Ep 217 | Using Collaborations to Reach New People on Social Media with Brian Davidson

Getting donors is tough work. So why don't fundraisers spend as much time retaining them as they do on getting new ones? When it comes to your monthly donors, being connected to them is so important. It's not about you though, it's about how they want to be connected to. This is what can feel overwhelming at times. In this episode you'll learn some ways to think about how you build community with your donors to increase their giving over time.

What you'll learn:

→ how to be unique and showcase your personality.
→ the importance of individualized communication and adding value.
→ building a strategy that is donor-centric.
→ ways LinkedIn can support your community.

Want to skip ahead? Here are key takeaways:

[3:09] Retaining donors is a long-term strategy that will support your organization overall. It's important to get out of a scarcity mindset and the feeling that you need the money immediately. Instead, think about how you can retain donors so that you have more consistency in your funding. It's time to play the long game.
[7:26] Focus on providing value, and be as individualized as you can. That personal connection and sharing of impact builds trust and helps when asking for additional gifts. Don't forget to ask them for their feedback and connect with them personally on platforms like LinkedIn.
[8:36] Be unique so you stand out amongst the noise. Don't just send a regular postcard. Send a letter with something inside it so it stands out in the mailbox. Put your messaging on something unique so people remember it, like a Rubik's cube.
[14:47] Don't undervalue your smaller monthly donors. They likely want to be part of the community more so than the larger donors. And longterm they have incredible potential for your organization.
[17:08] Leverage LinkedIn to create virtual events. This allows you to get in front of new audiences. You can also create events for your existing donors, and ask them to bring their friends. It's a great FREE way your donors can help you grow and share the work you're doing.
[20:03] Pay attention to who your audience is and how they like to interact. Then craft the experience and the langauge around them. For example, if you're a little goofy, or serious.

Resources

Bluefishing: The Art of Making Things Happen

Most fundraisers don't think of themselves as sales people. And while “sales” in the nonprofit space might look a little different, the foundation of taking them on a journey that ultimately leads in a donation, is still the same. Paying attention to how you you reach out to new donors and what that experience looks like is critical.

What you'll learn:

→ how to make it more about them.
→ why leading with stories helps with better connection.
→ benefits of asking the questions.
→ creating your knowledge base champion

Want to skip ahead? Here are key takeaways:

[3:12] Sales is really about the opportunity to help someone solve a problem, achieve a dream, or make things better. When you approach conversations in what's in it for them vs what can they do for you, you're more likely to get that donation. This can lead to a more aligned fit, and therefore increased donor retention.
[13:10] Connect the dots to create emotion. Don't forget to share stories. These stories will help convey the work you do in an emotional way. Help them dream so they can see how their contribution builds these dreams.
[17:13] Ask questions and listen. This way you know what part of your programs to highlight and what stories to share. Take this into future conversations so you have some common ground to share.

Funnels aren't just for sales teams. They are a way to understand how people become donors so you can get more of them! Funnels can help you create better donor and customer experiences while automating many of the actions. Learn how to set up a funnel, how to test and what to know before you get started. 

What you'll learn:

→ funnels can include offline and online activities.
→ how to get started with creating one.
→ mistakes people make with their funnels.
→ why the data should be around the people, not just the numbers.

Want to skip ahead? Here are key takeaways:

[7:17] At their core, funnels help you organize your content so that it hits the ideal customer with the right information at the right time to simplify their buying decision. It's more about crafting a great journey that allows you to build trust and guide them. This is opposed to you throwing everything you have out there and assuming people will know how they can best engage and support your organization.
[13:00] Three core things every funnel needs: a way for people to convert, ability to capture their contact information, and a plan to nurture them. Thinking about all of these elements at the beginning ensures you have a way to turn first-time donors and customers into repeat customers and donors.
[20:47] Understand who you're talking to. Get to know their pain points and what they care about. That way you know that your messaging and efforts are going to be worthwhile. It also ensures you craft your funnels around people, and not just the value of the transaction (or lack thereof).

Resources

Google Analytics
Microsoft Clarity

If you're spending all your time directing people on where information is, training your team, or just struggling to figure out what the tasks the employee that just left did, then this episode is for you. Documenting the way things are done inside your organization doesn't just protect you when someone leaves, it helps to streamline onboarding and ensures that your team is doing critical tasks in the same way.

