Four steps to save a failing digital fundraising campaign

Step Two: Involving supporters

 

Promoting crowdfunding opportunities is a good way to perk up a failing campaign. This is especially important during COVID-19, which has seen increased interest among charity supporters in online donations given in memory - raising money for a good cause to remember a loved one who has passed away. Involving supporters is particularly helpful for smaller charities operating on a limited budget.

 

Community fundraising can also help if a campaign is failing. This is where fundraising uses the experience of supporters and beneficiaries so that they are involved in campaign messaging, fundraising and how money raised is to be spent. This represents a rethink for some charities, who are used to traditional, donor-based fundraising methods that can leave supporters disenfranchised from the decision making process around charity campaigning.

 

There’s a raft of online fundraising platforms for supporters to use to help a charity campaign, including Just Giving, Enthuse and Givey.

 

Helping charity supporters to promote their personalised fundraising on social media is also key, through making imagery, videos and campaign infographics available. Giving supporters training in using video editing tools and remote video content platforms, to make their own videos, can also help to revive a campaign.

 

 

 

 

Step Three: Matching gifts

 

Matching gifts that are being donated through a digital fundraising campaign is another powerful strategy for boosting interest.

 

For example, Soccer Aid for Unicef raised £9.3m this month through its annual televised football match between celebrities and former professionals. This year, public donations were matched by the UK government and global vaccines body Gavi. This meant that £3 was raised for every £1 given. Soccer Aid points out that this year’s match broke fundraising records for the celebrity event, which started in 2006 and raised £6.7m in 2019.

 

Charities should also not be afraid to ask for help from an external fundraising consultant. These professionals will have worked across a wide range of campaigns, often across sectors, so have a vast experience of what works, and what doesn’t. They can assist with things from troubleshooting technical issues to taking the lead managing a campaign.

 

There are a range of out of house experts available for different budgets, including pro-bono support. An example is the Media Trust, which has created a volunteer platform that connects media and creative industry professionals looking to support charities.

 

Digital marketing support via the platform includes help telling stories through film, website strategy and help with social media.

 

 

 

Step Four: Utilising CRM software

 

A robust CRM system is an important piece of kit that charity marketers can use to ensure they are successfully managing their relationship with supporters and addressing campaign failures. Among the benefits of CRM systems is the ability to analyse data to better understand your audience, ensure they are being contacted and targeted for donations in a way that appeals to them.

 

This can include donor segmentation as well as better management of fundraising campaigns, with fast and accurate insight into the impact of campaign activities.

 

Salesforce.org Nonprofit Cloud, which offers real-time measurement and artificial intelligence (AI) insights into donors, is among CRM products designed specifically to help charities. Another is the cloud-based Microsoft Dynamics 365, which has a range of functions to automate supporter communications.

 

Above all, if a campaign if failing, take time to have conversations with supporters and staff and ask them where they think it can be improved. Arguably charities’ best asset is their beneficiaries and supporters.