Nonprofit

The folks over at InfluxInsights posted an alarming POV of the (RED) Campaign championed by Bono.  As you may know “(RED) was created by Bono and Bobby Shriver, Chairman of DATA to raise awareness and money for The Global Fund by teaming up with the world’s most iconic brands to produce (PRODUCT)^RED branded products. A percentage of each (PRODUCT)^RED product sold is given to The Global Fund. The money helps women and children affected by HIV/AIDS in Africa.”

The meat of the Influx Insights article is as follows:

“As of January 2007, RED has delivered over $11.3 million to the Global Fund and had estimated a further $10 million would be added when holiday sales were accounted for.

The US launch was helped by a PR launch that leveraged Oprah to the max and massive advertising campaigns from Gap and Motorola. This has driven consumer awareness of the brand to 20%.

RED’s goal is to expand the product offering and to expand the concept into other non-English speaking markets.

The critical challenge for RED is to stay top of mind.

It needs more PR spikes of news to sustain interest, as the Alexa traffic data below shows.

It will be tough job as we move into full election mode in the US and as there?s been a recent shift in interest away from Africa and towards the environment and global warming.

RED needs to develop two prongs to its campaign:

1. Rapidly bring new partners into the mix- Their advertising and promotion will help drive awareness

2. Clearly communicate what its efforts to date have achieved in Africa- To validate the brand’s mission and to continue to educate the consumer about the issue which the product ads aren’t doing.

They have a YouTube channel, which is smart move, but of all the films they have up, only Bono’s message for World Aids Day, has a significant view count.

Perhaps RED needs to reach out to obtain some user generated content, or ask a broad group of creatives to donate their time to create some compelling messaging for the brand.”

Somewhere in all of this there is a lesson or two for for most of us.  It’s interesting to me that, with all the power behind (RED) — and I do mean the kind of power we would love and ache to have in support of our various causes — only $20 million and change seems to have been raised so far.  Wouldn’t you die to have Oprah, Bono, American Express, Converse, Apple, Gap, Armani, and others of this caliber behind you?

And yet, only $20 million. 

Some may say that it’s only the beginning of a the brand.  True enough.  But there’s a need for more, for the next leap forward. And what next? Bobby Shriver puts forth his answer:

“The big challenge we face is sustainability. Everywhere we go, people ask what our plans are for making this venture sustainable. Every time we answer “continuing innovation in products, continuing innovative campaigns to inform people that the (RED) embrace means money for medicine in Africa and continuing innovation with new product partners and their integration into the (RED) marketing system.”  

It’s the same challenge we all face, to be fresh, innovative, new, effective, real, authentic.

We are a community in desperate need for innovation.  To try new things.  To see with a new perspective.  To risk.  One organization I work with has a directive to try at least one new big thing each month.  That’s 12 a year.  Maybe one or two will hit it big and propel the organization to a new stratosphere in funding. Do that over the period of 5 or 10 years and the rest is history. 

I think this is how we change as fundraisers, as marketers, as organizations and as people. 

Thanks to everyone who wrote me this past month or so.  Your encouragement meant a lot to me.  Being in the agency business, as I have been for the past 25 years, can be one of the most exciting…and challenging of professions.  Expecially for those of us who get the privilege to work with great people in the realm of the not-for-profit sector.  However, some times we need to put our heads down and get the work done…even if a little blog like this suffers a bit.

I wouldn’t have it any other way.

I’ve found, as many of you have, that it’s all about forming deep, lasting relationships - with marketers such as yourselves, and with donors we serve.  We used to call it “bonding the donor to the organization.”  These days, it’s more like connecting a donor to the organization.  That is, developing strong connections no matter where the donor is in the relationship lifecycle.  Let’s face it, when people really connect with each other, that’s when the magic happens.  Here’s a little clip from the dictionary. 

Connect:

I’m starting to think of it as “connect marketing”, not direct marketing.  Yes, connect marketing is direct marketing, or rather uses the disciplines we have come to understand in direct marketing.  However, connect marketing goes beyond that and looks at establishing, not a $35 donation once or twice a year, or even a monthly pledge, but a connection across multiple touch-points. 

The very essence of connection speaks to increases in Long-Term-Donor-Value.  To the propensity for volunteerism, event participation, legacy giving and so on.  Establishing a real connection, that which springs from somewhere other than the pocketbook, is tough to dis-connect. Trust me, I want the connection to include the pocketbook because I know that this can be an outward expression of an inward heart-felt need.

And so I want to say thank to all of you that took the time to connect with me and to say how much you appreciated the stuff this blog is made of.  You’ll probably hear more about my thoughts on connect marketing, as I’d love to hear yours.

Cheers.

I read a press release today announcing ten trends taken from Next Now: Trends for the Future, the latest book from Trendspotters Marian Salzman and Ira Matathia.  For entire list, follow the link above or click on the “More” link below.  I’ve cherry-picked the few trends that relate most directly to our industry. 

The trend most getting my attention is:  “Single Minded Ethics.”  Why?  Well, any trend related to our industry is fairly historic, important, and implicative.  I trust that anyone (high-profile celeb or not) choosing to “pursue change vigorously” will do so in ways that accomplish our long-term fundraising objectives.  Thoughtful fundraising marketing efforts strive to more fully engage donors, create long lasting relationships, and foster deep ties to organizational mission.

Trends for 2007 (abridged version):

SHADES OF GREEN: As environmental responsibility becomes a prerequisite for corporations, companies will battle to become the greenest in their respective categories. Think BP or Toyota, whose hybrid vehicles have given the company gold-star status. Some companies will seek to stand out by promoting a particular cause or natural resource. Bonus points will go to businesses that help consumers understand environmental issues and offer smart, easy ways to make a difference. At gepower.com, for instance, GE explains its energy-saving initiatives. For those companies that don’t act, 2007 will see newly concerned consumers speaking out and taking action.

LOCAL LOYALTY: Globalization is giving us not only a new perspective on the world but also a greater loyalty to our own communities. Remember American Idol Ruben Studdard’s custom-made shirts emblazoned with the area code of his hometown, Montgomery, Alabama? More people will feel compelled to support local businesses, producers, artists and community initiatives. The local-food movement is leading the trend: In Manhattan, for example, high-profile chefs such as Danny Meyer have helped to make the Union Square farmers market a must for locally minded shoppers. Just as globalization has made the world seem smaller, localization allows us to make our hometowns feel bigger and more important.

Single-Minded Ethics: Bono has AIDS, Angelina Jolie has orphans, and Al Gore has CO2. 2007 will see more of us pick a niche and pursue change vigorously rather than skim like a stone across the ethics pond. We believe we can change the world, but we know we can’t change it all at once.

This Tube Is MyTube: More of us will start creating entertainment using formats such as blogs or publicly posted video clips as today’s technology makes it easy for amateurs to express themselves at minimal expense or risk. And it’s not just for fun or, sometimes, profit: Because they cannot be easily reined in, these forms of online media are becoming increasingly vital forums in countries where free speech is repressed.

Click here for the entire list.

Read the rest of this entry »

MADD is holding a “virtual candlelight vigil” this holiday season that is rather unique and meaningful. The idea here is fairly simple and straightforward:

MADD will be holding an online candlelight vigil during the Holiday Season when you can light a ‘virtual candle’ and submit a tribute message to a loved one or friend impacted by drunk driving. You can even have the tribute emailed to the person or family being honored.

Reading through a number of tribute messages left me speechless and numb.  Here is one example:

What does this campaign have to do with fundraising?  My guess is fairly little in the immediate sense of the word (although MADD may see it as an email capture strategy.)  However, this campaign creates a powerful experience for those left behind and living in the aftermath of such a tragic event.  Memories need to be kindled and re-kindled and this campaign helps light the spark. 

Excellent series of ads from Amnesty International.  Click Here to see the entire series.

• Small biz mix charity, marketing
  It might seem obvious that charitable work or donations to a cause are good things for small companies to do - they need to show their communities they care about their neighbors. So, what about the ones who purposefully pair their altruism with hopes of
  (tags: charity marketing)
• How to Succeed in a Marketing 2.0 World
  The Intelligence Group’s trend analyst highlights four campaigns and companies that are pushing the envelope of promotional strategy by going with the flow of recent online trends.
  (tags: Marketing viral web2.0)
• Do You Buy Banners?
  A recent eye-tracking study conducted by the Nielsen Norman Group found Internet users avoid viewing banners. They do, however, pay attention to text ads, such as those used in paid search.
  (tags: online web marketing Advertising)

When I first ventured into the world of nonprofit blogging, I did so with much anticipation and fear.  Anticipation to learn new things, to explore new areas within fundraising, and to share a little of what I’ve learned with a few others.  To shine the light so to speak. The fear part comes in because, as with most new things, the unknown can be a bit dark, unforgiving, and can close in on you very quickly.  Uh, very similar to a recent caving expedition in the hills of West Virginia.  The picture below pretty much says it all. (Yes, that’s me on the left.  And you can stop laughing now.)

Oh geez, there are a ton of similarities between fundraising and caving.  I’ll spare you.  Ok, I can’t resist just a few: wear coveralls because you never know what crap you’ll be asked to crawl through; and…watch out for ‘ol bats - you’ll usually find them CLINGING to the walls.  One more:  gives data mining a whole new meaning.

I’m done. 

Back to my point.  Over the past few months, I’ve managed to meet some extremely intelligent, fascinating, and interesting nonprofit bloggers and fundraising professionals.  A few have helped me out in so many ways - encouraging email, wonderful posts, the ever-so-amazing links to Donor Insite, and just plain reading what I write.

One such person is the writer (known only to us as “a fundraiser”) of the blog, Don’t Tell the Donor.

I emailed ”a fundraiser” and asked him about the “why” behind the title of the blog. I also wanted a bit more info as to why he began “Don’t Tell the Donor” in the first place. His response:

I was actually being sarcastic with the title at first.  By publishing the kinds of things fundraisers try to hide from donors… hopefully I am doing exactly that and brining more openness to nonprofit fundraising.

Writing “Don’t Tell the Donor” allows me to do what I love most - raise funds for great groups…but I’m also a donor.  I support (many) charities on an annual or monthly basis.  And after working in nonprofits for several years - I was surprised by the tension between the daily secrets fundraisers try to keep from donors and the need to be open and build trust.

I’m still feeling my way through it.  But I think it’s important to say that I see my mission as being the same as Jeff Brooks - trying to teach organizations to respect their donors… or else   I hope my site provides some relief from their frustrations at dealing with the tension of openness with their own donors.

In my book, he accomplishes his mission very well.  There you have it, why such a great blog has such an interesting title. 

I’m done digging around now.

Cartoon from today’s link: Charity does not begin in poshest suburbs.

I’ve added a widget to the sidebar of this blog as sort of an experiment.  Some of my friends at nonprofit organizations believe that it’s just too darned hard, too complicated and not worth the effort to ask current supporters to fundraise on their behalf via the online medium.  That is, the technology just isn’t quite “there” yet; that it’s not a priority given all of the other opportunities on the plate; that, although it’s a good idea, it’s not a GREAT idea.  There’s just bigger fish to fry.

