Does it give supporters the same personal attention that you do?

By Charlie Cumbaa

Not only can communicating online save time and expenses, but it often provides superior returns, because donors are more likely to respond to appeals when approached at a time and place convenient for them.

Imagine the benefits of this scenario:

Your organization creates personalized, targeted “teaser” e-mails and e-newsletters to direct supporters, prospects and the community to your Web site. Once you hit send, your site goes to work:

A previous donor, Jane Smith, receives an e-mail, logs on to your site, and immediately sees content, events, updates and appeals unique to her own interests.

Your CRM database integrates with your Web site and shows appropriate giving levels based on her past giving history. Jane makes a gift, updates her contact information and registers for your annual walk-a-thon in real time, saving your staff time on administrative tasks.

She creates a personal page on your site to communicate with other members, urging her friends and family to support her in your upcoming walk-a-thon.

Through integrated advocacy, she rallies support to contact media and the government for the issues that affect your mission.

Jane’s friends, family and co-workers visit your Web site, make donations and register to be included in future e-mails and e-newsletters.

These new visitors can sign up for memberships online and can log in for access to exclusive content, Web pages and features for each membership level. They’re empowered with the ability to communicate through your Web site, using interactive features such as document sharing, Web blogs and message boards.

If Jane visited your organization’s Web site today, would the story go this way?