Building a Community of DonorsTrainer – Chris Worman, TechSoup

Introduction

• All of this is based on practice• All of this is market tested and works• All of this is based on communications• All of this takes time

Evolution in Odorhei

• Started by asking a question: what matters?• Campaign the answer• Made giving accessible

• 2% • Drop Boxes • Community Card• Employee Giving• Events…

• And today…

Sections:

• Knowing your Market• Building a Communications Empire• Asking

• Individuals• The Masses

Who are they? Know your Market

• Set realistic goals based on:

• Population of potential donors• Income• Maturity of Message

Who are they? Culturally

• What is it that people care about? Ask!

• How are you linking your work to their values?• Peer marketing – you can’t tell them.

• Can you make them proud to support you?• When in history?• How is this just ‘part of being from here’?

How do they consume media?

• Where do they get their messages? • Is it online? Is it in the salon and pub?

• In what form?• Stories? Tweets?

• Use the right tools for the right people• Use their language

How are they giving right now?

• Philanthropy is happening, how?

• How are their friends giving?

• How can you fake that? • Behavioral change in communities happens because people see their

peers engage.

Recap

• Know your Market

• Know their Metaphors

• Know how they Consume Media

• Know how they Give and How they Value Giving

Communications

Now you know:• Who they are• What they value• How they communicate• How they consume media • How they give

Build a Communications Machine

• Take their stories back to them frequently• Make them the story• SHOW giving and engagement• Share everywhere: Multi-Channel away!

• Email, social, media, video, citizen journalism, etc…

Ultimately

• You want everyone to make a positive association between your name and the solution to the problem you are trying to solve.

• A la Greenpeace and Environment

Asking

Beggars, Businessmen and Priests

• What can we learn from the best fundraisers in the world?

• Clarity of Value Proposition and Ask• Frequency and Practice• Immediacy• Personalization• Ease

What are you selling?

• What exactly is your value proposition?

• Does the price make sense?

• How are you making the act of giving communicative and communicable?

• How good is the story so even if you fail to make money you educate?

Mass Appeals

• Sports events – all about peer communities• Cause Related Marketing – all about product• Employee Giving – communities and ease• Direct Debit – ease and low barriers• Drop Box – comms and low barriers• Tax Redirection (2%) – tax control• Events – fun times• Online/Mobile – ease and immediacy• Donor Circles - community• Etc…

What is working

Peer networks – people trust their friends Community – people giving togetherEase – anything with a low barrierImmediacy – quick salvation

All told – Start small, don’t assume and work up

Building alliances

• Sometimes you have to ask for influence

• What can you offer a power broker to lower barriers?

• How do you ask?

Individual Asking Tips

The Magic Questions:

• Do you think this is a good idea?• What might make it better?• Who else might be interested? • Can you introduce me?• How would you like to be involved?

Reporting Back

• Always!

Recap

• Know who you are asking• Know what they value and align• Make sure you are known• Make sure giving is communal and obvious• Ask like a business-priest• Thank

Path

• Research• Test message• Pilot w friends and networks• Capture• Reflect• Iterate• Show to next tier• Capture• Thank• Repeat

Thanks

• Happy to answer questions

• Si Craciun Fericit!