I totally understand.  And yet, I have a few minutes of spare time on my hands (yeah, right) and with some help from friends, ah heck, why not just try.  I figure there is so much great, valuable information out there.  For example, Beth’s Blog has been educating us on widgets all this month.  Her post, “Let’s Go Widget Shopping!” along with her interview with Michael Stein (An Interview with Michael Stein) are must-reads on the subjet of giving this business of fundraising into the hands of donors passionate about their causes.  I have always believed that donors are more generous and more passionate than we know. 

And then, just when I thought I could hide, doesn’t Mr. Don’t Tell the Donor himself publish a post asking for donations so that he could have the funds to add more value to this world of ours.   I love it.

Both great bloggers mentioned (and are using) ChipIn. From the website: “ChipIn is a Web-based service that simplifies the process of collecting money from groups of people. We make this process quick, easy, and secure, and we provide organizers with numerous ways to get the word out about their ChipIn event.”  Is it quick?  Is it easy? Is it secure?  I thought I’d give it a try.

Literally, within a few minutes my “ChipIn Event” was up and running.  I decided I would try to raise $400 so that I could purchase 10 pigs for 10 African children.  And I’d try to to it by Christmas Day.  Creating the ChipIn widget was fairly easy and it certainly was quick. 

Of course, I have a plan to use my sphere of influence to help. As part of that plan, I’m asking you.  I realize you may not know me but you do know about children in need and you do know World Vision. Please give to my “10 Pigs For 10 Kids” Christmas Campaign for World Vision.  Not only do I want to help children, I also want to prove to my friends that maybe, just maybe this idea of the Participant Fundraising is something to seriously consider. 

I know a story of a woman in Calgary, Alberta Canada.  Her two sons were killed in a car accident a number of years ago. One of those events in life in which there are no answers, no reason, nor rhyme.   The death of her sons left with a gaping hole in her heart as large and lonely as a vacant lot.  So she picked herself up from the ruins and did something about it.  She set up a memorial fund and started cooking Christmas dinner for friends and family.  When dinner was over, she asked them to donate to the fund.  That was 22 years ago. Well, this past year, she served 1,500 turkey dinners under a big-top tent and raised thousands of dollars for the local homeless shelter.  She covered that ugly vacant lot with a huge beautiful tent. 

I think that’s what ROI really means, Return on Influence.

Headline
It is estimated that one in three children born in the year 2000 will develop diabetes. While its causes are related to genetics, obesity and inactivity, its effects are most disturbing. Disbetes can lead to stroke, amputataions and even(blurry text)

Copy
Once you understand the effects of diabetes, you may want to learn the causes. www.diabetes.org

Agency: Serve Marketing.

• Donating, With Care
  Americans give generously, but that charitable spirit recently has been under assault.
  (tags: nonprofit philanthropy)
• Philanthropy for sale?
  Americans have proved time and time again that we are a generous, charitable people. Our nation rarely sees a tragedy, local or overseas, that isn’t worthy of our compassion.
  (tags: nonprofit charity philanthropy)
• Foundation’s size stirs awe and concern
  Generations from now, when Windows — and perhaps even Microsoft — are no longer part of the lexicon of pop culture, the philanthropy of Bill Gates will be remembered.
  (tags: Gates philanthropy windows nonprofit)
• How to Succeed in Emerging Media
  this column will focus on some of the standard mistakes I see when companies in emerging advertising categories try to build their businesses.
  (tags: online web social marketing)

I read with earnest the article below that appeared in today’s Toronto Star (a sort of prelude to an upcomimg book about today’s nonprofit world.)  The author muses about the legacy we need to leave - as normal every-day individuals - in light of the recent “epic”-donations from huge, famous, mega-business gods and celebrities.  An imprint with both our finances and the involvement of our time. His desperation is felt throughout the article especially as he walks through a number of interviews with charity fundraisers.  A desperation haunted by the striking need of humankind. His thinking is that our generation (40-somethings) are giving more, volunteering less and that the coming generation will do less of both.

What do you think? And what do your donors think? I spoke to a donor the other day that remarked how “sorry” she felt because she could only give $75.  “I’m no Gates”, she said.

The article is thoughtful, powerful, extremely well researched and factual, and worth the long read.  It’ll stir debate and yet his words are an honest look…an outsiders look…into our business.

Here is the Toronto Star article in it’s entirely:

Shaking charity’s foundations  — Nov. 19, 2006.

Several years ago I began to notice the word “philanthropist” in obituaries, which, at age 57 (and a half), I now read. I observed that many of the deceased - no matter their means, age or sex - had been rigorously engaged in benevolent acts.

I saw, too, in the news pages, that the rich and famous, from Bill Gates to Brad Pitt to Oprah Winfrey, were toiling cheerfully on the world stage for their chosen causes: treating AIDS in Africa, fighting child poverty, helping victims of tidal waves and hurricanes…

I began clipping articles, making inquiries, and searching the literature. The file grew. My initial interest was personal, fuelled by the death of my mother and our large family’s debates about ways to honour her memory. But as I learned more, I began to think about legacy, what we leave behind, the mark we make.

What I kept seeing was individual generosity on a grand, even epic, scale. The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation is surely the most powerful charitable foundation the world has ever seen. They had a $29 billion (U.S.) war chest (and that was before Warren Buffett tossed in $37.4 billion) and decided, for one thing, to battle malaria in the developing world. The annual budget of the World Health Organization, at $1.65 billion, looks puny by comparison.

It seemed there was a charity Olympics under way, and the numbers were dizzying. Almost every week came news of another windfall. This wasn’t about one person writing a fat cheque and being done with it. The donors’ hands-on involvement, their knowledge and focus, their travels to far-flung places to observe firsthand how their largesse was making a difference - this zealousness seemed new and unprecedented.

