One of the biggest needs we've discovered among our non-profit clients, and one of the simplest solutions to implement...single event micro-sites. In many cases, non-profits have so many decision makers and are hamstrung so badly by inadequate budgets, that it's impossible to get a "change management" decision at all, let alone in a time cycle that keeps you interested in helping. (see previous post).
When we bump into an organization that clearly needs help raising money, being more efficient, creating some ROI in order to request more budget from the Board, etc., but is resistant to a large technology implementation, we back off and take a different tack.
Perception of the non-profit: "we're considering buying technology but we already have some technology and a webmaster (a Board member's nephew) and besides we have no time and no budget and it's really hard to get anything through our Board anyway."
Pitch: "Let us take just one of your current fund raising events and improve it OR create a new one and let us run it. No out of pocket for you. We will build a free website for you that links to your current website. We will help you drive all registrations for the event exclusively to this website. We will manage the eCommerce for you using our servers and our secure Verisign relationship. We will deliver to you a database of registrants for the event, the dollars raised for that event, an outline of our costs to get this done, and we'll do this at the close of business on the day after the event. In return we ask for 10% of the total registration over and above what you did last year and in the case of a new event, 10% of the total. We also ask to be able to present the results to your executive committee and your Board shortly after the event."
New perception of non-profit: "We're not buying anything...it doesn't require much change on our part...and they'll either raise money for us or not, but it's no skin off our back. Sure, let's do it."
Action: 100% of registrations must go through the site. Agressive incentives for online signup, meta-tagging and submissions, viral spread of email links to the site through a network of grassroots efforts. An inclusion in their normal direct mail, phone and web campaigns highlighting the site. Use PSAs, news show hits and community forums and blogs to further promote.
Example: Easter Seals Colorado Kickball Tournament http://www.escapeforacause.org/kickinitforacausetournament/
Results: Over $25,000 is raised for the Chapter in one Saturday. A database of over 500 players between the ages of 21-30 who now are educated donors of Easter Seals. (their current donor demographic prior to the event was an average age of over 60 years old). A marketing retainer is signed and several new event ideas are spawned for the coming year.
Many times it takes creativity and the willingness to take a risk in order to help a non-profit organization make the leap into using online communications tools. But if it works, it sure is good for your heart and if they get paid, you can get paid as well!