Wednesday, June 12, 2013

Is it still possible to make money in online fundraising?


The short answer to this question is, yes. While the rules have changed a bit since the early days of raising money online, the necessary elements all still exist in great supply. These are; a large and motivated donor pool, innovative organizations and fundraisers and the technology that brings it all together. This post will cover this complex topic with updates to come. In the mean time, voice your opinion on the relevancy of online fundraising in the comments section below.

The first step to success in online fundraising is the cause. While its possible to raise money for just about anything, what really promotes success is having a well defined mission statement. This is something that resonates with donors quickly. The shorter it takes to express your mission statement, the more likely it is that donors will stick around to learn more about your organization and its needs. This does not necessarily mean that they'll make a contribution, but donors who leave your site out of boredom, frustration or confusion certainly wont be making any.

After a well defined cause, presentation is the next most important element of online fundraising. Donors are quick to leave sites that are'nt easy to navigate. Ideally donors should be able to make an online gift in just one or two steps, the more complicated a donation system is, the less likely donations are to be made. Simple. modern interfaces are the key to increasing online donations.

Wednesday, June 5, 2013

Quick Rapport Technique.

As most fundraisers know, building rapport with donors keeps them on the phone and listening to your request. Rapport isn't a clever trick; it is a means of showing donors that you are interested in them and that you have at least some small things in common. We build rapport in almost every conversation we have whether on or off of the phone. Building rapport with someone you've just called for the first time can be a little harder, but it is certainly possible.

One simple technique for rapport building is knowing the state nicknames or motto's of the states that you're dialing into. Asking a donor how things are going in the Equality State rather than simply how things are going, makes your question more intimate. Donors really do open up when you take a personal interest in them. Listed below are the state nicknames.

StateNickname(s)
 Alabama
(No official nickname)[1]
 Alaska
 Arizona
 Arkansas
 California
  • El Dorado State
  • The Golden State[12][13] (previously used on license plates)
  • The Land of Sunshine and Opportunity
  • Golden West
  • Grape State
  • Land of Milk and Honey
  • Land of Fruits and Nuts
  • Where Stars Are Buried
  • The Cereal Bowl of the Nation
  • The Eureka State [14]
  • The Bear State (or Republic)
  • The Sunshine State (in disuse) (c.f. FL)
 Colorado
 Connecticut
  • Constitution State
  • Nutmeg State
  • Charter Oak State
 Delaware
 District of Columbia
 Florida
 Georgia
  • Peach State[26] (previously used on license plates)
  • Cracker State — Along with Florida, Georgia had been called "The Cracker State" in earlier times, perhaps a derogatory term that referred to immigrants, called "crackers," from the mountains of Virginia and North Carolina.[26] See also Atlanta Crackers: Origin of the name
  • Empire State of the South — Refers to economic leadership[26]
  • Yankee-land of the South: Similarly to the above nickname, "Yankee-land of the South" speaks to industrial and economic development in the south. This nickname may be used in a derogatory sense.[26]
  • Goober State — Refers to peanuts, the official state crop.[26]
 Hawaii
 Idaho
 Illinois[32]
 Indiana
 Iowa
  • Hawkeye State[35]
  • Land of the Rolling Prairie
  • Tall Corn State
 Kansas
 Kentucky
 Louisiana
  • Bayou State (previously used on license plates)
  • Child of the Mississippi
  • Creole State
  • Fisherman's Paradise
  • Holland of America
  • Pelican State
  • Sportsman's Paradise (currently used on license plates)
  • Sugar State
 Maine
 Maryland
 Massachusetts
 Michigan
  • The Great Lakes State
  • Mitten State
  • Winter Water Wonderland (previously used on license plates)
  • Wolverine State[23]
  • The World's Motor Capital (previously used on licese plates)
  • America's High Five
 Minnesota
  • Butter Country
  • Gopher State
  • Land of 10,000 Lakes ("10,000 Lakes" currently used on license plates)
  • Land of Lakes
  • Land of Sky-Blue Waters
  • North Star State
  • State of Hockey[50]
  • Vikings State
 Mississippi
 Missouri
 Montana
  • Big Sky Country (currently used on license plates)
  • The Last Best Place[51]
  • Treasure State (previously used on license plates)
 Nebraska
  • Beef State (previously used on license plates)
  • Cornhusker State (previously used on license plates)
  • Tree Planter's State
 Nevada
 New Hampshire
 New Jersey
 New Mexico
  • Cactus State[53]
  • The Colorful State
  • Land of Enchantment[53] (currently used on license plates)
  • Land of Sunshine (predates "Land of Enchantment"; this earlier nickname highlighted the large percentage of sunshine received statewide)[53]
  • New Andalusia[53]
  • The Outer Space State
  • The Tex-Mex State
  • The Spanish State[citation needed]
 New York
 North Carolina
 North Dakota
 Ohio
 Oklahoma
 Oregon
 Pennsylvania
 Puerto Rico
  • Isla del Encanto ("Island of Enchantment")
  • Borinquen (name given by indigenous people, the Tainos) [61]
  • The Shining Star of the Caribbean
  • Progress Island [62]
 Rhode Island
 South Carolina
 South Dakota
 Tennessee
 Texas
 Utah
  • Beehive State
  • Mormon State[67]
  • Friendly State (in disuse) (formerly used on license plates)[68]
  • Greatest Snow on Earth (formerly used on all license plates; now an alternate slogan on license plates alongside the state's current tourism slogan, "Life Elevated")
 Vermont
 Virginia
  • Mother of Presidents
  • The Old Dominion[23]
  • The Commonwealth
 Washington
 West Virginia
  • Mountain State (previously used on license plates)
  • Panhandle State
 Wisconsin
 Wyoming
  • Cowboy State
  • Equality State
  • Park State
  • Forever West (On highway welcome signs)

The same technique can be used with sports teams political officials or virtually and personifying information. Of course the choice of which subject to bring up depends on the donor; people who don't like sports will be unlikely to want to talk about last nights basketball game with you.

This is just one of many rapport building methods. Try to come up with some of your own and leave them in the comments below. Thanks.