Read the rest of this entry »

Like a character out of the “Lost” TV series, I  somehow stumbled upon this post from The Positivity Blog. As I read the post, “Do you make these 10 mistakes in a conversation”, I couldn’t help but make the transition to fundraising - especially when speaking to our donors - especially our BIG donors. Here is the article in it’s entirely:

Can you improve your conversation skills? Certainly.

It might take a while to change the conversation habits that’s been ingrained throughout your life, but it is very possible.

To not make this article longer than necessary let’s just skip right to some common mistakes many of us have made in conversations. And a couple of solutions.

Not listening
Ernest Hemingway once said:

“I like to listen. I have learned a great deal from listening carefully. Most people never listen.”

Don’t be like most people. Don’t just wait eagerly for your turn to talk. Put your own ego on hold. Learn to really listen to what people actually are saying.

When you start to really listen, you’ll pick up on loads of potential paths in the conversation. But avoid yes or no type of questions as they will not give you much information. If someone mentions that they went fishing with a couple of friends last weekend you can for instance ask:

• Where did you go fishing?
• What do you like most about fishing?
• What did you do there besides fishing?

The person will delve deeper into the subject giving you more information to work with and more paths for you choose from.

Read the rest of this entry »

Credits:
Title: Invisible
Agency: ACLC Inc., Toronto 

Here is my pick of the week from the Salvation Army Canada (sans audio)

Credits:
Title: Invisible
Agency: ACLC Inc., Toronto

Let me introduce you to Lisa Ray and her blog, Two Knives.  Lisa is a recent stay-at-home mom living in Minneapolis. I think her blog is extremely well written.  Todays post, about her experience this past weekend at a local fundraiser, is very funny, short, and long on insight for those of us in the fundraising community.  Here it is:

The perfect storm

I spent much of Saturday morning trying to alleviate my guilt over spending about $600 at a fundraiser the night before. Donating, I mean. I donated $600.

Don’t get me wrong, it’s all for a good cause. People Serving People is a family homeless shelter in downtown Minneapolis. It was their annual fundraiser - food, drinks, music, and a live auction.

I decided it was a convergence of three factors that led to the ill-fated bid, or as my friend Joni said, I created the perfect storm:

• an auction, which ignited my gambling-addiction tendencies, combined with
• homeless seven-year-olds, combined with
• two (or several) glasses of vodka.

I flashed my bidding number faster than you can say Indian gaming. The prize, which was much more appealing at the time, is an afternoon in local radio studio watching how a live show works. At least my 9-year-old seems excited about going.

I think I’ll have to stay away from fundraisers. At least until I’m employed again.

My takeaway: Sometimes, we’re so sophisticated in our approach to securing the gift - our segmentation, our careful campaign development, our dazzling creative, our whiz-bang back end analysis.  Then again, maybe it’s because a couple of unknown factors (I call them “Donation-X Factors”) came together in perfect alignment, like whirling planets in some cosmic convergence, that actually produced the sale, er, donation.  I mean donation. 

Max Kalehoff has written an excellent article for OnlineSpin, a Media Post Publication and as a post in his blog. “Ten Trends in Transforming Marketing Measurements” explores what marketing via the new media will mean for data-driven, response oriented advertising (and fundraising, of course) campaigns.  Here are excerpts from the article:

1. Digital network adoption. Mass adoption of the Internet and digital networks is fundamental, if obvious. Their impact on how we share and manage information is now perhaps the most significant influence on the evolution of metrics, among all that follow.

2. Attention erosion. Our networked society has resulted in massive increases in consumer choice and, from a marketer perspective, an erosion of attention. Many economists postulate that we’re undergoing a transition away from an economy based on shelf space to one based on attention scarcity.

3. Speed of measurement. The near-real-time intelligence delivery that characterized the Bloomberg terminal is permeating nearly all facets of marketing measurements. Even if measurements are not delivered instantaneously in a slick, colorful dashboard, the expectation of faster data and actionable insights is growing. Speed is a competitive advantage.

4. Democratization of data and analytics. There was once a time when access to vast piles of market-research data and processing power was contingent upon huge budgets. While that’s still true in many cases, digital networks have made more data more accessible–even sometimes to the point of open-source or free.

5. Observational measurements. In digital networks, people often passively emit both anonymous and identifiable gestures, whether it’s visiting a Web site, programming a TiVo, commenting in a public discussion forum or a host of other activities.

6. Unstructured data. Included with the arrival of observational measurement is analysis of unstructured data. From news stories to discussion forums to blogs to multimedia-sharing sites, people increasingly publish data abundant with insights and trends.

7. Beyond demographics. Traditional demographics–like gender and age–will always be important, but observational techniques are helping marketers to understand and segment their customers in new ways.

8. Customer-centric measurements and planning. The trends above have one thing in common: customers increasingly are at the center of the universe, versus companies, brands, products or media.

9. Data integration comes of age. With more customer and data touch points come the need for more data integration and better market modeling.

10. Reevaluating relationships with whom and what we measure. Finally, as consumers become more empowered, the disciplines of measurement and research will increasingly cater to them (just as marketers are doing in general).

I recently discovered an excellent blog by Steve Borsch, “Connecting The Dots.”  Steve’s thoughtful and informative blog is dedicated to “Guidance, Insight and Ideas in a Time of Accelerating Change.”  My take is that Steve’s blog accomplishes his mission statement to perfection. 

Here’s why I’ve dedicated a post to Connecting the Dots.  Steve has written a FREE REPORT, “Rise of the Participation Culture.”  This report is “a high-level trend overview for strategists, leaders and marketers on why the Internet and a new wave of Web applications have been embraced by a tech-savvy generation and spawned a culture of participation.” 

