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Online: Adapt Digital Tools To Donor Behavior

Just as you hope a donor will react to your nonprofit’s email or web outreach, your digital tools can react to how the recipient responds, either previously or up to the minute.

    Some ideas on the digital and creative ideas were discussed during a session at the recent ANA Nonprofit Federation Washington, D.C., conference. The session was presented by Trista Murphy of Save the Children in Fairfield, Conn., Matt Reese of Everytown for Gun Safety in New York City, and Anne Kottler and Josef Kottler of Sage Communications in Framingham, Mass. Here are just five of their suggestions.

  • Harness the Power of New Events. Everytown For Gun safety and other similar organization sent email for support – either petition signing, a financial ask or straight advocacy after the massacre at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Fla.
  • Turn Negative News Into A Way to Reinforce Your Mission. Nonprofits that work with children or refugees sent digital messages to supporters. One such message was “Refugee Children Have Been Terrorize. They Are Not Terrorists.”
  • Use Multiple Call To Action Buttons and Links For Your Ask Array. Just like with direct mail, digital asks can have different looks, for example stacked boxes with various amounts plus an opportunity to choose a different amount than those suggested.
  • Use Image Personalization and Smart Data. Democratic National Committee wanted to send an email including how much the person had given since the first donation. The organization used personalization functionality and data to create unique emails for each donor based on elected variables in the data.
  • Use Dynamic Content To Personalize Your Message. Dynamic content is also called adaptive content and refers to web content that changes based on the behavior, preferences, and interests of the user. It refers to websites as well as e-mail content and is generated at the moment a user requests a page.For example, based on how a donor or advocate had previously interacted with an organization, the nonprofit could either send a digital message to donate or to attend a special event. For example, say an organization is holding marches in cities throughout the nation but nowhere near where someone who has had contact with the nonprofit. That person might get a straight fundraising appeal. That also works if a donor hasn’t attended an event but has financially supported the organization.