How to Be Crazy Successful in 2015

by Troy Dean | Jan 8, 2015

7 Digital Marketing Resolutions

With a fresh year upon us, it’s time to dust off that old strategy and bring it up to speed. No matter how you plan to increase engagement from your supporters in 2015, be sure to include these 7 resolutions to reach nonprofit super-stardom and be crazy successful in 2015.

Put Pen to Paper

Get that donor engagement strategy written down! Make a resolution to create your plan. State your goals and messaging, outline your strategy, and note your tools and tactics.

Have a team member with a keen eye for details? Assign him to work on donor data analysis. Engage your team in the strategy and help them to understand how they can contribute to the success of the plan.

Test It Out

Want to change your donor retention rates from drab to fab? Identifying opportunities to use split-testing is a great place to start.

Split-testing is method of conducting controlled, randomized experiments to improve metrics, allowing you to build a culture of data-informed decision making. You can easily split-test digital communications like your fundraising pages, email subject lines, and email content. But it’s also worthwhile to try different versions of your fundraising appeal letters to discover what works.

Testing out variations in content can point (and click!) the way to a more successful 2015!

Break Two Piñatas With One Stick

Resolve to create momentum with every interaction you have with prospects and donors. Why? Because once you’ve captured a supporters’ attention, they are much more likely to take secondary action at that moment.

So when someone donates for the first time, create an opportunity for them share why they donated with their friends. (“Look what I can do! You can do it too…”) When a supporter attends an event, encourage them to become a monthly donor.

Think about—and plan for—the secondary actions that make sense for your audience.

Variety Is the Spice of Life

Don’t be bland… get spicy! A strong supporter relationship doesn’t have to revolve around monetary donations.

Engaging your supporters in a way that is meaningful to them sows the beginning of a beautiful relationship. We don’t plant a seed and expect a tomato to be on the vine the next morning. So should we see our donor relationships.

Resolve to develop a plan to encourage other avenues of engagement like sharing Facebook updates, signing pledges, attending events and re-tweeting blog posts. Like the perfect tomato sauce, the beauty is in the balance.

Be Useful

Though social media gives us a way to show the world our overwhelming awesomeness, it can also be used as a platform for good. Being useful through your accounts is all about putting the needs of your community first.

Resolve to find ways to get involved that allow others to sing your praises from the Facebook (or Twitter, or Instagram) mountain top! Think content marketing. Share stories, articles, and information with your followers that matter to them: an article on heart healthy recipes in February for National Heart Health Month, or 15 Amazing Facts About Your Eyeball on World Glaucoma Day.

Risky Business

As Mark Twain said, “Why not go out on a limb? That’s where the fruit is.” Playing it safe will get you average results at best.

Personalization is important when it comes to reaching out to your supporters, but it’s also important when it comes to your team. Whether you spread your wings with inspired content creation or a new voice in social media, don’t be afraid to let your staff’s creativity fly. Make a resolution to live on the edge and try something new in 2015.

Measure Twice, Cut Once

Every line is the perfect length if you don’t measure it. Most nonprofits are not testing or measuring what’s happening in their digital media outlets. Don’t be like them.

Look at your strategy and know what is important to your nonprofit in 2015. Only then can you can choose the proper metric to measure so you know if you’re exceeding your wildest goals, or totally missing the mark.

Your data on click through rates and retweets is most valuable now that you can apply its relevance and identify ways to measure your successes and room for improvement. You smarty pants you.