Simply put, this report is the BEST primer I have ever read on the history of Web 2.0, Social Media and the related applications for any organization seeking to use this new media to further profit and NONPROFIT objectives. 

From the site itself, here’s a more detailed introduction to the report:

In the following pages, the three pillars which have already enabled the Rise of the Participation Culture will be examined:   1) Internet as a Platform: We will observe how core industry standards, hosted application developers and other technologies have already coming together to form ‘the perfect storm’ of enablers that Tim O’Reilly has called “the emergent Internet operating system.” This convergence has also been dubbed Web 2.0.   2) Participation Applications: We will discuss a few of the most powerful emerging applications — and trends - occurring, which have already created a myriad of compelling reasons for people to invest energy, effort, time and money into them.   3) We will present an overview of the People who use and rely on Web 2.0 in order to understand the demographic and psychographic makeup of those driving this culture of participation   4) Lastly this report will consider What’s Next as we acknowledge today’s Participation Culture trends and forecast what we might expect going forward.

Why do I think this is important?  The face of fundraising is a-changin’ and we will need to incorporate new concepts, new ideas, new strategies and new media if we are to do our best.  My career has been built on the back of a “nonprofit to donor” communications strategy.  That is, my client needs to raise funds, a strategy is then developed and the appropriate advertising/fundraising tactics (mostly traditional) are executed and measured against objectives.  The idea is generated FROM the charity TO the donor or prospective donor.  Do I think this will all go away?  Absolutely, absolutely not.  These principles are timeless, basic, foundational, measurable.

And yet we are beginning to see, with even greater clarity, how critical, important, powerful and increasingly more simple it is to have donors raise support our behalf.  Isn’t this just good ‘ol event or corporate or “friend-get-a-friend” fundraising?  Yes, it’s that and yet much more.  After all, isn’t a Porsche just another car?  ‘Nuff said.

Participation Fundraising happens 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.  Participation Fundraising uses the tools of New Media (and old) to spin the flywheel of charitable support faster, with more inertia and will less effort. Participant Fundraising doesn’t need gobs of expense budget. Tell me again, how much did Dove’s spend on the Evolution viral video?  Participant Fundraising won’t require 6-month leadtimes. All of this, and more, will allow Participant Fundraising to play a larger, more significant role in the diversified fundraising mix. 

And yet there are cautions and things we gotta figure out.  Blogger’s Blog writes:

The problem for companies hoping to make a viral video is that most of them won’t work and it is getting more and more difficult every day to find success with viral videos. Simple ideas like the Subservient Chicken won’t work as well because everyone has already seen this idea used several times by now. The These Days blog explains viral marketing can be complex.

Nobody understands how online viral marketing really works. Worse: ever since big brands discovered its power, it’s becoming harder every day to succesfully create some buzz online. It’s true that a succesful “word of mouse” campaign is always cheaper to produce than, say, a street ad campaign. And yes, it’s a perfect way to support a bigger ad campaign, or reach a different, more “webby” target group. But if a viral campaign is not handled right, it might hit you in the face, and sometimes even harm your brand. Or worse: be ignored completely, like the majority of them. All you can do is: avoid common mistakes, unleash the virus, wait and pray.

And yet we can’t give up hope and can’t stop trying to make it work because intuitively we know that word-of-mouth has always been the best and most inexpensive form of advertising.  Read the Report and then think it through a bit.

Participation Fundraising, when fully mature, just may be our answer to raising more, with less. 

I thought I’d try my luck at posting some of my favorite television spots and PSA short features.  Maybe along the way, we can both learn how and why television and film can move the masses to our cause and into our donor database. 

This Greenpeace spot, “Breathe”, is as compelling as it is beautiful and I like how the visuals move with the audio.  Go ahead and click away.

After watching this spot, I may not understand the details of how Greenpeace helps our environment, and the specifics how my donation will help, I do get the connection between my life and the ocean.  Click hear for the YouTube Link.

Takeaway:  Use the unique power of each medium to the max.  In this case, it’s the perfectly choreographed dance between the audio and the visual. 

If you could use only audio and visuals, what television spot would you produce for your organization?

Looking back at a botched fundraising campaign, every wonder why things didn’t pan out or test out the way you anticipated?  Most likely it wasn’t because you didn’t have enough information, maybe it was due to faulty thinking or poor pre-planning.  Maybe it was just a dumb idea in the first place.

The Bad Analysis blog (no joke), has published a list of the ten most compelling reasons why we make bad decisions in an article by that name.  You’ll find the full article here.  Below are the main points:

10. We’ve come this far… (sunk cost bias) - We all know that the past is past and we can’t get back money or time that we already spent. But many people irrationally take sunk costs, time, money, or other resources which have already been spent and can’t be recovered, into their decision making.

9. Me me me! (egocentric bias) - Putting yourself in another person’s shoes is harder than it sounds for most people.

8. That just proves my point. (confirmation bias) - Isn’t it a coincidence that no matter what happens in the world, politicians can spin it to show why that confirms their opinions? A cynical explanation is that politicians twist the truth to get what they want. But a more subtle explanation is that our brains tend to search for and interpret information in ways that support our pre-existing opinions.

7. That’s easy. (overconfidence) - While overconfidence is definitely a good thing in many situations, it probably means people don’t work on their weaknesses as much as they should.

6. I’m #1! I’m #1! (dysfunctional competition) - Have mixed feelings when you find out your co-workers get a promotion that you weren’t even interested in? You’re not alone. People’s happiness is often a function of what they have relative to others.

