Category: News

Email Marketing For Nonprofits: 10 Tips

Posted on by Eric Schenck

Email marketing is an invaluable tool for any organization. Do it correctly, and it’s a highly effective strategy for connecting with your audience and providing value to them. But how do you approach email marketing for nonprofits?

In this blog post, we will explore eight actionable tips to make the most out of your email campaigns. If you work at a nonprofit, any of these tips consistently implemented can greatly increase the impact of your email marketing.

Email Marketing For Nonprofits

1) Craft Compelling Subject Lines

Your subject line is the very first thing your recipients see. You need to ensure it’s attention-grabbing and relevant. Here are some things to keep in mind to make your subject lines effective:

  • Personalization: People want to be spoken directly to. That’s why you’ll want to use merge tags.
  • Urgency: To get anybody to act (especially if it’s a time-limited fundraiser), you need to implement urgency. Use words that get people to act.
  • Curiosity: Are people so interested in your subject line that they feel a need to open your email? If so, you’re implementing curiosity correctly!

2) Segment Your Audience

In email marketing for nonprofits, segmentation can lead to higher engagement rates. This results in a more valuable list through more personalized communication.

There are numerous data points that you can segment your list on. These can include geographic location, interests, and even engagement levels.

Most of the best email service providers allow you to do this quite easily. You can then send highly targeted emails.

3) Use Storytelling

One of the best marketing strategies for any organization is storytelling. A good story is how you make people feel connected to your cause, as well as get them invested in what you have to say.

Email marketing for nonprofits works exactly the same. Each email you send is a chance to tell impactful stories that resonate with your audience.

As for the stories that you tell? An effective story for your nonprofit can take many forms. Consider success stories of the people you have helped, testimonials from individuals that have benefited from your projects, or real-life examples of the difference your nonprofit is making.

Like anything else, try to use emotion. Emails fueled by emotional stories are how you inspire donors to take action and support your cause.

4) Use Visuals Wisely

Many organizations will choose plain text for their emails. There’s a good reason for this: many people actually prefer simple over heavily designed emails.

However, depending on the kind of of emails you choose to send, visuals can actually help your cause. Eye-catching images grab attention and make your content more engaging. Often, they can also tell your story quicker and more effectively than plain text emails ever could.

Of course, if you’re going to implement visuals in your emails, make sure they are the right ones. Infographics explaining your fundraising goals and photos of your direct recepients, for example, can have a lasting impact on the people reading your emails.

5) Create Compelling Calls-to-Action (CTAs)

What is it you want your email subscribers to do? What action would be considered a “success” for any specific email you send?

You always want your subscribers to actually do something when you send an email. This is where clear and direct CTA’s come in.

Clearly communicate the actions you want your recipients to take. Whether it’s making a donation, signing up for an event, or sharing your content, make your CTAs easy to follow. Use action-oriented language and place them strategically in your emails.

6) Optimize for Mobile Devices

People are increasingly using mobile when they are online. The fact is, many of your donors will interact with your campaigns and fundraisers on their phone.

This is why you should ensure that your emails are mobile-friendly. Test your email templates on various devices to ensure they are easy to read on smaller screens.

7) Create a Welcome Series

One of the best things you can do in email marketing for nonprofits is to craft a welcome series. A well-crafted welcome series does two things: establishes a strong connection with new email subscribers, and engages them immediately. This makes it more likely that they contribute to your fundraisers down the road.

Here are some idea of what you might include:

  • An introduction to your organization and what you do
  • Content that your audience will find valuable
  • Social proof of the people you’ve helped and individuals that have benefited from your organization

The big thing here is to remember that it’s not about you. With this in mind, try to strike a balance between talking about your organization and focusing on the people or causes you have helped.

8) Leverage Automation

Quality email marketing never forgets the value of efficiency. And one of the best ways to be efficient? By leveraging email automation.

Plus, it’s not just that automation is efficient. In addition, automated emails are a superior way of nurturing relationships and maintaining consistent communication with donors.

A welcome series is just one of the ways you can implement automation to your advantage. Depending on your organization and what exactly you do, there are various automated workflows that you might consider implementing.

Here are just a few you might consider:

  • Donation acknowledgments
  • Event reminders
  • Follow-up emails

9) Monitor and Analyze Results

Just like anything else, effective email marketing will be based off of numbers. To reach your goals, it’s necessary to regularly monitor the performance of your email campaigns.

To do this, start by analyzing key metrics like open rates, click-through rates, and conversion rates. These are some of the most important numbers to know.

Once you have, you now have a good idea of what’s working well, as well as the areas that need improvement. You can now dig into the various methods of improving them.

10) Show Appreciation

Email marketing for nonprofits should should be based on concrete goals. That said, one thing you should never forget is that your donors make everything possible.

That’s why you need to utilize your emails to express gratitude and appreciation. Acknowledge their contributions and show them the impact of their support. A simple “thank you” can go a long way in fostering donor loyalty.

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Are you an enterprise, nonprofit or small business looking for help on your website? Give us a shout! We provide a free consultation. Email us at info@lughstudio.com or call us at (718) 855-1919!

Using Emotions In Fundraising

Posted on by Eric Schenck

Connecting with donors is essential if you want to run effective fundraisers. That’s why using emotions in fundraising is so important.

Done correctly, appealing to emotions can not only motivate potential donors, but inspire them to action. Donors will also stay more engaged with your organization and become more invested in what you have to say.

Our latest blog post will explore the significance of using emotions in fundraising. We will also give you five ways you can effectively appeal to emotions in your campaigns.

Why Emotions Are So Important for Effective Fundraising

Let’s first cover three reasons why using emotions in fundraising is so important. After that we’ll cover three ways you can get started today.

Build Personal Connections

Emotions play a pivotal role in more deeply connecting with your donors. When donors feel emotionally invested in a cause, it changes how they view themselves. No longer are they mere contributors to a cause, but rather partners in a mission. With the personal connection that emotions create, you can create a sense of shared purpose and belonging. This fosters long-term donor loyalty.

Motivate Donor Action

Ultimately, even the most well thought-out fundraiser is a failure if it doesn’t get people to act. Emotions are where you cross the barrier from “thinking about donating” to actually donating. That’s because emotions are not only important, but necessary to get people to do anything. When donors are emotionally moved by a nonprofit’s mission and impact, they are more inclined to take action. This action might include making a donation, attending fundraising events, or even becoming advocates for the cause.

Differentiate Your Organization

In today’s digital age, nonprofits face fierce competition for donor attention. More organizations are taking content marketing seriously, and perhaps even investing in paid ads. How do you stand out? By using emotions in fundraising! By crafting emotionally-charged messages and campaigns, nonprofits can cut through the noise and leave a lasting impression on potential donors. Emotions make your organization’s cause memorable and compelling – which ultimately makes your organization the one that gets remembered.

3 Ways to Use Emotions in Fundraising

1) Share Personal Success Stories

Who has been positively impacted by your nonprofits work? What challenges did they previously have, and how has your organization helped in overcoming them?

These are personal success stories, and you want to share them as much as possible. The reason this is a great way to use emotions in fundraising is that it proves that your organization actually does what it says. This is essential in quieting the natural doubt that people will have.

This doubt is often the biggest thing preventing people from donating to a fundraiser is simply doubt. How are you going to spend their money? Does your organization actually do what it claims? Even if it does, how can a new donor be reassured that they are donating to a good cause?

Success stories are the answer because they build trust. Highlight the stories of individuals whose lives have been positively impacted by the nonprofit’s work. Whether it’s a beneficiary of the organization’s programs or a volunteer with a powerful experience, sharing these stories humanizes the cause and creates an emotional connection with donors.

2) Implement Powerful Imagery

Of course, you can always describe things in the written word. And when it comes to a technique like storytelling, that can be a powerful strategy.

That said, visuals have the power to evoke emotions more effectively than text alone. That’s because they actually show things that written words alone cannot. Once you get the pictures or videos correctly – the possibilities for evoking emotion are endless.

Here are some options you might consider: 

  • Pictures of direct beneficiaries along with interviews on the positive impact your organization has had in their lives
  • User-generated content like videos of volunteers at your organization
  • Video interviews with past donors about how proud they are to have contributed to your cause

In addition, imagery and visuals are great for social media marketing, if that is something your organization wants to invest in.

3) Include Social Proof

We have talked about the power of social proof numerous times. As we mention, put the right social proof on your website (or any of the platforms where your organization is active), and you can expect good things.

Most importantly, though, social proof is one of the most reliable ways to use emotions in fundraising. That’s because it sets people at ease about everything you say in your marketing. Oftentimes, messaging from nonprofits about the work they do can come across as overly optimistic. Potential donors might interact with your organization and come away feeling as if there’s no way you can actually do what you claim. 

Social proof is how you fix this problem. Highlight the number of lives changed or communities transformed. Dive deep into the various projects your organization has successfully funded, as well as the bonafid results that you enabled. 

The purpose of all of this is to demonstrate the power of collective giving. More specifically, however, you want to make your audience feel like their donation really can make a difference. And that’s exactly what social proof does!

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Are you an enterprise, nonprofit or small business looking for help on your website? Give us a shout! We provide a free consultation. Email us at info@lughstudio.com or call us at (718) 855-1919!

The 10 Best Ways To Use AI At Your Nonprofit

Posted on by Eric Schenck

As we argue in our ultimate guide to AI, artificial intelligence is here to stay. It’s a powerful technology that you can use to expedite results, and in many ways can be the catalyst to more creative ways of working. But what are the best ways to use AI at your nonprofit?

Sure, we’ve all heard that AI can save time, improve efficiency, and drive better outcomes. But how exactly do you implement it’s power most effectively?

Read on to find out.

The 10 Best Ways To Use AI At Your Nonprofit

1) Chatbots for Donor Support

Chatbots have many benefits for a nonprofit. They can answer frequently asked questions, offer donation assistance, and provide real-time engagement. Pair them with AI and the results are even better.

The way AI chatbots interact with your site visitors is sophisticated and customized based on previous interactions. This can enhance donor satisfaction and streamline communication. Of course, be sure to place them where they will be most effective. This might include your website and social media channels, for example.

2) Predictive Analytics

AI makes it easier to put data at the heart of everything you do. This is good news. By analyzing past donor actions, AI can do a number of things for your nonprofit. This includes identifying potential high-value donors, predicting churn rates, and helping your nonprofit strategize for donor retention and acquisition.

Overall, these predictive analytics makes it easier to forecast donor behavior and preferences. Your campaigns are therefore directed to the people most likely to donate.

3) Natural Language Processing

What if you could easily gauge donor sentiment? What if you had quick and easy access to public perception and sentiment towards your organization? With Natural Language Processing (NLP), made possible by AI, you do. 

Just one example comes from social media marketing. NLP algorithms can analyze social media mentions and craft an accurate narrative about what people actually think of your organization. Addressing concerns and feedback from your audience has never been easier!

4) Content Personalization

As we have said before, content marketing is useful for any organization. It’s how you position your nonprofit as a source to be trusted and educate new people. It’s also a great way to keep your organization “top of mind” when somebody is looking to donate.

As for the best kind of content? The one that is customized to the person viewing it. AI-based personalization can tailor your website and email content baked on your users’ behavior and overall preferences. This results in increased engagement and repeat visits to your website.

5) Automated Donor Segmentation

Segmentation is the name of the game if you are trying to be more effective in your touchpoints with your audience. Think about it. The best way to get people inspired to donate, or interact with your organization’s content, or consume your emails? By speaking directly to them about something they genuinely care about.  

And the quickest way to do this? By implementing automatic advanced segmentation.

Set up the right AI tools, and you will be able to group donors based on various attributes. These include data points such as donation history, interests, or demographics. This segmentation allows your nonprofit to send targeted messages that resonate with each donor segment, and drive more success across all your activities.

6) Enhanced Fundraising Campaigns

If you want to run effective nonprofit fundraisers, there are a number of things you have to do. This includes everything from email marketing to fundraiser ad creation. There are numerous moving parts to a successful fundraiser. Plus, the larger your fundraiser is, the more complicated it’s liable to become. 

If you aren’t careful, your team can start to feel overwhelmed. Or even worse? Things that have the ability to move the needle on your campaigns slip through the crack or are simply forgotten.

