Posts Tagged ‘internet’
Sunday, February 17th, 2013
Recently a client asked me to review and critique a fundraising letter. It was written by one of her committee members. Can you say, “awkward position!”
To say that the author and the target audience is highly educated would be an understatement.
Well, as you might have guessed, I did it anyway. And here’s what I told her:
- The sentences are too long
- The sentence structure is too complex
- The words are too sophisticated (lots of 3 to 4 syllable words)
- There’s no emotional story
- There’s no call all to action
- And, there’s no urgency
“Bottom line,” I told her, “the letter is just too difficult to understand.”
“But the audience is very highly educated,” she replied. “They have graduate degrees and doctorates.”
“So what?” I told her.
Here’s the thing folks… You should write your appeals at about a 4th – 6th grade level. Simple sentences. Simple sentence structure. Simple words. Add a story. Add a call to action. And add some urgency… and you have a solid letter.
Why? Simply stated… it’s a matter of courtesy. Supporters of you mission can get sophistication from a bottle of wine or a good book. But when it comes to your letters, they just want to know what the problem is and how they can help.
You won’t impress anyone by complicating your appeal. And you won’t insult them if you make it simple. In fact, simplicity will actually help you deliver your message more effectively. Then, your donors will respond because you made it easy to understand.
Take a look at Google— arguably the most successful advertising business in the world. And how many characters are you allowed when you advertise there?
- Ad headline- 25 characters
- Description lines (you get 2 lines and that’s it!)- 35 characters per line
The Red Cross uses Google AdWords all yearlong (see a sample below on the right).
How about Twitter?- 140 characters to get your message across
You can’t argue with success. These new media are successful because they keep it simple so people will respond. You should do the same. Even when you are marketing planned gifts.
Save all the legalese and confusing babble about the benefits of a sophisticated, tax-saving gift instrument. Focus on bequests. Speak in plain English.
Your donors will thank you by responding and leaving gifts.
Tags: internet, online marketing, Planned Giving, Planned Giving Marketing, Simple, solve problems
Posted in Advertising, Fundraising, marketing, Pay-per-click marketing, Planned Giving, Planned giving, Planned Giving Marketing, ppc, strategy | No Comments »
Wednesday, November 14th, 2012
If you need help trying to decide what to put on your planned giving website, here’s our in-house content guide and checklist.
We use this as a starting point for each and every planned giving Site we build for our clients. We don’t put everything found below in every website we develop. So please don’t go crazy trying to stuff every intricate type of gift into your Site.
Some of the bullet-points might seem obvious. But we reviewed a ton of planned giving websites and found that over 90% were missing a simple contact telephone number on the main page. Here you go!:
- Your logo and tag line
- Phone number
- Click-to-email feature
- Contact us (link to staff listing)
- Font size adjustment tool to increase the size of the font instantly
- Print tool
- Email to a friend tool
- Share tools (for social media)
- Basic text and photo testimonials- “donor stories”
- How gifts have made a difference in the past- “gift stories”
- Request more information (such as free brochures or downloads)
- Your organization’s tax ID#
- Bequest language for estate planners
- How to get the most out of your gift (tax benefits)
- Planning tools calculator (I actually think these things confuse donors but our clients keep requesting that we include them. Someday I might just say “NO!”)
- Answers to common objections such as:
- You can change your mind
- Family first
- You can keep it private
- Hold on to your assets for as long as you need them
- No minimum gift required
- Ways to make a lasting impact
- Bequests
- Gifts in will or trust
- Remainder bequest (residual bequest)
- Donor advised funds
- Gifts of assets that provide you income
- Charitable gift annuity
- Deferred CGA
- Other beneficiary
- Use appreciated securities to fund CGA
- Use real estate to fund CGA
- Retained life estate
- Charitable remainder trust
- Beneficiary designations
- Bank assets and securities
- Life insurance
- Retirement accounts
- Savings bonds
- Let us know (short survey that aims to acquire notifications)
- Why invest in our organization
- Mission
- Why give
- What’s the vision for the future (strategic plans/goals)
- Historical content (photos, captions and text will show longevity and stability proving a safe haven for their investment)
- Annual report
- Successes/achievements
- Where the money goes (How funds are used and stewarded)
- A simple pie chart will do the trick
- Staff
- Contact (click-to-email) links
- LinkedIn icons that links to their profiles
- Privacy Policy
Here are some samples of websites we created in case you’re looking for real-world examples:
California Academy of Sciences
Navy-Marine Corps Relief Society
American Diabetes Association
Tags: internet, lead generation, online marketing, Planned Giving Marketing, Planned giving websites, website
Posted in Fundraising, Inbound Internet Lead Generation, lead generation, marketing, Planned Giving, Planned giving, Planned Giving Marketing, website | No Comments »
Monday, August 27th, 2012
I think it’s safe to say that the argument is over— seniors and all other planned giving prospects are on the Internet.
