8 Effective Ways to Generate Income for Nonprofit Organizations
In the 21st century, people read the news, shop and chat with friends online. Almost all people send and receive dozens (if not hundreds) of emails and interact with other people on social networks every day. Some even manage to communicate with their doctors, accountants, etc. using the Internet.
You cannot deny the fact that now people’s lives are irreversibly connected to the Internet. That’s why it’s not surprising that many people donate their money to nonprofits and charities online.
In 2017, about 17% of all charitable donations were made online, and this figure is only expected to rise in the coming years.
In this review, you will learn 8 proven ways to get more donations online.
1. Improve your email marketing
Email helps nonprofits send effective emails that strengthen relationships with philanthropists and achieve fundraising goals. Nonprofits can use email marketing to find new and returning donors, as well as to get attention for their next event and, of course, fundraising.
Focus on the best marketing tactics, including:
- A strong and effective storyline (Why donate? Need to evoke emotion!)
- The recognized name of the sender.
- Specific personalized content (a modern mailing service allows you to enter the names of your recipients by mask, and also takes into account what time it is better to send a letter, that it was more likely to be read).
- Direct call to action.
In addition to content, you should also think about the frequency of sending emails. For non-profit organizations, the best option is to send 4 emails per month to each existing or potential donor.
2. Use of social media
Nowadays, more and more social networks allow donations to be transferred. Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, and Instagram are great places for nonprofits to get their messages across. When users learn about your organization, they can share your content with their friends and family.
3. Using your supporters
Ask your most dedicated supporters to raise money on behalf of your organization for a specific cause. This method will help not only raise money, but also allow you to find new supporters.
(For commercial purposes, this tool is used in classic SMM and is called working with opinion leaders, brand ambassadors).
4. Create a Donation Page
If you don’t have a blog, website, or social network community, then people won’t donate to your organization. Create a page on the site for donations so that anyone can easily and simply transfer money. Look at the websites of several non-profit organizations such as www.charitywater.org and www.girlswritenow.org.
In this regard, I like the free functionality from Yandex.Money. Here you can create your own page for collecting donations absolutely free of charge and at the same time use your individual design. All that is required of you is just to start Yandex.Wallet.
5. Make your website mobile friendly
People most often use mobile devices to access an organization. Thirteen percent of all donations made online were made from mobile devices. In addition, 51% of users use mobile devices to browse websites and perform other activities.
6. Distribution of content
Make your nonprofit or charity an expert in your chosen field by writing and distributing valuable content. People will be more likely to support your cause if they see you as a knowledgeable expert.
7. Use quality and effective messages
Images are a great way to share your organization’s story. Use images that showcase your work. According to the Kissmetrics analytics platform, photos are 53% more liked by users than plain text, and they get 104% more comments.
The most effective way to use images is to focus on those that show the people and places your organization exists to help.
8. Thank your donors
Gratitude is the single most important thing nonprofits can do to keep their donors. However, it’s easy to thank people who donate in person to your organization, but what about those who donate online?
If possible, you can send thanks by e-mail or call. If people do not want to remain anonymous, then you can thank them through social networks.
It is worth remembering that attracting new philanthropists costs 5 times more than retaining existing ones. For example, St. Jude’s Hospital keeps track of when people last paid and automatically sends emails three months after their last money transfer.
Sometimes non-profits can’t keep up with the ever-evolving and demanding world of technology. But everything changes whether you like it or not.
Internet marketing expert. Head of marketing agency MAVR.
Business degree “Master of Business Administration” (MBA).