That’s why it’s worth considering implementing AI tools for your various activities. They can help you with everything from dynamic content for different audiences, to automated donor outreach. Be sure to read up on the best AI tools for fundraising if you’re serious about better results.

7) Grant Research and Writing

A large part of increasing your overall donations at your nonprofit involves grants. This not only involves the way you write them. In addition, you also need to know where to devote your efforts to the opportunities most likely to secure more funding. This is more likely to result in long term success.

Grants present one of the best ways to use AI at your nonprofit. AI tools can easily streamline the grant research process. They do this by analyzing past successful applications to provide guidance for grant writing. The result? More funds for your nonprofit from organizations that are most likely to be repeat donors.

8) Virtual Assistants

The benefit of virtual assistants LINK has become apparent in recent years. Both nonprofits and private sector businesses can experience many positives from their help. Here are just a few things they can be tasked with:

  • Sending personalized follow-up messages
  • Setting up event reminders
  • Following up with donation acknowledgments

The result? Increased productivity, better donor communication, and a ton of time saved for you and your team.But what if you didn’t have to budget for that expense? What if you could get the full effect of a virtual assistant at your organization…but didn’t have to pay them?

With AI virtual assistants, you can. Research a few options, and once you have, start to reflect on the places you would most benefit from an AI virtual assistant. 

9) Social Media Management

Effective social media marketing can have a huge impact for just about any organization. It’s where much of your potential audience spends time, and presents a wonderful way for you to spread word of your work. It also works great in conjunction with both content marketing and lead generation.

But how do you ensure your social media strategy is optimized for effectiveness? AI can help. There are numerous AI-driven social media tools that not only optimize your social media strategy, but make it easy to deep dive on social media analytics.

 AI can identify relevant content, schedule posts at optimal times, and analyze engagement metrics, enabling your nonprofit to build a strong online community.

10) Impact Measurement

Every nonprofit wants to know how much of an impact they are actually having. How many people are you reaching? How many donations are you driving? Can you measure how many people are you helping? Utilize AI to measure and communicate your nonprofit’s impact. AI algorithms can collect and analyze data from various sources, allowing your organization to demonstrate the tangible outcomes of your programs to donors and stakeholders.

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Are you an enterprise, nonprofit or small business looking for help on your website? Give us a shout! We provide a free consultation. Email us at info@lughstudio.com or call us at (718) 855-1919!

Summer Art: The Lúgh Studio Roundup

Posted on by Eric Schenck

As the summer of 2023 draws to a close, we are reminded of the power of art. Summer is not only a time for self-care and basking in the sun’s glow… but an opportune moment to immerse ourselves in the dynamic world of art and its impact.

With this in mind, we present to you our roundup of summer art. This roundup includes several organizations, events, and exhibits that are worth diving into. Regardless of your take on art or your own personal taste, one thing can’t be disputed – art can be a powerful force for good!

Summer Art: The Lúgh Studio Roundup

1) Community Canvas

This is an art organization that believes in the power of collective creativity. Through mural projects in underserved communities, Community Canvas tries to create vibrant spaces that reflect the identity and aspirations of local residents. 

The results can be amazing. Indeed, one of Community Canvas’s main goals is to use art as a catalyst for change. Here are just a few examples of the projects Community Canvas has been responsible for:

  • Together Institute: How to build communities that are both thriving and inclusive? This is the central question of this project. 
  • Close Knit: How to make the process of community-building less complex? Close Knit strives to provide the resources needed to answer this central challenge.

Community Canvas, meanwhile, bring together artists and community members to co-create meaningful public art, fostering a sense of ownership and unity.

2) Art4Healing

Have you ever been curious about the therapeutic potential of art? Or how exactly art can help people heal from past traumas? If so, the organization Art4Healing is one you’ll want to keep on your radar.

With a focus on vulnerable populations (survivors of trauma or individuals experiencing mental health challenges), Art4Healing uses artistic expression as a tool for healing and self-discovery. And it makes sense. Art therapy workshops provide a safe space for participants to channel their emotions and stories into transformative artworks.

Plus, no need to attend a workshop in person. The organization also allows you to take a pre-recorded workshop from wherever you are! 

3) AllInOne Collective

While art collectives will always look slightly different from one another, they often share a common cause: giving artists a platform and support system to display their work.

AllInOne Collective is one such organization. Based out of Brooklyn, the organization aims to display the creative works of painters, writers, poets, and other creatives. As cofounder Audrey Banks, there is power in having artists from different disciplines living under the same roof. Because AllInOne Collective gives them a place to live, the artists naturally have “more influence on the rest of the city.” 

A good sign for the future of art in Brooklyn! The people at AllInOne Collective also have an interesting secondary goal: creating co-working and living spaces in historic properties.  

4) The Armory Show

As one of New York City’s premier art fairs, the Armory Show is a showcase of contemporary art. Held annually, the fair showcases a diverse collection of artworks from galleries around the globe, ranging from emerging talents to established artists. 

With a rich history dating back to 1913, The Armory Show continues to serve as a critical platform for art appreciation. The show does a great job of bringing together different kinds of art, spanning various mediums, styles, and artistic perspectives. This has far-reaching effects. Indeed, The Armory Show is considered one of the best sources for intercultural exchange, as well as displaying the power of storytelling in bringing art to the masses.

While this is a more well-known event, the Armory’s impact on New York can’t be disputed. The fair’s annual gathering not only draws art enthusiasts and collectors from around the world, but is also a stimulus to the local economy. As collectors, gallerists, artists, and visitors converge in the heart of the city, the event bolsters tourism, hospitality, and various creative industries. 

5) CITYarts

Since 1968, CITYarts has looked to engage young people with creative pursuits, giving them the chance to team up with professional artists to create murals, mosaics, and other public art projects around the world—in 65 countries on six continents, to be exact.

Here are just three events of theirs that have taken place this summer:

  • Always in Bloom
  • Our Voices 
  • Pieces for Peace Exhibition

These events all not only give young people a chance to find their place through art, but brings their work to the public eye. If art is great at one thing, it’s inspiring people, old and young alike. CITYarts is a great reminder of this.

6) The Intuitive Writing Project

Looking for an organization that makes you fully appreciate the power of art in the hands of youth? The Intuitive Writing Project is a great place to start.

The goal of this organization? To support young women in finding their voice, owning their strength and speaking up as leaders, world-builders and change-makers. Quite the ambitious goal!

We like The Intuitive Writing Project not just for this worthy goal, but because they believe in the power of storytelling. They do this through a variety of workshops that not only teach young women how to write effectively for an audience, but how to embrace their own story as well. 

Looking to get inspired? Check it out!

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Are you an enterprise, nonprofit or small business looking for help on your website? Give us a shout! We provide a free consultation. Email us at info@lughstudio.com or call us at (718) 855-1919!

5 Virtual Nonprofit Conferences To Attend

Posted on by Eric Schenck

Virtual nonprofit conferences can be a great opportunity for your organization. Not only do they allow you to connect with influential names in the nonprofit space, but are a great chance to learn valuable skills that will directly improve your fundraising efforts.

Below you will find five of the best virtual nonprofit conferences you might consider. These all happen over the last few months of 2023, so there’s still time to plan your attendance.

5 Virtual Nonprofit Conferences To Consider

1) Generosity Xchange

Generosity Xchange is a two-day virtual conference led by Neon One, a leading figure in nonprofit technology. The event serves as a great opportunity for fundraisers across the nonprofit landscape to learn from others, as well as forge meaningful connections with fellow nonprofit professionals, all while refining their fundraising prowess.

The 2023 event will feature a solid lineup of sessions from numerous prominent figures in the field. Among these luminaries are:

  • Mallory Erickson, the CEO and Founder of Mallory Erickson Coaching
  • Rachel D’Souza, the visionary Founder and Principal of Gladiator Consulting
  • Michelle Muri, an influential force as the Founder of Freedom Conspiracy and the Host of The Ethical Rainmaker Podcast.

These voices are just a fraction of everybody you can hope to hear from.

Integral to the conference is the deep dive into Neon One’s suite of software tools. Attendees can expect interactive workshops, immersive how-to sessions tailored for Neon One’s clientele, and an exclusive glimpse into the latest features of their software. 

Generosity Xchange (even if you don’t plan on using Neon One’s tools) is a great opportunity for your nonprofit to elevate their fundraising journey. Whether it’s delving into industry-leading practices, or simply experiencing the exciting sparks of inspiration, attendees will likely learn something that will allow them to thrive in the world of nonprofit fundraising.

2) Nonprofit Marketing Summit

This is a biannual congregation that serves as a vibrant hub for nonprofit professionals seeking the cutting edge of digital strategies in the realm of marketing and fundraising. 

Each iteration takes a different theme, and this year will be aptly named “Radical Impact.” Over the span of three days, over 25,000 attendees will experience a curated selection of 75+ high-value sessions. These workshops are meticulously designed to offer actionable next steps, providing attendees with a roadmap to amplify their fundraising and marketing efforts.

Nonprofit Marketing Summit has a reputation for efficiency. There isn’t so much fluff, but rather suggestions for what you can immediately implement at your own organization for quick results. Looking to refine your skills and get training to take your marketing and fundraising chops to the next level? This is the virtual nonprofit conference for you!

General admission to the summit is offered free of charge. That said, you also have the chance to purchase a “VIP Pass.” This gets you access to session recordings that you can review once the summit is over. Do you work on a large team and want to take the time systematically going through (and implementing) your learnings in the future? If so, the VIP pass is certainly something to consider. 

3) The Nonprofit Social Media Summit

We all know that social media marketing can have great results for your nonprofit. But what do you have to do to systematize your results? And how can you 10x the results that you’re already getting?

That’s where the Nonprofit Social Media Summit comes in. This two-day conference is an invaluable opportunity for both seasoned champions of nonprofit social media and eager marketing novices. It fosters an environment of growth, learning, and cutting-edge strategy refinement. And not just vague affirmations that social media is worth your time – but in-depth tutorials showing you how to make sure it is. 

Here are just two examples: 

  • An exclusive tutorial on Reels conducted by none other than Meta’s own experts painted a vibrant canvas of future-forward social media prowess
  • An informative session on effectively using TikTok, spotlighting the art of cultivating an audience on TikTok and how to keep them engaged
  • The “flash sessions” segment, a collection of 6-minute talks covering topics as varied as the nuances of cryptocurrency and social media accessibility for different audiences

Just like the Nonprofit Marketing Summit, the Nonprofit Social Media Summit has two options for admission. The first (a free general admission ticket) will give you access to just about everything: live keynotes, sessions, immersive workshops, and various networking experiences. 

The second option (a $199 VIP ticket) will, as expected, provide you with all recorded sessions and slide decks. The big difference? This premium ticket also gives you a golden opportunity—a live training session with social media expert Julia on the topic of crafting a social media marketing calendar.

4) Raise

A fundraising innovation by OneCause, Raise aims to be a conference centered around knowledge and inspiration. The aim? To empower nonprofit professionals, facilitating connections, fostering growth, and igniting the sparks of inspiration that fuel impactful change.

Raise is a great event to attend because of the variety of their sessions. These include topics like:

  • Peer-to-peer campaigning and how to set it up for maximum effectiveness
  • Donor engagement and how to ensure you are always building up relationships
  • The power of storytelling and the most effective techniques you need to keep in mind

As a conference, Raise’s format is hybrid. Not only do you have the chance to attend in person, but they make it available online as well. This means you have a choice: the networking events and live sessions while in person, or the convenience of online? 

If you want to amplify your fundraising strategies, Raise is one of the virtual nonprofit conferences you won’t want to miss!

5) International Fundraising Congress

Hosted by The Resource Alliance, the International Fundraising Congress is perhaps the most unique virtual nonprofit conference on our list. It takes place in the Netherlands, but also has a virtual component to it.

Here are just a few of the broad topics that International Fundraising Congress tends to cover:

  • Climate action
  • Human rights
  • Democracy
  • Peace

With this diversity, you can be assured that the talks and workshops will appeal to just about every kind of nonprofit. And not just that – attendees frequently remark it’s the most inspirational and inspiring event they attend over the course of the year. If you are looking to improve your own fundraising efforts, the International Fundraising Congress is a worthy candidate.

In addition, the IFC has a segment of the event called  “Big Debates.” This is essentially  a forum in which the challenges faced by the sector take center stage. This might include anything from building an audience to the opportunities presented by artificial intelligence. These debates ensure that you aren’t only “inspired”, but come away with ideas on how to optimize your fundraising.

