Why can Marketing Automation for nonprofits prove to be a win-win for NGOs and organizations working in the field? And how can personalizing the Donor Journey help them increase donations?
We know that Fundraising is one of the core activities in the Third Sector, requiring solid skills and more and more digital skills. In fact, the phrase Digital Fundraising is by no means new to fundraisers, who in recent years have learned to interact with online giving flows and, therefore, donor behavior on the various channels available to them.
According to the findings of “Third Sector and Digital Transformation,” the Italia Nonprofit report that investigates the relationship between nonprofit professionals and digital, the use of new technologies and digital knowledge is widespread within organizations: for 23 percent of the practitioners surveyed, they are often integrated into all of the organization’s activities, but for 34 percent they are not yet used with a strategic approach.
It is also interesting to note that 50 percent of practitioners rate their understanding of how audiences use digital as poor or insufficient, while 49 percent think that organizations still lack adequate skills in using, managing and analyzing data.
How to retain donors through content personalization?
Retaining donors, as well as acquiring new leads, is therefore undoubtedly one of the main goals of nonprofit organizations. To do so, it is necessary to start by profiling donors and stakeholders involved in the entity’s activities, such as volunteers or Foundations and partner companies.
By gaining an in-depth understanding of the behavior of donors and other individuals, in fact, it is possible to create effective retention strategies that help create engagement and lasting relationships, which we know are lifeblood for the long-term planning and realization of any organization’s goals.
The profiling is done by making use of omnichannel marketing automation tools, which allow us to collect and aggregate as much user data as possible from multiple sources and touchpoints. This data then becomes the basis for audience segmentation: indeed, it is crucial to identify the type of user we are dealing with (a supporter, an occasional donor, a volunteer, a company, etc…) in order to be able to devise fundraising and marketing strategies targeted and calibrated to the individual (no fundraiser, in fact, would think of sending the same communications to an occasional donor as he or she sends to a large donor or a sponsor, for example).
Thanks to the profiling and segmentation, it will then be possible, through marketing automation, create interesting content to intercept new leads or cultivate relationships with existing ones, send targeted communications, inform about projects and do advocacy, but also track donations and e-commerce purchases.
The more relevant the actions and communications are to users’ interests and behaviors, therefore, the greater the retention and likelihood of conversion, whether the goal is signature gathering or digital fundraising campaign.
Marketing Automation for the Non-Profit sector: what benefits?
Besides retention, what other benefits can Marketing Automation bring for Non-Profit?
- All donor and stakeholder data in one place. With Omnichannel Marketing Automation platforms such as Blendee, it is possible to collect and store all user-generated data in one place. This makes it easier to not only maintain relationships with your supporters, but also facilitates access to useful information in monitoring, evaluation, and reporting.
- Automating marketing activities: saving time and resources. These tools make it possible to automate workflows, processes and communications that even today many marketers and fundraisers are forced to do manually. This allows nonprofit marketers not only to have a 360-degree view of their users and to contact them consistently and at the right time, but also to have more time to devote to other activities.
- Building long-lasting donor relationships.
Data tell us that the majority of donors say they have stopped supporting nonprofit organizations due to a lack of consistency and relevance in communications. However, thanks to tools such as CDPs (Customer Data Platforms), it is possible to set up automated message streams (e-mail, SMS, etc…) that reach supporters at the right time with the right message, relevant to the individual person. It thus becomes easier to stay in touch with one’s donors and nurture an ongoing and meaningful dialogue for all stakeholders involved, often succeeding in turning relationships into conversions.
Personalization of the Donor Journey and Marketing Automation are the key words that will guide the future fundraising strategies of those nonprofit organizations that want to cultivate stronger, longer-lasting relationships with their user base and not miss the opportunity that martech is offering the Third Sector.
