Today, the effectiveness of restrictive giving programs will determine which nonprofits succeed and which ones will fail.

Donor retention has fallen to 41%, down from 50% just five years ago (Fundraising Effectiveness Survey Report). When compared with the 94% customer retention that commercial business touts, its clear that nonprofits will need to analyze their retention strategies in order to survive.

The study goes on to illustrate how an increase from 45% to 70% in donor retention would result in an organization’s net growth increase from giving to 23% from 2%. So what strategy can nonprofits implement to boost retention?

Since 53% of donors leave due to the charity’s lack of communication, storytelling provides the perfect opportunity to frequently engage and inform donors about activities within your organization.

Here’s why storytelling works:

Stories connect emotionally.

Stories have an ability illustrate the reality of problem in a way that resonates with loyal donors. Chances are that your donors are supporting your cause because it aligns very closely with their core beliefs. Stories can convey relevance and provide context for their decision to give again and again.

Stories make donors feel good.

Real stories. Real people. Real impact. Stories that demonstrate the culmination of donor support satisfies the very desire that inspired them to contribute in the first place. Sharing stories will keep your cause top of mind without fear of over-solicitation, which would most likely result in donor attrition.

Stories reveal how donors are helping.

Show me, don’t tell me. Donors love to see their contributions at work. A great example of this is the CaseStarter project Case Alumni Association. Inspired by the popular crowdfunding platform Kickstarter, this program introduces one project at a time, complete with an introductory video, details of the complete project, funding objectives and giving-related rewards. By collectively pooling the targeted donations of individuals to a dedicated goal, CaseStarter allows individuals to have a direct impact on the outcome of these projects.“This type of project introduces alternative ways to help sustain and impact the school and university,” states Executive Director Stephen J. Zinram. “CaseStarer allows donors to get behind a project they actually believe in and see the results of their gift immediately.” 

Storytelling demonstrates a focus on outcomes.

Certainly donors would love to take your word for it, but the best way to articulate the mission of your organization is by sharing results. Your organization’s commitment to storytelling is a demonstration of your commitment to solutions.

Storytelling informs.

Another factor responsible for impeding donor loyalty is an insufficient explanation of return on investment. In fact, the second most frequently reported reason for halting recurring gifts was “a feeling that the charity was not making the best use of its financial resources.” Succinct and informative stories will communicate key data that reaffirms a donor’s commitment to the cause.

Storytelling can communicate urgency.

Its happening. Its real. Its now. Stories place the need in a real time and place that align with the donor’s perspective.

There are many ways to share your stories.

Stories can be distributed through your organization’s existing channels, both online and offline through traditional marketing. With an abundance of platforms and production tools available today, stories can be produced and distributed through website blogs, email newsletters, videos and social media.

Are you ready to produce your organization’s next story? Read these Five Essential Storytelling Components for Nonprofits and contact Big River to learn how we’ve helped our partners implement tools and strategies to retain loyal donors.

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Big River helps nonprofit organizations raise more money by engaging donors through personally relevant appeals, promotions, data mining and social marketing. The cloud-based solution is easy to use, affordable and integrates with existing donor management products. Big River is a participant in Bizdom. Bizdom is a non-profit startup accelerator founded by serial entrepreneur Dan Gilbert, Founder and Chairman of Quicken Loans, Majority owner of the Cleveland Cavaliers, and General Partner at Detroit Venture Partners.

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With over 150 substantive program sessions, dozens of thought leader presentations, and samples of the latest museum products, there will certainly be much to explore and discover (view event program).

The Annual Meeting is the premier professional development opportunity, as some 5,000 museum professionals gather to network and learn. This is a unique opportunity to identify challenges and solutions with colleagues from around the world.

Big River is looking forward to gathering and sharing best practices on a wide range of topics from leading professionals in the museum industry. Follow #aam2013 on Twitter and to watch for conference insights and updates from @gobigriver.

If you are attending the conference, make sure to visit Big River at Booth #1156 to receive your free Social Media Scheduler tool for fundraisers. This 3′ x 4′ wall mounted calendar will help you organize and distribute your nonprofit’s activities through online and social media platforms.

Learn more about the AAM Annual Meeting & MuseumExpo.

Using a smart phone or tablet? Download the AAM Mobile App for iPhone, Android or Blackberry to conveniently access conference schedule and information.

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The CaseStarter project is made possible through the emergence of crowdfunding, made popular by successful platforms such as Kickstarter, which harnesses the collective support of individuals who network to pool their money to finance projects or campaigns initiated by organizations.