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Are you an enterprise, nonprofit or small business looking for help on your website? Give us a shout! We provide a free consultation. Email us at info@lughstudio.com or call us at (718) 855-1919!

The Importance of Social Proof: Part 2

Posted on by Eric Schenck

Welcome to the next installment of our series on the importance of social proof. In our previous article, we covered the reasons why social proof is so important at your nonprofit. We also gave you five different options for gathering (and displaying) that social proof.

In Part 2, we will dive deeper into more strategies guaranteed to maximize the effect of social proof. Remember – experiment with what works and don’t be afraid to try something new!

Tips For Social Proof (6-10)

6) Social Media Mentions

In today’s digital age, social media marketing plays a pivotal role in social proof. It’s where people spend time. Accordingly, it’s also where they see how other people are interacting with your brand.

Assuming you have some amount of social media presence, interactions on these platforms position you as a source of expertise. Are you giving people the information they’re looking for? Educating them about a cause they care about?

This will naturally result in organic interactions with the people that follow you on social. The result? Proof that people care about your brand, are interacting with you, and a significant contribution to social proof. 

Consider this your ticket to positive buzz. If you want to approach social media with an eye towards success, the name of the game is monitoring and highlighting the interactions that happen. Pay attention to positive comments. Record reviews and conversations about your organization. 

When you come across them, be proactive in sharing and promoting them on your official social media channels. By amplifying the interactions that people have surrounding your brand, you can further build trust and credibility among your target audience.

7) Industry Awards and Recognitions

Social proof is all about showing evidence that you are who you say you are. People want to know they can trust you, and often need just a little bit of evidence before they listen to what you say.

One of the best forms of this evidence are industry awards and recognitions. Indeed, these are powerful forms of social proof that can significantly boost your brand’s reputation. You aren’t just showing people what your audience has said about you, but confirming that reputable organizations also approve.

When potential supporters see that your organization has been recognized by industry experts, it instills confidence and trust in your abilities. This can result in a higher level of engagement in your various campaigns, leading to more donations.

Your action step? Like much of social proof, you need to use industry recognition to its full potential. This involves showcasing them prominently on your website and promotional materials – really anywhere that people can see them.

One last tip: don’t just display these awards. It’s also essential that you explain to your audience what they mean and how they align with your organization’s mission.

8) Case Studies from Diverse Perspectives

Your nonprofit is likely working to improve something, whether that means people’s lives, the environment, or anything else. Case studies that showcase the positive impact of your products, services, or initiatives is an effective way to demonstrate social proof. 

By showcasing how your organization has positively impacted a diverse range of individuals, you emphasize the relevance and effectiveness of your offerings. This gets people to more rapidly buy into your messaging.

While we mention case studies in Part 1, the importance is all about diversity. For more impact, try to feature success stories from a diverse range of perspectives. Highlight the experiences and outcomes of customers, beneficiaries, or partners from different backgrounds or demographics. This appeals to a wider overall audience.

For best effects, make the case studies as professional as possible. Include relevant data, measurable results, and compelling narratives. This will make your case studies more persuasive and relatable.

9) Partner Collaborations

We have spoken numerous times on the importance of influencer marketing. Partnerships with the right individuals or organizations is not only a powerful form of social proof, but an effective method of growing your audience as well.

They both not only expand your network but also provide mutual social proof. Indeed, when two respected organizations come together, it reinforces credibility and fosters trust among both sets of audiences. Seek out partnerships that align with your mission and values. This is the first requirement of social proof that actually works. Next, run joint initiatives or campaigns that highlight the benefits of your collective efforts. 

Don’t know where to start? Read up on best practices for partnerships that drive results. Get these right and you’ll build social proof that demonstrates your commitment to working with esteemed partners.

10) Backing Your Claims with Evidence

Our last advice for social proof is a rule that can be applied to just about everything: the importance of social proof.

Here are just a few dorms this “evidence” can take:

  • Relevant data points to demonstrate the positive outcomes and value generated by your organization
  • Charts, graphs, and infographics to visually represent the data and make it more accessible to your audience
  • Statistics that show the hard results that your organization has helped achieve

If you want your social proof to do as well as it can, you need evidence. Keep this in mind regardless of the strategies you implement.

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Are you an enterprise, nonprofit or small business looking for help on your website? Give us a shout! We provide a free consultation. Email us at info@lughstudio.com or call us at (718) 855-1919!

Storytelling For Nonprofits Vs. Private Businesses

Posted on by Eric Schenck

Storytelling has become a powerful marketing tool for both private businesses and nonprofits. And no wonder why – people love stories and connect with them like few other marketing strategies. Told well, stories can also have a significant impact on brand perception and engagement. That said, storytelling for nonprofits vs. private businesses can look quite different.

In this post, we explore what those differences are so you can more effectively implement your own storytelling.

7 Differences Between Storytelling For Nonprofits Vs. Private Businesses

1. Purpose

There is always a purpose or mission that drives your storytelling efforts – even if it’s not directly stated. This is true regardless of whether you’re a nonprofit or private business. It is the reason that people work at your organization, and the main goal that you are striving for. This mission can be as specific or aspirational as you want; just always make sure that your employees have it top of mind!

Nonprofits: The purpose of storytelling will often focus on social issues. This is the area most nonprofits operate in, so it makes sense that their stories would center on it.  This type of organization can also advocate for a specific cause. Because of this, their storytelling will usually revolve around those affected that they have helped.

Private businesses: In contrast, the purpose and mission of a business is usually bringing about change in a customer’s life through their product or service. Their storytelling will then be centered around the benefits and value they offer to their customers. This has a number of effects on the stories that are most relevant (and thus shared more often) to their audience.

2. Emotional Appeal

Effective storytelling relies on evoking emotions to create a connection with the audience. Think about your own behavior with either a nonprofit or business: which organization’s story was the most convincing? Likely the one that most effectively evoked some kind of emotion in you!

Nonprofits: The emotional appeal of a nonprofit’s story usually centers around empathy or compassion. This is because they will share personal stories about the challenges individuals face. In addition, a sense of urgency can also play a big part. Done right, this kind of emotion can engage supporters and inspire them to get involved. 

Private businesses: Much more focused on a sense of aspiration. A private business doesn’t just tell you to buy something – they try to convey how your life will change if you do. The emotional appeal of their storytelling thus has much more connection with desire and excitement. All of these emotions will more reliably drive purchasing decisions.

3. Target Audience

Storytelling for nonprofits vs. private businesses will differ widely on the target audience. This is important to remember – for storytelling to be effective, a story needs to be told to the right person. Get your target audience right, and not only will people connect more with your stories, but you will be able to more often influence their actions.

Nonprofits: The target audience for a nonprofit’s story should be individuals who are passionate about their cause. Depending on what the nonprofit does, this can also mean people that align with their values or have a personal connection to the issues they address. The effect? Your stories are told to the people most likely to consume it, and are more impactful as a result.

Private businesses: For a company, their target audience will typically resemble their ideal customer. This kind of information will often be based on certain demographics, interests, and buying behaviors of their current customers. As for the role of storytelling? Given the right target audience, it will be all about appealing to the desires, needs, and aspirations of people who are ready to purchase.

4. Call to Action

A call to action in a story is essential. Indeed, you may very well tell a great story about your organization, but it’s not going to result in much if you don’t ask people to actually do something. 

Nonprofits: A nonprofit’s story will often be angled to drive more donations, volunteer participation, or advocacy on behalf of their cause. These are the main actions that they are often looking for. As a result, the nonprofit should shape their call to action accordingly. As for where you put it? While it can be a number of places (including your web pages, emails, or social media posts), an effective call to action will be seen wherever your target audience spends the most time.  

Private businesses: Because a private business’s main goal (regardless of the medium or platform) is to sell something, stories will encourage consumers to make a purchase, sign up for a service, or engage with their brand. Their storytelling revolves around creating a desire for their offerings and guiding the audience towards a specific transaction or engagement.

5. Authenticity

If you want to to tell a story that is truly impactful, people need to believe it. They need to buy into your story, and they need to trust you enough to know that the story you’re telling is real. This is where authenticity comes in. 

Nonprofits: To tell an authentic story, one of the best things a nonprofit can do is to be transparent about the use of their funds. Where is the money going? What are donations actually being spent on, and how are different initiatives being funded? Be upfront about this, and not only will people more willingly buy into your story – they will also be encouraged to donate even more.

Private businesses: Authenticity in a company’s storytelling is directly tied to a brand’s values. What do they stand for? How do their products and services speak to their wider mission? These are questions that employees should be thinking about when crafting their next story. It’s also worth considering the role of social proof in stories. People want to see authentic results from other customers. Indeed, this is about as authentic as a brand can get!

6. Collaboration

Just like any other marketing effort, storytelling can greatly benefit from working with others. But how will this collaboration look for the best results? When considering storytelling for nonprofits vs. private businesses, the process is quite similar.

Nonprofits: A nonprofit will often work together with other organizations, influencers, or public figures in their space to amplify their storytelling efforts. By partnering with organizations and people with the same cause, they can put their story in front of more people. The result? More donations and a higher overall impact. Just be sure to work with the right partners!

Private businesses: Collaboration for private businesses looks much the same. If they want their story to be seen by more potential customers, they can consider collaboration with other brands or businesses that deal with the same type of customer. Like any other partnership, this will allow them to tap into brand new audiences

7. Success

Lastly, what does the “success” of a story look like? How do you know you’ve accomplished your mission?

Measuring the success of storytelling efforts is essential for both nonprofits and private businesses. However, the metrics used to evaluate impact may vary. 

Nonprofits: Storytelling for a nonprofit will often track metrics related to donor engagement, funds raised, and volunteer participation. In addition, successful stories will also measure the number of individuals reached with their message.

Private businesses: A company, meanwhile, will focus on metrics related to brand awareness, customer acquisition, and total revenue generated. Overall, they measure the effectiveness of their storytelling by its impact on sales and business growth.

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Are you an enterprise, nonprofit or small business looking for help on your website? Give us a shout! We provide a free consultation. Email us at info@lughstudio.com or call us at (718) 855-1919!

Lúgh Studio’s Ultimate Guide To Summer Donations

Posted on by Eric Schenck

As a nonprofit, summer presents a unique opportunity to boost your fundraising efforts. It’s a great time of year to put your message in front of people, and can be an opportune season to increase your amount of donors.

In this ultimate guide, we are covering the in’s and out’s of driving more donations during the summer. We’ll give you a background on why summer presents a great opportunity for your nonprofit. We’ll also cover 13 tips you can implement to drive more donations over the summer months, as well as a list of resources for further reference.

Download your PDF version of this guide here.

Why Summer Is A Good Time To Drive Donations

So — why should you take summer seriously? What makes the summer months a great time to be focusing on more donations and overall donor engagement?

Here are four reasons why summer is a good time to step up your efforts:

Increased Engagement

Often, people are more receptive to your marketing efforts during the summer. Many people are having fun and might even be taking trips. This means they are more relaxed than at other times throughout the year, and are often more willing to engage with your campaigns. 

This is essential to capitalize on. Get your donors’ attention and inspire them to contribute to your nonprofit. Take advantage of this receptive audience by crafting compelling stories and impactful campaigns that resonate with their higher engagement.

Seasonal Relevance

Many nonprofits have missions that are somehow aligned with summertime causes. This can include certain types of outdoor activities, youth programs, environmental conservation, or disaster relief efforts.

Follow this seasonal relevance to connect with donors who share a passion for these issues. You might, for example, create campaigns that highlight the direct impact their donations can have on addressing these specific summertime challenges. Do this and people are more likely to contribute during the summer months. 

Events And Festivals

Summer is synonymous with events and festivals. Indeed, more people go to them than at any other point of the year. This presents a great opportunity for your nonprofit.  Leverage these social gatherings to raise awareness about your cause and engage with potential donors. You never know what a simple information booth can result in!

Plus, you don’t need to set the narrow goal of “get more donations.” Put your nonprofit’s mission in front of more eyes, spread your message, and summer events might very well be the beginning of great things to come.

Year-End Planning

For bigger donors, the summer marks the beginning of their year-end planning. What are the organizations they are most interested in supporting, and how much will they plan on giving? These are questions that concern your nonprofit…and summer is the perfect time to give these donors an answer.

