Fundraising is all about the stages of a relationship – moving from the first meeting to the long term commitment. Online fundraising is no different. How do you make the most of online channels in maximizing your relationships? What are the opportunities and what are the challenges? Most importantly, how does it change your relationships? Through real cases and examples, we explore the best practices and fundamentals of how to fundraise online. Louise Bellingham Louise Bellingham leads the development of marketing strategies and support for United Way Toronto. An experienced, senior marketing and communications professional from the telecom industry, Louise and her team are focused on building increased engagement with the brand and enhancing the resource development efforts of the largest United Way in North America. Dale Tomlinson She has leveraged over 20 years of direct marketing experience to build one of the largest online fundraising campaigns in Canada. She leads a team devoted to direct response fundraising and relationship building and consults with organizations across North America.

1. From Dating to Commitment:
Online Fundraising at its Best
June 8, 2010
Louise Bellingham, VP Marketing, United Way Toronto
Dale Tomlinson, Director, Donor Relationship Management,
United Way Toronto

2. Workshop Agenda
• Introduction
• Online Fundraising: A Decade of Growth
• Online Philanthropy: Where Relationship
Building and Technology meet
• 5 Fundamental Strategies for Success
• Case Study: ABC Company United Way
Campaign
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3. Online Fundraising: A Decade of Growth
• 1995-2000: Initial websites – “Brochure-ware”
• Sept. 11th 2001 : A turning point for Online giving
• www.libertyunites.org
• United Way of New York, Tribute to Heroes
Telethon (United Way Toronto sets up 800
number with web based credit card processing
and raises over $500,000)
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4. Online Fundraising: A Decade of Growth
United Way Toronto Online Revenue Growth
UnitedWay@work Website
$60,000,000 $1,400,000
$50,000,000 $1,200,000
$1,000,000
$40,000,000
Website
$800,000
$30,000,000
$600,000 CN Tower
$20,000,000 Climb
$400,000
Rat Race
$10,000,000
$200,000
$0 $0
2004
2005
2000
2001
2002
2003
2006
2007
2008
2009
1999
2001
2003
2005
2007
2009
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5. Online Fundraising: A Decade of Growth
Overall Revenue By Channel Channel Analysis 2005-2009
$160,000,000
• 2009 Direct Mail Stats:
$140,000,000
– Rev/Donor: $60.05
$120,000,000 – 4 year growth rate:
$100,000,000 • Number of gifts: -6%
$80,000,000
• Revenue: -7.5%
$60,000,000
• 2009 Web Stats:
$40,000,000
– Rev/Donor: $109.93
$20,000,000 – 4 year growth rate:
$0 • Number of gifts:
2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 +29.9%
Direct Mail Revenue Telemarketing Revenue
WEB Revenue Direct Dialog Revenue • Revenue: +4%
DRTV Revenue Other/Unknown Revenue
Source: 3rd Annual Cornerstone Global File Audit (www.cstonecanada.com)
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6. Online Fundraising: A Decade of Growth
• Direct Mail is Still King
– 63% of revenue generated
through DM activities
• But what about online?
– One of the few channels that
experienced growth in 2009
– Much higher average gift than
DM ($50 vs. $30)
– Important channel but doesn’t
replace DM or other channels
Source: 3rd Annual Cornerstone Global File Audit (www.cstonecanada.com)
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7. Online Fundraising: A Decade of Growth
Donor Retention Rates by Acquisition Channel:
DM acquired donors have the highest retention rates year over year
40.00%
35.00%
30.00%
25.00% Direct Mail
20.00% Telemarketing
Web
15.00%
Direct Dialogue
10.00%
5.00%
0.00%
1st Year 2nd Year 3rd Year 4th Year
Source: 3rd Annual Cornerstone Global File Audit (www.cstonecanada.com)
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8. Online Fundraising: A Decade of Growth
Giving Channels Overall
(% who say they have donated in this way in last 2 yrs) Gen Y Gen X Boomer Mature
Checkout Donation 52% 48% 57% 52% 48%
Cheque by Mail 49% 26% 43% 54% 77%
Gift Shop 32% 28% 35% 32% 30%
Website 31% 29% 35% 31% 25%
Fundraising Event 27% 22% 28% 28% 31%
Honour/Tribute Gift 26% 22% 22% 27% 35%
Third Party Vendor 20% 25% 27% 17% 12%
Phone 14% 8% 10% 16% 25%
Monthly Debit 14% 11% 17% 14% 11%
Mobile/Text 8% 14% 13% 4% 2%
Social Network Site 5% 9% 6% 4% 2%
Source: Convio & Edge Research: “The Next Decade in Online Marketing”, US Study
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9. Online Philanthropy: Where Relationship Building and
Technology Meet
Public Audiences
High tech, Housefiles / Site Registrants Many people,
low touch small gifts
Events/Promotions
Annual Giving
Leadership
Giving
High touch, Major Few people,
lower tech high gifts
Giving
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10. 5 Fundamental Strategies for Success
Strategy #1 : Don’t Send Mixed Signals
• Integrate all your supporter messages to
synchronize and coordinate your online and
offline activities.
• This requires an investment in CRM:
Integrate technologies, systems,
organizations, and processes
Integrate data from all over your organization
Synchronize information across various
channels
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11. 5 Fundamental Strategies for Success
Strategy #2 : Make Them Want To Come Back For More
• Give supporters a reason to visit you online. Identify value of the
online experience for your supporters.
• Why and how do they use the internet? What online information and
opportunities could they use that would deepen the relationship?
• 4 categories of value:
1. Access to info regarding organization mission and services
2. Increase convenience/time savings in transactions (donating,
volunteering or advocacy)
3. Tools that increase the network of support
4. Online stewardship and information on accountability
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12. 5 Fundamental Strategies for Success
Strategy #2 : Make Them Want To Come Back For More
• Consider the stimulus for campaigns:
• Degree of urgency?
• Time-limit?
• Connection to the donor/prospect?
• Degree of personalization (interests, giving amount, impact
of their gift)?
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13. 5 Fundamental Strategies for Success
Strategy #3 : Get Up Close and Personal
• Interact with your supporters – don’t just send
messages. Communications must be interactive and
enhance relationships.
• Provide easy, useful tools and content that allow your
supporters to accomplish their interests and to share
their support of your work with their own networks.
• Segment your audience by interest and type of
affinity to your organization.
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14. 5 Fundamental Strategies for Success
Strategy #4 : Connect Every Way You Can
• Communicate using multiple methods – think
about your offline and online presence as a
series of brand experiences.
• How should the donor/prospect experience
your organization?
• What is the appropriate mix of
communications and what channels will you
use (email, website, direct mail, telephone,
print)?
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15. 5 Fundamental Strategies for Success
Strategy #5 : Assess and Improve Performance
• Continuously measure and improve results for your
organization and experiences for your supporters.
• Critical measure is “return on supporter time” –how well
you enable supporters to get what they want.
• Build ways to measure, analyze and adjust into every
program and be sure to look at how you acquired supporters
that have long term value.
• Try to measure performance on an integrated basis not in
channel silos. Real optimization comes from understanding
supporter activity across channels.
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16. Case Study:
Commitment Corporation
Employee Workplace Campaign
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17. Case Study:
Commitment Corporation, Workplace Campaign
Meet Commitment Corporation
• Commitment Corporation and United Way work together to support the local
community.
• Commitment Corporation’s United Way campaign:
– Rallies team spirit
– gives everyone the opportunity to get involved
– Is an established part of the workplace culture,
– allows United Way to build on existing relationships and create new ones.
• How did Commitment Corp use best practices to make the most of their campaign?
• How can you translate these ideas into your relationship management program?
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18. Case Study:
Commitment Corporation, Workplace Campaign
Commitment Corporation
2008
Employees Donated Donation % 2009 Giving 2008 Avg Gift 2009 Avg Gift
Giving
Previous
5,695 4,359 77% 3,605,177 3,628,128 633 832
Donors
Prospects 9,929 1,301 13% - 425,233 - 327
Total 15,624 5,660 36% 3,605,177 4,053,361 716
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19. Case Study:
Commitment Corporation, Workplace Campaign
Commitment Corporation
Online vs. Offline Donations (excluding Special Events)
Gift Range Online Donors Online $ Offline Donors Offline $
$1 - $99 2,038 87,253 32 1,225
$100-$199 1,425 181,019 26 2,952
$200-$999 1,158 427,435 11 4,671
$1000-$4999 897 1,298,105 24 34,658
$5000-$9999 50 299,804 8 44,211
$10,000+ 31 535,526 33 1,136,502
5,599 2,829,142 134 1,224,219
% of Total 98% 70% 2% 30%
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20. Case Study:
Commitment Corporation, Workplace Campaign
The Five Steps to a Successful Relationship
• Don’t send mixed signals
• Make them want to come back for more
• Get up close and personal
• Connect every way you can
• Assess and Improve Performance
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21. Case Study:
Commitment Corporation, Workplace Campaign
Don’t send mixed signals
• All online and offline materials were developed using Company
themes and United Way key messaging
• Videos from President and Heads of Business Units inserted in
all emails
• Messages were clear, consistent and repeated often
• Integration is critical:
– offline and online communications
– Contact strategies – maintain ‘high touch’
– Database integration is key
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22. Case Study:
Commitment Corporation, Workplace Campaign
Make them want to
come back for more
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24. 24

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26. Case Study:
Commitment Corporation, Workplace Campaign
Make them want to come back for more, cont’d:
• News and Events information posted online
• Facebook cause page
• Twitter
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27. Case Study:
Commitment Corporation, Workplace Campaign
Get up Close and Personal:
• Grab their attention
– Customized Emails sent to targeted groups
– pay attention to sender name
– entice them with good subject lines
– give a deadline for response
• Use information to personalize the experience
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29. Case Study:
Commitment Corporation, Workplace Campaign
Connect every way you can:
• Pre-campaign communication through workplace email,
posters, intranet
• Highly publicized campaign kick-off, breakfast served by senior
management
• Days of Caring /volunteer opportunities
• Leadership breakfasts with United Way speakers
• Peer-to-peer in-person canvassing throughout campaign
• Reminder emails are very effective
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30. Case Study:
Commitment Corporation, Workplace Campaign
•1st email
Customized by sender with accompanying video.
Leaders and potential Leaders receive Challenge
Grant message.
•2nd email
Gift of Securities deadline reminder and
Campaign Update.
•3rd email
Reminder of online auction and
focus on Challenge Grant. •4th email
Reminder of deadline to make
donation for tax receipt.
•5th email
Final reminder of deadline,
best wishes for holiday
season.
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31. Case Study:
Commitment Corporation, Workplace Campaign
Connect every way you can:
• Online auction and other special events
• Opportunities to give online of offline
• Recanvass phone calls to past donors who have not renewed
• United Way newsletter
• United Way’s main website updated year-round
• Personal stewardship/cultivation for high-end donors
• Opportunity to opt-in for further communication
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32. Case Study:
Commitment Corporation, Workplace Campaign
Assess and Improve Performance:
• Results evaluated during campaign to allow for change
in communication plans, if required.
• Seek feedback: Why do they love you? What don’t
they love you?
• Why did they reject you? Learn from your ‘opt-outs’
• Helpdesk tracking of calls
• Program assessed annually
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33. Case Study:
Commitment Corporation, Workplace Campaign
Recap: The Five Steps to a Successful Relationship
• Don’t send mixed signals
• Make them want to come back for more
• Get up close and personal
• Connect every way you can
• Assess and Improve Performance
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