Here are some findings from the recent Pew Research Center’s study (released in June 2012):
- Half of adults age 65 and older are online.
- As of April 2012, 53% of American adults age 65 and older use the internet or email. Still less likely than all other age groups to use the internet, the latest data represent the first time that half of seniors are going online. After several years of very little growth among this group, these gains are significant.
- Once online, most seniors make internet use a regular part of their lives.
- For most online seniors, internet use is a daily fixture in their lives. Among internet users age 65 and older, 70% use the internet on a typical day. (Overall, 82% of all adult internet users go online on an average day.)
- After age 75, internet and broadband use drops off significantly.
- Internet usage is much less prevalent among members the “G.I. Generation” (adults who are currently age 76 and older)1 than among other age groups. As of April 2012, internet adoption among this group has only reached 34%, while home broadband use has inched up to 21%. SmartGiftmaker believes that many of these folks have already made their decision anyway. According to the National Committee on Planned Giving (Indianapolis, Indiana), only 15% of those who set up gifts to charities in their wills were over 75. Forty-three percent were under 55. Forty-two percent were between 55 and 75.
- Seven in ten seniors own a cell phone, up from 57% two years ago.
- Even among those currently age 76 and older, 56% report owning a cell phone of some kind, up from 47% of this generation in 2010.
- One in three online seniors uses social networking sites like Facebook and LinkedIn.
By comparison, email use continues to be the bedrock of online communications for seniors.
- 86% of internet users age 65 and older use email, with 48% doing so on a typical day. Among all adult internet users, 91% use email, with 59% doing so on a typical day.
Tags: G.I. generation, internet, online, online marketing, Planned Giving, Planned Giving Marketing, seniors, Social media
Posted in Fundraising, Inbound Internet Lead Generation, marketing, Multi-channel marketing, New Technology, Planned Giving, Planned giving, Planned Giving Marketing, Social media, strategy | No Comments »
Thursday, August 9th, 2012
In his recent post on The Social Graf, Erik Sass punches social media in the face a bit. There are some interesting thoughts here although I think they only apply to Facebook and Twitter. I think LinkedIn provides a lot of value— the social media option for grown ups. Furthermore, I happen to like social media. I feel more connected with friends I don’t see often and I use Twitter to find interesting news articles.
Anyway, although these points are watered down from his original post, here are his 9 reasons to quit social media:
1. It’s a waste of time. I like Erik’s take on this. Let’s face it… how much time is spent “goofing off” with social media and how much true value do you get from looking at posts your friends?
2. It’s addictive and unhealthy. “If nothing else, countless hours might be better spent taking a walk, pursuing a hobby, or doing activities you enjoy outside,” says Erik.
3. It encourages envy/narcissism. I think this one is self-explanatory.
4. It takes you away from the real world.
5. It encourages superficial relationships. How many “friends” do you have? Now, how many “real friends” do you have that will help you move out of your apartment on a sunny Saturday?
6. Privacy concerns/unethical business practices. How much information do you really want Facebook to know about you, your friends, your interests and your debauchery?
7. It can be personally and professional dangerous. Same deal here? How much do you want your friends or business associates to know about you?
8. It’s expected. I object to this one because I don’t think anyone really expects you to have a profile on social media (except on LinkedIn). Recently some folks have suggested that criminals and murderers are less likely to have Facebook profiles. But I don’t think your absence means you should be profiled.
9. It’s only going to get worse. Erik finishes his post by saying, “in short, if you think managing your social media presences is overwhelming now, just imagine what it will be like ten years from now. And ask yourself: is it really worth it?”
What do you think?