By deciding to engage with them earlier in the year, you can build a strong relationship that keeps your nonprofit top-of-mind. And when the time does come for them to donate? Your nonprofit may very well be their top choice for their end-of-year giving. 

13 Tips For Driving More Summer Donations

In this next section we will cover 13 tips that you can implement to drive more donations during the summer. This is quite a lot — don’t feel the pressure to implement every one. However, if you pick just a few and dedicate time and effort to them, you’re setting yourself up for summer success.

1) Launch a summer campaign

Like we said at the beginning, summer is a time when people are especially receptive to your fundraising efforts. Why not consider a summer-themed campaign?

Depending on how you go about it, this can be quite effective. Consider the copy that you use, the colors you implement, and the overall messaging. People love the summer, and as we said in the last section, they are often receptive to your campaigns during the summer. Might as well make it summer-themed!

2) Host virtual events

Done right, a virtual event can engage your donors and fosters a sense of community. Plus, it’s an event format that’s not going away. Even with how great in-person events can be, COVID has made people reassess the virtual version. Leverage the convenience and accessibility of online platforms, and you can reach a broader audience that drives more donations.

Consider hosting webinars, virtual galas, or live-streamed panel discussions related to your cause. Encourage attendees to donate during the event or give them an easy way to contribute afterward. No matter what you do, be sure to read up on how to run a successful virtual event before getting started.

3) Create a sense of urgency

If you want to drive more donations during the summer, one of the best things you can do is create a sense of urgency. People need a reason to act now. Otherwise, there’s a solid chance that they never actually do.

With that in mind, try to implement anything that will make your fundraiser a bit more urgent. Share impactful stories that highlight the pressing needs your nonprofit is addressing. Explain how time-sensitive contributions can make a significant difference. Incorporate countdown timers on your website to remind your audience about the limited time. These are all more likely to get people to act.

4) Work with influencers

For your best summer ever, a vital component could very well be your work with influencers. Often, they will have access to an entirely different audience than you do. And let’s be honest — despite your best efforts to build an audience, a summer campaign can always benefit from more eyes.

If you are going to work with influencers, the first step is identifying those that are a good fit. Who aligns with your nonprofit’s mission? Who likely has a similar audience, and do they have a history of working with nonprofits? Once you’ve made your list, it’s time to reach out. Be sure that you make any kind of collaboration beneficial to them — they need to benefit from the agreement, after all.

Assuming you find influencers to work with you, make their job easy. Give them compelling content and stories that they can share with their audience. Do this right, and endorsements from influencers can expand your reach — bringing in new donors in the process.

5) Implement peer-to-peer fundraising

Peer-to-peer fundraising might just be your secret weapon for more summer donations. By empowering your supporters to advocate for your cause on their own, your potential reach grows exponentially. 

Of course, there are a few things you want to remember to maximize the effect. First of all, make sure you provide the tools and resources your audience needs to be successful. This might also include their very own personalized fundraising pages. In addition, consider offering incentives or recognition for top fundraisers to boost participation. These simple steps ensure you are maximizing the impact of this tip.

6) Engage corporate partners

The last two tips have been about influencers and your own audience. Now, it’s time to consider corporate partners. The reason these potential donors are so important to your summer campaign is all about their budget. These are organizations that often have the ability to donate much larger amounts than individuals. This makes corporate partners especially valuable.

How you go about the process effectively? It all starts with the right introduction. Start by approaching local businesses and corporations that have a philanthropic focus, but which also align with your cause. Highlight the mutual benefits of collaboration. You should also mention the positive impact their support can have on your nonprofit’s mission. Just one corporate donor can have a huge impact on the success of your summer efforts — this is a tip that it pays to take seriously.

7) Utilize social media

Social media marketing, when done properly, can amplify your summer fundraising efforts. Not only are social media platforms where much of your audience spends time, but it’s a great opportunity to put your message in front of new people. Just like all of our tips, though, you need to approach it correctly. 

Here are just a few best practices you should consider:

  • Create engaging and shareable content with a summer theme
  • Encourage your audience to share your posts and tag friends
  • Engage with your followers and publicly thank them for any contributions

Cross these items off your to-do list, and you’re setting up your summer campaigns for success. 

8) Leverage email marketing

Effective email marketing is one of the best ways to market just about anything. No matter if you are a private business, a solo entrepreneur, or a nonprofit looking to drive more donations, good emails can get you there.

For best results, utilize your email list to communicate with your supporters throughout the summer. This could mean regular newsletters to your entire list, exclusive content to the most active subscribers, or simply updates on your programs and initiatives. No matter what you choose to send, be sure to implement email best practices. Clear calls-to-action for donations in your emails, as well as compelling copy, are absolute musts.

9) Create a summer giving challenge

Similar to our very first tip on running a “summer campaign”, a giving challenge will usually have a longer timeframe. It will often run throughout the course of summer (multiple months), and can encourage friendly competition among your supporters. 

While there are numerous best practices for running a successful summer giving challenge, here are a few of the most important you should keep in mind:

  • Set a fundraising goal and create milestones along the way
  • Provide updates on progress and celebrate achievements
  • Encourage your donors to share the challenge with others
  • Consider offering incentives or prizes for reaching specific fundraising milestones

A summer giving challenge is a great way to push more summer donations. Just make sure you start planning ahead of time — and consider a bit of creativity!

10) Make it easy to donate

If you’re looking to drive more donations during the summer, simplicity is key. Your online donation process should be easy, quick, and user-friendly. No matter what kind of campaigns you run, this simplicity should be the name of the game. Indeed, get this wrong, and the rest of the tips fall by the wayside.

Optimize your website to provide easy access to donation forms and multiple payment options. You should always try to streamline the donation process by minimizing the number of steps required (for example, request only the most essential information from your site visitors). Something else to consider: the option to make recurring donations. This allows people to easily support your nonprofit consistently throughout the summer and beyond.

11) Test out “matching gifts”

If you want to drive more donations during the summer, you want to build a certain sense of momentum. To do this, consider leveraging the concept of “matching gifts.”

Try partnering with businesses or individual donors who are willing to match donations up to a certain amount. This will often not only encourage more donors to donate, but will drive up the average donation you receive. If you do go this route, be sure to clearly communicate the impact their donations will have — you might be surprised at the results!

12) Offer donor recognition opportunities

Once your summer event / fundraiser has finished, it’s important that you take time to show appreciation. Your donors make your nonprofit’s activities possible, after all. That’s why it’s important to recognize and appreciate them publicly.

Some things you might consider:

  • Donor walls on your website
  • Personalized certificates or badges
  • Acknowledgment in your newsletters and social media posts

Regardless of how you go about it, be sure to highlight the impact they are making and express gratitude for their generosity. This recognition can motivate donors to continue supporting your nonprofit and encourage others to contribute as well. It also fosters a sense of belonging and pride in supporting your cause. 

13) Send personalized thank you messages

Everybody likes getting personalized notes in the mail. Not only does it show your appreciation to your audience, but it can also foster a deeper connection and encourage continued giving. This is essential for long term relationships with donors. 

If you want to maximize the impact of a thank you note, provide updates. This might be a simple email on how their contributions are making a difference. You can also consider sharing success stories and testimonials that highlight the impact of their donations. This will keep donors invested in your nonprofit’s mission.

Resources For More Summer Donations

Lastly, here are some resources you should check out. We’ve split this section into five main types of tools that can help you with driving more summer donations, and include multiple options in each section.

Donor Management

No matter what kind of summer campaigns you’re running, you’ll want a way to manage your donors. That’s where donor management software comes in. A quality one will allow you to organize your fundraising efforts, track overall donations, and manage donor relationships. Pick the right one, and they can also help with your email marketing and reporting.

Options include:

Social Media Marketing

If you are going to take social media marketing seriously, the right tool can help you maximize your results. The right one will allow you to not only schedule posts in advance, but monitor engagement and analyze the performance of your campaigns. 

Options include:

Email Marketing

We are big fans of email marketing. As we point out in tip #8, effective emails can keep your audience informed, build relationships on a channel you own, and drive more donations. But the secret ingredient? The right tool, which allows you to create professional-looking email campaigns, segment your donor list, and track the effectiveness of your email communications.

Options include:

Online Fundraising

If you want to take your campaigns to a more professional level, consider using a fundraising platform. These tools let you launch more polished looking campaigns, as well as make the donations collection process easier. An added bonus? More advanced options also give you the option to implement peer-to-peer fundraising.

Options include:

Matching Gifts

Lastly, driving more donations during the summer will be easier if you implement matching gifts. That said, it can be difficult to know where to start. Plus, even if you do have a process in mind, correct implementation is absolutely essential. That’s why we recommend investing in the right tool. 

Options include:

Conclusion

Driving more donations during the summer requires a plan. It also needs consistent action and the willingness to experiment with what works.

We hope our ultimate guide helps you in the process. Follow our tips, implement some of the tools, and watch as more donations start to come in.

Happy fundraising!

 

Download your PDF version of this guide here.

Summer Self-Care: 10 Tips for Your Best Self

Posted on by Eric Schenck

As the warm weather arrives and the days get longer, you have the perfect opportunity to prioritize your summer self-care. Get the right habits set up, and you can spend this summer nurturing not only your body, but your mind and spirit as well!

In this blog post, we will explore 10 valuable tips and routines that will help you make the most of summer while taking care of yourself.

10 Tips For Better Summer Self-Care

1) Embrace nature

With the sun out and the warm weather, summer is a great season to spend as much time as possible outside. If you truly want to embrace your summer self-care, it all starts with being outside.

Whether it’s a walk in the park or a day at the beach, being surrounded by nature can have a calming and rejuvenating effect on your mind and body. Make it a regular part of your summer self-care routine.

2) Prioritize an exercise routine

Exercising is one of the most foundational habits you can have in life. For summer self-care, it’s important to keep this in mind. Stay active during the summer months by participating in activities you enjoy. This might mean continuing your gym ritual or signing up for a yoga class. 

Whatever it might be, there are two main rules to fitness success: stay consistent at it, and try to do something you enjoy. This will help you maintain your motivation. Pro tip: try doing something outdoors. Activities like hiking or biking can get you exercise as well as a healthy dose of sunlight!

3) Protect your skin

Even with the importance of being outdoors, exercising in the open air, the sun can certainly be harmful. That’s why it’s important to have a skincare ritual. This can be as simple as remembering to apply sunscreen whenever you go out. Make sure you use one that has a relatively high SPF. You might also wear protective clothing and seek out shade during certain times of the day, depending on where you live.

4) Try mindfulness and meditation

Mindfulness has become a bit of a fad in recent years. Seems like everybody is meditating. Still, it’s a good thing. As studies show, a mindfulness practice can help reduce stress, increase self-awareness, and promote inner peace – all essential components of a summer self-care practice. 

As for how you do it? It’s simple: find a quiet spot, either indoors or outdoors, and try to quiet your mind. If you need a little help, be sure to check out some of the most popular meditation apps. 

5) Check in with current and future goals

We all have things we want to do, and because the summer is at the midway point of the year, it can be a useful time to reflect on our goals. What did you tell yourself you were going to start doing in January? Are there any resolutions (like more responsible travel) you are falling short on?

What are the things you have left to do, and what does the rest of the year look like with your main objectives? Use the summer season as an opportunity to set intentions and goals for your personal growth.

6) Disconnect from technology

As essential as goals are to our well-being, and as important as technology often is for these goals, unplugging from it all can be a game-changer. It gives our brain some time to unwind and reconnects us to the world around us. Who wants to be attached to a screen all day anyway (even with how much we love social media)? 

To make this happen, consider creating “tech-free” times throughout your days. This will help you enjoy the present moment, connect with loved ones more deeply, and engage in offline activities that bring you joy and fulfillment.

7) Nurture social connections

In our last tip, we mentioned connecting with loved ones. Being surrounded by people we love and respect is essential for our overall well-being, being the social creatures that we are. That’s why “nurture social connections” has also made our list. So ask yourself these questions:

  • Who are friends or family that you want to see more often? 
  • How can you intentionally make time to see more of them?

What you actually do is up to you. Maybe you plan an event with multiple people, or prioritize smaller, more intimate settings with just a few friends. Plus, you don’t even need to see them in person. If a friend lives far away, no reason you can’t schedule a Skype call to catch up!

