More Important

Than Social Media:

Effective Websites
& Email

June 1, 2011

Authored & Presented by

John Kenyon
Online Engagement Overview
Organizational Capacity
Effective Websites
Effective Email & Enewsletters

Questions & Discussion

Web Thinking

Leveled Playing Field

Redefined Role of Organizations
Proclamations:
Embrace Your Network
Integrate Online
Transparency, Collaboration, Dialogue
Release Control
Be Connectors, Innovators
Be Nimble
Internet Basics

Updated, Easy to Navigate Site

Donor/Member Engagement
Online Donation & Email Tools
Coordination between Online and Offline
Easy Social Media Sharing
Future: CRM + CMS
Online Engagement:
Same Paradigm, Different Tools

Personalized
web content/email contact
Retain
Committed
Supporters
Online Action
Commit Supporters (Donation/Petition)

Interact by
Engage web and email
Involved Prospects

Drive Traffic,
Attract Prospects Collect Email
addresses

Source: The NonProfit Handbook, James Greenfield, 2002 Supplement, 3rd Edition, (AFP/Wiley Fund Development Series),`
Internet Recipe: Life Cycle of a Donor

Repeat
Drive Traffic
Attract
- Track Metrics
Prospect/Donor Go to Web Site
- Segment Info & Interact with Content
- Integrate multi-db data

Retain
Immediate Donor
Acknowledgement Engage at Web Site:
& Regular Email Ask for Email
Communication

Engage
$ Given or
Action: Prospect
now a Data Captured on Back-End:
Commit Donor/Advocate Cultivation Begins

Engage thru Email:

Ask and Link to Web

Source Information: The NonProfit Handbook, James Greenfield, 2002 Supplement, 3rd Edition, (AFP/Wiley Fund Development Series), 3rd Edition
What is Your Organizational Capacity?

Database Established Operations

Strategies (Staff & Technology)

Time Money
Internet Tools Evolution Example

Phase 5
Phase 4
Integrated
Phase 3 Interactive Systems
Website
Phase 2 Email
Messaging
Program
Phase 1 Online
Donation
Processing
Web Site

Organizational Resources and Capacity Must Also Increase

Source Information: The NonProfit Handbook, James Greenfield, 2002 Supplement, 3rd Edition, (AFP/Wiley Fund Development Series)
Are Goals in balance with Capacity?

Phase 5

Phase 4
Integrated
Systems
Phase 3
Interactive
Website

Email
Phase 2
Messaging
Program

Phase 1 Online
Donation
Processing

Web Site
Reflection Question

How is this different from our capacity?

What changes might we make?

Four Key Website Attributes

 Credibility
- The public face of your organization
 Cultivation
- Outreach and building relationships
 Clickability
- Interactive user experience with clear navigation
 Content
- Most important element - requires regular input
 The 4 C’s in more depth

 Websites provide multiple levels

of information about your work (Content)

 Visitors come to your site to learn,

then to act (Cultivation)

 Your job is provide clear paths and lots of interaction

to increase the visitors’ depth of understanding
and confidence in your organization
(Credibility and Clickability)
Three Threes

• Three Primary Audiences

• Three Things to Know

• Three Things to Do
 Users and Audiences

Board

Staff  Concentric Circles

of Constituents
Major Donors
 Matching solutions
Members to the audience(s)
Interested
Prospects
General Public
From: Managing Nonprofits.Org, Hecht & Ramsey, www.managingnonprofits.org
Layout - Outside In not Inside Out

Ask yourself:

 Can our visitors find what they want

on our site?

 Is our language clear?

Find Out:
- Usability testing Bang away at the site
- Focus Group Volunteers, Board
- Surveys SurveyMonkey, Zoomerang, SurveyGizmo
Bring Content Online

 What does your organization publish ?

 Who do you serve ?
 What do you do ? How do you do it ?

When you print reports, flyers, invitations, forms, etc.

ask yourself:
 How will I put this on the web site?
 How will it be different (editing, graphics, etc.)?
 Consider Statistics, Data, Downloadable Papers,
Maps, Biographical Information
 Get Content

You are not alone!

