How to Maximize Nonprofit “Prime Time” to Increase Donor Engagement
This month, the Purpose Collective is passing the microphone to our friend, partner, and nonprofit marketing and fundraising expert Caroline Griffin of Marketer on a Mission.
Summer and early fall tend to be the dead zone in nonprofit communications, but in the last few weeks, I’ve seen some great examples of organizations making ideal use of this time to prime supporters by sharing gratitude, impact, education, and advocacy opportunities.
This is what I call “Prime Time,” especially if you run a fundraising campaign in the fall before year-end.
Spend these months celebrating your impact from the first half of the year, sharing any earned media and accolades, educating supporters more deeply on an issue that matters to them, and providing free, easy ways for people to take action (petitions to sign, content to share, questions to answer, etc.).
Let’s take a look at those great examples:
Using Email to Boost Credibility: No Means No Worldwide
I’ve received two emails I loved from this organization recently.
Email Subject Line 1: “You’re part of this, and it’s making headlines”
Screenshot of my favorite chunk of the email:
Source: No Means No Worldwide
This email is a mega credibility booster, the subject line makes me feel like a member of the inner circle, and the CTA to share their media coverage is refreshing. Free and easy!
Email Subject Line 2: Look what we accomplished together!
Screenshot of my favorite chunk of the email:
Source: No Means No Worldwide
This email is a different kind of credibility booster that pairs nicely with the earned media-focused email that preceded it. Specific numbers are trustworthy, and the numbers in this email are really impressive. It’s also nice to see an annual report released this early, before the holidays (when no one has the bandwidth to care).
These two emails put NMNW on my radar for a year-end gift.
Using Ads to Reflect & Appreciate: Humanity & Inclusion
I run Meta Ads year-round for Humanity & Inclusion U.S., and in mid summer, we celebrate impact and thank donors for their contributions.
We target HI’s email subscribers, donors, web visitors, and Facebook and Instagram followers with videos like this. Here’s an example of our ad copy:
Source: Humanity & Inclusion U.S.
This is a small audience by advertising standards, so you can spend just a few hundred dollars to get this kind of ad in front of people two or three times.
Note: This content works great on your organic socials, too, and is something you can schedule in advance to fill a gap in your calendar.
Using all Channels to Grow & Activate: Sandy Hook Promise
I have no personal connection to this organization, but their omnichannel content this summer has really impressed me. They’re running an education + advocacy campaign to ban gun advertisers from targeting children, which I didn’t realize is LEGAL in the United States.
I first saw the campaign via a series of Instagram ads, including this one. I signed the petition and provided my email and phone number to do so.
I got an automated email and this text message right away:
Source: Sandy Hook Promise
In the weeks to follow, I received a handful of emails promoting their new UnTargeting Kids Report. The report is extremely thorough—and horrifying. It ends with multiple ways to support advocacy on this issue.
Here’s one of my favorite emails promoting the report:
Source: Sandy Hook Promise
This campaign is brilliant, because in just a couple months, this organization has:
Captured my contact information
Given me an easy action (petition)
Positioned themselves as subject matter experts
Strengthened our relationship
Lit a fire in my belly about something that matters to me personally (protecting my son from harmful content)
I will definitely donate to them later in the year when they start asking.
Final Thoughts
Aside from a few DONATE buttons in email footers, none of these communications have asked me for money. This is precisely what makes me want to donate to these organizations later.
Over the next couple of months, and again in October/November, I encourage you to use these priming tactics (gratitude, credibility, education, advocacy) to celebrate with your existing fans and impress new ones.
Caroline Griffin is a nonprofit digital marketer, fundraising strategist and the founder of Marketer on a Mission. With more than a decade of experience and a passion for helping mission-driven organizations grow, she partners with nonprofits to strengthen donor journeys, create high-performing campaigns, and raise more online.