8) Try new seasonal foods

Summer is a great time to try something different, and food certainly fits the bill. Explore the diversity of seasonal fruits and vegetables that summer brings, and try incorporating them into your meals. 

How this applies to your summer self-care? Just like exercise, your chosen diet can have a massive impact on how you feel and your overall well-being. Treat it with the attention it deserves. It’s also a great excuse to try new, healthy restaurants in the area.

9) Start new creative pursuits

Summer offers a wonderful opportunity for creative expression. Maybe this means a new writing project you’ve been wanting to start, or a new hobby like painting or photography you’ve always wanted to take up. 

Regardless, allow your creative instincts to flow. The self-expression will make you more fulfilled in your personal life, and can become a fundamental element of your overall summer self-care.

10) Prioritize rest and sleep

Lastly, a good summer self-care ritual prioritizes proper rest. Summer can be a busy season (especially if you are following some of our tips), but quality sleep is absolutely essential. One of the best ways to get this quality sleep is to establish a consistent sleep schedule. Try going to sleep and waking up around the same time each day. You might also incorporate a relaxing bedtime routine, which can help you fall asleep much quicker. Don’t neglect this one – adequate rest will leave you feeling refreshed and energized the entire summer!

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Are you an enterprise, nonprofit or small business looking for help on your website? Give us a shout! We provide a free consultation. Email us at info@lughstudio.com or call us at (718) 855-1919!

Lúgh Studio’s Ultimate Guide To AI For Nonprofits

Posted on by Eric Schenck

In today’s digital age, nonprofits are increasingly leveraging the power of artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance their marketing and fundraising efforts. AI offers a range of tools and techniques that can help organizations reach more people, raise more funds, gain valuable insights, and make data-driven decisions. 

In this comprehensive guide, we will dive into the world of AI for nonprofits. We’ll not only explore the reasons why it’s essential to embrace this technology (and what it can do for your nonprofit) but also the different ways you can maximize AI to its full benefit.

Treat this Ultimate Guide as a primer on AI for nonprofits. It’s an ever-developing technology, and we will be following up with more posts on how you can use it most effectively at your organization. 

Download your PDF version of this guide here.

Let’s dive in.

AI for Nonprofits: Why You Should Care

Artificial intelligence has revolutionized various industries. Thankfully, nonprofits are no exception. By harnessing the power of AI and using it effectively, there are a number of benefits nonprofits stand to gain. These include streamlined operations, optimized campaigns, and more sophisticated donor engagement, just to name a few.

In this section, we cover the transformative potential of AI for nonprofits. In doing so, we will highlight both the key benefits and opportunities that AI presents to nonprofits everywhere. While these will vary in relevancy depending on what your organization does, most of them are applicable to the majority of nonprofits.

Enhanced Efficiency and Productivity

Of all benefits that come from using AI, increased productivity is one of the most immediately obvious. AI technologies offer nonprofits the opportunity to automate repetitive tasks. This frees up valuable time and resources, allowing your team to spend their time on more creative tasks that push the needle faster.

Let’s take just one example: chatbots. Implemented correctly, chatbots can handle routine donor inquiries and provide site visitors with information. This takes a task that normally requires a person to always be present, and puts it in the hands of AI-assisted automation. By reducing the number of tasks that have to be performed manually, nonprofits can focus workers’ time on more creative tasks and improve their overall efficiency.

Better Decision Making

We’ve said it before, but it’s worth repeating: you have to base your decisions off of data. This is the only approach that ensures you are growing your nonprofit like you want and having the effect you know you can. Data-driven decision making is essential not only for effective resources allocation, but also for implementing the right strategies. In short, data is what drives better decision making. 

Thankfully, better decisions through data analysis is one of the biggest possibilities with AI. AI algorithms can analyze donor behavior, identify interesting patterns worth knowing, and predict trends. These are all things that are essential to know, and they’re much easier to get a read on when you implement AI. 

A big part of this is the role that predictive analytics plays. Put simply, predictive analytics utilizes AI algorithms to analyze historical data and predict future outcomes. The use for nonprofits? Well, nonprofits can then leverage these numbers to identify potential high-value donors, forecast fundraising trends, and personalize donor reach out messages.

Improved Donor Engagement

Implementing AI tools at your nonprofit has another huge benefit: improving your relationships with your donors. Thankfully, that’s exactly what AI can do.

Through the vast amounts of data that AI routinely utilizes, sophisticated algorithms are able to better tailor messages and interactions based on individual preferences. This not only increases donor engagement but also fosters stronger relationships with them. The result? Communication that is more personalized and convincing to your audience

Just think about it. Personalized email campaigns, targeted social media content, and customized donor experiences (all made possible by big data) are just some of the things you can do with AI at your nonprofit. In many ways, more personalization is the donor engagement of the future. Approach things in the right way (and with the right tools) and a better overall donor experience is yours to create.

More Sophisticated Fundraising Capabilities

AI is also great at identifying potential donors that your team may not have thought about. AI tools do this by analyzing peoples’ online behavior, social media interactions, and demographic data. This information in turn enables nonprofits to target specific audiences effectively, thus increasing the chances of acquiring new donors (as well as retaining existing ones).

We’ve already talked about the efficiency of automation, but it’s automation that plays a direct role in improving a nonprofit’s fundraising capabilities. That’s because of all the essential tasks that AI automation can streamline. This includes donor segmentation, personalized outreach, and donation tracking. These are all tasks essential to improving your ability to approach potential new donors, but they are tasks that are hardly ever prioritized. Not anymore, thanks to AI.

More Streamlined Content Creation

AI makes it quicker and easier to create content that your audience will love. Now, does that mean that you should simply type a prompt into ChatGPT (more on different kinds of software in our “Tools” section), ask it to write you a blog post, and you’re done?

Not a chance. While tools like ChatGPT can certainly help with the ideation process (and even give you an example sentence or two), its ability to provide you with “ready to go content” is still quite lacking. There’s not a whole lot of spice or variation, and much of the writing reads quite repetitive. If you are going to use AI in your content creation process, be sure to research the right way to do it. Nobody wants to read a blog or watch videos that clearly relied on AI too much.

Better Relationships With Stakeholders

Stakeholder relationships are an essential part of a well-functioning nonprofit. These are the people that believe in your mission, and often, the organizations that support you the most financially. Unfortunately, attending to stakeholder relationships is not always the most urgent  matter at hand for nonprofits.

The result? Stakeholders that support a nonprofit’s mission, but sometimes feel under-informed about what the nonprofit is doing.

AI changes that. With AI-powered performance tracking tools, your team can monitor and evaluate the effectiveness of your programs and campaigns in real-time. This data collection shows you where progress is being made, as well as where the areas are that are most ripe for improvement. The downstream effect of all of this is that you have a clearer message to your stakeholders. Because of AI, they know where you are and, most importantly, where you are headed.

AI for Nonprofits: Our Top Tips

Now that we know how AI can benefit your nonprofit, let’s cover some of our biggest tips. While each nonprofit will be at a different place in their AI journey, one thing is certain: most of these tips, implemented in the right way, will benefit most nonprofits.

Define Your Objectives and Goals

AI, in many ways, is a new frontier that is never going away. While it can be tempting to jump right into all the tools and resources you might use, it’s more effective long term to have a solid plan in place. And the first step of a good plan is defining what you actually want to achieve. So sit down with your team and ask yourself some questions:

  • What are the main goals that our nonprofit has?
  • Which tasks related to these main goals are the most important?
  • Which of these tasks would we most like help on?

Just these three questions can get you thinking in the right direction. AI can do many things, but the most important element is getting it to actually do the thing that will have a positive effect for your nonprofit.

Look At Where Your Nonprofit Currently Is

Once you have determined your goals related to AI and the objectives you want to achieve, it’s time to reflect on where you currently stand. How ready is your nonprofit to adapt to this new technology, and what is your capacity to set up new working systems that implement AI?

This process involves assessing the existing technological infrastructure in use at your nonprofit. This includes the hardware and software that you use, your current data storage capabilities, and your nonprofit’s budget that can be devoted to AI implementation. Just as important is your company culture and how open it is to using different AI tools and solutions.

A big indication that your nonprofit is already on the right track with AI is the tools that you already use. While not all tools will be useful to you (and using just a few of the right ones will always be better than many of the wrong ones), at least some will certainly help. Used right, they can make massive amounts of work much easier, and make certain goals more achievable.

Of course, the exact kinds of tools you should be using will vary widely. Be sure to check out our next section about “Tools” to get a jumpstart on picking the right ones. 

Always Be Learning

If there’s one thing constant about AI development, it’s this: things are always changing. That’s why always learning and staying on top of new trends in the AI space is essential. Of course, this should be on an organizational level first and foremost. Your managers and team leads should strive to push for more adoption of AI tools and gradual integration of them into your everyday work tasks.

However, it’s up to you to inspire a culture of learning that encourages your employees to be learning on their own time. Are you serious about embracing AI for your nonprofit? Are you ready to do what it takes to embrace all the benefits it can bring your organization, as well as the challenges it will invariably create?

If you are, it’s essential that you have a team that is properly trained to the point of being able to make good decisions fast. This requires upskilling your team or hiring staff with the necessary expertise. Assess the skills you need and identify training needs from there. This is a step that will pay dividends as you gradually build a team competent in using AI.

Maintain Human Connection

At the end of the day, both private businesses and nonprofits still need to prioritize connection with real people. Let’s face it – as wonderful as AI is, people still want to chat with other people. This is especially true with nonprofit organizations. While AI offers powerful capabilities, you need to have a balance between automation and human connections. We all value authentic reactions and personal relationships, after all. 

What this all means? 

Nonprofits should use AI to enhance, rather than replace, human touchpoints. Be sure to combine AI-driven efficiencies (several of which we’ve discussed) with meaningful human engagement. This will give you the holistic experience that donors love while generating more trust and long-term support.

Partner with Others

Like just about any other new technology, AI presents a great opportunity for deeper and more constant collaboration. If you let it, that is! Everything that AI can make quicker and more consistent (content distribution, digital campaign creation, donor reach out, stakeholder communication) is a chance to collaborate with others. With all the options, you’re only limited by your imagination.

Here are a few potential “partners” you might consider:

  • AI experts
  • Technology providers
  • Nonprofits in your industry 
  • Influencers in your niche 

The benefits of building partnerships with others (however AI may help) is enormous: more knowledge sharing, better resource pooling, joint fundraising campaigns, and higher quality collective projects. If you are going to take full advantage of everything that AI can do, be sure you’re not going it alone.

Monitor Your Results Continuously

Just like any other technology, your efforts with AI need to be monitored. As we said at the beginning, the only things that are improved are the ones you track. With that in mind, it’s worth your time to keep tabs on how your new direction with AI tools is progressing.

How you do this? While there are a few different ways you can approach monitoring AI at your nonprofit, key metrics are the essential first step. What are the goals that you most want to achieve with AI, and which metrics are the ones most closely related with these goals? These are the key metrics you should be tracking.

Be sure to understand what AI monitoring actually entails before getting started. This ensures you approach the process in the right way. As for the tools that will help you effectively monitor your AI-related results? Read on for our last section…

Top AI Tools You Might Consider

With how many businesses and nonprofits are using AI these days, it’s important that you know which tools can most benefit your own organization. That said, as we’ve already mentioned, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed by all the options. Recently, it seems like there is a new AI tool “you simply need to check out” almost every single day. 

Far more important is picking the right tools and learning how to master them. With that in mind, we end this Ultimate Guide with a list of five tools you might check out. These are all high quality and can ease your nonprofit’s transition to AI implementation. 

1) DataRobot: This is a comprehensive AI platform that enables nonprofits to harness the power of predictive analytics. It works even for organizations with limited data science expertise. Use this tool to optimize fundraising campaigns and make data-driven decisions.

2) DonorSearch: DonorSearch is a prospect research tool that helps nonprofits identify potential high-quality donors. By analyzing public data, the tool can provide you valuable insights into individuals’ financial capacity to give. Use this tool if you’re looking for more donors.

3) Salesforce Nonprofit Cloud: Robust and “all inclusive”, this software offers a range of AI-powered features designed for nonprofits. This includes sophisticated donor management, fundraising automation, and personalized engagement. Use this tool to take full advantage of the power of AI.

