Last Friday, I streamed a free two-hour session reviewing Coronavirus fundraising – (mostly emails) and answering specific questions about fundraising during this crazy time.
I’d like to publicly thank Marc Pitman for gathering all the advice dispensed during those two hours and putting it in a super-helpful blog post. Read it here.
And here’s what Marc summarized:
One of the phrases Steven keeps using is encouraging us to “lean into donor generosity.” I love his constant reminder that nonprofits are needed now more than ever. Donors get that. And are currently giving to it. That giving will slow but right now is a time to be asking.
Some other nuggets he says are:
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- Your donors are amazing, and they want to help.
- Let them decide what is relevant and important to them.
- Crisis giving spikes, and then slows. The slowing isn’t about donor fatigue. It’s about donor inattention and about the nonprofit’s fundraising irrelevance.
- Now is not the time to fundraise for the future. Fundraise for the crisis now.
- Your job is to clearly state how your beneficiaries, or your organization are being impacted by this situation. And how the donor can help.
- If your most pressing issue is a shortfall in fundraising, tell the donor.
- Send the emergency email. Resend it to people who didn’t open it. Send it again. Send it every other day.
- Keep asking until the data tells you to stop. NOT until your feelings tell you. When the appeals stop working, that’s the data telling you to stop.
- There are still LOTS of older people who haven’t given because they don’t give to emails. If you can get a letter out this week, do it.
- $25 is a low ask in an email. Average online gifts for many nonprofits is $80, $90, or even $100.
- Don’t let your unease with asking take away from a donor the chance to make an impact.
- Now is NOT the time to send an “update on how we’re responding to Covid-19.” That is irrelevant to donors. Share a current need that they can act on.
And one of my favorites: in crisis moments like we’re in right now, “pretty good and fast” will raise more money than “perfect and a couple days later.” Reaching donors now is far better than waiting until things have calmed down. And even better than waiting until you get the wording 100% perfect.
I stand by every one of those.
And I’ll be doing another free review this Friday – you can sign up and submit your materials here.
If you want more guidance right now, here’s a post from last week with the four main ideas that will help you the most right now.
Good luck out there! And stay tuned, we’ll be posting helpful advice every day for the foreseeable future.
