Sanky Blog

Whether last year ended better than expected or as badly as you feared, the question in 2009 is – what next? What can your organization do to ride out the storm? How can you accomplish even more – most likely with fewer resources at your disposal?

Many nonprofits are focusing – more than ever – on leveraging value from their current constituents. Savvy fundraisers know that re-tooling their monthly giving programs is one way to keep costs low while achieving exponential upgrades.

While monthly sustainer programs have long been a part of our “fundraising toolkit” the expense of monthly reminder mailings, and the costly follow-up process required for success, has limited the value of monthly programs for many nonprofits – at least until recently. But the advent of automatic online transaction tools has dramatically changed the landscape.

These days, getting started is the easy part – deceptively so in fact. Most online donation processors now offer the capacity for recurring gifts. If you don’t already have the capability, it’s likely that you can easily add that component to your current online donation processing module. But having the basic functionality is a very different thing than building a program and promoting it – effectively – in multiple mediums.

The first step is to create a special “landing page” that explains, in simple language, how the program works and what the advantages are. Be sure to make it very clear how one can opt out at any time. (Very few of your donors will!) Then develop prominent – and enticing – links and pathways throughout your website to the monthly giving signup page. Frequently mention monthly-giving opportunities in your email appeals and e-newsletters. At least once a year, consider a special targeted email campaign that specifically promotes the program and invites your donors and prospects to join.

Everywhere and anywhere, point out the advantages of giving this way – how small gifts quickly add up …the ease and security of donating this way …and of course the benefits the regular income stream provide to your organization and its critical programs.

Monthly giving programs also are a vivid example of potential synchronicity between your online and offline marketing efforts. You can bolster your success online by promoting the program in your printed newsletters, developing inserts for your direct mail packages, and even testing targeted direct mail that sends offline donors online to sign up to be monthly sustainers. Last but not least, your acknowledgements and welcome packages – offline as well as online – will most likely prove to be a wonderful point of opportunity for promotion.

A handful of very large charities have proven that TV campaigns and large scale telemarketing efforts are highly effective ways to build monthly sustainer programs. But if you don’t have those resources, don’t worry. Even with a tight budget, you can find many other creative ways to promote your own sustainer program – from handing out flyers at your events … to having staff or volunteers call or email monthly donors and prospects when they are about to lapse.

The biggest mistake you can make? To get discouraged in the early months of promoting the program, as the results first arrive in a slow trickle. So many charities do, and give up much too quickly. But so many others have stuck with it and seen the magic in the math … when two become four … eight morphs into sixteen … then dozens transform into hundreds. For these organizations, persistence pays off with significant upgrades and high value donors, who renew at rates of 90+% for virtually no cost.

What more can we ask for in times like these?

By Harry Lynch, CEO of Sanky Communications

Besides the weakening economy, most non-profits are dealing with the annual mid-winter revenue slump that comes right after the Holidays. But using a compelling campaign idea, and the creative expertise of SankyNet, our client Covenant House found tremendous online success in February raising money for homeless kids.

The Covenant House “Do 1 Thing” Campaign utilized some of the most modern online fundraising techniques and the results prove that there can be victories even in these troubling times.

Before creative for the campaign began, SankyNet took into account the fact that even loyal donors may not be able to donate during a recession. With this in mind, SankyNet’s creative team worked with Covenant House to develop ways for people to show their support beside a monetary gift. These opportunities were designed to help keep existing donors engaged while at the same time cultivating potential new supporters.

The “Do 1 Thing” campaign included a call to action using social networking, an invitation to visit a Covenant House location and a request for items on a “wish list” such as blankets and food. Donors were also given the chance to quadruple their generosity with a 3-to-1 match — this opportunity to help touch the lives of four times more homeless kids made a very compelling case for giving. And despite the tough economy, people overwhelmingly chose donating over the other three points of engagement.

As for design, SankyNet went with the adage that “less is more — and used a modern technique that is proving very effective in online fundraising. We designed the “Do 1 Thing” e-appeal to look more like a postcard than a traditional appeal letter. More importantly, we paid special attention to make sure that the entire message — including all calls to action — fit “above the fold” on most browsers.

Another component that played a key role in the success of the campaign was timing. SankyNet “dropped” the e-appeal on February 12th giving donors just two days to get involved with the “Do1Thing” activities planned for Valentine’s Day. The timing of the appeal created a sense of urgency and that in turn triggered an immediate response both in donations and activism.

While these are indeed challenging times for fundraisers, the Covenant House “Do 1 Thing” Campaign proves that using a combination of imaginative techniques can have a tremendous payoff. So remember, matching gifts work. Well timed, shorter messages work. And asking your donors to support your cause in non-monetary ways — even in a fundraising appeal — works!

We all marveled at the success of Obama Campaign, but most of us are left wondering what we can learn from it…especially in this economy. The answer is harnessing the power of the Internet in new and imaginative ways. And now you have a unique opportunity to learn more about this exciting topic by joining Paul Habig at this month’s AFP workshop: “Using Online Strategies to Weather Turbulent Times”.

Even in these challenging times online fundraising continues to grow for many nonprofits. And on February 25th, you can learn how the savviest organizations use integrated fundraising strategies to help weather this economic storm. Paul will demonstrate changes that have made a big difference for some nonprofits.

From small tweaks to a website that can increase the number of visitors who give… to email testing that will get the most out of an online donor file… witness the importance of multi-channel and integrated fundraising campaigns.

Event attendees will come away with tools on how to use the Internet to increase their organization’s visibility, raise awareness for their issues and even fundraise.

For more information about this event which takes at the Harvard Club in New York City, please visit the AFP website.

Gilda’s Club Westchester (GCW) is a community of people whose lives have been touched by cancer…all types of cancer. And when they decided to fully redesign their website, GCW turned to SankyNet to help capture all the caring they offer members, and put it online.

Our goal was to create a website that was as inviting, warm and comforting as the actual “clubhouse” located in White Plains, New York. But at the same time, we wanted to develop a robust online resource for those currently involved with the organization, as well as those recently diagnosed with cancer and looking for help.

Gilda’s Club Westchester provides support and networking groups, lectures, workshops and social events for men, women, children and teens in a home-like setting. And SankyNet was determined to design a website that would allow visitors to quickly and easily learn about these valuable services.

The new site boasts features that include an expanded calendar of events, information about joining Gilda’s Club and a soon-to-be completed online forum. In addition, SankyNet paid special attention to optimizing the site for online fundraising – this increased revenue will help sustain GCW programs that are provided to members free of charge.

For those of you who know Sanky Communications’ history, our founder Sanky Perlowin passed away from cancer 25 years ago. At the time of her death, there was no Gilda’s Club. Today, we are truly proud to partner with an organization that provides a welcoming community of free support for everyone living with cancer.

We invite you to learn more about Gilda’s Club Westchester by visiting their new website.

By Judy Maneval, President of Sanky Communications

As you’re preparing to print your direct mail fundraising letter, are you thinking only about the copy or about the format and look of the piece too? Many mailers don’t take into account the audience when they are setting up letters.

For most organizations, the donors are on the older side. Be sure they can actually read your great copy by using large type (never smaller than 12.5 point when using Times New Roman).

In addition, most older folks grew up at a time when letters had a very standard look – and that’s what they find comfortable. That means using serif type, indenting at the start of a paragraph, and following traditional English usage.

If you can afford to test these old rules for your organization, great. But if you can’t – play it safe.

P.S. And don’t forget to make it easy to read by using short paragraphs!