Unfortunately, there are a lot of injustices and issues in the modern world, which has led to the emergence of millions of non-profits. This means millions of other non-profits all competing for the same thing: exposure and donors. The question is then: how can you make your non-profit stand out? How do you attract donors? Regardless of your cause, every organization has the potential to capture an audience and their hearts and wallets too. Read on to find out how.
Make Your Story Relatable
First things first, the key to capturing the attention of the masses is to have a good story in place; it helps you to capture the minds and hearts of potential donors. In the end, your mission statement loses meaning without a well-crafted story. It is what allows your donors to connect with your cause. It reminds them of what you do and why you do it. Relatability is key to gaining more supporters and having them take part in your mission.
When it comes to crafting your story, you need to think about what motivated you to stand behind this cause in the first place. What motivates you to do what you do? How does your cause benefit the community that it serves? What would happen if you did not perform the tasks that you do? The more you can make your cause seem more personal to those you are trying to appeal to, the more likely you are to succeed. Once you have your story in place, you need to think about how you are going to communicate it. Try to use compelling images and videos to make a tangible connection with prospective donors. It puts a face to the cause and makes it feel more personal.
Utilize Mobile Interfaces
It is not always enough to simply have a web presence. A lot of people use their phones to access the internet today, and if your non-profit website is not optimized for mobile use, then you risk alienating potential donors. Your website needs to be mobile-friendly. If you cannot be found from a smartphone, then you will lose out on potential donors and opportunities.
Consider Your Designs
In order to attract donors and keep their attention, you need to think about the designs that you use to communicate with them. Most people are constantly inundated with content, and in a second or two, they have decided whether they want to see more from you. By making your design a priority, you can ensure that your communications are attractive, branded, and consistent, which helps you to build better brand recognition as well as allows you to stand out from competing non-profits. The basics of design are somewhat easy to master; you don’t need to outsource or pay someone to produce your marketing materials for you.
Cultivate Your Prospects
Allow potential donors the opportunity to gain firsthand experience of what their money will go on. You could offer them the chance to visit your facility, or work with you in your mission, whether that is cleaning up a river, delivering meals or creating care packages. Often people are more likely to feel compelled to donate when they have experienced the work you do firsthand. This is why larger non-profits tend to host fundraisers or galas.
Approach Your Campaigns Creatively
As mentioned above, branding is essential to help you to stand out among similar organizations. The campaigns that you come up with are also incredibly important. Try to think outside the box when it comes to planning your next campaign or event. Wild fundraising ideas can make an impression on the community and generate buzz, thereby attracting donors. The internet can come in handy for this; there are lots of resources out there which outline hundreds of fundraising possibilities. Having an idea of your target donor may also help you to narrow down which ideas would be the most effective.
Acknowledge Contributions and Thank Donors
Show your gratitude to your donors. It can be as simple as a standard thank you letter. However, depending on the size of the donation, you might want to think about personalizing this further by adding a handwritten note or another token of your appreciation. By showing the donors that you care and appreciate their donation, it can lead to repeat donations in the future. It isn’t necessarily all about attracting new donors as it is about retaining those you already have; remember that.
You could also do this by demonstrating the worth of their donation. You could demonstrate to donors exactly how their money will make or difference or how it has. You could include these details in the thank you notes. You could also list it on your website; depending on the size of the donation, what will it be used for? Is it going to feed a family? Buy supplies for schools or to renovate a community center, et cetera. Show your donors what they have accomplished and how you have spent their money.
Simplify the Donation Process
It is worth enforcing a donation form that requires a few pieces of key information from your donors, such as their payment details and some way to get in touch with them. However, anything more comprehensive than that, and you run the risk of frustrating potential donors, and they might give up halfway through the process. The smoother you make the experience, the easier it is for people to give. You could also include suggested giving levels to make the process easier too. The less effort required on the part of the donors, the more likely they are to donate.
By making them list contact details on the form, you also have a way to stay in touch with them after they have donated. This can be your chance to forge a connection with donors. Ask people to subscribe to your mailing list or make it a requirement for donating. You can then keep in touch with them, build your mailing list, and potentially secure repeat donors.
Use Different Platforms
Depending on your donor profile, you might find that they have different preferences when it comes to donating. Some people, especially older people, prefer to donate by sending checks in the mail directly to the organization because it feels safer for them. Other people have no qualms over donating online because it is far simpler and much more efficient. You cannot expect to communicate with all prospective and established donors in the same way. You need to do your best to personalize the experience. This could be via direct mail, social media, emails or through your website. You could also use a platform like Givebutter; they have everything you need to organize your donations and streamline the process, too, from tracking software to donor forms. They also have stellar resources, including a fundraising strategy guide that can help you when it comes to attracting new donors.
Summing Up
Any non-profit can take advantage of the above in order to attract more donors and increase the efficacy of their fundraising. The most important thing is to never lose sight of your cause. It’s what it is all about in the end.