4) Google Ad Grants: Looking to advertise your nonprofit online, but don’t have the funds for it? Google Ad Grants is an AI-powered program that provides eligible nonprofits with $10,000 per month in Google Ads credits. Use this program if you want to get started with advertising. 

5) Hootsuite: Lastly, Hootsuite is a platform that helps you with your social media marketing. And you guessed it – recently, it has incorporated AI-powered features to make the entire process more effective. Use this tool if you want to build your audience and donor base through social media, and you want AI to help.

Conclusion

AI is here to stay. Ignore it and you fall behind the organizations that are willing to learn how it works. 

Download your PDF version of this guide here.

Embrace AI for nonprofits, however, and you are able to increase efficiency, personalize your donor interactions, and run more effective fundraisers. What’s not to love?

Lúgh Studio’s Guide To Responsible Travel

Posted on by Eric Schenck

In today’s world, travel has become a significant part of many people’s lives. However, as the impact of tourism on the environment and local communities becomes more evident, the concept of responsible travel has gained importance. 

At Lúgh Studio, we believe that travel can be a transformative experience that respects both the planet and the people. In this guide, we will explore what responsible travel means. We will also provide five tips you can apply to your next trip if you want to start traveling responsibly.

What Does Responsible Travel Mean?

Before we dive into our tips for responsible travel…what does it actually mean? When somebody mentions “responsible travel”, what are they actually talking about?

Responsible travel is about more than just simply visiting new places. It involves making conscious choices that not only maximize the value you can get from traveling, but also minimize the negative impacts you can have. 

When we discuss “responsible travel” in this blog post, here are the three things that we mean:

  • Environmental stewardship. If you’re going to travel responsibly, you need to prioritize the preservation of natural environments. What exactly this means? Think about minimizing the waste you produce, conserving energy and water where possible, and maybe even supporting eco-friendly accommodations. By being mindful of our actions, responsible travel becomes less of a one-off act and more of a habit.
  • Cultural respect. Responsible travel involves respecting cultural differences. This includes local customs, traditions, and the communities that you come across. It will also mean that you need to be sensitive to cultural sensitivities. Different countries and places simply do things differently, and you can’t expect everybody to think the same way that you do. By immersing ourselves in local experiences, we not only get more value out of travel, but do so in a way that is respectful to all we come across.
  • Ethical wildlife interaction. Our last kind of responsible travel is all about how you treat the wildlife that you come across.  Responsible travelers prioritize ethical wildlife encounters. This means avoiding activities that exploit or harm animals, such as wildlife exploitation or interactions that disrupt natural behaviors. Instead, choose experiences that focus on conservation, rehabilitation, and responsible observation.

How To Travel Responsibly: 5 Tips

Now that we understand the three main principles of responsible travel, let’s explore some practical tips to incorporate them into your journeys:

1) Research and plan your trip

Before embarking on a trip, research your destination’s culture, customs, and environmental challenges. Traveling responsibly, and all that it entails, is much easier when you have a plan in place. That’s why you want to research a bit before your trip. 

And not just the typical questions of “where to stay” or “how are we getting there”…but questions that are a bit deeper.

  • Are there any sustainable alternatives?
  • How much of a carbon footprint will this trip have, and are there any ways that we can offset it?
  • What chances will we have to more deeply interact with the local community at our destination?

These are just a few things you might ask yourself during the planning process.

2) Support local communities

For many of us, travel is all about the interactions you have with people. They show you a new way of life, and can leave you feeling freshly inspired. But if traveling responsibly is one of your priorities, it’s not enough to simply interact with the people you come across. You’ll want to support them, as well!

That’s why support of local communities is so high on our list of tips. Of course, how you do this will vary depending on the kind of trip you’re taking. Maybe you make sure to buy souvenirs from the local markets. Perhaps you simply make sure to eat at local restaurants. And if you’re feeling up for the challenge (and have the opportunity), you can even consider volunteering or participating in community-based initiatives that benefit the local people. Not only is this a responsible way to travel, but it’s an engaging one as well!

3) Reduce your environmental footprint

Studies show that traveling is responsible for as much as 10% of global CO2 emissions. That said, how much of an environmental impact you end up having is really up to you. If you want to minimize the damage you do, there are a ton of ways to make environmentally responsible decisions. Here are just a few ways.

  • Take public transportation or eco-friendly transportation options when available
  • Choose an eco-friendly tour operator with a reduced carbon footprint 
  • Support accommodations that prioritize sustainable practices
  • Invest in reputable carbon offset projects

By making conscious decisions that minimize your environmental impact, you are traveling in a way that harms the planet as little as possible. This applies to not just natural resources like trees and air, but the animals that rely on them. You’re also being a great role model for anybody that takes interest in your travels.

4) Conserve natural resources

When it comes down to it, we are all consumers. Even if you don’t necessarily purchase too many things, we are still consuming every day. This is even more true during travel. Whether it’s food, gas, electricity, or everyday purchases, traveling can often result in more consumption than your day-to-day life.

Thankfully, there are always things we can do differently in order to conserve natural resources. Here are just a few to keep in mind during your trip:

  • Save water and energy by taking shorter showers
  • Turn off lights and air conditioning when leaving your accommodation
  • Respect protected areas
  • Never leave litter behind.

These are things that don’t take all that much extra effort. However, magnified over several trips and turned into a lifestyle, they are actions that can start to have a sizable impact.

5) Educate yourself and others

Like so many things in life, responsible travel is a continuous process of learning. This type of travel is a great goal to have, but it’s not something you are going to “get right” on your first try. And that’s ok. As long as you are trying your best, you can have a real effect through your attempts to travel responsibility. 

The one requirement is that you are open to learning. Continuously educate yourself about responsible travel practices and share your knowledge with others. Raise awareness among fellow travelers, friends, and family about the importance of responsible travel – you never know what knock-on effect your actions will have!

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Are you an enterprise, nonprofit or small business looking for help on your website? Give us a shout! We provide a free consultation. Email us at info@lughstudio.com or call us at (718) 855-1919!

Q3 Success: Tips And Strategies For Nonprofits

Posted on by Eric Schenck

It’s the first week of July, which means…quarter three (Q3) is upon us! With the year already halfway over, it pays to ask the question: how can I drive Q3 success at my nonprofit?

Q3 is a critical period for nonprofits, and with the right strategies in place, organizations can make a significant impact on their fundraising goals. With that in mind, we have created this post of seven Q3 tips and strategies. These actionable tips will not only set you up for a successful next quarter, but maximize the impact you can have.

Q3 Success: 7 Tips And Strategies

Plan Engaging Fundraising Campaigns

Q3 presents an ideal time to launch engaging fundraising campaigns. Create a compelling narrative around your cause, set clear goals, and tailor your campaigns to resonate with your target audience. You might also consider planning the most important elements of your upcoming campaigns: what kind of storytelling you might include, any powerful visuals you’ll need, and testimonials that can add the perfect emotional element.

Regardless of the types of campaigns you’re planning, remember to give yourself plenty of time. Better to get started too soon rather than too late!

Leverage Social Media Platforms

Social media marketing is so important because it offers vast audience reach and engagement potential. If you want to utilize it to its full potential in Q3, you need to develop a strong social media strategy. For a successful Q3, this can include utilizing features like live streaming, interactive polls, and donation buttons.

Before you get started, though, make sure you’re clear on which platforms you’ll focus on. Twitter, LinkedIn and Instagram are just a few that nonprofits can capitalize on. Any content you put on these platforms should be both engaging and compelling. 

Build Partnerships And Collaboration

Q3 success often has a lot to do with how much you’re willing to collaborate. All nonprofits are looking to have a good quarter, and collaboration is a chance to tap into new audiences and raise visibility of your organization. It’s also an opportunity to pool your resources, which can make goals for both partners easier to reach.

Collaboration in Q3 is all about identifying the right partners. This includes other nonprofits, but you might also consider private businesses or influencers that are aligned with your mission. Read up on the best ways to build an audience for more background on best practices. 

Engage Donors With Personalized Communication

Personalized communication is one of the most important aspects to running a successful nonprofit. That’s because it keeps your donors interested in what you are doing and makes sure they are actually engaged with what you have to say. Q3 is no different.

So how do you actually get that personalized communication? The answer is in the tools that you use. Many email service providers and CRM’s will make it easy to segment your audience based on their interests, donation history, and engagement levels. You can then follow up with tailored communication and targeted messages. Your donors will feel more valued and connected to your cause – making better donations more likely.

Optimize Your Website For Donations

Your website and user experience are two of the most important factors for Q3 success. That’s because they are two of the only things you really have true control over. Think about it: your content reach, the people that see your ads, how many people interact with a specific campaign – in many ways, these things are out of your control.

But as for the people that come to your website? Well, it’s in your power to make sure that their experience is a pleasant one that points them to donations. Your website is a powerful tool for driving donations, and you need to treat it with the time and attention it deserves. Simplify the donation process by offering multiple payment options, optimizing the donation form for mobile devices, and minimizing the number of required fields. These are just three things that will result in a more successful Q3.

Empower Peer-to-Peer Fundraising

Peer-to-peer fundraising is a powerful strategy to expand your donor network. It’s basically a way of encouraging your supporters to create their own fundraising campaigns on behalf of your organization. Think about it for a few moments, and you start to see just how powerful this strategy can be.

To set yourself up for a great Q3, you’ll want to provide your audience with the right tools. This might include fundraising toolkits, social media graphics, and “swipe copy” that they can include when promoting your fundraiser. Looking for even more tips? Think about establishing friendly competitions and certain incentives to motivate participants and maximize fundraising results.

Utilize Email Marketing

Our last tip for Q3 success is all about effective email marketing. This channel remains an effective communication channel for nonprofits because it’s one that you have control over. Whereas social media and content marketing are often at the mercy of algorithms and attention spans, once you have somebody’s email address, you can control when you communicate directly with them. Just as we mentioned in tip #5 about your website, this control can make all the difference. 

An email marketing strategy that works will include segmented campaigns, personalized content, and compelling calls-to-action. You also want to be sure that you send regular updates, impact stories, and exclusive offers to engage donors and nurture relationships. If you are looking to have your best Q3 yet, this intentional email marketing is a must!

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Are you an enterprise, nonprofit or small business looking for help on your website? Give us a shout! We provide a free consultation. Email us at info@lughstudio.com or call us at (718) 855-1919!

How To Build a Better Customer Journey

Posted on by Eric Schenck

A better customer journey is essential to a thriving business. It’s how you bring in a consistent stream of leads and delight them as they get to know you. It’s also how you turn strangers into happy customers that have such a positive experience with your brand they talk about you everywhere they go.

Sound like a dream? It doesn’t have to be – as long as you take the time to build a better (and more efficient) customer journey.

In today’s post that’s exactly what we are diving into: what a customer journey is, why it’s important, and our top tips for creating a better one that works on autopilot.

What Is A Customer Journey?

Let’s first cover exactly what a customer journey is. While there are a number of definitions you can use, here is how we would define it:

The entire lifecycle of interactions that a customer has with your brand, everything from first hearing about you to post-purchase support. 

As you can see, a customer journey is a broad concept, and can be applied to just about every stage of interaction you have with your audience. 

This has a number of implications. Here are a few you should keep in mind at all stages:

  • Because a customer journey encompasses all touchpoints, nothing should be considered too “unimportant” for consideration
  • Depending on the type of business, the journey that a customer goes through can include both online and offline interactions
  • A true customer journey never really stops, even after someone has purchased one of your products

Understanding and optimizing the entire process that somebody goes through with your company is crucial. Not only does it make it more likely that each interaction a prospect has with your brand is positive, but by doing so, increases the odds that they become a paying customer. 

Taking the time to craft a better experience for your audience is well worth the investment. Let’s now see how to approach the process. 

5 Tips For A Better Customer Journey

Making a better customer journey involves a number of steps, and different businesses will start at very different points with the process. 

That said, here are five tips that will apply to just about any company.

Create Customer Personas

This is the first and most common step when working towards a better customer journey. Customer personas are profiles you create that represent your target audience segments. What your customer needs, how they prefer to shop, where they work, what demographic groups they belong to – these should all be considered when creating customer personas. 

Only by going through this first step will you be able to understand the exact kind of customer journey you should be aiming for.

