Read This First

Hello, my name is Todd Baker, todd.baker@grizzard.com and you must be interested in nonprofit fundraising online. This blog book is a step-by-step process that will help you in your quest.

What you are about to read is unique because it gives you an understanding of the nonprofit fundraising online experience from the charity and constituent perspective simultaneously. Good marketers know what works but great ones understand why things work.

You will not find any quotes from 14th Century philosophers, poets or playwrights. Nor will you have to read ramblings on about the industrial age, Civil War History and/or the next big wave in direct marketing and advertising.

This blog book is not going to provide a chronological order of how the Internet began or enamored speak about how quickly people are signing on board. There are no fancy-schmancy metaphors relating the Internet with anything that comes out of a spider. Nope, none of that, just straight to the point advice to help you quickly master the online world. Frankly, we don’t have much time to get our collective nonprofit houses in order as it relates to the Internet. For it is my belief, the Internet will become centric to all of your marketing.


For one simple reason, you can never stop someone from going to your organization’s Web site. If you produce a lousy radio advertisement the good news is that most people you are wanting to reach didn’t hear it or if they did, won’t recall it weeks later. However, you get one shot with your Web site and it only takes seconds to make an impression . . . good or bad.

It is my hope you can implement these steps tomorrow so that people who are searching for meaning in life may find your wonderful organization and become fulfilled thus our world will be better for it.

Vantage Point

ISBN 0-9707832-3-X

Set the Pace

Step 94.

We are in a highly competitive marketplace where innovation seems to be the norm rather than an anomaly.

Our world is changing fast and it’s having dramatic effects on philanthropy. With advances in technology; where there’s more computing power in handheld wireless devices today than what it took to launch the first Space Shuttle. In addition, we are experiencing a greater awareness of the environment where most everyone is taking some responsibility to do their part for a greener society and the volatility of energy cost is driving new innovation for the viability of alternative fuel.

Furthermore, today’s economy is truly a global one. We now realize greater financial inner-dependence; what happens in the U.S. markets is felt throughout the world and unfortunately we find ourselves in a state of uncertainty rather than one of stability. The rising cost of healthcare is at twice the rate of inflation and accounts for $1 in every $6 spent, along with continual threat of new governmental regulations on the nonprofit sector are taking their toll on a charity’s ability to keep pace in the understanding of how these factors are influencing donor behavior and giving.

Organizations that will thrive in the fast-changing fundraising world are those that can . . .

• Leverage their brand through integrated multi-channel fundraising for maximum impact,
• Seize the opportunities of rapid change, such as in technology and in donor motivation to offer relevant relationships driven by the donor.
• Harness the power of donor behavior to inspire life-long giving,
• Execute strategies that align these factors so as to build donor loyalty over time.

Today's donors are looking for meaning and purpose in life. They desire signifficance and fulfillment for their lives and want to accomplish great things. Donors will make a statement about what they believe in and value most, from wearing a yellow wrist band to attaching a pink ribbon to their clothing. They also want to belong to something bigger than themselves . . . to join others who think and live the same way they do. Finally, donors validate their purpose in life through the actual number of lives saved, changed and/or transformed by your organization and them.


Now is the time for leadership, to be the best organization you can be, for most donors will associate themselves with nothing but the top charities . . . those nonprofits who are leading the way in their chariable catagory. During uncertain times, people wait to for someone to step up and set the pace.

Build Donor Loyalty Through an Experience

Step 93.

During my 13 years at World Vision, we knew that if we could get donors to the field in order to experience first-hand our brand promise we had them as life-long contributors to the organization.

What do I mean when I say "experience something first-hand?" Often charities struggle to communicate their mission-in-action so it inspires and motivates people to do something about it. Taking people to the field, where the actual work of saving and changing lives took place, made lasting impressions for the need was undeniably great.

We were engaging people's all five senses . . . donors were able to touch, see, smell, hear, and yes, even taste our cause. Of course I'm a big believer in effective fundraising materials but they paled in comparison to what the field experience offered in way of compelling people to give.

The more senses you engage with people around your cause, the greater their experience, thus the more effective you will be at bonding them to your organization.

Regardless if you are a wine drinker or not, as a marketer, you can appreciate how the makers of wine engage you through an experience. For example, if you order wine at a restaurant, the first thing a waiter does is uncork your bottle so you can touch the cork to feel if it is soft at its end for that is a good sign.

Next, the waiter pours a sampling of the wine in a glass. You then swrill the wine in your glass to see if it produces streaks downward. This is known as a wine having "legs" and is also a good sign it will taste well.

Upon seeing if the wine has "legs" you bring the glass up to your nose so you can smell it. If the wine has gone bad, it may smell of vinegar and you will not want to drink it.

At this point, you are ready to taste the sampling of wine in your glass . . . this is the real test to see if you are going to enjoy it. Upon your approval that the wine is satisfactory, the waiter pours everyone a glass in your party.

As good friends do, they celebrate their time together with a toast and the clinging of their glasses help to round out the experience by engaging us with sound.

Wine is a great example of how to engage all senses for an enhanced experience. There is a sixth sense to wine, find out what it is by clicking sixth sense.

Many nonprofits realize that they can not bring all of their constituents and/or donors to the field so they are bringing the field to them. Through virtual experiences online with video and animation. Some charities have created enormous exhibits, which simulate their mission-in-action to be placed in malls, schools and other public venues.


Everyone wants loyal donors and the best way to strengthen and build a bond with people is through an experience of your mission-in-action. This is the underlying principle in your pursuit of brand happiness.



Step 94. Set the Pace

Protect Your Organization's Name

Step 92.

Even if you believe social media is just a fad and is not a viable strategy to attract like-minded people to your cause, you should at least register your organization with the top social networks.


The rational behind registering your name with the top social networks is that you are protecting your charity's name from someone else starting a blog and/or a channel on You Tube with your name.

You may be thinking, "Our organization does not have any videos to post on You Tube so why bother?" Well, not today perhaps but things are changing so fast and you may want to implement such a strategy someday. However, your nonprofit's name may be already taken on these social networks by the time you get around to implementing it.

Just as in the case of protecting your organization's name in regards to securing it for a Web site domain, so should you in the case of the top social networks.



Step 93. Build Donor Loyalty Through an Experience