For the GivingPulse Q1 2024 Report that was published in June, Stephanie and Jenn have identified three areas that both stand out and have a similar theme of connection:
Connection to the community Connection to the cause Connection to the person
Field Guide Recommendations:
- This is a great encouragement for all nonprofits to lean into the power of community. Remember: The idea of “community" means different things to different people, so ask and discover what it means in your specific context. Is it defined by place, social connections or membership in something, etc.? Remind people frequently about the impact of your work and how it connects to their specific context, area or worldview. Inform them about where they can go to get involved right in their own backyard.
- For national organizations, this is an opportunity to localize the impact of your mission. If you have regional branches or offices, filter your communication through that lens. Tell donors about how your mission is helping in their community. (See example from The Salvation Army.) Email programs, for example, can and should leverage dynamic elements to support localization and relevance at scale and with automation. In print and other digital activations organizations can leverage variable printing and dynamic creative optimization to align messaging to users’ local communities.
- International organizations can, at times, be more challenged with how to harness the power of localization. This is why many creatively highlight the scale of impact that happens globally. When worldwide events demand action, for example, people are willing to send money to help. That said, while localization is certainly about meeting the donor in their context, there is a second layer to localization that can help international organizations flex this strategic muscle. The power is in making a story local—whether that means its impact where the donor is, or a singularly focused impact on an individual who is being helped by the cause. We’ll touch on that more in a later section.
We developed a “street level” offer to help the homeless crisis in Washington state. The direct mail package featured the story of Kori and Dina, who came to Seattle to make a fresh start and unexpectedly spent a few months living in their car. They shared their thanks for The Salvation Army helping them get back on their feet and how gifts go to help people like them in the community.
Field Guide Recommendations:
- Know their why! Connection to cause is incredibly powerful, so you must work to better understand the connection from your constituents by paying attention to the signals they give you. This goes beyond overt transaction-based data points, like gifts made in honor or memory. We can do better via keeping tabs on what messaging resonates and when and where donors click. Be mindful of how they behave and the paths they take on your site.
- We also are proponents of asking and building progressive profiles of donors. For example, each donation thank you page is an opportunity to find out, in the moment, exactly what prompted someone to give online today. Consider including a single question of “What sent you here?” on your donation form. This can help gather data on sentiment as well as channel/campaign. Find moments to increasingly ask for and collect information from current and prospective donors to discern what makes them feel connected.
- Match what you learn about donor connection with your content. In your regular newsletter updates about the work you’re doing, consider dynamic elements that resonate with segments of donors. Encourage people to follow you on social media. Keep people informed and make them feel involved.
- Invest in a year-round digital media plan. There’s no better way to stay top of mind than through digital ads. Create a story arc and drip campaigns that tell the story of what you do throughout the year. Keep your brand in front of people, and they will be there to support you when it’s time for the ask.
Field Guide Recommendations:
- Remember: Support (whether giving time or finances) is not about you, the org. Rather, it is about the person making the choice to give. People want to help those who benefit from the mission.
- Storytelling is a superpower in our sector. As a mission-focused professional, you have the unique opportunity to share stories authentically, whether about need, impact or opportunity. Tricky as it may be, tell the story of the people and problems that you exist to solve, with less focus on the organization itself. Better yet, take a step back and get people telling these stories to each other.
- While storytelling is key, you must also keep in mind that there is not one story that should be told to everyone. Today’s tool sets give us more opportunity than ever to understand cohorts/audiences and tell them stories in a dimension that is relevant to them as unique individuals (and, per the above, relevant to the community they live in). The future of personalized marketing is ... well ... now. So, lean into it.
- Giving to an individual results from the combination of empathy and urgency—creating the decision to give now, in the moment. As you share your stories, the ability to create a sense of urgency and drive empathy through your call to action, copy and imagery is critical:
- In digital activations, create deadlines and utilize dynamic content (like countdown timers in email) to drive urgency. In offline appeals, a limited-time match offer is compelling and drives performance.
- Creating a genuine emotional response by showing need is important, but there is a fine line between displaying authentic need and imagery that may repulse donors. Additionally, with donors’ increasing desire to help their local community, choose photos that reflect those served in the area.
- In digital activations, create deadlines and utilize dynamic content (like countdown timers in email) to drive urgency. In offline appeals, a limited-time match offer is compelling and drives performance.
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