Tags: internet, Networking, online, online marketing, Social media
Posted in Facebook, LinkedIn, Social media, Twitter | No Comments »
Monday, April 16th, 2012
Now that I have your attention, I’m actually going to tell you that the problem with planned giving websites doesn’t begin with the words. It begins with who is writing them.
Is marketing planned giving at all like selling insurance?
Let me ask you this. If you owned a car wash, would you get your employees to write the copy on your website? No! Then, would you get the engineer who created the machines used to wash the cars to do it? No!
Ok, I realize that a car wash is not the same as planned giving. So, how about something more complex… more sophisticated… How about something that could have major legal ramifications? How about something that must require legalese… like insurance!?!
Sure! Let’s go to State Farm’s website at www.statefarm.com. They’re selling that stuff.
Did you go there? Did you notice the conversion opportunities at the top. “Get a Quote.” “Contact Us.” “Manage Claims.”
And did you check out the copy below? Hmm. Not very complex, huh? Hmm. Are you scratching your head yet?
Alright… I’ll just say it. Most planned giving websites are written by the wrong people. They usually have the following problems:
- They are too complicated
- They have too many words
- They use legalese that most people don’t understand (My Aunt Carol does not know what appreciated assets are)
- They don’t have easy ways for people to contact someone to ask questions
- They don’t easily offer downloadable information or a way to sign up for a newsletter
- IMPORTANT: They don’t focus on the mission of the organization
- They don’t tell folks how their money will be spent
- They don’t share bequest language easily
- They don’t say who is leading the charge at the non-profit and what his or her strategic plan will be going forward
- They don’t emphasize the history and longevity of the organization signaling that an investment in the organization is an investment well-spent
I could go on. But the point is… people who believe in your mission just want to know the basics about planned giving. Make it simple. Make it easy to understand. Make it emotional. And make sure they can contact you.
Tags: internet, online, online marketing, Planned Giving, Planned Giving Marketing, strategy, website
Posted in marketing, Planned Giving, Planned giving, Planned Giving Marketing, strategy, website | No Comments »
Friday, October 21st, 2011
Set up a business page
In addition to your personal profile, you may want to set up a Facebook page for your business.
Funny thing is… we don’t have one. And that’s because we haven’t devised a Facebook strategy that we feel is worth the time to execute. We focus most of our time on our blog and LinkedIn since most of our prospects are business executives. Plus we get a lot of business from face-to-face networking and referrals.
You don’t necessarily have to employ every single marketing channel available to you. There’s only so much time in the day. Social media marketing isn’t expensive the way TV advertising is… but time is money. And a Facebook business page should be active. Otherwise people won’t want to visit more than once.
So, if Facebook is right for you, create a business page. You can use that page as an information portal where people can find out more about your business and what you are up to.
You can publish articles, videos and virtually anything that people might want to know about your business.
You want to invite people to “Like” your page and you should find reasons to attract them back regularly – such as gifts and contests.
Add applications (apps)
Facebook has a huge range of applications that can be added to profiles and pages to increase the opportunities for people to connect. New applications are being created almost daily. They range from games and utilities to productivity widgets and tools.
Developing your own application is a great way to promote your business page and to attract people back to it.
Generate leads
While many people will choose to communicate with you directly on Facebook, you want to get as many as possible of your Facebook visitors to sign up to your email list so that you can contact them directly.
You can do this by offering incentives such as free reports, coupons, special offers and deals when they visit your page.
Tags: Email, Facebook, internet, lead generation, online marketing, Social media, strategy
Posted in Facebook, Inbound Internet Lead Generation, marketing, Mass Media, Social media, strategy | No Comments »
Monday, July 25th, 2011
The great thing about social media is that it’s free. 
Well… almost free. Actually it requires a tremendous time commitment in order to create and execute an effective strategy. But there’s no doubt that social media is continuing to grow and engaging with your audience is becoming ever more important.
Here are some highlights from ROI Research’s June 2010 study of 3,000 social network users titled “S-Net: The impact of Social Media”:
• 40% of those studied indicated that they use social sites to connect with brands and products
• 50% of Facebook users click on Facebook buttons to “like” a brand
• 37% learned about a new product or service from a social networking site
• 32% of respondents have recommended a product/service/brand to friends via a social networking site
• 32% of Twitter users re-tweet content provided by a company or product
And here are some notable suggestions also uncovered from ROI Research’s study:
• 49% of those studied want more printable coupons from the brands with whom they engage
• 46% want notifications of sales and special deals
• 35% want information about new products
I guess that’s why Living Social and Groupon are doing so well.
