Your Path to Engaged Supporters...
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Reader, I have major rainwater run-off issues that started creating foundational problems with my home. After many calls to the water department over the years, my husband and I have been left to our own devices to redirect the rainwater. We've tried many solutions that failed. Or worked at first, then miserably fell apart. So last weekend, my dad helped me create a dry river bed that runs along my driveway, waters the pollinator garden, and trickles down the hill - the runoff's forged path. The goal here is to keep the water running downstream and into the woods instead of straight into the foundation of my home, forming cracks. It was a big project... digging, laying the landscape fabric so the earth doesn't absorb the rocks, and then several trips to Lowe's to put down enough rocks—simple things to put in place, but time-consuming and meticulous. Now when it rains, I have the proper channel in place for the water to take the desired path. This is how your marketing works, too, Reader. Your email marketing can work for you when you have the proper foundations in place. A huge marketing misconception is that you can make one post on social media or send one email, then all of your communication and fundraising problems are solved. When really, marketing takes time, consistency, and the right things in place to keep it moving. This is how people find you, follow you, and become long-term supporters. Before you run your next fundraising campaign, let's make sure you have your marketing foundations in place. Here's where I recommend starting: Update your bios on your social media platforms. Make sure they answer → Who you are → Who you serve/the solution you bring → Where you serve → Link to either your website, donation page, or email list Create consistent social media posts between now and your campaign. Remember that email is just one lever of your marketing machine. Social media is a great way to get discovered in your area and beyond, so create a few posts and encourage your followers to like and share. Even if it's just one post per week, it's better than a random campaign blast and then silence from your page. Relationships come first. Social media is a great welcome mat. Engage (or re-engage) with your email subscribers. Find a way to get some of your social media followers onto your email list. Social media is a welcome mat - your email list is your living room. This is where you invite them to stay a while. Ask for their opinions. Send updates. Provide story-driven impact. If you have your subscribers segmented, I recommend doing this by segment and incorporating additional touchpoints for existing donors. In this wave of AI, donors are noticing who is taking the time to be more intentional with communications. Be the organization that demonstrates how much you value their relationship, and sprinkle in some personalized touches. Setting these marketing foundations now can help you reach desired results later. What foundations are you setting this week? Click reply and let me know!
PS... I've seen too many nonprofits without these marketing foundations in place, and then they hang their heads when a campaign doesn't go as planned. That's why I created the Friendraiser Circle, a campaign-specific service that focuses on building donor relationships, not just asking for money and ghosting them. When we partner in this, you get me 1:1 to make sure your marketing foundations are set, including a donation page and customized emails to engage your subscribers before, during, and after your campaign. This is a 3-month commitment that works best starting 1-2 months before your campaign. Ready for strong foundations? Book a no-pressure call with me to see if the Friendraiser Circle is the right fit for you. PPS... I told you to get ready for the gardening analogies. I'm just getting started! 😆 |