Big River introduced the concept of online crowdfunding to Stephen J. Zinram, Executive Director of the Case Alumni Association, as an innovative way to recruit donor support from alumni that is both participatory and highly visible.

“We are trying to reach Alumni who have not yet donated and inspire them to give for the first time,” states Mr. Zinram. “This type of project introduces alternative ways to help sustain and impact the school and university.”

Case Alumni Association’s CaseStarter website introduces one project at a time complete with an introductory video, details of the complete project, funding objectives and giving-related rewards. By collectively pooling the targeted donations of individuals to a dedicated goal, CaseStarter allows individuals to have a direct impact on the outcome of these projects.

“Unrestricted giving, or donations in which the donor does not dictate how the nonprofit should spend the money, are a harder sell these days,” Mr. Zinram continues. “Restricted giving projects, such as CaseStarer, allow donors to get behind a project they actually believe in and see the results of their gift immediately.”

Currently, the CaseStarter project is raising funds to purchase two Mobile 3D Printer Workstations which will equip engineering students with rapid-prototyping capabilities. To reciprocate donations, students will produce a commemorative piece created on the 3D printer for each donor. The larger the gift, the more intricate and personalized the reward.

“Big River has given us a lot of advice and direction on how to best present this method of fundraising,” concludes Mr. Zinram. “Its certainly an approach more suitable for today’s consumer-oriented and tech-savvy donors.”

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These membership professionals provided multiple perspectives on the intricacies of the museum environment, identified emerging industry trends and shared case studies.

Though there were numerous events taking place throughout the conference, below are highlights from the sessions we were able to attend (view full AMMC program here):

• Membership and Millennials: Engaging Generation Y: This interactive session examined how museum membership programs can adapt and thrive in the third millennium. Panelists presented ideas about mobilizing the membership application and annual fundraising. Ben Whine from Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum kicked off the session outlining the Millennials and their unique perceptions. Though he addressed how this group might be perceived as a challenge for membership recruitment, he stressed that they are a market that should not be overlooked. Membership might not happen now, but they want to be engaged and participate today. Lori Grecco from the Indianapolis Museum of Art (IMA) revealed that her institution has incredible peer board participation and cool partnerships with local restaurants and night spots that help promote the Museum and membership. IMA hosts a very cool New Years Eve Party for their members. Lastly, Kerstine Beyer from the Walker Art Center, shared some very cool social media strategies being used to get the younger community engaged by supporting and attending events.
• Designing Success in Annual Funds: Inspiring Members to Give Above and Beyond Their Dues: Yoonhyung Lee, Director of Digital Media Philanthropy from the Smithsonian Institution discussed leveraging Kickstarter programs to support annual funds.
• In-House Membership Sales: Best Practice Round Table: Led by Cleveland’s own Celeste Cappotto, Director of Memberships & Operations at the Great Lakes Science Center, this round table addressed creative, smart ideas for engaging staff/associates to promote and sell memberships.
• Multi-Channel Marketing Mania: Multi-channel marketing is all the rage—and museum membership programs are finding it challenging to select the right channels for greatest effect. Cari Maslow from Carnegie Museums of Pittsburgh was one of the presenters on this panel who emphasized importance of execution of all channels working together and understanding the value of the audience for each.

The American Museum Membership Conference is a national resource network that sets the industry standard for professionals in the field of membership-based fundraising through trend analysis, training, shared communication, mentorship, and support. The annual conference took place at the Ritz-Carlton, Atlanta on Monday, April 22 through Thursday, April 25, 2013.

Big River provides solutions that are perfect for meeting the needs and demands of today’s membership professionals. We want to show you how our tools help increase memberships and raise more money online. Join us May 20 -22 at the The American Alliance of Museums Annual Meeting and MuseumExpo in Baltimore (booth #1156) to learn more. Can’t make it to the show? Contact Big River for a free demo.

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Big River helps nonprofit organizations raise more money by engaging donors through personally relevant appeals, promotions, data mining and social marketing. The cloud-based solution is easy to use, affordable and integrates with existing donor management products. Big River is a participant in Bizdom. Bizdom is a non-profit startup accelerator founded by serial entrepreneur Dan Gilbert, Founder and Chairman of Quicken Loans, Majority owner of the Cleveland Cavaliers, and General Partner at Detroit Venture Partners.

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Introducing MyGivingPal from Big River

Tax season is upon us, wouldn’t it be nice to have a snap shot of all of your charitable contributions from the year?

Big River has made this possible with our FREE donation management tool, MyGivingPal, that allows donors to document and plan contributions throughout the year.