Tags: internet, online marketing, Social media, social media marketing, strategy
Posted in marketing, Social media, strategy | No Comments »
Saturday, June 4th, 2011
Moving pictures and words are unbelievably powerful when combined together. That’s why television was the most powerful medium for so long. Videos are easy to make these days. All you need to do is turn on your webcam or point your phone at yourself and talk for a minute or two. Let people know what you have to say. Plus the search engines love video so it helps your SEO ranking.”
Don’t like to be on camera? Upload a presentation of some PowerPoint slides to your website, blog or SlideShare (www.slideshare.com). It’s fast, easy and a very compelling way to get your message across. And if you upload presentations to SlideShare, you can still get some SEO benefits as long as you remember to add a link back to your main website.
Once you see how easy it is to make video, you’ll be ready to upload them to YouTube.com. This means you can create your own promotional videos and TV commercials that people can view on their laptops and smart phones.
Whether you want to demonstrate your product or service or talk about how you can help humanity, it’s free and very effective.
Plus, if your information is interesting and valuable, people might spread it around making it viral. Always remember to have the video link back to your main website to help your SEO.
Tags: internet, marketing, online, online marketing, SEO, Video
Posted in marketing, strategy, Uncategorized, website | No Comments »
Wednesday, May 18th, 2011
Let’s face it. Marketing has changed. The old rules don’t work today and the Internet has proven to be a powerful marketing tool. Although many organizations have
employed informative websites for their planned giving programs, the tracking is not robust. Traffic is low and visitors are anonymous. Just having planned giving web pages online is not enough to properly cultivate your list from awareness to leaving a gift .
Here are the new rules you must embrace in order to attract prospects, capture leads and cultivate relationships:
1. People like to search for information at the time of their choosing. Thus, relevant information needs to be available 24/7.
2. The Internet is the most convenient and powerful search tool available.
3. People want to be informed and educated… not sold.
4. Your prospects and leads must be continually reminded about the information you can provide (otherwise they simply won’t use your website and you’ll be “off their radar”).
5. Frequency and building relationships are more important now than ever.
6. Multiple channels must be used to reach your targets.
7. People consume information in many ways. For example, some prefer printed materials while others enjoy PDF downloads.
Once you embrace these new rules, it’s best to employ sophisticated tracking tools so you know precisely who is logging on to your site. Don’t wait for them to fill out a form. If you do, over 90% of your web visitors will be anonymous. Tracking tools are the key to determining who is most interested in your planned giving options.
Tags: internet, lead generation, leads, marketing, online, online marketing, Planned Giving, Planned Giving Marketing
Posted in Inbound Internet Lead Generation, Multi-channel marketing, Planned Giving, Planned Giving Marketing, strategy, Uncategorized | No Comments »
Saturday, May 7th, 2011
Your website should be your most effective marketing tool for lead generation and education. The days of “online brochures” are gone.
At the very least, make sure your phone number is on every page of your site. But if you want to get the best results, be sure to add conversion opportunities such as:
• Sign up forms (offering a newsletter, notifications of special offers, etc. in exchange for their email address)
• Opportunity to download discount coupons
• Free report downloads
• Webinar invitations
• Ways for prospects to email you with questions
• A “chat now button” for online instant messaging questions
And be sure to tie your blog to your website. People want to be educated these days- not sold. Blogging helps to position yourself as an expert (or at least very knowledgeable) in your field. Plus tying your blog to your website helps increase the likelihood your site will move up in search engine rankings for keywords you use frequently in your posts and articles.
If you don’t have a blog and think you don’t have time to create one, think again. Almost 80% of our website traffic here at MarketSmart is generated by our blog. Often I meet people (face to face) for the first time and they recount blog articles they liked. Two weeks ago I ran into someone I hadn’t seen in 15 years and he commented that he liked my blog!
So, get blogging and make sure your site is set up to make it easy to convert visitors to leads.
Tags: Blog, Blogging, internet, lead generation, leads, online marketing, search engine optimization, SEO, website
Posted in Inbound Internet Lead Generation, lead generation, marketing, SEO - Search Engine Optimization, strategy, Uncategorized, website | No Comments »
