Appleton/Schultz/Ross - CharityChannel Summit 2011 - Social Media, Major and Planned Gifts

Major Gift Fundraising and Social Media

Is Social Media Just for

Young People?

NO

A major gift donor of

>$1,000,000 to past nonprofit

projects suggested I join

Facebook

I reluctantly did so - but

then, this led me to ask why

donors would use Facebook

and other forms of

social media?

“I’m keeping up with all

my friends and family

on Facebook. There

are so many of them,

and Facebook helps

me keep track of

everyone and what

they are doing.”

Gadgets

If you own one of these,

you probably own some of

these ….

The Social Habit

Edison Research and Arbitron

19th Edison/Arbitron Internet and

Multimedia Research Series (2011)

52% of Americans have

a social network profile

46 million check their social media sites/services daily

56% social media users own smartphones, and 64% have

used them to update social networks

80% of social media users are on Facebook

Pew Internet &

American Life Project

Trend Data:

Demographics of Internet Users

December, 2010

Ages 65 and older = fastest growing Facebook user group

Ages 55 and older = next fastest

Who’s Online

Ages 50-64 : 76%

Income: $75,000+

Ethnicity: White (80%), Black (69%), Hispanic (66%)

Sex: Men (78%), Women (76%)

Major Gifts

Given by corporations,

foundations and

people of all ages,

but keep in mind ….

80% of all donations

are made by individuals

“Boomer” generation

(born 1946-1964 ~ ages 47 to 65)

and older have greater capacity to make major gifts

(their children are grown, careers are established,

they have saved and invested)

Can You Raise

Millions on Facebook?

More properly, can Facebook

help you raise millions

through many small donations - yes!

“Do not attempt this at home”

Consult a knowledgeable professional or firm

and sign-up for “crowdfunding” training

Remember, those wildly successful disaster relief

efforts garner “free” television, radio, Internet, and social media

news coverage your cause may not attract

Your Work and Experiences Count

Intermediate and advanced

fundraising professionals …

Donors remember you and your nonprofit, and they may wish to keep up with your work

You count!

Donors are using social media to conduct research about current trends and issues, just as they have traditionally used the Internet

A Fundraiser’s Use of

Social Media

Carolyn’s Facebook Friends:

Individual donors

Children of donors

Foundation executives

Foundation trustees

Corporate executives and nonprofit executives

Professional advisors

Media and public relations professionals

Politicians

My own family and friends

Hidden “friends of friends”

Who are “Friends of

Friends”?

Sometimes donors/influencers

wish to be hidden from view

They may have security issues,

yet still want to check-in on

you

Make sure you allow “friends of

friends” to see your Facebook

page

Maintaining Attention

More nonprofits are

requesting donations

Competition is growing

and donors cannot meet

all demands

Gain and maintain

attention – use social

media as part of your

communications strategy

Making Life Easier for Donors

Social media allows for quick

access to information, but also information access at their convenience

When more detailed information is needed, link to “document drop” services

Social media allows donors to review information online, rather than physically carrying the the necessary (but cumbersome) documentation we provide to substantiate our requests

“Quasi” Personal Page of a

Fundraising Professional

Tone – some personal information is

included, but more often, general

information of interest to many

General Wall Posts – upcoming

events, nonprofits and campaigns to

watch, issues of concern, exciting

news, occasional humor … but

nothing too risque (yet not boring)

Photo Essays – posting of

event/activity photo albums, with

commentary

Personal Page of a

Fundraising Professional

“Real Lessons of the NPR Scandal”

Ronald J. Schiller, The Chronicle of

Philanthropy (June 9, 2011)

“Donors want to talk to real people”

Some nonprofits – including arts organizations I’ve worked with – have discovered this is often true

While generally you should “play it safe,” don’t be afraid to be a “real person”

Educate and Support with “Apps”

Causes – support the causes of donors – even a small gift shows you

care

I’m Reading – book reviews provide opportunity to share opinions

and information

Questions – what you think matters, and sheds light on your personal

concerns

And more ….

Versus a Formal

Nonprofit Page

Represent your organization and its mission

objectively and professionally

Don’t be too glib - too much posting could lead to “unfriending”

Carefully consider each idea, photo, event, “like,” etc. before posting

People tend to be more forgiving with a personal page versus a professional Facebook page

Major Gift Support

Document posting services allow you to post

slide presentations, newsletters, case

statements, project overviews online

Why Post Fundraising Data Online?

Funding decisions take time; easily accessible, attractive

documents facilitate the process

Empower your donors and volunteers with easy access to

nonprofit information 24-7 and from diverse locations

You can easily “link” to presentations when using

Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, e-mail, or other media

(including e-application grant forms)

How Much Campaign Data to Post?

Major gift campaigns - consider when and how much information to provide - timing is essential

Don’t burn out donors and prospects with too much information early-on

Keep in mind the “60% raised” concept, before going public with your major gift effort

Social media and the “public phase” of a major gift campaign – your campaign plan should include social media

Twitter Followers include professional

colleagues, donors, and many I do not know

Conversation tone is professional, informative, yet not devoid of humor

LinkedIn Links with approved donors and

professional colleagues

Conversational tone is professional

WordPress Viewers come from other social

media venues (links)

Sharing professional experiences for general benefit informs readers how I work

Traditional Fundraising

Professionals

~ Sometimes believe social

media is a waste of time,

or a passing fad

~ State they are an “in-person”

relationship-builder, with no

interest in social media

~ Where are they headed?

