Write like you talk and 4 other things you need to know this week

Write like you talk and 4 other things you need to know this week

by | Apr 2, 2021 | +Good Newsletter

1. TikTok for 👍 good.

TikTok has over 850 million active users and has become synonymous with dance challenges, cooking hacks, and Gen Z. But for nonprofits, the video-sharing platform presents a unique opportunity to tell stories and connect with new audiences—and promote fundraising, too!

Find out what the cool kids are up to. [via Swell+Good]

2. Write ✍️ like you talk.

Complicated sentences and confusing jargon are putting your audiences to sleep. Wake them up with conversational writing. Channel your inner Hemingway with short, snappy sentences. Toss your audience a question. Skip the jargon. Here are 12 ways to grab your reader’s attention.

Master the art of conversational content. [via Content Marketing Institute]

3. Showing 👀 instead of telling.

Data has the power to convince a customer to take action or make a purchase, but it can often feel impossible to decipher. The solution? Data visualization. Using graphics like charts, maps, and scatter plots makes your numbers tell a story. Make critical information more digestible and capture your readers’ attention more effectively with these helpful tips.

How to make a chart that tells a story. [via Neil Patel]

4. The basics of NFTs ⛓ in five minutes.

Non-fungible tokens…yes, we know, you’re probably already confused. What are they? How do they work? Why should you care? Ownership of digital objects can be fun and profitable if you know what you’re doing. Watch this video for a quick, simple rundown of the latest cryptocurrency craze. 

What is an NFT? [via Mashable]

5. Win back 🥇 your biggest donors. 

When it comes to creating a successful fundraising strategy, winning back lapsed donors pays off in a big way. On average, they’re more likely to give larger gifts, have better retention rates, and are less expensive to acquire than new donors. But not all reactivation appeals are created equal. The best way to win back a lapsed donor is to send them your best fundraising materials and think strategically about the messaging you deploy to reach them.


Don’t say goodbye to lapsed donors. [via Future Fundraising Now]

This issue of +good was written and produced by Allison Kooser, Ian Haisley, Sydney Bartlett, Lindsey Lincoln, and Katie Powers.

Following your donor’s lead and 4 other things you need to read this week

Following your donor’s lead and 4 other things you need to read this week

by | Mar 29, 2021 | +Good Newsletter

1. Your nonprofit needs a 📚 book club.

Start a book club to engage with your donors! Build community, educate donors, and spark action by featuring impactful stories and thoughtful discussions. Sound like a plan? Use our helpful book club guide to get started!

Every nonprofit needs a book club. [via Swell + Good]

2. Fundraising copy, best served 🥶 chilled.

Fundraising copywriters are adept at tapping into big emotions to elicit strong reactions, but sometimes we get a little too caught up in the glow of the moment. Bake a cool-off period into your deadlines, step away for a few hours (or, if you can stand it, a few days), and come back to assess your words with new eyes.

Fundraising copywriters, let your copy cool before serving. [via TrueSense Marketing]

3. Increase discoverability with Instagram 🎥 Reels.

From TikTok to Snapchat to Instagram, bite-sized videos are sweeping the internet. And you’ve probably already noticed Instagram Reels making their way into your feed. But did you know that the Instagram algorithm serves Reels to users who don’t follow you? That makes it a great tool to reach new eyes and connect with a new audience.

How to make a successful Instagram Reel. [via Social Media Examiner]

4. Following your donor’s 🤝 lead.

When it comes to fundraising, it’s not about you— it’s about your donors. And asking them for a major gift doesn’t have to be nerve-wracking. These five tips remind us that asking is a process and, just like giving, it’s one rooted in emotional responses to your mission. The next time you make an ask, trust your donors and your own instincts.

Five suggestions for when your nerves start getting the best of you. [via Gail Perry]

5. Collect food 🥫 and clothing with just one click.

In 2017, Facebook launched its Community Help Hub to centralize resources and allow users to connect quickly following a crisis. Now, it’s released Drives, a US-only feature that enables users to create and share initiatives, such as canned food and clothing drives, for those in need.