5. Mine mine mine! (endowment effect) - Why is it so hard for people to throw, give away or sell things that are past their prime? One theory is that people tend to place a higher value on objects they own relative to objects they do not.

4. Watch out for sharks. (availability bias) - People are suckers for recent and memorable events. So much so, that they think these types of events are more likely to happen than they actually are.

3. If everybody else thinks so… (conformity) - People make decisions based on what they think and not what everyone else thinks, right? Wrong!

2. Lets go hard 8! (illusion of control) - We all know that there’s no difference between my chances in craps if I have the dice or someone else at the table does, right?  It should also cause you to question the confidence of your co-workers who know they will hit an aggressive deadline even though there are many factors out of their control.

1. He’s just a moron. (attribution error) - Is the driver that cut you off a jerk? Or is he a good guy who didn’t see you because he’s distracted? So maybe it’s better to withhold judgment about a person until you’ve actually talked to them.

If you don’t have photographs of your real donors (now that’s a shame), then go through several magazines to find representative photos.  Tear ‘em out and tape them to the walls of your office or cubicle. 

As an example, here’s a photo of two women that may be existing donors to your organization.  Take a look.  A very long and thoughtful look.  

One fundraising writer I know begins every first draft with, “Dear Mom.”   This type of approach gives “personalization” a whole new meaning.

• Online advertising reaches more consumers? Prove it, big companies say
  Important changes may be on the way to better help marketers quantify online spending.
  (tags: online web marketing interactive)
• Email Relevance More Than Creative Drives Sales
  Marketers using email do not focus enough on relevance.
  (tags: email marketing online)
• U.S. newspaper readership in steep decline
  The losses have accelerated as the industry tries to adjust to the steady migration of readers and advertisers to the Internet. Papers in major metropolitan areas, where more homes are wired for broadband, fared worse than those in smaller markets.
  (tags: newspaper trends)
• Why Use Social Media With Your Press Release?
  Excellent, very hands-one post on how to prepare Press Releases for media outlets using the new tools of social marketing.
  (tags: marketing PR communications)
• Better ROI From YouTube Video Than Super Bowl Spot
  Is it possible to create intense marketing buzz on the cheap? With not a penny of paid media and in less than a month, “Dove Evolution,” a 75-second viral film has reaped more than 1.7 million views on YouTube. Good “idea starter” article for the nonpro
  (tags: Advertising Youtube dove viral Video branding roi)

Any article or blog post dealing with the issue of not being afraid to ask will automatically get my attention.  I really like this post by Amy Kincaid on her blog, Fundraising Breakthroughs. This post is smart, honest, funny and full of insight . Thought you’d enjoy reading it too.

Here’s a quick snippet: 

The introductory paragraph ends in “And to make all this happen, we need-you guessed it–money. Perhaps even your money.”
The fundraiser in me got a sinking feeling.

It goes on: “So we’re hitting up friends for financial support.”
Holy smokes (sorry, I’m from Kansas City, and we talk that way). Promise me, novice fundraisers, no more violent language. We’re inviting people (aka donors) to join us in work that has meaning.

– Very funny.

The Muttart Foundation recently released their consumer survey report, “Talking about Charities 2006: Tracking Canadians’ Opinions about Charities and the Issues Affecting Them.” The report was released in 2000, 2004 and September 2006.

Highlights for me are:

• 79% of all Canadian trust charitable organizations; 29% trust them a lot (nearly the same percentage holds true for leaders of organizations)
• Hospitals are trusted most (80%); children’s causes (85%); health prevention/research (84%); education (77%); social services (74%); protection of the environment/animals (73%); churches (67%); the arts (61%); international relief and development (57%).
• 87% believe more attention needs to be given in the way charities raise their funding
• Many Canadians do have objections to charities hiring commission based fundraisers. 62% find this practice unacceptable
• Half of Canadians would like more information about the work charities do, even though it may require more money to be spent on communications
• When considering making a donation to a particular charity, 58% are most likely to research that charity though its website; 46% will call the charity to ask for more information and 44% will look at financial statements.

While reading through a study such as this, I tend to take notes to see how these findings can and should be addressed in organization-wide key messaging and position statements.  Moreover, time spent speaking with donors will clarify our own specific issues that must be addressed. In other words, are we addressing key consumer/donor issues or just speaking about what’s important to us?

One particular nonprofit I know uses a “message tree” approach (the longer the communication piece, the more key messages are to be prioritized and included) while another has developed a very deliberate positioning document that is reviewed with communications writers (both external and internal) at the start of each creative development process.  While this may not be new, it is critical to keep on track of what we are communicating and what we should communicate given organizational mandates.

“By the very act of not communicating, we are, in fact, communicating.”

• Sarah Jessica Parker on Trick or Treat for UNICEF
  With Halloween just two days away, actress Sarah Jessica Parker is speaking out for the UNICEF trick-or-treat campaign.
  (tags: UNICEF nonprofit celebrity)
• Gift-giving charities have it all planned
  Take a read through this article about the use of premiums in direct mail fundraising. Not a lot is new here, the summary at the end makes it a worth-while read.
  (tags: nonprofit direct mail charity solicitations)

Great ad from the MS Society UK:

The copy in the upper right corner might be hard to read:

“When vertigo, numbness or loss of muscle coordination can strike without warning, the last thing you feel is at home.”

Credits:
Saatchi & Saatchi London
Kate Stanners (Creative Director)
Cassandra Yap (Copywriter)
Marion Cohen (Art Director)
Illustrator: Marion Cohen/ Alex Normanton
Retouching: First Base

While I realize there are many nonprofit organizations using viral campaigns to raise funds, I recently came across one worth a closer look for reasons explained later.  Fight Hunger: Walk the World is conducting viral video contest.  The winner receives a chance to win a trip to film a WFP school feeding project in a developing world. 

