Confessions Of A Digital Fundraiser

Guest Post by Barb Perell Vice President of Online Services from Avalon Consulting.

My name is Barb and I love direct mail.

As a digital fundraiser for the past 16 years, that may be surprising. But I’ve seen first-hand that nonprofit programs that leverage online AND offline channels perform better than those that don’t.

So as a digital fundraiser, I have some more confessions to make about how nonprofit marketing should look both on and offline.

“Nonprofit programs that leverage online and offline channels perform better than those that don’t…” tweet this

1) Digital Devotees Should Show Other Channels Some Love

The 2015 Charitable Giving Report showed that just 7.1 percent of nonprofits’ individual giving came through the digital channel—and that’s after huge efforts on the part of marketers to communicate their case for support through email, digital outreach, SEM/SEO, and social media.

Unlike the decades-old rental market of direct mail lists full of passionate advocacy/political donors who can easily be reached with a direct solicitation for support, there are far fewer quality sources of emails, and they are not always able to be targeted for their propensity to give philanthropically.

Because of this, emailing large groups of prospects AND getting high returns is a tricky task. And acquiring qualified warm prospects through online petition buys or digital advertising can be cost-prohibitive for some organizations.

Much of that 7.1 percent in online revenue was driven by a strong direct mail program that motivated donors to give online and served as a vehicle to collect email addresses that subsequently generated online revenue. And while online targeting has become more sophisticated, we haven’t found a way to match the predictability of forecasting that is possible with direct mail.

2) Multi-Channel Integration Is More Than Just Buzzwords

Digital marketing does play a critical role in overall fundraising, of course. Online fundraising continues to grow year over year (9.2% in 2015, according to the Charitable Giving report), and offers unique and often cost-effective ways to engage supporters by delivering timely and relevant content.

But a fully integrated multi-channel program includes a combination of digital, mail, telemarketing, and other channels. The channels all support each other, creating a more valuable, committed donor who will stay with you longer than one who responds to a single channel.

A donor who receives a mail appeal might go online to check out the organization and donate while there—or he might send in a reply card with a check. If he gives online, he will receive a series of welcome emails with more information about the organization and how his gifts will be used.

If he gets a phone call, he might have a conversation with a skilled telemarketer about the ins and outs of your sustainer program. And, if an organization has his email address, he might receive an e-newsletter regardless of what channel he came in on (unless he opted out).

This type of multi-channel strategy results in donors who believe they have a stake in your organization—and leads to more support across all channels.

3) Don’t Overlook Tried & True Strategies Because Of Sexy & New Ones

There’s no denying that digital is sexy and new—and, often, cost-effective. And sometimes taking a risk and being an early adopter in digital can mean the difference between a program that grows incrementally and one that sees real increases that can be banked and built upon.

On the other hand, using tried and true digital strategies – including integrating with other channels – is the best way to build a solid program that will be sustainable year after year.

Finally, a digital fundraising program is only as good as the financial investment and staff resources an organization is willing to invest in a comprehensive, multi-channel fundraising plan. Nonprofit leadership must look at the whole picture to ensure that the mix of channels they’re investing in will deliver quality donors—and steady income.

So, while my heart belongs to digital, I’m not ashamed to admit that playing well with other direct marketing channels is key to all-around success.