Dodo (Raphus cucullatus)

Commonly used as the archetype of an extinct species

Social Media Suggestions

Take the time to learn, then plan time to use and manage it

Social media should not consume you, but don’t fear it

To ignore social media could mean you miss out on

meaningful donor contact and interaction

Social media shows no signs of disappearing (join NTEN)

Learn What Your Donors Prefer

Many of your major donors are using social media

Identify social media venues where they are active

But some will still prefer e-mail, or the good old fax machine

Tailor your communications to fit the prospect

Face-to-Face

Yes, meeting with donors and prospective donors in person increases your chances of securing major gifts

While cultivating relationships in order to reach the point of “asking” - as you attract new prospects to the fold - consider social media!

Be Donor Friendly

To secure significant funding,

fundraisers work to ensure

their nonprofits are responsive

and “donor friendly”

Social media and new

technologies can help

Well-planned communication strategies that include social

media help you get closer to donors, and give them greater

insight into - and appreciation for – you and your nonprofit’s

mission and work.

Thank You!

Carolyn M. Appleton, CFRE

Website: http://home.earthlink.net/~cappleton

LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/carolynmappleton

Twitter: http://twitter.com/#!/CAROLYNAPPLETON

WordPress Blog: http://carolynmappleton.wordpress.com/

Photographic Credits

Photographs provided by the following were reproduced in this

PowerPoint presentation:

Ajani Charles (a j a n i photography: digital image solutions)

Iggy Uncensored (online)

Microsoft Office

John Ward Photography

Wikipedia

New Technologies

for Planned Giving

Bequests 70%

Gift Annuities 15%

Trusts/ Life Estates

15%

Average age of first Will is 44

Average age of first Bequest is 49

Average age of bequest donors is 58

79% of Bequest Donors have a

relationship with charity

Bequest Boom!

Boomer Bequest Potential

• 7,000 per day Turn Age 65

• 2011 – 2020: 36 Million Boomers Will Turn Age 65

U.S. Census & U.S. Treasury

Secure Donor Accounts

Update Data as Needed

Planning Resources

Friend Gift Planner

Friend GiftAttorney

Integrating Web Apps

GiftLegacy Portal Page

Crescendo Web Portal

Page

• Click on GiftLegacy

Keep alive and fed

Vary time/length of

posts

Link back to your

website

Promote gift options

and link to apps

Link other accounts

Feature Gift Options

Texas A&M University Foundation

“Friend” Heritage Society

Chapman University - Heritage Society Page

Regular updates build readership

Focus on your mission/cause

Share stories of donors/beneficiaries

Link to Twitter, Facebook & YouTube

Wordpress.com

Blogger.com

Advertise Legacy Society

Tweet regularly

Link to your website

Use for event and

seminar sign-up

Link to other social

media accounts

Market Donor Events

Hebrew Home of Greater Washington

New Technologies for Planned

Giving

Holly Ross

Executive Director, NTEN

facebook.com/nten.org

twitter.com/ntenhross

The Steps:

Step One:

A social media strategy map helps your

organization think through objectives,

audience, content, strategy, tools, and

measurement to support your

organization’s communications and

Internet strategy.

These materials are available under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 3.0 License.

• Objectives

• Audience

• Integration

• Tools and Tactics

• Measurement

Objective

•What do you want to accomplish with social media?

•Describe how your social media objective supports or

links to a specific goal from your organization’s strategic

plan

These materials are available under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 3.0 License.

Organization Goal: Increase online ticket sales

Social Media Goal: Increase online community actions by 25% in one season.

These materials are available under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 3.0 License.

• Objectives

• Audience

• Integration

• Tools and Tactics

• Measurement

These materials are available under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 3.0 License.

1. Who must you reach with your social

media efforts to meet your objective?

Why this target group?

2. Is this a target group identified in your

organization’s communications plan?

3. What do they know or believe about your

organization or issue? What will resonate

with them?

4. What key points do you want to make

with your audience?

These materials are available under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 3.0 License.

Step Two:

• Objectives

• Audience

• Integration

• Tools and Tactics

• Measurement

Step Three:

Audience Objective

One Way email

search engine ads

Social Listening

Conversation Connecting

Homebase Web Site

These materials are available under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 3.0 License.

• May 2009

• 100 Park Closures

Imminent

• 500 Facebook Fans

• Mostly Direct Mail

Supports

New Strategy:

Reach younger

supporters to prepare

for a ballot initiative to

protect California

parks.

These materials are available under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 3.0 License.

Recruit 5,000

new Facebook fans in one

month

One Way email

direct mail ads

Social Facebook YouTube

Homebase Web Site

These materials are available under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 3.0 License.

Ho

me

Ba

se

Web site

redesign to

emphasize:

• Petition

• Facebook

• Donations O

ne

Wa

y

“Urgent

Grams” to:

• High Dollar

Donors

• Other

Members

• Prospects

So

cia

l

• Facebook

Welcome

Page

• Fan Videos

on YouTube

These materials are available under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 3.0 License.

These materials are available under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 3.0 License.

These materials are available under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 3.0 License.

• $950,000 Raised

• $300,000 Online

• Tough to track specifically to social media

• 46% of that came from supporters new to CSPF

• Email list size grew in tandem with Facebook Fans,

suggesting that they are highly related

• Ballot initiative campaign is now live

These materials are available under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 3.0 License.

• Objectives

• Audience

• Integration

• Tools and Tactics

• Measurement

Tip One:

Tip Three:

Tip Four:

Tip Six:

Tip Seven:

Step Three:

Tip Ten:

• Objectives

• Audience

• Integration

• Tools and Tactics

• Measurement

Tip Ten:

• Allfacebook.com

• John Haydon/Inbound Zombie: The

Complete Facebook Guide For Small

Non-Profits

• BethKanter.org

• Case Foundation: Social Media 101

• Idealware Social Media Decision

Making Guide

Thank You!

Holly Ross

ED / NTEN

holly@nten.org

Twitter.com/ntenhross

Facebook.com/nten.org