Map Out Your Current Customer Journey

Once you have your customer personas set up, it’s time to map out what your current customer journey looks like. This will allow you to see what exactly you are working with, as well as where you can change things. What exactly this step entails? 

To get the best results, make this as tangible as possible. Create a visual representation of the journey, highlighting each stage and touchpoint. Where do people first become a member of your audience? Where do they most commonly consume your content? What sort of email automations might they be entered into? These are all areas of consideration, and they should all be mapped out. 

Provide Consistent Omnichannel Experiences

Once you know what your current customer journey looks like, it’s time to dive into the kinds of channels you should be active on. Ideally, your company wants an omnichannel presence. This ensures you meet your ideal customer where they are – not simply where it’s “most convenient” for you. 

Of course, customers expect a consistent experience across multiple channels and touchpoints. The way you speak to them on Twitter, for example, should be consistent with the tone you take in welcome email sequences.

Leverage Data And Analytics

If you are striving for a better customer experience, it pays (literally) to go by the data. No use building your customer journey based on a “hunch” – follow the analytics! Paying attention to data gives you insight into your audience’s behavior, preferences, and pain points. Actually acting on it creates a journey that they love, mapping out a seamless transition from “just heard about you” to “happy paying customer.”

That’s not to say that you need to measure every possible statistic, however. In fact, trying to do that can often lead to analysis paralysis. Better to measure only what you need in order to act. Be sure to check out some of the most important analytics you need.

Collect And Act on Feedback

As you go through the process of creating a better customer journey, it’s worth periodically collecting feedback from your audience. What do they like about interacting with your organization? Do they enjoy the kinds of content you produce? Is the onboarding process for your products relatively easy to follow?

These are all questions you can ask your audience, and their answers can be essential in crafting a customer journey. As for how you go about getting this feedback? There are really a number of ways – anything from sending out direct surveys to your email list to reading customer reviews online. Regardless of the method, just remember this: your customers are the ones you are building a better experience for. Their opinion should be treated like gold.

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Are you an enterprise, nonprofit or small business looking for help on your website? Give us a shout! We provide a free consultation. Email us at info@lughstudio.com or call us at (718) 855-1919!

6 Resources For Better Fundraisers

Posted on by Eric Schenck

When you’re researching resources for better fundraisers, it’s easy to get overwhelmed. Where do you start? What kind of tools or resources do you actually need? How can you be sure that the ones you are using are actually worth your time?

Today this is exactly what we are covering: seven resources you should consider if you want to run better fundraisers, as well as some specific recommendations from each category.

6 Resources For Better Fundraisers

1) Donor Management:

If you are looking to invest in resources for better fundraisers, a good donor management software is a great place to start. This is software that provides nonprofits with comprehensive tools to manage donor relationships. Most software will also track the total amount of contributions, analyze donor data, and much more. 

The effect? Streamlined fundraising efforts, better donor relationships, and more targeted fundraising strategies. If you’re ready to get started with a good donor management software, consider either Bloomerang or DonorPerfect. These are both relatively easy to use and make your fundraising efforts much easier to get a birds eye view of.

2) Crowdfunding Platforms:

Almost every fundraiser can benefit from a good crowdfunding platform. These are great tools that enable your nonprofits a way to engage a broader audience and raise funds for specific projects or campaigns. Plus, depending on which one you use, they can spread word of your fundraiser. This gets more people on board, which results in more donors for you.

To be most effective, make sure that the platform you choose is easy to use. This will ensure you actually spend the time getting to know the main features you can implement. If you are looking for a crowdfunding platform to start using, Kickstarter or GoFundMe are a great place to start. These have both been used to raise millions of dollars for various nonprofits – is yours next?

3) Email Marketing:

We’ve said it many times before, but here it is again: email marketing is a great way to market just about anything. That’s because the people on your email list are the people most likely to be interested in what you have to say. This is equally applicable to nonprofits as it is to private business. Indeed, do email marketing right, and you can nurture donor relationships, promote your various fundraisers, and target the people on your list most likely to give.

Of course, be sure that you pick the right email service provider for your nonprofit. This is one of the most important decisions you will make when using new resources for better fundraisers. The correct ESP will allow you to easily build and manage email lists, create visually appealing newsletters, and automate email campaigns. Two of the best include MailChimp and ActiveCampaign.

4) Social Media Management:

Social media marketing can be a great strategy for nonprofits looking to improve their fundraisers. And if you’re one of them, you might consider a solid social media management tool. Here are just a couple of things these tools can do for you:

  • Schedule and publish posts across multiple platforms
  • Engage with your audience across multiple platforms in one place
  • Measure the impact of your social media efforts.

It doesn’t take long to see the benefit of such a tool. Even if your nonprofit doesn’t use social media heavily, it can still make your fundraisers more successful. With that in mind, you might consider the tools Hootsuite and Buffer. These both are easy to use and give you just about every feature you need. They also both have extensive tutorials online that can teach you just about everything you need to know.

5) Data Analytics:

A fundraiser not based on data is a fundraiser that’s almost guaranteed to underperform. Just like any other marketing activity. By analyzing data, organizations can optimize their fundraising strategies, identify potential donors, and make data-driven decisions to enhance their fundraising efforts. Still, that’s easy to say, and much more difficult to actually implement. When it comes time to act, what are the data analytics tools you should consider?

Many nonprofits (ourselves included) implement Google Analytics as part of their repertoire. It has solid data and can be as simple or as advanced as you need. You might also think about giving Tableau a try, a tool that’s well known for its effective simplicity.

6) Event Management:

Let’s be honest: any fundraiser could accurately be considered an “event.”  And if you are looking to get the best results out of yours, it’s worth thinking about event management software. Pick the right one, and event management softwares can maximize attendance, raise engagement, and increase the overall amount of funds you end up receiving.

If you’re looking to go down this path of event management software, we can recommend Eventbrite. Not only does this software both simplify the planning and execution of fundraising events, but it ensures a seamless experience for both organizers and attendees. Check it out!

Our Favorite Resource For Better Fundraisers

If you’re looking to invest in resources for better fundraisers, FundraiseUp is one which we swear by. Fundraise Up provides the tools you need to increase conversion, enable modern payment methods, and personalize the giving experience for every donor.

With new features added all the time, and an emphasis on smart AI implementation, just about any fundraiser can benefit from FundraiseUp. 

Check it out here.

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Are you an enterprise, nonprofit or small business looking for help on your website? Give us a shout! We provide a free consultation. Email us at info@lughstudio.com or call us at (718) 855-1919!

The Importance of Social Proof: Part 1

Posted on by Eric Schenck

In today’s digital age, establishing trust and credibility with your audience is essential for the success of your organization. It’s how you get people to pay attention to what you have to say, buy your product, or donate to your cause. One powerful tool that can help you achieve this trust is social proof.

This is the psychological tug where people rely on the actions and opinions of others to guide their own behavior…and we all experience it.

In this blog post, we will explore why social proof is so important. We will also give you five ways you can implement it to start driving more results.

Why Social Proof Is So Important

Social proof plays a vital role in the success of your organization. Here are just a few of the reasons why:

Establishes Trust

How do you get to trust a brand? While there are numerous ways it happens, one of the quickest is simply by seeing that others have had positive experiences with them. This is the entire point of social proof: it reassures potential customers that they can rely on a company’s products and services. This makes it more likely that an organization can convince you to take a certain action – whatever that action may be.

Boosts Conversions

The natural result of increased trust is a higher number of customers. Simply put, social proof directly contributes to a higher conversion rate. Think about your own online shopping behavior. Are you more likely to buy a product that has 100 reviews, or one that has 1,000? Pretty much everybody thinks the same – if you are trying to get more business, more social proof is one of the quickest ways to get there.

Sets You Apart From Competitors

Social proof, while important for long term success, is almost never urgent. Most businesses have far more pressing matters on their hands. While this is understandable, it also has one important implication: gathering social proof (and displaying it in a way that has some effect) is simply not a priority. This creates a huge opportunity for your organization. If you are willing to devote the time to it, social proof can set you apart from your competitors. Indeed, whoever has the most is likely going to win.

Builds Brand Reputation

Taken together, the first three benefits of social proof create perhaps the biggest reason it’s so important: brand reputation. Simply put, the more social proof you have, the more people start to recognize you. This creates a cycle that can have a ton of benefits for your organization: more opportunities to collaborate with others, more opportunities for “big name” donors to join in, and more “word of mouth” marketing in your favor. Take it seriously, and social proof can be the catalyst of a growing company or non-profit.

Let’s now move on to five main ways you can implement it. 

Tips for Using Social Proof (1-5)

Customer Testimonials

Testimonials are one of the very first things you should gather. Indeed, testimonials from satisfied customers are one of the most effective forms of social proof. Once you have them, display them prominently on your website and other marketing materials. Ensure the testimonials sound real and genuine – these are the most effective testimonials you will ever read.

Compelling Case Studies

Develop in-depth case studies that showcase how your products or services have positively impacted your customers’ lives or businesses. This is especially relevant for nonprofits. What has your organization done recently, what were the positive effects, and why should yoru audience care? You now have a convincing case study. Remember to include relevant data, measurable results, and compelling narratives to make them more persuasive.

User-Generated Content

We have highlighted before why user-generated content is so important: it is more authentic than just about anything your organization can produce, and more convincing than any “professional quality” content you might have. As for how you get it? Encourage your customers and donors to share their experiences with your brand on social media and other platforms. Repost this and watch the magic happen.

Collaboration with Micro-Influencers

Influencer marketing is more and more a part of modern day marketing. Regardless of what type of brand you have, it can be a great form or social proof. The fact is, because of their relatively small reach, micro-influencers have a much more intimate connection with their audience than bigger names. These are the people that you should approach for some kind of partnership (assuming they align with your brand value). Their authentic endorsements of your products or services can significantly boost credibility and reach.

Expert Opinions and Endorsements

Looking for one of the most convincing forms of social proof? Consider testimonials or endorsements from recognized authorities or industry experts within your niche. Their validation and expertise can have a profound impact on your brand’s reputation and the trust customers place in your offerings. It’s important to remember that you will have very different kinds of people in your audience. Some people will see user-generated content and will immediately take an action (purchasing or donating) if the content speaks to them. Others need a bit more “professional” social proof to do the convincing. This is where expert opinions come in.

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Are you an enterprise, nonprofit or small business looking for help on your website? Give us a shout! We provide a free consultation. Email us at info@lughstudio.com or call us at (718) 855-1919!

Lúgh Studio’s Ultimate Guide To Storytelling For Nonprofits

Posted on by Eric Schenck

Storytelling has become an essential aspect of marketing and communication for nonprofits. Stories have the power to engage, inspire, and connect with people on a deep level. This means that organizations can use them for a variety of benefits, and that those that learn how to tell stories effectively give themselves a competitive advantage.

In this ultimate guide, we explain everything you need to know to make storytelling work for your nonprofit. We will start with a common definition of what storytelling actually is as well as why it’s so important for organizations to get right. We will the move on to how exactly you can improve your storytelling for nonprofits, and provide resources to help you with the entire process.

Let’s dive in.

Download your PDF version of this guide here.

What is Storytelling?

Let’s first start with a definition of storytelling. While storytelling can mean different things to different people, here is a basic definition that most would agree on:

Storytelling is the art of conveying a message through a narrative or a sequence of events. 

It is the way humans have been communicating since the beginning of time. A good story has the power to captivate an audience. Through the narrative it shares, a story can hold a person’s attention, make them feel something and (critically) get them to take a specific action. In our context, storytelling for nonprofits is all about communicating the organization’s mission, vision, and impact. 

This can take many forms. We will dive into specific tips later, but let’s first explore some specific reasons why storytelling is so powerful.

Why is Storytelling for Nonprofits Important?

Storytelling is critical for nonprofits because it is an effective way to connect with people on an emotional level. Research shows that people are more likely to remember and act on information presented in the form of a story rather than facts or statistics.