Nope, this is not a new story — Beth’s Blog has written about it, as has Netsquared and Citizen Brand (I’m sure I’ve omitted others.)

However, here are my takaways:

• It’s a fresh, new and innovative way to bond a donor to the organization.
• It hits the target audience (youth/young adult) right down-the-middle.  When I showed this to my teenage son, he jumped at the chance to give it a try.  Haven’t seen this much excitement since the PSP.
• The contest pay-off is substantial. The winner receives a filming trip and the video will be used in the upcoming Fight Hunger ad campaign.
• The web site copy sticks to the mission of the organization. “Everyone who enters is a winner because by sharing your creativity you’re joining our global movement to end child hunger by 2015.”  There’s no fluff here to get the reader sidetracked.
• The contest and rules are easily understood and clearly stated.
• Readers can further spread the word about the campaign by adding one of several banner options to websites and blogs. Nice way to extend the idea beyond the contest landing page.
• And in addition to everything else…you can donate to Fight Hunger right from the contest site. If you don’t ask, you won’t get.

Has the public responded?  I dunno.  I searched for the keyword “fhvideo” on YouTube, Google Video, blip.tv and ourmedia.org and didn’t find anything.  I’m sure I was doing something wrong. 

I’d love to hear from others out there that have had success with viral video or photo campaigns.  I guess I’d have to define success, but maybe I’ll let you do that.

• United Ways seeks five million volunteers - See how UW will manage this task:
  The group plans to use their robust Volunteer Solutions software to recruit volunteers and match them with opportunities in their communities that meet their interests.  Check out this site for a look at this robust software solution.
  (tags: volunteerism charity nonprofit)

The link to an article I posted on October 26 , “Running a Non Profit Like a Business”, (Inside Collin County Business, Plano, TX) caused a few writers in our community to fire up the ‘ol computer.  Don’t Tell the Donor, The Agitator and Ken Goldstein had excellent perspectives on the subjects of public confidence in the nonprofit sector and, as the title suggests, running a nonprofit like a business. I recommend reading the posts AND the comments.

And just when I thought the firestorm coals had cooled and I could go back to sleep at night, I read today’s post from Pam Aslund, “Non-Profit Confidence Problem?”

To steal Ken Goldstein’s headline, these subjects are certainly, “Pressing Our Buttons.”

I didn’t realize how a little article could cause such a large, thoughtful and intense response.  But that’s why I wanted to enter the blogosphere in the first place: to foster cross-cutting dialogue in the nonprofit industry so that we can express our views and learn from each other.

Ok, I know that’s a goofy title, but it somewhat describes what is happening in our industry of late. These are great days for the nonprofit fundraising sector and for those this industry ultimately serves. Reading though the daily links for the past week or so and we see that:

The Chronicle of Philanthropy reports American largest charities grew an astonishing 13 percent matching the highest gain since the Chronicle has been publising the Philanthropy 400 Survey.

Individuals increased their charitable contributions to health care facilities and organizations by a record 16 percent in the U.S., to $7.01 billion, and by 11 percent in Canada.

Estimated giving by California foundations rose in 2005 to a record $4.11 billion, and a survey of leading foundations projects that their giving will grow faster in 2006, according to a report released Wednesday by the Foundation Center.

Bank of America’s landmark philanthropy survey released today indicates:

Charitable giving increased over the last five years. When asked about the level of their charitable donations, nearly two thirds (65%) of wealthy donors somewhat or dramatically increased their charitable giving over the past 5 years. Less than 12% of high net worth households decreased their contributions.”  (For an excellent commentary on this study, head over to Sean Stannard-Stockton’s blog, Tactical Philanthropy.)

And the list goes on and on.  Are we getting better at fundraising? Yes.  Is the general public more generous?  Yes.  Are there more prospective donors in the donor pool? Yes.  Does the public trust us? Yes, despite what a United Way public poll might indicate (and oh-so thoroughly addressed by Don’t Tell The Donor yesterday.)  Are corporations more involved in charities? Yes.  And by all the Red and Pink we see these days, it’s now hip to donate.  Who’d a thunk it.

Any why am I so excited?  Because, in the end, we don’t raise funds for ourselves.  We raise funds for those who do not have the voice or ability to ask.

The time is right to:

• innovate
• take chances
• be creative
• test, test, test
• try new ideas
• rollout
• dare to dream
• ask for more
• ask for more again
• build strong relationships

Growing up in Ohio, we used to say, “Make hay while the sun still shines.”  Who knows? The bright sun may soften to sunset tomorrow.  But as for today, I’ll set my face to the sun and get after the work at hand.

Just a quick note to point you to a most excellent article by Peter Deitz, “Social Networking and Group Fundraising.”  Actually, this article points to the main web post, “How to Use the Internet for Group Fundraising”.  Peter has written one of the most practical pieces I’ve read on the subject of how to approach a viral fundraising campaign.  Here’s an excerpt:

In the last four years, the number of websites that help individuals design and implement their own group fundraising campaigns has exploded. Networks of friends, family, and activists can now raise money effecitvely and collectively for any number of causes. But with all the options available, sometimes it is difficult to know which platform to choose and how best to put it to use.

This guide features:

1. 5 questions to ask yourself before starting a fundraising campaign, and
2. 3 factors to consider when choosing a group fundraising platform.

The phenomenon goes by several names: viral fundraising, team fundraising, grassroots fundraising, group fundraising, and even network-centric fundraising. In each case, the concept is the same.

An individual or group creates a page on a website and sets a fundraising goal on behalf of a non-profit organization or project. The initiator then emails friends and family requesting financial support for the cause.

