The NonProfit Times - June 15, 2008 - (Page 13)

OPINION VICTORIA LINSSEN Obama And You Learning from politicians who raise millions online D emocratic presidential candidate Sen. Barack Obama (DIll.) raised $91 million during the first two months of 2008, revolutionizing political fundraising in the process. How did he do it? He did it $96 at a time, via the Internet. Reading that news, every nonprofit CEO in the world wants what Obama has. There is much that nonprofit leaders can learn from what Obama has achieved in fundraising. Obama owes his success to an intentional, elaborate, and well-funded online marketing strategy. He heavily invested in search, display ads and email. He spent ten times more than other candidates did for online ads. The most critical component of Obama’s campaign is that he focused on building a relationship with supporters first and fundraising second. He provided multiple options to get potential donors involved in his campaign, ranging from signing an online petition to attending an event to knocking on doors to help register voters. Providing an online donation was just one of many choices. Obama knows what nonprofit fundraisers should heed. In today’s online world, nonprofits need to allow for consumer action and dialogue.The Web is all about people, relationships and media. It provides the venue for individual connection and conversations. On the Web, it’s all about the relationship. Most nonprofits are still communicating at, rather than with, donors.They cre- ate Web sites with no ability for donors to add content, comments or suggestions. They blast emails at donors without asking for their opinion back. Right now, it’s mostly a one-way street. Online fundraisers often forget what they’ve always longed to do in the offline world, achieve true one-to-one in- needs. Nonprofits can easily conduct primary market research by asking donors to participate in online surveys and then use the results to drive content, tools and even events.The Web is also a great tool to find social influencers and volunteers to pass along the brand message. Nonprofits can and should do much teraction. Web technology can enable live, personal, real-time communication, and it is a critical mistake not to leverage this aspect of the channel. Today’s sites must allow consumer interaction and brand dialogue. Donors want and need to join the conversation. Best-in-class nonprofits in the online arena allow donors and constituents to do just that. The best organizations provide tools and opportunities to allow their online audience to talk to them and each other. They engage them. The best place to start is to understand your donor psychographics. Email is a perfect venue for asking donors to provide information about their likes, wants and more than just ask for money. Donors and volunteers are often passionate about the causes they support. Nonprofits can use the Web to allow donors and volunteers to tell their stories, and then post those stories online. The Web is a perfect channel through which to listen to what donors have to say and recognize donors’ value. Imagine meeting a new person for the very first time and having them ask for money. The most important thing companies and nonprofits forget is that they’re dealing with real people online. Whatever a nonprofit is spending in offline channels, they should add an additional 10 percent investment in online for search, display ads, emails and donorcentric Web site design. If you’re wondering whether that investment will pay off, know that nonprofit donors are online and giving more than ever before…and nonprofits that participate are reaping the rewards. One report states that the average charity raised 37 percent more online than last year, and yet 28 percent of donors didn’t give to their favorite charities online because they didn’t know they could. With the right Web site and online marketing strategy, every nonprofit marketer can do what Obama has done and guide donors online. NPT Victoria Linssen is vice president, Interactive Services at Russ Reid, a full-service fundraising consultancy in Pasadena, Calif. Her email is vlinssen@russreid.com FUNDRAISING Continued from page 12 marily on productivity and demands for “success” versus taking a more humanistic approach to engaging people in the organization’s work. Fundraisers must value all donors and volunteers for their generosity. Development officers know this, but institutions often put the emphasis on success defined by dollars raised. In that environment, small donors are left to flounder. As a profession, fundraisers need to rethink annual giving. Annual giving programs are often less valued within development departments, despite evidence that strong annual giving programs are the foundation for future major gift success. Career paths for fundraisers often focus on moving from annual giving to higher paying, more prestigious major or capital gift positions. Fundraisers should create and support a movement within the field to develop an annual fund career track. Annual giving should be a credible career in its own right, with increasing sophistication and prestige. It must be viewed as essential to a credible development program. This is not to say that fundraisers should be Pollyannas.All fundraisers recog- nize that there is tension between small and large gifts and annual versus major giving within development operations.While it is true that most gifts tend to be small gifts, it is also true that most philanthropic dollars come from larger gifts. But small organizations often do not receive many of those major gifts. So it is important to focus on the value and importance of small gifts to organizations, to society, and to the donors who make them. Fundraising professionals should develop the concept of generosity. What really matters is the size of the gift in relation to the donors’ means. Everyone knows the story of the “widow’s mite.”The mayor has his oil can. Fundraisers all have their own stories of generosity that have helped shape their work in philanthropy. These examples should be a source of constant reflection in their professional development. NPT Eugene R. Tempel is executive director of the Center on Philanthropy at Indiana University and a nationally recognized expert and author on the study, teaching and practice of philanthropy, fundraising, and nonprofit management. JUNE 15, 2008 THE NONPROFIT TIMES www.nptimes.com 13 http://www.canonprofits.org http://www.canonprofits.org http://www.nptimes.com

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The NonProfit Times - June 15, 2008 Fundraising Fizzles For Myanmar And China Complaints Filed Against Grant Institute Nonprofit Styles Aren't Out Of Fashion Contents Lights. Camera. Action. Calendar New Boss At Gates Approaching Businesses Big Isn't Always Better Obama And You 'Always Do Right' New Boss At NCNA Three Networks Will Air $100 Million Cancer Fundraiser NPT Jobs Resource Directory

The NonProfit Times - June 15, 2008

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