I will be giving a presentation at THE Foundations Seminar, hosted by the North-American Interfraternity Conference on August 24. This program, designed for inter/national fraternal organizations' development officers, will offer a number of sessions that you won't want to miss...especially mine!
Here's a teaser of what is to come:
Broadband technology has ushered in a new era of communication. Fundraisers have a wealth of tools never before available for donor cultivation, solicitation and stewardship. This session will explore how emerging technology can help you tell your story in new and powerful ways. See examples of how Web 2.0 can enhance and impact your development efforts. Learn if social networks, videos, blogs, interactive websites, email appeal campaigns, email stewardship programs, widgets, and virtual communities will work for your organization. Explore the value of building relationships through user-submitted content and viral marketing. You are guaranteed to see new things in this session and to take away ideas to grow your donor base of support.
If you are interested in having me speak at your conference, just say the word!
Showing posts with label relationship building. Show all posts
Showing posts with label relationship building. Show all posts
Monday, July 30, 2007
Wednesday, May 2, 2007
What Every Foundation Needs
I should make that headline a recurring title. Or a book someday. Today's recommendation comes from a little known item that the Stelter Company provides. If you don't have this on your website as a planned giving tool, shame on you. This is a fantastic utility...and I get no residual benefits for promoting it!
At one point, I was interviewing with the Make-A-Wish Foundation. A wonderful organization that provides incredible services for critically ill children. It is hard not to become fascinated by the work they do. And believe me, their development officers love that about the organization and they have a website that makes giving simple. But they take it one step further. They make planned giving simple. How?
The Make-A-Wish Foundation allows donors to build their own planned gift right on the website using a very easy to follow interactive decision tree. It is likely built on something like PG Calc and is a service that Stelter provides. It walks donors through a series of easy to understand questions and literally builds the best planned giving option for them based on the answers. How great would it be for a donor to build this gift and then print it off and have it ready to be used. Instant planned giving opportunity that takes about 15 minutes or less.
The Build Your Own Planned Gift while powered and supported by Stelter, is designed to look like the remainder of your organization's website. No link to another site, no confusing questions, no hard language to figure out. I saw it as the Turbo Tax of planned giving. So easy (and actually pretty interesting) to use.
A little extra benefit...any tool like this can be measured and tracked. From the backend, staff can see who visited this section and used the tool. They can see where a donor completed the process or stopped midway. In either case, that is the perfect opportunity for a development officer to pick up phone and find out what questions the donor had and how you could count on them to join your prestigious planned giving site.
I will give the Make-A-Wish Foundation a flunking grade because I used the tool and stopped right before signing the dotted line. No one followed up with me. In fact, I even called them to ask some questions and still no one ever bothered to follow up with me. Guess what organization missed out on the chance to be included in my will?
Here's where I would emphasize my usual point: Just because you have an interactive website and great technology does not mean you skip the fundamentals of fundraising. Fundraising will always depend on personal relationships. Planned giving officers need to do their job and not rely on tools to do it for them. Tools simply help with the engagement process and opens a door for further conversation. Don't cheat the process!
All that being said, this is a great tool to educate donors, introduce concepts, provide a non-threatening and easy to use utility, use the tracking functions to learn about the behavior of your prospects, and take another positive step in building relationships and ultimately securing valuable resources for your future.
To learn more about the Gift Planning Tools, check out www.stelter.com.
To build a dynamic website and use the most cutting edge information and technology, contact Mediasauce at www.mediasauce.com or 317-218-0500.
At one point, I was interviewing with the Make-A-Wish Foundation. A wonderful organization that provides incredible services for critically ill children. It is hard not to become fascinated by the work they do. And believe me, their development officers love that about the organization and they have a website that makes giving simple. But they take it one step further. They make planned giving simple. How?
The Make-A-Wish Foundation allows donors to build their own planned gift right on the website using a very easy to follow interactive decision tree. It is likely built on something like PG Calc and is a service that Stelter provides. It walks donors through a series of easy to understand questions and literally builds the best planned giving option for them based on the answers. How great would it be for a donor to build this gift and then print it off and have it ready to be used. Instant planned giving opportunity that takes about 15 minutes or less.
The Build Your Own Planned Gift while powered and supported by Stelter, is designed to look like the remainder of your organization's website. No link to another site, no confusing questions, no hard language to figure out. I saw it as the Turbo Tax of planned giving. So easy (and actually pretty interesting) to use.
A little extra benefit...any tool like this can be measured and tracked. From the backend, staff can see who visited this section and used the tool. They can see where a donor completed the process or stopped midway. In either case, that is the perfect opportunity for a development officer to pick up phone and find out what questions the donor had and how you could count on them to join your prestigious planned giving site.
I will give the Make-A-Wish Foundation a flunking grade because I used the tool and stopped right before signing the dotted line. No one followed up with me. In fact, I even called them to ask some questions and still no one ever bothered to follow up with me. Guess what organization missed out on the chance to be included in my will?