On occasion, friends and family are so enthusiastic that they forward the announcement to their individual networks. Sometimes news of the project reaches the “blogosphere” or catches the attention of a journalist.

Suddenly thousands of people are responding and the fundraising goal is met in record time. Well, that’s the best case scenario. More often than not, close friends, family, and a few anonymous philanthropists come through with the cash needed to meet the fundraising goal.

Very good stuff.  Thanks Peter.

• Bank of America Announces Initial Findings of Landmark Philanthropy Study
  Much has been written about this BofA Study. If you’ve not had a chance to read it, here’s the link.
  (tags: nonprofit charity philanthropy donor)

• Direct Mail Study by Nielsen Media Research
  Among the big three direct mail sectors, charities send out the smallest proportion of mailings - 27% - to existing contacts. They also had the highest rate of unopened mail sent to potential supporters, at 76%.
  (tags: direct mail charity research)
• DMA improves Mail Preference Service
  The Direct Marketing Association has made improvements to its long-running Mail Preference Service that make it easier for consumers to control the amount of advertising mail they receive.
  (tags: direct mail marketing)
• A List of College Fundraising Campaigns
  Some major fundraising initiatives announced by universities in recent weeks, their target and where the money will go.
  (tags: university alumni fundraising un)
• Trick or Treat? UNICEF’s New Strategy
  Instead of going door-to-door on Oct. 31 with the infamous UNICEF boxes (which has been customary for the past 50 years), students at participating schools across Canada received an envelope to fill with donations
  (tags: nonprofit UNICEF charity youth fundraising)
• Running a nonprofit like a business
  American’s trust and confidence in nonprofits is alarmingly low. Confidence in charitable organizations stands roughly 10 to 15 percent lower today than it did in the summer of 2001.
  (tags: nonprofit charity charitable)
• Health Care Org. Donations Up Record 16.3 Percent
  Thankful patients and their grateful families increased their charitable contributions to health care facilities and organizations by a record 16 percent in the U.S., to $7.01 billion, and by 11 percent in Canada
  (tags: nonprofit charity healthcare)
• California foundation giving highest ever
  Estimated giving by California foundations rose in 2005 to a record $4.11 billion, and a survey of leading foundations projects that their giving will grow faster in 2006, according to a report released Wednesday by the Foundation Center.
  (tags: california nonprofit philanthropy foundation)

Automotive salespeople are typically taught to take a few moments getting to know prospective customers before moving on to The Most Important Thing. Otherwise known as The Sales Pitch.  Get to know the family a bit, talk about occupations, the weather, and hockey.  A few minutes of customer engagement before spending the next day and a half making the sale.

You see, this notion of “engagement” is really nothing new.  Engagement is a new skin to an old, and yet very important concept.  Often the issue becomes how we define, plan and execute our donor engagement strategy. (For what it’s worth, my perspective is that Donor Engagement should never take away from direct response principles, but rather add to whatever we are already doing. It’s an enhancement, not a replacement to fundraising excellence.) 

This is where Marvin enters the stage.  Halfway through his famous song, “What’s Going On”, the lyrics emerge:

“Talk to me
 So you will see
 What’s going on”  

I picture our donors saying this:  “Will somebody just talk to me?  How about a quick phone call to get to know me and find out what’s important to me.  Ask me about my cause and not your cause.  You send me direct mail appeals each month that cost a buck a piece.  You send me newsletters and magazines and even call me…but that’s when when you want something from me and when you want to talk to me.  I’m your neighbor down the street. I want to talk to you for a little bit, to let you know what’s really going on with me and why I supported you in the first place.”

I know of one organization that has seen a 16 percent increase in donor retention and “renewal” rates year-over-year by simply calling each donor, saying thanks, and talking for two minutes about that is important to the donor.  Is it costly?  Yes.  Rather, it’s an investment of three or for bucks that pays off later in spades. And when the next direct mail package is sent out, that donor sees copy directly tailored to what’s important to her.

Isn’t this exciting and radical?

In my mind, this is a bit closer to real donor engagement.  Of course, it’s what major donor development/advancement professionals have known since the beginning of time.

“Oh, you know we’ve got to find a way
To bring some understanding here today”

Thanks, Marvin.

• Unicef UK to launch donor gift mailing drive
  Interesting direct mail appeal. The mailings will include eight gift tags containing details of Unicef products, including weighing scales for babies, mosquito nets, baby blankets and therapeutic food.
  (tags: donor donation nonprofit philanthropy charity direct mail)
• Who Builds the Brand?
  The answer lies in a complete misunderstanding of the whole process of marketing. This is a thoughtful article about the brand being customer-centric.
  (tags: branding)
• Drive Traffic to Your Brand, Not a Channel
  I know, I know. What does branding have to do with nonprofit? There are good lessons here. According to some industry estimates, in three years, nearly half of all catalog sales will be made using your website. It’s time to think about marketing your
  (tags: brand direct marketing nonprofit)
• They didn’t even say thank you - Research for Nonprofit Application
  A failure to say thank you was the only one that was reliably associated with how detrimental participants said the incident would be to the future of their relationship.
  (tags: giving psychology nonprofit charity)
• Reaching Young Donors
  Young people are less likely than older adults to donate money or time to charity. The key to reaching them may be engaging them as leaders in charitable projects, giving them responsibility and the power to make decisions
  (tags: youth marketing nonprofit charity)
• Generation Y gets involved
  Thanks in large part to the Internet, this generation is much more aware of the world. And because national tragedies such as the 9/11 terrorist attacks and Hurricane Katrina have scarred their youth and adolescence, experts see signs these young people a
  (tags: philanthropy youth