Personalizing Your Nonprofit
Guest Blog by Casey Baynes, Executive Director, Casey Cares Foundation, Member of Maryland Nonprofits
Casey Baynes is the Executive Director of the Casey Cares Foundation. Follow her on Twitter @CaseyBaynes.
Whether your nonprofit’s focus is to help children, animals or education, all share one goal: Capturing the desire and importance of the community to invest in your mission.
Attaining this is a dynamic and long reaching process that begins by personalizing “the ask.” Personalization makes an organization more relatable, transparent and forms a stronger connection with audiences and donors. Here are a few tips to personalization:
Offer Choices. Allow people to select a category for where their contribution is being channeled. This gives donors the assurance that their gift will directly impact an area of their desire.
Keep it Simple. Don’t make your organization’s mission or the donating process complicated. Remember this: more tricks equals less clicks. If your nonprofit doesn’t have a singular focus, it will be harder for audiences to connect. Channel your energy and drive into one mission and cause. At Casey Cares, we offer multiple programs, but all support our overreaching mission: to help critically ill children and their families on an ongoing basis.
Make donating easy. Have your “Donate” button visible on your website’s homepage and social media profiles and incorporate donation asks into social media posts and e-blasts. (Be sure to make sure all of your solicitations follow the Maryland Charitable Solicitations Act).
Host Relatable Events. Host events that tie in your nonprofit’s mission. At Casey Cares, we host events that tie in with our kid focus including making this year’s gala Dr. Seuss inspired. Attendees are constantly reminded of the children they are affecting and the kid-centered programs they are supporting.
Engage Audiences. Always engage people inside and outside events. Make sure at events you engage with attendees, escorting them to their seat and chatting with them throughout the evening. When you’re not hosting events, keep the engagement alive by sending e-blasts and newsletters with pictures of the latest achievements, links to your videos, media coverage and social media, to stay connected and keep them engaged.
Stay Social. Social media gives you the opportunity to show the personality of your organization. Be sure to post program updates, achievements, media placements, staff and donor spotlights and a look behind the curtain on how your organization operates. This gives donors the opportunity to see the daily life of the organization they support and the work that’s being accomplished thanks to their help. In addition, through consistent social media updates, you can show potential donors and volunteers that your nonprofit is accountable and works around-the-clock.
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