add a bit of steam to your campaign.  If not, you’re missing a great opportunity to boost your donations.

Last year, the average online gift was $154.18. That’s a big chunk of change!

So, if you want to raise that kind of money, you’ve got to plan it right. Here are my slides from today.  Maybe they will help your organization.

http://www.slideshare.net/bridgetlbrandt/slideshelf

For more details on Giving Tuesday, visit http://www.givingtuesday.org/

Take-away:  Get started today.  Dec. 31st will be here before you know it!

Facebook Introduces “Donate Now” Button For Nonprofits: 3 Tips to Make the Most of It

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This is a great post—had to share with the Donor Experience 101 crew.

Written by Juliana Nicholson | @

While a strong social following on Facebook is already an immense advantage for nonprofits, those fans are about to become even more valuable. Thanks to the introduction of Facebook’s “Donate Now” button, it’s easier than ever for nonprofits to turn online engagement into meaningful monetary contributions. 

About Facebook’s “Donate Now” Button

The titan of social media has always been a logical choice for nonprofits, allowing them to connect with supporters in an environment that feels more personal than a website or print brochure does. Today, Facebook took that relationship to the next level, introduing a “Donate Now” call-to-action button option on both link ads and company Pages.

Regarding the update, they said, “Now it’s easier than ever for nonprofits to connect with people who care about their causes and encourage them to contribute through the website of their choice.”

When a user clicks on the button, they see a prompt from Facebook disclaiming that the social site isn’t affiliated with the company collecting donations. From there, the user will likely be routed to a brand’s website to complete their transaction. 

Nonprofits have two options for using the new CTA:

Company Page: The “Donate Now” CTA works much like Facebook’s other buttons (“Book Now,” “Shop Now” and “Contact Us”) in that it can be added to a brand’s company page at any time, and with no cost. When included on a company’s Page, the button appears alongside the “Like” button, on the bottom right corner of the cover photo.

Link Ads: To scale the visibility of the Donate Now CTA, companies can include the button in link ads, and then promote it as they would any other content.

Thinking about including a “Donate Now” button on your page or in your next ad campaign? Here are 3 things to consider.

3 Tips for Using Facebook’s “Donate Now” Button

1) Point The Way

Just placing a button on your Facebook Page doesn’t mean users will automatically start clicking on it. Encourage donations by referencing the “Donate Now” option in your regular posts, and consider creating new dedicated content that makes users aware of the button (and how their donations will be used).

Visual cues can be a big help as well. Consider swapping your cover photo to include new creative that direct the user to the button—arrows, text, or anything else you can dream up.

2) Run Highly Targeted Campaigns 

Just as your wouldn’t ask eveyrone who lands on your website to become a member of your nonprofit or donate to your cause, put your inbound marketing hat on and segment the audience you reach out to for donations.

Avoid wasting ad dollars by targeting your link ads to the users most-likely to donate to your cause. Interest targeting can be a great place to start, as well as behavior, demographics, job title, or connections (friends of people who like your Page already).

Need more inspiration? Look at your current database to identify the traits most similar amongst your most generous donors. Kick things up a notch by leveraging Website Custom Audiences to hone in on users that directly mirror exsisting donors in your system. 

3) Keep Your Content Balanced 

Just because asking for donations is easier than ever for companies on Facebook, it doesn’t mean you can neglect the primary reason most users connect with you to begin with. Remember that content comes first, and that creating a personal connection with your fans will pave the road for longer, more valuable long-term relationships.

Use your page to showcase how donations are used, and feature stories about the lives that previous donations have changed. Giving is still a two-way street. You have to provide an emotion connection before you can expect your fans to provide their credit card info. 

As with any campaign, it will be important to track who is clicking on their donation CTAs to measure what type of ROI is coming from their efforts, be they paid or organic. While no one platform can sustain a campaign alone, this update provides a new channel through which companies can drive incremental donations from social—something I’m sure most nonprofits will really “Like.”

http://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/facebook-introduces-donate-now-button-for-nonprofits

T.E.A.M.S. Make Great Volunteers

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Great volunteers are the true key to any successful nonprofit.  Here are some great tips for retaining great volunteers:

TIME- Make sure you start and end projects, meetings, etc…on time.  Volunteers are busy people too.  Be respectful of the time they give you and they will give you more of their time.

EDUCATE- Make sure you take time to educate your volunteers on the organization and how to do the job you have asked them to do.  Make fact sheets with details the volunteers need to be successful at the specific job.  Spend time with your volunteer going over those details.  Having the task in writing and presented verbally will make for better, longer retention of the task and for a happier volunteer.

APPRECIATE- This is easy to say and often left undone.  Thank volunteers in person, in public, and in hand-written thank you notes.  I always say, “You never hear anyone complain about being too appreciated.”

MENTOR- The definition of a mentor is a person that advises and trains.  Your volunteers are your greatest asset.  Invest your time in volunteer mentoring.  Spend time understanding why they are volunteering, what they want to get out of it, and how to make him/her stronger.

Survey- Ask your volunteers how you can better your organization and how you can better your volunteer program at least annually.  Unless they say you have a great program, you don’t have a great program.  Take their advice and show them that you are listening.

Take-away:  Keeping, building, and developing good volunteers is actually simple.  Simply build some great “teams.”

 

Nonprofit Storytelling-Start with Why.

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Imagine a world…

Have you seen this?

It is 18 minutes of the best advice I have seen in a long time.  22 million people have seen this video, but I don’t see people using this great advice.

This past week I hosted a workshop in which 50 partners at a local nonprofit worked together to create their own start with why story.  It was amazing.  During the workshop we had a contest for the best pitch. It is no surprise that the winners followed Simon’s advice to the T.

I felt the need to share with my readers because it can truly be organization changing. I just saw it happen.

Take-away:  Watch the video and create your own new story.

Video: http://www.ted.com/talks/simon_sinek_how_great_leaders_inspire_action?language=en