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Recently I heard a podcast featuring Tom Ahern. He’s a brilliant, experienced direct marketer/fundraiser. On the podcast he said that nonprofits simply need to do just three things:
I disagree. There’s a very important step that must not be neglected: ENGAGEMENT!
Engagement is the glue that ties it all together! And these days you can do it online. Here are some huge benefits of online engagement:
Tom is an outstanding direct marketer with tons of experience in direct mail and traditional marketing channels. So I can understand why he didn’t include engagement on his list. Traditional direct marketing is a one-way conversation. Online marketing is a two-way conversation (and sometimes a group or community conversation). He may not be involved in developing online engagement offers very often. In case you’re wondering what I mean by “engagement offers”, here’s a short list of ideas for you:
– Video conferences (or live events)
– Google Hangouts (or Skype chats)
– Calculators
– Quizzes
– Individual or community chats
– Video downloads
– Games
– Widgets
The list is endless!
My advice to Tom (and you) is that the list should look like this from now on:
1- Ask for a donation
2- Thank the donor
3- Report results back to the donor
4- Offer an opportunity for engagement (in-person or online)
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