Are you 100% sure of which charities you donated to in the past year? Documenting and analyzing your contributions will reveal the charities you consistently support (read Tips for Choosing the Right Charity).

Gettting Started

1. Visit the MyGivingPal website to log in or create a new FREE account:
   
   
2. Upon login the Donation Report will present all of the donations you have made or scheduled for the year:
   
3. To add a New Donation, drag and drop from the Appeals column on the right or choose “click to add a donation” in the month of your contribution. The Donate to Organization window will appear:
   
4. Choose from Big River’s database of non-profit organizations or add your own.
   
5. Select from and existing Campaign from the organization you have chosen or enter your own denomination in the Donation Amount field. Select a Donation Date and Save Donation.
   
6. Your New Donation will appear on the Donation Report page and tally up your year-to-date contributions:
   

Visit the MyGivingPal and start managing your donations today. We hope you’ll make great use of this tool and continue to support the nonprofits who champion the causes you care about.

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Big River helps nonprofit organizations raise more money by engaging donors through personally relevant appeals, promotions, data mining and social marketing. The cloud-based solution is easy to use, affordable and integrates with existing donor management products. Big River is a participant in Bizdom. Bizdom is a non-profit startup accelerator founded by serial entrepreneur Dan Gilbert, Founder and Chairman of Quicken Loans, Majority owner of the Cleveland Cavaliers, and General Partner at Detroit Venture Partners.

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Donors gave $298.42 billion in 2011, that’s an increase of 4% from 2010. On average they donated 3 to 5% of their adjusted gross income, according to several of the largest charitable foundations.

With an increase in giving opportunities, how does a donor choose which charities to support? It can become difficult to not only choose but manage these charitable contributions.

Online giving has also increased 148% for large charities, evidence that Internet technology has introduced more ways to give. Take control and optimize your donations by following these four simple steps:

1. Determine your Values – What causes do you truly believe in? Charitable organizations support a wide range of causes that include aiding the homeless, raising awareness for animal abuse, or stimulating economic development. Decide what issues are most important to you and whether its more important to make an impact close to home or around the world. Donors that support causes that align closely with their values tend to be more loyal to the organization and are more gratified with their contributions.

2. Perform Research – Find a charity whose mission aligns with your values. Tools such as Charity Navigator and GuideStar evaluate the financial health and Accountability and transparency of America’s largest charities.

3. Set a Budget – Having an idea of what you want to spend in advance will help you decide which charity to support. Ongoing contributions can add up, leaving you unable to support a cause you may really care about at a later date Setting a budget will keep you aware of your spending and help you plan your contributions.

4. Take Advantage of Useful Tools – Manage your giving by incorporating helpful tools such as the free donation managment tool MyGivingPal by Big River. This online resource allows donors to document and plan contributions throughout the year.

If you aren’t 100% sure of which charities you’d like to donate to, documenting and analyzing your contributions will reveal the charities you consistently support.

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Big River helps nonprofit organizations raise more money by engaging donors through personally relevant appeals, promotions, data mining and social marketing. The cloud-based solution is easy to use, affordable and integrates with existing donor management products. Big River is a participant in Bizdom. Bizdom is a non-profit startup accelerator founded by serial entrepreneur Dan Gilbert, Founder and Chairman of Quicken Loans, Majority owner of the Cleveland Cavaliers, and General Partner at Detroit Venture Partners.

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Five Essential Storytelling Components for Nonprofits

The concept of using storytelling techniques to communicate messages is anything but new. But there is always room for improvement. 

New digital tools such as social media and mobile are not just changing the way we distribute our stories, but also changing the way our audience shares them.

“The Power of Story” is this year’s theme for the 2013 Annual Meeting & MuseumExpo for the Alliance of American Museums (AAM). The event will be dedicated to exploring just how impactful stories can help achieve organizational objectives. Questions to be addressed include, What are the elements that make a great and unforgettable story?, What are the techniques for good storytelling?, and How do we measure the impact of story on our different audiences?