Here's where I would emphasize my usual point: Just because you have an interactive website and great technology does not mean you skip the fundamentals of fundraising. Fundraising will always depend on personal relationships. Planned giving officers need to do their job and not rely on tools to do it for them. Tools simply help with the engagement process and opens a door for further conversation. Don't cheat the process!
All that being said, this is a great tool to educate donors, introduce concepts, provide a non-threatening and easy to use utility, use the tracking functions to learn about the behavior of your prospects, and take another positive step in building relationships and ultimately securing valuable resources for your future.
To learn more about the Gift Planning Tools, check out www.stelter.com.
To build a dynamic website and use the most cutting edge information and technology, contact Mediasauce at www.mediasauce.com or 317-218-0500.
Thursday, April 5, 2007
Blog Your Way to Donor Relationships
Just the other day, I read on the collegewebeditors.com blog a recommendation for University alumni associations to offer a blog opportunity. The value of establishing a blog was to create an interactive relationship with alumni and give them a place to reflect on favorite college memories, locations, friends, and experiences. I would suggest Foundations consider the same basic concept.
Take a leap of faith and create a blog on your webpage for your donors -- or prospective donors -- to offer their thoughts. People choose to donate to causes they believe in. Every development officer in the country will likely tell you that while the number of donors they have every year decreases, the amount of dollars raised increases. There is a simple reason for that. People are being more selective in the causes they give to, but they give significantly larger amounts to those charities.
You want to be sure you are one of those charities that keeps donors engaged! A very simple way to provide an interactive relationship is to create a blog. Provide your donors with the ability to share why they are passionate about your organization. Let them explain why they think you are a worthy organization to support. Testimonials are a positive force. Imagine someone looking at your website and considering a gift. If that individual reads impassioned notes about what your organization stands for, why a gift is valuable to them, and why others should support the cause there is no better case for support. A blog creates a grassroots bandwagon.
Yes, there is a risk that someone could post something negative. But consider that an opportunity to address a problem. That person is asking for attention from you to address a concern. Do it! If you impress that person, chances are he will write back in and explain the results of how you addressed an issue. Better yet, other supporters may address the situation and provide their own viewpoint on why that blogger had it wrong. In any case, you have provided a forum for a dialog. It's risky to say this, but sometimes a little negative publicity provides a wonderful platform to make improvements and counteract that negativity.
Blogs give donors opportunities to share their experiences. Fundraisers ought to love the donor who feels such a compulsion to support an organization to write about it. Let the donors...or even better yet...the beneficiaries of support tell your story. You may see such a moving response that it would be worth expanding in a magazine or video testimonial for non-donors to see.
It is important for Foundation websites to be more than a brochure on the internet. Find ways for donors to build a relationship with you. Give them a forum to share their experiences. Respond to them. Call them and thank them for their thoughts. Engage them in conversation and continue fostering that relationship. Broadband technology has created an unbelievable new mechanism for building relationships. Just make sure that you don't leave it between computer screens. Reach out. Take that relationship to the next level. Create more opportunities for on-going connections.
Good fundraisers understand the value of "linkage." A blog may be a simple link that leads to many other opportunities. Don't miss the chance to develop that connection simply because you don't understand the technology. Your donors will and if your charity is one that has meaning and you are finding ways to engage them through multiple venues, you are creating a steady donor. And as that relationship grows and develops, so will the gifts to your organization. How can that be a bad thing? Give it a try.
Take a leap of faith and create a blog on your webpage for your donors -- or prospective donors -- to offer their thoughts. People choose to donate to causes they believe in. Every development officer in the country will likely tell you that while the number of donors they have every year decreases, the amount of dollars raised increases. There is a simple reason for that. People are being more selective in the causes they give to, but they give significantly larger amounts to those charities.
You want to be sure you are one of those charities that keeps donors engaged! A very simple way to provide an interactive relationship is to create a blog. Provide your donors with the ability to share why they are passionate about your organization. Let them explain why they think you are a worthy organization to support. Testimonials are a positive force. Imagine someone looking at your website and considering a gift. If that individual reads impassioned notes about what your organization stands for, why a gift is valuable to them, and why others should support the cause there is no better case for support. A blog creates a grassroots bandwagon.
Yes, there is a risk that someone could post something negative. But consider that an opportunity to address a problem. That person is asking for attention from you to address a concern. Do it! If you impress that person, chances are he will write back in and explain the results of how you addressed an issue. Better yet, other supporters may address the situation and provide their own viewpoint on why that blogger had it wrong. In any case, you have provided a forum for a dialog. It's risky to say this, but sometimes a little negative publicity provides a wonderful platform to make improvements and counteract that negativity.
Blogs give donors opportunities to share their experiences. Fundraisers ought to love the donor who feels such a compulsion to support an organization to write about it. Let the donors...or even better yet...the beneficiaries of support tell your story. You may see such a moving response that it would be worth expanding in a magazine or video testimonial for non-donors to see.
It is important for Foundation websites to be more than a brochure on the internet. Find ways for donors to build a relationship with you. Give them a forum to share their experiences. Respond to them. Call them and thank them for their thoughts. Engage them in conversation and continue fostering that relationship. Broadband technology has created an unbelievable new mechanism for building relationships. Just make sure that you don't leave it between computer screens. Reach out. Take that relationship to the next level. Create more opportunities for on-going connections.
