Nonprofits always fight for a good cause. Even so, not all people are as interested in them as we would hope. Unfortunately, that’s because few nonprofits have gotten with the times. Thus, they haven’t updated their strategies.
If you’re in this situation, you need to learn some valuable fundraising lessons. What’s even more, you’ll learn them from for-profit organizations.
Sounds unbelievable, right? It doesn’t have to be since you can learn a lot of useful tactics this way.
Three Fundraising Lessons Nonprofits Can Learn from Companies
1. Keep a Close Eye on Your Competition
It’s the kind of advice you wouldn’t expect to see part of a list of fundraising lessons. After all, nonprofits are not known for their competitive aspects. Some of them even work together to make sure their causes get the right funding.
Now, “competition” is a term we use loosely here because it’s not native to the nonprofit world. By it, we mean other nonprofits that are active in your niche.
However, you must understand one thing. Just like businesses, you can learn a lot from watching your competition.
First of all, you might notice some successful strategies they have been using for some time. Why not take some notes and use them to better your fundraising plans?
Also, you might gain access to a new pool of donors this way. We’re not talking about stealing them away from other nonprofits. We’re referring to getting them interested in your cause as well. And if your goals are similar to the competition’s, this won’t be a difficult task for you.
2. Marketing Is Your Friend
When it comes to fundraising lessons, this one is often overlooked. We know associating marketing with nonprofit organizations seems out of place. But we assure you it isn’t.
In this fast-paced world, people don’t have time to look up your causes and messages. They want to find out about them, don’t get us wrong, but they don’t want to work for it.
That’s why marketing, especially online marketing, is so vital. You will manage to get your message across to thousands of potential donors.
If you don’t have a large budget, even a Facebook page will do. You just have to make sure it is welcoming, engaging, and active.
Think of it this way. If a business can’t survive without marketing, how can a nonprofit do it?
3. Events Are Always a Good Idea
Out of these three fundraising lessons, this one is paramount. Just like companies organize events for their employees and partners, so should you. The difference will be that you’ll be planning events for your donors and cause.
You know how important it is to show your donors how much you appreciate their generosity. Imagine how happy they will be when they get an event invitation instead of a simple “Thank You” letter.
The results will be even better if you go the extra mile. We recommend hiring an entertainer or a performer to help your event come to life. Also, it will make your donors happy that they took an interest in your nonprofit.
We can even make it easier for you and offer an excellent suggestion. Someone like Heidi Schwartz can give your event the spark it needs to create a memorable experience.
If you have any further questions, be sure to get in touch with us.
