Digital fundraising for a nonprofit organization is often a challenge.
Yes, you may have major donors, but what happens when you don't have a steady stream of monthly donations? How do you make sure you retain dedicated supporters who will help your organization grow? The solution is simple. Create a monthly subscription program for your nonprofit donors!
Studies reveal an average of 45 percent of donors worldwide are enrolled in a monthly giving program and that recurring donors end up giving 42 percent more every year. Leverage this information to grow your nonprofit!
Here are five effective ways to grow your monthly nonprofit donor list through subscriptions.
1. Create Seasonal Campaigns
Seasonal campaigns are a great way of attracting new donors and engaging those on your subscription list. Start by creating an overall initiative, what you hope to achieve by the end of the year, and then break it down into mini-campaigns.
According to HubSpot for nonprofits, your inbound marketing strategy must:
- Attract strangers.
- Convert them to visitors.
- Close leads.
- Delight customers so that they can become advocates of your brand.
Seasonal campaigns will help you achieve all of the above. Think about it. They keep your cause fresh and exciting, thereby engaging current donors and enticing potential givers.
2. Include Sign-up Forms on Your Website
The first official interaction that potential donors have with your organization is through your website. It is your online home, and anyone looking for verified information will definitely visit it first.
If you don't have sign up forms for your monthly programs on your website, then you are losing out on donors. Think of it this way, anyone that visits your website is already interested in your cause, so turning them into monthly givers is easy.
Read how to use HubSpot Forms here.
For maximum sign-up form efficiency:
- Place the form on pages with high traffic.
- Only ask for essential information (the bare minimum).
- Make the call-to-actions obvious.
You could also make monthly donations the default option on your donations page.
3. Pop-up Windows Work Wonders
Sign-up forms and pop-ups are similar, but pop-ups have one major advantage. They allow your website visitors to sign up for monthly subscriptions without having to navigate your website.
They are a great way to highlight your subscription program, and you can even choose to include a 'thermometer' to show the number of people that have subscribed to it. Make sure the pop-ups are strategically placed on one page (preferably the one with the most traffic) and that web users can easily click them out. Too many pop-ups are distracting and annoying.
4. Engage Your Donors on Social Media
Social media platforms make it easy for you to nurture personal relationships with your donors. This means that you can't constantly spam your followers' timelines with "sign up for our monthly subscriptions" posts, or they will unfollow you.
You can, however, use your accounts to create awareness for your programs without being overly promotional (e.g. creating polls to find out how many people are aware of your monthly program or even fun competitions where the winner gets to be the face of your next newsletter.)
5. Communicate the Impact of Donations
Unlike other business systems, nonprofit donors don't get direct value for their money. They give to a charitable cause without getting anything tangible in return.
Donors, however, love knowing that their donations are making an impact, no matter how small. This is why you need to communicate this to them either through newsletters, personalized emails or social media shout outs. Let them know that by subscribing to your monthly program, they will get periodic reports of how their funds helped get closer to your goal.
Build a Sustainable Stream of Revenue
Your development plans are only as solid as the number of recurring givers you have. Create a sustainable subscription program that will ensure your funds are evenly distributed throughout the year. Other than the peace of mind that comes with knowing your funds won't run dry, you also get loyal donors who are likely to become advocates for your organization.
Looking for more effective nonprofit marketing strategies? The Insight Studio can help. Contact us to learn more.
