Translating Fans, Friends and Followers Into Funds

Total online giving in the United States has surpassed $10 billion — a 50 percent increase in just the past four years. Perhaps equally important, a recent study also showed that wealthy donors prefer to give online.

There’s no doubt about it — social media is a big deal. So, nonprofits, listen up: By creatively utilizing outlets like Facebook and Twitter, you can expand your reach and grow your donor base — efficiently and cost-effectively. Even in a tough economy. And — at the same time — you can provide potential donors with a virtually effortless way to increase their online awareness.

It’s a win-win, and here’s why. A survey conducted by Webs, an online research company, found that 69 percent of small businesses currently maintain some type of social-media presence. And those that don’t are planning to within the next several months. For large companies, it’s a similar story — although they tend to be more constrained by corporate guidelines. Everyone, it seems, wants a piece of the social-media pie. And that can mean dollars-and-cents opportunities for your organization.

Where to begin
So where do you begin? Start with your organization’s business network (companies on your e-mail list, Facebook page supporters, etc.) and identify those that might be interested in cultivating or expanding their online presence. You can enlist the help of a public relations agency to do this — or you can conduct your own outreach. In either case, the goal is to offer a fundraising “partnership” that will generate awareness, visibility and good will for both parties — plus donations for your organization. (Interestingly, this type of arrangement provides an added benefit for large companies: By teaming up with a nonprofit, they can generate online buzz without having to navigate corporate red tape.)

Once you’ve identified potential partners, offer them several options:

• Have “Company X” agree to donate $1 per Facebook “like” or Twitter follower gained as a result of your partnership.
• Ask supporters to visit “Company X” in person and check in on Facebook to unlock an exclusive incentive.
• For increased Web traffic, encourage “Company X” to host a donation giveaway on its blog and allow the winner to determine the nonprofit that will receive the donation.

How would this work in “real life”? Just ask the Central Florida division of K. Hovnanian Homes.

K. Hovnanian Homes: Building a broader online presence while supporting local nonprofits
In a stagnant housing market, K. Hovnanian Homes understood that building a robust online presence was an essential part of its marketing mix. But, after sending its new Facebook page to colleagues, buyers, family and friends, the homebuilder sought a strategy to reach an even broader demographic. The solution? A 30-day online promotion asking local nonprofits a simple question: “What would you do with a $500 donation?” In addition to submitting responses, the organizations were encouraged to get their supporters to vote for them by “liking” the post. And because only “fans” of a page can do this, it meant more followers for the page.

The competition was close, with several votes being cast just minutes before the midnight deadline. With more than 120 “likes,” United in Praise — a nondenominational community choir with more than 80 members, ages 15 to 80 years old from 30-plus churches — won the donation.

The original goal of 200 Facebook fans was met in just 14 days. At the conclusion of the promotion, K. Hovnanian Homes had more than 500 page “likes” and as a result, received media coverage in multiple local publications.

This “win-win” situation gave K. Hovnanian Homes the opportunity to give back to the community while increasing brand awareness throughout its target market and helped United in Praise raise funds and followers. In the weeks since the end of the promotion, the homebuilder has continued to cultivate a relationship with its new followers — many of which who would never have heard of the company otherwise.

Nathan DeVault is vice president of Costa DeVault, a full-service agency specializing in marketing, branding, public relations, social networking, interactive media, graphic design and advertising.