We had so much fun presenting Start Here! Building a Digital Fundraising Program: Selecting Tools & Strategies with our friends from Media Cause. If you missed it, you can view the recording or download the slides.
These are Raise HECK’s top 5 takeaways:
- Digital enables immediacy. The videos captured and shared by people during the past weeks (and months and years) have illustrated racism and police brutality in a more immediate and visceral way than the written word ever could. The stay-at-home environment created by the pandemic means that your digital assets may be less polished – and that’s okay. Your digital presence as it relates to your mission should always strive for authenticity and transparency, and especially now. If you don’t yet have a digital program, the best time to start building one is today. To build a digital program, you need a solution – email and donation forms, at minimum.
- You need the right digital tool for the job. Do you already have a good tool but don’t use it to the fullest extent? Great – then all you need to do is figure out how to use it better. That might mean investing in more training and enablement for your staff. If you don’t have a tool yet, then selecting the right solution requires a pause for introspection. We explain the self-assessment process in the webinar in slides 10-13.
- Use of desktop to view websites and emails is actually up during the pandemic. Previously, mobile devices were steadily on the rise, but with less commuting and more staying at home, people are opting to view more content on their larger-screened devices. While this dynamic will not last forever, and you shouldn’t abandon making your content mobile-friendly, you might be able to take advantage of wider screen widths to experiment with content on a larger scale – literally.
- In your messaging, be transparent, mission-focused, and lead with empathy. When communicating with your supporters, you should always remember they are people, not email addresses. Especially now as we face a months-long global pandemic, and grief and outrage as people demonstrate in support of Black Lives Matter, people’s emotions are strong and raw. Speaking to your supporters with authentic words should always be the goal. They’re real people – and so are you, the person writing the words they will read. Be real, be kind, and keep your words focused on your mission.
- Google gives $10,000/month in free advertising to 501(c)3 organizations. If you have a Google Grant and want to brush up on best practices, check out Media Cause’s guide. If you don’t have a Google Grant, read up on the program and go get one!
Important: Media Cause is offering free Google Ad Grant services for racial justice organizations right now. If you are interested, contact Taylor Cote at Media Cause – email taylor@mediacause.org.
Resources we mentioned during the webinar: