What makes a successful digital fundraising campaign?

Last month I spoke on this topic at the TEN Conference organised by Rapidata, HomeMade Digital and Artez Interactive.

I came up with five key points using the NSPCC’s Letter from Santa campaign as an example.

Here’s a copy of the presentation slides. Have a look!

Things you’ll need for success

1. A great idea. Don’t get distracted by technology. Make sure your idea is compelling, easy to ‘get’, timely, and relevant to your charity’s brand.

2. All the help you can get! Don’t go it alone. Invest in campaigns that will be marketed across your organisation and via all media channels. If you’re a smaller charity or have limited resources, consider timing your campaign to coincide with your major communication/awareness campaigns in order to maximise exposure.

3. A targeted online marketing campaign. Know your audience, and use appropriate creative and ad placement. Make sure you have proper tracking in place so you can review your progress and adjust your plan as needed.

4. Ad spend. Digital is not free and investment is essential. Try to pool your marketing budgets across teams in order boost the digital spend. If you don’t have any budget, see about getting donated media from corporate sponsors or apply for a Google Grant. And invest time in grassroots, word of mouth promotions using social media platforms such as Facebook and Twitter.

5. A great team. It’s always ‘all about the people’, and when it comes to digital, it’s even more important to get the right people. Skilled staff and agencies are key to managing specialist digital marketing techniques. If you’re unable to bring in specialist staff, consider putting together a volunteer board made up of digital experts who can offer pro bono services.