Rally your community through Facebook Drives. [via Tech Crunch]

 

 This issue of +good was written and produced by Allison Kooser, Ian Haisley, Sydney Bartlett, Lindsey Lincoln, and Katie Powers.

7 easy things you can do to thank your donors

7 easy things you can do to thank your donors

by | Mar 22, 2021 | Donor Engagement

We all know that it is essential to say thank you. It is a magic word, after all.

Say thank you when someone opens a door for you. Say thank you when a cashier hands you your change. And most importantly, say thank you when someone donates to your organization.

We also know that you should thank your donors seven times.

You’ve done the work. You’ve set up an incredible thank you stream that includes a thank you in their automated receipt, a thank you a few days later via email, and a written letter that expresses your gratitude—and maybe even requests a second gift. (If you haven’t, drop us a note, we’d be happy to help!)

But you know what? So has everyone else.

So how do you stand out? How do you go beyond checking seven gratitude boxes and actually make your donors feel thanked?

We’ve compiled a list of our favorite ways to say thank you—including the ones that donors have told us they appreciated most. Feel free to use any of these, but remember to make them your own. A good thank you needs to feel authentic and be from the heart.

7 easy ways to say thank you to donors:

1. Drop a postcard in the mail.

You can support the USPS and make your donors feel appreciated at the same time. It doesn’t even have to be a branded postcard—a postcard from somewhere you’ve traveled or the city where your organization is based will work just fine. Handwritten mail is magic, and it will show your donor that you genuinely care.

2. Send them a book.

It can be one you’ve read recently or one that is related to your work (even tangentially). Include a personal thank-you note explaining that you thought your donor would enjoy the book. Maybe inscribe a short message in the jacket. Either way, they’ll think of you and your organization every time they pick it up.

3. Record a cell phone video.

Don’t be camera shy—this video isn’t going on national TV. Gather a few of your colleagues and send a short video saying thank you with lots of energy. Be sure to use the donor’s name so that they know that it was made just for them.

4. Make thank you magnets.

Everyone’s fridge loves magnets. How many do you have on your fridge right now? Go, count. I’ll wait. For some reason, magnets are the last thing to get Mari Kondo’d in any house. (They definitely spark joy!) Add your organization to the mix and create a magnet that donors will walk by and see every time they open the fridge for a snack. They’ll use your magnet to hold up a picture of their family, and your organization will stay top of mind.

5. Send a photo.

When it comes to saying thank you, a picture really can be worth a thousand words. Share a photo of someone who has felt the impact of their donation—and go one step further by adding a short note on the back of the card. It will feel like it’s coming from a good friend, and I promise they’re going to remember.

6. Shoot a quick “feeling grateful for you” text message.

This one takes almost no work at all. We both know your phone is in your hand right now. Go on, pick it up. Send a short message to one of your donors and tell them that you’re grateful for their support. That’s it, nothing more complicated than that.

7. Host a Thank-a-thon.

Of everything on our list, this is the most complicated. It is also a ton of fun. Plan for an all-day staff and volunteer-led effort to call and thank all of your donors. Make lists, check them twice. Make a call, say thank you, end the call. (For real, only say thank you. Don’t make an ask.) Speak to them directly or leave a message— it takes 30 seconds and then you’re dialing the next donor. Here, I’ll write the script for you:

“Hi <INSERT DONOR NAME HERE>, this is <INSERT YOUR NAME HERE>. I’m calling from <INSERT ORGANIZATION NAME HERE>, and I just wanted to thank you for your recent donation. We are so grateful to have your support. Have a fantastic <DAY/WEEK/WEEKEND/HOLIDAY>! Buh bye now.”

Quick and easy feedback and 4 other things you need to read this week

Quick and easy feedback and 4 other things you need to read this week

by | Mar 20, 2021 | +Good Newsletter

1. Make your Facebook group 💬 a close-knit community.

Your Facebook group can help you reach your goals, but only if you take the time to cultivate it correctly. Understanding what to post and what not to post is critical! These suggested rules and boundaries encourage deep engagement within your group, attracting your kind of people and fostering community.

