Get Set
Online Appeals Part 2:

You have finally decided to move forward to begin creating online appeals to enhance your annual giving efforts.  In order to really get going, you need to be prepared to respond to this new vehicle of gift giving and all the challenges that could be involved.  The best online giving appeal isn’t worth the paper it isn’t printed on unless your organization is ready to commit time and resources to the effort.

In part two of the online appeals series, we will look at how ready your organization is to get an online appeal off the ground. 

Do you have a strong email list?
Although conventional wisdom leads us to believe that the more email addresses we have the better, this isn’t always the case.  It is more about whether those emails are connected to people that are truly interested in your organization or cause.  If you don’t believe that, think about your own personal inbox and the number of e-messages you delete without ever opening. 

Email lists are a necessity for most electronic appeals and will be the foundation for your online fundraising efforts.  There are several ways to gather addresses.  The simplest way to begin is through your organization’s website. 

A website can be the very effective way to tell your organization’s whole story.  Asking those already accessing your website to sign up for an e-newsletter or to contact you via an information address (generally info@x.org or something similar) is a nice place to start.  These people are already searching your website for more information about what you do and may want to learn more.  Driving readers to your website in all of your printed collateral and direct mail appeals is also a great way to build your email address list.

Another way to secure email addresses is to always ask for this information on any return donation envelopes, RSVPS and onsite at appropriate events.  If they are already making a donation or attending an event, they are most likely willing to give you their email address.  This process can be as simple as a business card drop, sign up list at a young associates style event, or adding specific language on your event RSVP card encouraging people to supply their emails.

Important: Once you have the emails, make sure that you have a tool to send multiple emails out to your constituents (i.e. Constant Contact).  The best designed online appeals in the world cannot do much if you do not have a method to send them out.

Is there a vehicle for people to give online? 
The AFP site has a great amount of information about providing donors with options for giving online.  There are many methods ranging from third party services (such as PayPal) to creating your own e-commerce site.  The easiest way to get this started is to look at sites like Network For Good and Groundspring for ideas.

Do you have the staff and resources?
Although online appeals require the same craftsmanship as other kinds of fundraising appeals, there are some slight differences.  One of the biggest differences is that although most of us send one or two direct mail appeals to our donors each season, it may take several email appeals to generate a response.  This requires staff time to develop several messages and to potentially segment your lists to tailor appeals for specific donor groups. 

Know your audience.  Online donors tend to be younger and more tech savvy than donors who give through direct mail appeals.  It is important that the staff member creating online appeals understands this group and is able to relate to their needs.   If you do not use email youself and rarely look at the internet, it may be a good time to hire personnel that does. 

Keep track of who gives online.  While seeing the mailman is sometimes the highlight of a fundraiser’s day, online appeals can come in at any time - often at odd hours outside the work day.   There needs to be a staff member assigned to collect and respond to online donors and a vehicle to do so (like an online report provided by a third party resource or designated email address).  It is also worth making a note of who gives online in your donor tracking software or database.  Eventually, some donors may no longer require paper collateral, which could save your organization money over time.

If you have addressed and responded to the above issues, chances are that you are ready to begin creating and sending out online appeals.  You should be warned that you will not see a groundswell of online donors overnight, but similar to any ask in fundraising, persistence and consistency will pay off.  The more often donors are given the chance to connect with your organization and have the opportunity to give, the greater the potential for a strong online giving campaign. 

For more information visit:

http://www.fundraising123.org/article/cultivating-offline-donors-online

http://www.fundraising123.org/article/acquiring-new-donors-online

http://www.afpchicago.org/online_giving.php