Good fundraisers understand the value of "linkage." A blog may be a simple link that leads to many other opportunities. Don't miss the chance to develop that connection simply because you don't understand the technology. Your donors will and if your charity is one that has meaning and you are finding ways to engage them through multiple venues, you are creating a steady donor. And as that relationship grows and develops, so will the gifts to your organization. How can that be a bad thing? Give it a try.
Wednesday, March 14, 2007
Ponder Relationship Building
The genesis of good fundraising is really building strong relationships. Donors need to have a linkage to your organization, but without someone continually building a relationship, the donor may turn his or her sights elsewhere. The concept is not much different than what businesses must do to build relationships with customers.
Today a thought-provoking question was posed by MediaSauce Creative Director, Mitch Maxson. Every Wednesday at 5:15 p.m., staff members gather on the "dance floor" (Woot! Woot!) to discuss new ideas, concepts, and issues. I wanted to share the question of the day for the discussion. I can't be there for the dance floor discussion, but instead thought I'd put it out to you to share your thoughts.
The following quote comes from Jim Stengel, the CEO of Proctor and Gamble. Consider how this relates to how we approach fundraising:
"Building relationships through our brands is the future of marketing. It's not about new media models and new tools. It's about engaging with people in two-way relationships."
"It's about seeking to understand the other person rather than trying to control their actions...Building honest relationships between us and our consumers is not only a smart business decision; it is the right thing for us as marketers to do."
If it is the right thing for marketers to do, it is definitely the right thing for development officers to do. Personal meetings, special events, regional activities, focus groups, are all ways to build relationships. Utilizing multi-media tools such as personal video messages can also create a more realistic relationship. And the opportunities to build relationships through social networking sites such as MySpace and LinkedIn seem to be endless.
What are the best ways for you to build personal relationships? What works? What is innovative? How are you engaging in two-way relationships? How can you better understand who your donors are and what they value? How will you measure that level of engagement (here's a hint: study giving history and patterns)?
How will you achieve greater results if donors better understood who you are and who you represent? How are you providing opportunities for donors -- or potential donors -- to develop a relationship with you?
Perhaps that last concept is what we overlook the most. People successful at building relationships and networks are putting themselves out there for other like-minded individuals to find them. How accessible are you? How and when can people reach you? Are you approachable? One of the simplest tools I use at MediaSauce is a "MailWire." It's simply a frame around my initial email message and it contains the MediaSauce logo, my photo and contact information, and key links to the MediaSauce website. It is one very easy way to let people know who I am, who I work for, and how to reach me. It is an easy way to put a name with a face and make a personal connection, often the very easiest first step to building a new relationship.
Take some time and assess how you are building relationships with others and how you are allowing others to connect with you. And then share your success stories and bring Electric Philanthropy to life!
Today a thought-provoking question was posed by MediaSauce Creative Director, Mitch Maxson. Every Wednesday at 5:15 p.m., staff members gather on the "dance floor" (Woot! Woot!) to discuss new ideas, concepts, and issues. I wanted to share the question of the day for the discussion. I can't be there for the dance floor discussion, but instead thought I'd put it out to you to share your thoughts.
The following quote comes from Jim Stengel, the CEO of Proctor and Gamble. Consider how this relates to how we approach fundraising:
"Building relationships through our brands is the future of marketing. It's not about new media models and new tools. It's about engaging with people in two-way relationships."
"It's about seeking to understand the other person rather than trying to control their actions...Building honest relationships between us and our consumers is not only a smart business decision; it is the right thing for us as marketers to do."
If it is the right thing for marketers to do, it is definitely the right thing for development officers to do. Personal meetings, special events, regional activities, focus groups, are all ways to build relationships. Utilizing multi-media tools such as personal video messages can also create a more realistic relationship. And the opportunities to build relationships through social networking sites such as MySpace and LinkedIn seem to be endless.
What are the best ways for you to build personal relationships? What works? What is innovative? How are you engaging in two-way relationships? How can you better understand who your donors are and what they value? How will you measure that level of engagement (here's a hint: study giving history and patterns)?
How will you achieve greater results if donors better understood who you are and who you represent? How are you providing opportunities for donors -- or potential donors -- to develop a relationship with you?
Perhaps that last concept is what we overlook the most. People successful at building relationships and networks are putting themselves out there for other like-minded individuals to find them. How accessible are you? How and when can people reach you? Are you approachable? One of the simplest tools I use at MediaSauce is a "MailWire." It's simply a frame around my initial email message and it contains the MediaSauce logo, my photo and contact information, and key links to the MediaSauce website. It is one very easy way to let people know who I am, who I work for, and how to reach me. It is an easy way to put a name with a face and make a personal connection, often the very easiest first step to building a new relationship.
Take some time and assess how you are building relationships with others and how you are allowing others to connect with you. And then share your success stories and bring Electric Philanthropy to life!
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