Though these are valid questions to ponder, there is no doubt an abundance of great stories exist that demonstrate an ability to deliver messages effectively. Stories that are able to establish an emotional connection with their audience borrow their formula from tried and tested techniques that have been used in storytelling for centuries. Below are five essential components found in every effective story:

1. Characters – What is a story without characters? The most critical of story elements, characters provide context and make the story personal. Featured characters are not limited to those your cause serves – don’t forget about founders, staff, volunteers, donors, supporters, and the community. Don’t forget about your audience, always invite them to become a “character” in the story. Social media has certainly made this a possibility, so get creative!
2. Setting – Be descriptive about the environment or surroundings in which your story takes place so that your audience can picture “the scene.” Present everyday settings that will help your audience to better visualize the story and feel connected to the plot. The Setting can not only address physical surroundings, but can also present social, cultural or economical context. This can be achieved through interviews, statistics and authenticated references.
3. Plot – If the goal of your story is to communicate messages germain to your cause, a strong plot is critical in helping your audience process the information presented. Always make sure to have a solid beginning, middle and end established. Include an exposition, or back story, that introduces important background information to the audience.
4. Conflict – Every story has a conflict in which the characters must rise up against or overcome. With a clear and established conflict, the audience will understand what is truly at stake and become engaged in the cause emotionally.
5. Resolution – Every great story ends with a culmination of plot elements championed by the hero character(s). Your organization should be presented as the steward of the cause and the audience invited to support the mission. The resolution provides and opportunity to present a distinct call to action that relates directly to your organization’s appeal.

No one wants to be “sold to” or “talked at” these days, especially when it comes to promoting an idea or cause. Sharing stories allows appeals to be presented in such a way that provide context and elicit emotion while transmitting critical information.

Your audience will connect with your message based on how relevant it is to their beliefs, not you or your organization’s ability to persuade.

We hope you’ll make the AAM Annual Meeting in Baltimore May 19–22 where 50 substantive program sessions and dozens of thought leaders speak to The Power of Story. Make sure to visit us at Booth #1156

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Big River helps nonprofit organizations raise more money by engaging donors through personally relevant appeals, promotions, data mining and social marketing. The cloud-based solution is easy to use, affordable and integrates with existing donor management products. Big River is a participant in Bizdom. Bizdom is a non-profit startup accelerator founded by serial entrepreneur Dan Gilbert, Founder and Chairman of Quicken Loans, Majority owner of the Cleveland Cavaliers, and General Partner at Detroit Venture Partners.

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Get the most out of your online fundraising efforts by incorporating the following tools into your workflow. Oh yes, we should mention that these cloud-based resources are FREE and available online.

1. Rapportive

A “must have” for Gmail users, this add-on displays social media information about your contacts as you email them. Tweets, LinkedIn updates and Google+ and Facebook posts are dynamically aggregated into a display column within the Gmail interface, thus providing opportunities to gain more insight about your contacts. About to send an email to a donor for an ask? You may notice a Tweet about an upcoming event that they are involved in which you can leverage to facilitate a conversation. Rapportive also allows you to connect with contacts among available social media networks directly through the application. Rapportive is so popular that it was purchased by LinkedIn in 2012 for $15 million.

For more visit www.rapportive.com

2. Google Analytics

Some estimates claim that 60% of websites don’t use any type of Analytics tracking whatsoever, and that this number is even higher for nonprofits. Though you may already be familiar with Google Analytics’ ability to track your organization’s website activity, you may be missing opportunities to gain valuable insights. For example, as a fundraiser you may be driving traffic to your donor page. Do you know the average number pages a user visits prior to this one? What action do they take once they arrive? Google Analytics will tell you. Among many of the other insights available include most visited pages, top referral websites and keyword reports so you’ll have a better understanding of how your website is performing in Google search. Too busy to visit Google Analytics on a regular basis and wade through tons of data? Create custom reports and schedule them to be emailed to you at pre-determined frequencies. You can even choose which type data from your Analytics account that you would like to receive.

For more visit www.google.com/analytics

3. Klout

Klout is a social media tool that measures your social influence based on your ability to “drive action” on social networks. Variables such as how often you are Retweeted, number of Followers, and amount of content your produce all factor in to your cumulative Klout score. Sign up for Klout, add your social profiles (Facebook, Twitter, WordPress, etc.), and Klout’s algorithm will crunch your social data to give you insight into how influential you are and what topics you are influential about. So what’s the big deal, who cares about their “social media credit score?” Don’t think of this as a tool to serve your digital ego, rather one that let’s you uncover who are the biggest influencers in your social networks. As a fundraiser, you can target social activities toward those who have a large sphere of influence in their social networks, thus increasing the reach of your messages.

Learn more at www.klout.com

4. namechk

Odds are, like many fundraisers, you are managing numerous social media profiles. Are there any you may have missed? Visit Namechk and enter your organization’s name to see which of the social networking websites have your desired profile name available. Promote your organization consistently by registering usernames that are still available on the majority of the most popular sites. Also, reserving them may deter possible misrepresentation in the future when donors are searching for you among these social sites.