Develop a loyal community. [via Social Media Examiner]

2. Finally learn what 🔍 SEO is all about.

You know what SEO is…but do you actually understand it? Neil Patel makes Search Engine Optimization (SEO) make sense and lays out a few practical techniques to increase your web traffic and brand awareness. Learn how to complete your own SEO audit, create SEO optimized landing pages, and more (way more).

Find yourself on the first page of Google. [via Neil Patel]

3. Increase your reach 🚀 with Instagram’s Live Rooms.

New features alert! You can now host an Instagram Live with one, two, or three other accounts using Live Rooms. A Live with a few cohosts allows you to engage with your community while connecting with their communities, too.

Using Instagram Live Rooms. [via Facebook]

4. Get quick and easy feedback 🗣 in just a few clicks.

Having access to actionable, qualitative feedback from your target audience is key to a project’s success. With Loops, you can post creative work and receive hundreds of honest and constructive comments from team members and strangers in just minutes. While that might sound overwhelming, it only takes a few easy clicks to analyze the feedback and find the most effective ways to implement it.

Find out what they think. [via Loops]

5. Find, use, and create GIFs to 📈 enhance your brand.

We might not know how to pronounce gif, but we definitely know we love them. Those ubiquitous, looping animations can be used everywhere — in emails, blog posts, social media, and more. Try out some of these suggestions, and use gifs to engage with your audience and promote your brand.

Get started with gifs. [via Neil Patel]

 

 This issue of +good was written and produced by Allison Kooser, Ian Haisley, Sydney Bartlett, Lindsey Lincoln, and Katie Powers.

Quick and easy feedback and 4 other things you need to read this week

Workplace spontaneity and 4 other things you need to read this week

by | Mar 12, 2021 | +Good Newsletter

 1. Cultivate Deeper Relationships 🤝  with your Donors.

We know you’re a whiz at using email to connect with donors, but there’s always room to improve! Is your strategy ready for a refresh? These proven donor cultivation strategies actually work (as in, they’ve been tested by real nonprofits!) and, just as importantly, are simple to implement.

Three Proven Non-Profit Donor Cultivation Strategies. [via NextAfter]

2. Make the 👍 Facebook Algorithm work for you.

The Facebook algorithm presents a unique challenge, and marketers need effective strategies to beat it. Posting a link on Facebook used to be an easy way to generate revenue or drive traffic, but now the average post will only reach 5 percent of your followers. This analysis offers 20 actionable ways to boost your organic reach on Facebook by utilizing strategies such as brand presence, cross-promotion on various platforms, and audience insights.

20 Secrets to boost your organic Facebook reach. [via Neil Patel]

3. Finding the right 🤳 shot.

A picture is worth a thousand words, so if your content doesn’t feature the right image, you could be missing out on an opportunity to convey your message to your audience. But have no fear. Pexels provides over 10,000 open-source stock photos and videos shared by talented creators. Marketers can search by keyword to find the right image for any project — and best of all, it’s free.

The best free stock photos & videos. [via Pexels]

4. Where workplace ⚡️ spontaneity lives again.

There’s been plenty of chatter around Clubhouse, the limited-access social network where users can jump into voice chat rooms together. The app draws users in by promoting off-the-cuff, unplanned conversations. Now, a slew of spontaneous social apps is following in its footsteps. For professionals bogged down in a calendar of Zoom calls and Slack check-ins, anything that resembles the water cooler chats and lunch breaks of days gone by is a welcome change.

A wave of spontaneous apps. [via Techcrunch]

5. Your Donors’ Love ❤️ Languages.

Valentine’s Day may be behind us, but romancing your donors is a year-round gig. From engaging new donors to stewarding your most faithful supporters, two strategies always pay off in a relationship: paying attention and communicating! Unique volunteer opportunities, segmented mailing lists, and handwritten thank you notes are just a few ways to show your donors some love.

Light the spark — and keep it alive. [via Nonprofit hub]