You can get free content from:
 Partners, collaborators
 Jointogether.org
 Alternet.org
 Care2.com
 Enature.com
 Yahoo, Google
 News feeds
 Your constituents
Content Tips

 Identify “revolving” content

 Coordinate the team: use
content management tools
 Prioritize
 Systematize
 Develop a schedule
 Share the load

 Privacy Policy
 Interactivity
Usual Content Funnel
Strategy, Find, Write, Edit, Headline, Classify
Client Services, WEB MANGER
Staff, Others
Org Info Photos Graphics Volunteer Info
Services Info
Client Stories News/Event Info Documents Supporter Info

Case Histories Resources Donation Requests

WEB MANGER
Format, Gather Data,
Upload/Post,
Package, Distribute

Letters, Annual Report, Funder Reports, Web, Email

Stakeholders
 Leadership
Improved Content Funnel Strategy

Find, Write, Headline, Classify

Staff
Volunteers

Resources Client Services, Dev

Staff Director Volunteer
Org Info Coordinator
Photos Donor
Stories Volunteer
Graphics Info
Case Histories Support
Documents Requests Event Info
Client Stories

Content Bucket
Web Manager
Edit, Format, Upload/Post, Package, Distribute

Letters, Annual Report, Funder Reports, Web, Email

Stakeholders
Write for the Web

People rarely READ

web sites word for word.

They SCAN web sites.

They GLANCE at emails.

Writing for the Web

1. Highlight Keywords
2. Use Bulleted Lists

3. One Idea Per Paragraph

4. Cut Your Text in Half (Then in Half Again)

5. Offer Links
Collect Email Addresses

Your New Mantra:

 I will collect email addresses - everywhere

 I will ask permission to email

 I will make regular contact

Web Management

 To update content easily, you will need to use a

Content Management System

 Your Best Bets

 Consultant for Strategy
 Train Staff on Use
 Clear Guidelines & Policies
 Volunteers
 User Generated Content
 Basics of Driving Traffic

 Your URL Everywhere

 Use Word-of -Mouth
 Links to Partners and Content
 Fundraising Campaigns and Special Events
 Email & Enewsletters
 Paid Key Words/ Google Grants
 Newsgroups and Listservs
Homepage Old Style
Homepage Current Style
Homepage New Style
Effective Websites

 Credibility, Cultivation, Clickability & Content

 Consider Your Audience

 Get Content & Bring Content Online

 Write for the Web

 ASK for Support, Make it Easy to Help

 Add a Privacy Policy & Improve Interactivity

Reflection Question

How is this different from our current website?

How is this different from our current

content generation activities?
Effective Email

 “Email Communications are more important

than a website”
- Michael Gilbert

 Exceptions - Initial list building/application-focused sites

 Websites don’t raise money - emails do

 Email, like an effective website, is a cornerstone of

effective online communications
Four Email Cornerstones

 Personal
 Personalize messages with data
 Targeted
 Segment lists and target emails
 Integrated
 Email integrated with web content, direct mail, etc.
 Trackable
 Seek out and use data about your emails
 Six Considerations

 Respect Your Subscriber

 Email Privacy Policy
 Build the List the Right Way
 Make a Compelling “Envelope”
 HTML vs. Text
 Test in different programs, services
Email Techniques

 Hypertext links
“Click here to read more; See the pictures here”

 Word of Mouse marketing (viral)

“Email this article to a friend; Spread the word”

 Personalized greetings and references

“Dear Susan, salmon can’t write to their senator but you can”

 List segmentation
- Let’s email only non-member donors who gave $50 or less
 Click-through tracking
“How many people clicked on that link?”
Enewsletter
Techniques

 Subject Line
 Short Items
 Visual
 Teasers
 Review: Email

 Use your web site to gather email addresses

 Build your email list everywhere to increase prospects:

• Gather emails at events, phone calls
• All print materials

 Locate and use a bulk email messaging vendor

 Test approaches, respond to data and track results

E-communications

 How is this different

from what we do
with Email/Enews?

 What might we do
differently?
Reflection Question

How is this different from our current

website activities?

How is this different from our current

email activities?