Learn more at www.namechk.com

5. Ubersuggest

Like most organizations today, you are looking to attract more website visitors using search engine marketing tactics. Dominating keywords that are relevant to your organization can get very competitive and require some creativity to succeed. Get keyword ideas with Übersuggest, the free keyword suggestion tool that aggregates keyword data from Google Suggest and other suggest services. Simply type in a few keywords that relate to your organization and Übersuggest will generate additional key words that complete your string by popularity. You may discover untapped opportunities and niche keyword strings to capitalize on. Comprehensive and easy to use, Übersuggest is a great tool for generating ideas for your next online fundraising campaign, try it out!

Learn more at www.ubersuggest.org

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Big River helps nonprofit organizations raise more money by engaging donors through personally relevant appeals, promotions, data mining and social marketing. The cloud-based solution is easy to use, affordable and integrates with existing donor management products. Big River is a participant in Bizdom. Bizdom is a non-profit startup accelerator founded by serial entrepreneur Dan Gilbert, Founder and Chairman of Quicken Loans, Majority owner of the Cleveland Cavaliers, and General Partner at Detroit Venture Partners.

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For those who tuned in to Super Bowl XLVII, its was clear that the advertisements themselves had taken center stage at the largest annual sporting event on television. In fact, 40% of adults claim to watch the Super Bowl exclusively for the commercials.

We marvel at the efforts these advertisers put forth in an attempt to engage the viewing audience. They enlist creative agencies and invest top dollar to manufacture spots that will hopefully become the talk of the water cooler.

There is no question that when done well, commercials can elicit emotions and even action from the viewing audience. So which ads were the most successful at getting their message out? Though “success” may be subjective, here are valuable marketing lessons nonprofits can learn from this year’s top rated Super Bowl spots:

1.) Stand for Something Bigger - Jeep “America Is Whole Again” 

Jeep successfully associates their brand with the nation’s sentiment toward our country’s armed forces. Partnering with the United Service Organizations Inc. (USO), this spot features dramatic images of reuniting families and soldiers intercut with Jeep vehicles escorting soldiers back home. “Because when you’re home, we’re more than a family—we’re a nation,” states Oprah, concluding her narration as we ride along with a Jeep Wrangler. Jeep was effective in reminding the audience of a larger topic then masterfully weaving in their image and promise as a brand.

2.) Sentiment Wins - Ram Trucks “Farmer”

Many of the top ranking Super Bowl spots on USA Today’s Ad Meter were sentimental in nature (including Budweiser “Brotherhood” and Jeep “America is Whole Again”). Its clear that the commercial audience is receptive to dramatic messages that resonate with individual and cultural ideals.

3.) Tell A Story – Audi “Prom”

Nothing grabs the attention of a viewer better than a great story. As with all good stories you need a few key ingredients: a hero, a call to action, and a victory. This spot by Audi presents all three in a feel good, coming-of-age vignette about a young man empowered with a new sense of independence and his Dad’s Audi, of course.

4.) Connect With Your Audience  - Budweiser’s “Brotherhood”

Only a few commercials have truly leveraged the power of Social Media. This spot from Budweiser has become the third most shared Super Bowl ad of all time in just five days by engaging the Twitter network. The beer brand invited fans to help name the star of the spot, a baby Clydesdale horse, on Twitter by using the hashtag #clydesdales. This effort demonstrates the level of participation that social media can achieve as Budweiser claims to have received more than 60,000 tweets making name recommendations. The winning name? “Hope.”

5.) Give Them A Reason To Come Back - Cars.com “Wolf”

Cars.com began this “take the drama out of car buying” campaign shortly before the Super Bowl. Commercials featuring hidden cameras filming car buyer focus groups who bare witness to what they think are unscripted “dramatic” events. Their reactions are both authentic and humorous. Cars.com hopes that viewers can relate to the concept that removing headaches associated with purchasing a vehicle is a good idea. When the Cars.com Super Bowl commercial “Wolf” aired, viewers familiar with the campaign were intrigued by a new scenario where they expected a humorous outcome.

Follow these tips when producing your organization’s next video to ensure your message will resonate with your audience.

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Big River is a cloud-based fundraising platform which enables nonprofits to present more targeted appeals and develop more meaningful relationships with constituents via the Web, email and social media. This unique approach increases giving across an organization’s donor base and helps build longer-lasting relationships. Big River can also leverage and thus enhance the value of existing donor management systems. Contact Big River to schedule a demo.

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Donors today have less time and more options than ever before. You only have a few moments, if not seconds, to capture their attention, communicate your message, and present a call to action.

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