What you'll learn:

→ what is a knowledge base?
→ how to get started with creating one.
→ how often you should be reviewing your knowledge base.
→ creating your knowledge base champion

Want to skip ahead? Here are key takeaways:

[6:36] A knowledge base is a central location where you house all of the information people inside your organization, or your board, may need. This includes things like passwords, proccesses for repeateded tasks, event logistics, and more. It keeps things out of post-it notes, personal notebooks, and inside our own heads. This is an electronic document that is constantly evolving and being added to, but has the most current information.
[11:20] Creating a knowledge base takes time. First – start with new roles you're hiring for. Or maybe you have someone thats's about to take an extended vacation or retire. Document those elements first. Have them put their tasks down on paper. Then have someone that doesn't do that task read the instructions and see if they can execute.
[17:46] Keeping it up to date can be overwhelming. Any time you have a a major staff member transition its a good time to review those tasks. Otherwise, break it into sections and review one section quarterly. That way you know your entire knowledge base gets reveiwed roughly once a year.
[22:54] Create a team culture around utilizing your knowledge base. It takes consistency to ensure this stays up to date. It can be helpful to have a chamption in the team that manages it and keeps everyone on track.

Resources

Google Sites
Notion

Technology can help your streamline so many things in your organization. This can include marketing communications, internal systems, donor stewardship and on and on.  Getting everyone on board with new technology is the more difficult part. Learn ways to better communicate the need for new tech as well as how to embrace it in this episode.

What you'll learn:

→ why change is good.
→ ways to make decision making easier.
→ how to encourage your team to actually use the tech you have.
→ getting more buy in from your leadership on new tech tools.
→ testing to find what works.
→ reaching out to platforms to understand where they're headed.

Want to skip ahead? Here are key takeaways:

[5:01] Change can be scary, but if we think about it as an opportunity instead can help with your mindset. Don't avoid the technology – you can't outrun it. Instead, think about all the ways it can provide opportunities. Start with the end goal in mind, or the problem you need to solve, then start researching. Don't worry so much about the how, just about how it can help you with efficiency.
[9:52] Do a time study to figure out where people are spending their time. This can help you bring up tasks that people could be automating or highlight areas where your tech can support them. It can also help you address roadblocks for people in why they aren't using it.
[13:40] When prepping to pitch a new tech solutions, come at it from multiple viewpoints. Be able to communicate the ROI to your executives or CSuite. Understand the objections of your team members so you can have solutions for those. Ensure you've connected with other team members to understand the impact.
[17:50] Don't feel rushed to pick a solution. Build in time to test 2-3 different solutions. This will ensure that the actual platform will truly work for your organization and the members of your team. 
[23:09] Pricing isn't everything – remember to connect with the platforms. Ask them where they are in their development and what features they're planning on releasing in the near and distant future. You can also negotiate pricing. Don't forget to ask about nonprofit pricing.

Planning is important. It helps you know where you're going and what that means for your growth and impact. Executing that plan is the second half of the battle. Knowing if things are working and your strategies are going to get you to the end goal is where a lot of people get stuck. Learn about how you can effectively keep you and your team on the right track to geeting things done in this episode of the podcast.

What you'll learn:

→ how to move from planning to doing.
→ identifying which tasks to do, delete, delegate, and defer.
→ when and how to pivot.
→ review your plans regularly.

Want to skip ahead? Here are key takeaways:

[5:40] Different people are more comfortable in planning and some in executing. Having both people in the room and understanding the stregnths of each can help you organization navigate this process. Then its about creating ownership of different areas of the process and identifying the decision makes for different elements of the plan.
[9:33] Put your tasks in a matrix to help determine which tasks you are going to defer, delegate, do, or delete. For example, if something is high impact, low difficulty, then it's an easy choice to do. If it's high diffculty, low impact, then delete.
[13:48] When it comes to changing course pay attention to data and metrics. Understanding what elements aren't working makes it easier for you to determine what you keep doing and where you pivot. Break big projects or events into smaller goals so you know what really is or isn't working vs scrapping the entire thing, for example.