This reality of stories has a number of positive implications for a nonprofit. Here are four of the most important effects that a good story can have:

  • Creates Emotional Connections: Stories have the power to evoke emotions and create connections with people. By sharing personal stories of people impacted by the nonprofit’s work, organizations can create empathy and emotional connections with their audience.
  • Increases Engagement: A good story holds an audience’s attention. Because it’s interesting, it will get people to listen better than just about anything else. This attention is essential for nonprofits to effectively communicate their message and inspire action (also one of the main effects).
  • Builds Trust: People will only support organizations that they trust. Thankfully, sharing stories of a nonprofit’s impact and success can help build trust with supporters, donors, and volunteers. Give potential donors tangible examples of a nonprofit’s work, and share them in story format, and you are on the road to success.
  • Inspires Action: Perhaps most importantly, good stories get people to do something. Effective storytelling for nonprofits can create a sense of urgency and demonstrate the impact that individuals can have. This has a direct effect on an audience’s motivation, which can lead to more frequent action (no matter what that action looks like).

Now that we know why storytelling is so important for your nonprofit, let’s see how to actually improve it. Below you will find nine of the most reliable ways to make your storytelling better, more engaging, and more interesting to your audience.

9 Ways to Improve Storytelling for Nonprofits

1) Know Your Audience

Just like many marketing strategies, successful storytelling requires first and foremost knowing your audience. Who are you talking to? What does your audience look like, and what conditions in their life might make them interested in any story you have to tell? 

Before creating any story, it’s essential that you research and understand who you are actually speaking to. This is an essential part of any kind of audience building. More importantly, it’s how you ensure that the story you are crafting is actually one that will work with your audience. Consider their values, beliefs, and interests – then tailor your story to resonate with them.

2) Craft a Compelling Narrative

A compelling narrative has a clear beginning, middle, and end. It takes the audience on a journey that means something – not just a description of things that happened.. Think about what story you want to tell and how to structure it to engage your audience emotionally. This narrative ensures people actually pay attention long enough for you to influence their behavior.

It might be worth your time to consider how stories are often told. The Hero’s Dilemma and Three Act Structure, for example, are just two common methods. Putting your story in a common framework organizes your narrative in a way that your audience will appreciate. 

3) Show, Don’t Tell

One of the most common mistakes people make in storytelling is the overuse of details. Think of an amateur writer who packs a scene description full of as much information as possible; it’s exhausting to read. In many ways, storytelling is the same. Nobody wants to read a story that drowns them in background detail before it even gets started. That’s why you need to rely as much as possible on showing in your stories rather than telling. How you do this?

Descriptive language that not only paints a picture in your audience’s mind, but also immerses them in the story. Your audience is smart – showing them details of a story rather than telling is not only more effective, but also more respectful of their time.

4) Use Emotion

A story without emotion is not a story; it’s simply a series of events. The people in your audience are full of a wide variety of emotions – treat your stories much the same. Storytelling should tap into the happiness, sadness, anger, or fear that your audience experiences throughout their lives. Only then will you be able to connect with people on a deeper level.

As for the exact emotions you should have in your story (and where to include them)? This will be highly dependent on the story you are trying to tell. Is it a happy story about one of your organization’s clients? Or maybe a sad story about some of the early challenges a beneficiary has faced? These will be two very different narratives. Either way, be sure to read up on using emotion effectively in stories.

5) Keep it Simple

Simple stories can often be the most effective. Think about book or movie plots that simply got too complex. How did you react? If you are like most people, the overly complicated plot made the story too complex or difficult to follow. Odds are that you felt your attention slipping, or even worse, stopped paying attention altogether.

The way to prevent this problem is to keep your stories simple. Avoid the trap of thinking that a story worth telling has to be complicated – it doesn’t. Avoid using jargon or complex terminology that could confuse or alienate your audience. Think about it: this is probably exactly what your favorite books or shows do. You can explain the general plot quickly, and most people listening would immediately know what it was about. This should be the approach you take with your storytelling.

6) Create a Connection

If you are using storytelling in your marketing, you need to connect with your audience. This is how you inspire emotion in people and get them to take the desired action (whether purchasing something or donating to your cause). Indeed, creating a connection is one of the most important things we try to establish in most of our marketing. So – how do you do it effectively?

Anything that demonstrates the similarity of you and your audience is a good place to start. For example, try highlighting shared values or experiences. This will make your story feel personal and more relatable. Do this consistently throughout all of your storytelling, and you show people why they should remember your organization when it comes time to donate.

7) Include Conflict

Life is messy. Things don’t always work the way they should. Bad things happen to good people, and despite the best plans, sometimes stories can take a turn for the worst. Thankfully, conflict can make your audience more engaged and invested in the way your story unfolds.

Indeed, this is the role of conflict in your storytelling. It creates tension and drama, and can help keep your audience interested. Try focusing on a challenge or obstacle that your organization has faced, and show how you overcame it. People don’t want to just see a positive outcome – they want to see everything you overcame to get to that point. Of course, try not to include too much conflict. Even if it’s true, it can come across as overly negative and not inspiring to people that otherwise might donate to your cause.

8) Use Humor

People want to laugh. It makes a story more enjoyable and interesting. When used effectively, humor can also make your story more relatable to your audience. Nobody is perfect, and sharing things in a humorous way reminds everyone that your organization is made up of real people. Humor can take many forms. It’s up to you to reflect on how your organization can use it most effectively in your marketing. 

Of course, how you go about using humor makes all the difference. Use it too much and your organization comes across as unprofessional or, even worse, uncaring. Too little, and your organization might seem a bit too serious for people to really connect with your mission. Regardless of how you choose to use it, here’s the golden rule: be mindful of your audience and use humor appropriately in your storytelling.

9) Make it Relevant

Lastly, a factor that should hang over all of your storytelling efforts: relevance. What does your story have to do with the person that is consuming it? Why should they care? If your story is irrelevant to the person reading or listening to it, there’s not a lot you can do to keep their attention. The fact is, an irrelevant story is fighting an uphill battle and will almost certainly fail to engage your audience.

This is where relevance is key. Your story should be relevant to your audience and the work that your organization does. Why should your audience care? What about your organization’s mission impacts normal people, and why should your audience listen to what you have to say? Use your story to illustrate the impact that your organization has had and how your audience can get involved.

Resources for Better Storytelling

Good storytelling for nonprofits is a constant learning process. And if you are making new content and running new campaigns, as you should, you’ll always need new ones to tell.

With that in mind, here are some of the best resources you can use to improve your storytelling skills. Your organization’s stories will be unique, but these resources have information that can be applied universally.

StoryBrand
This organization offers a framework for businesses and nonprofits to clarify their message and create effective storytelling. StoryBrand provide workshops, online courses, and consulting services to help organizations create clear and compelling stories that resonate with their audience. Looking for the most important information to implement immediately? Check out the StoryBrand book.

The Moth

The Moth is a non-profit organization dedicated to the art of storytelling. They host live events around the world where people can share their personal stories. The Moth also has a podcast, radio show, and YouTube channel where listeners can hear captivating stories from a diverse range of people.

TED Talks

Always informative, TED Talks are known for their engaging and inspiring storytelling. Many of the talks feature speakers sharing personal stories that connect with the audience on a deep level. Watching TED Talks can be a great way to learn from some of the world’s best storytellers and get inspiration for your own storytelling.

Pixar in a Box

Not as well known as these other resources, but every bit as impactful, Pixar in a Box is an online curriculum created by Pixar Animation Studios and Khan Academy. It offers free courses on various aspects of filmmaking, including storytelling. These courses are designed to help people learn the storytelling techniques used by Pixar and apply them to their own projects. A great chance to learn from the masters!

CreativeLive

Lastly, CreativeLive is an online learning platform that offers courses on a variety of creative topics like storytelling. They also have courses on writing, filmmaking, and human psychology. This makes CreativeLive a great resource for anyone looking to improve their storytelling skills in a more structured way.

Conclusion

As a nonprofit, storytelling is one of the most powerful tools you have at your disposal. Done right, it can get people to pay attention, clarify your organization’s mission, and inspire emotion in your audience so that they choose to act. Of course, that is the caveat: you need to do it right.

One last thought: anything can be a story. Always be on the lookout for material that would be of interest to your audience, and think of ways that you could tell a story about it. Connect it to your organization’s main cause and you are in business! 

Download your PDF version of this guide here.

We hope our ultimate guide to the craft can be helpful. Be sure to download the PDF version of the guide for handy reference. Happy storytelling!

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Are you an enterprise, nonprofit or small business looking for help on your website? Give us a shout! We provide a free consultation. Email us at info@lughstudio.com or call us at (718) 855-1919!

8 Underrated Copywriting Tips

Posted on by Eric Schenck

We have talked numerous times about the importance of good copywriting. It acts as the glue that brings together your organization’s communication and, done well, can convince people of the message you are trying to convey.

Still, even if you have become a copywriting master, there is always room to improve. With that in mind, here are eight underrated copywriting tips you might consider if you’re looking to take your writing to the next level.

8 Underrated Copywriting Tips

1) Write with your non-dominant hand

Writing with your non-dominant hand can be a fun and unconventional way to stimulate your brain. Also, because you are breaking the familiarity of your dominant hand, this exercise allows your brain to explore new neural pathways. This can lead directly to new levels of creativity.

Writing in this way  may initially feel awkward and challenging (especially if you never write copy with a pen and paper in the first place). Still, give it a chance. Embrace the messiness and let your thoughts flow onto the page. You’ll be surprised by the unique ideas and fresh perspectives that might emerge.

2) Use emojis strategically

In recent years, emojis have become an integral part of modern communication. These little icons add visual interest, convey emotions, and inject personality into your writing. Indeed, they can bring a playful and relatable element to your copy that words sometimes lack. Where you might actually use them?

Well, within the right context, nowhere is off limits. Consider your headlines, subheadings, body copy and where emojis might spice things up. Word of warning, though: if you’re going to use emojis, make sure they actually align with your brand voice. Nothing worse than coming across as unprofessional.

3) Write on a different platform

Sometimes, a change of scenery is all you need to spark your creativity. Step away from your computer and experiment with writing on alternative platforms. This might mean grabbing a whiteboard or, as we’ve already mentioned, a pen and paper.

After all, the act of physically writing can activate different parts of your brain, helping you approach copywriting from a fresh perspective. Regardless, you might be surprised with how a slight switch in your writing 

4) Create a character

Regardless of whether or not you’re a private business or nonprofit organization, people connect with humanization. It’s what builds a deeper connection and makes your audience feel like they are part of something bigger. That’s where creating a character comes in. This character should embody the values of your audience. Give this character a name, personality traits, as well as a unique perspective.

By speaking directly to your audience through this character, you create a more intimate and engaging experience. This is where your copywriting will shine.

5) Use storytelling frameworks

Storytelling is a timeless art that captivates audiences and drives engagement. Do it right, and you bring your audience along for a ride (with a lesson) that they aren’t likely to forget. Do it wrong, and your messaging falls flat. At worst, people stop paying attention. This is where storytelling frameworks come in handy. Consider methods like the hero’s journey or the three-act structure– these are just two frameworks that create compelling narratives in your copy.

Like any effective story, copywriting that is infused with compelling storytelling can tap into your audience’s emotions, hold their attention, and leave a lasting impact. In fact, it just may be one of the most underrated copywriting tips you can consider.

6) Write at different times of the day

Everyone has their optimal time of day when creativity and productivity are at their peak. In fact, for the life of a writer, this is one of the first things they will consider. Some writers find their creativity in the morning, while others thrive during the quiet hours of the night.

However, if you are looking for a different experience altogether when crafting your copy, going directly against your established norm can work wonders. Experiment with writing at various times to discover your most productive and inspired moments. Maybe you decide to stick to your routine. That’s ok! However, switching things up just a little can pay dividends when it comes time to craft your copy.

7) Use a random word generator

Unleash your imagination and overcome writer’s block by using a random word generator. This kind of tool is just what it sounds like – it generates random words with little input from yourself. The point? To get unexpected input that can give you ideas for your writing that you might otherwise not have had.

Even if you don’t include the new content in your copywriting, a random word generator can push you outside your comfort zone and force you to think laterally. This can act as a springboard for fresh copy ideas that you may not have considered otherwise.

8) Experiment with different tones

Copywriting is an art of adapting your voice to connect with diverse audiences. That’s where our last underrated copywriting tips comes in. Try exploring a range of tones, from serious and professional to light-hearted and humorous. Serious tones may be appropriate for conveying authority and trust in professional settings, while a lighter tone can be engaging and relatable in more casual environments.

This kind of approach makes your writing more flexible and adaptable to the relevant audience. The result is copy that speaks more clearly to the people you are trying to reach.

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Are you an enterprise, nonprofit or small business looking for help on your website? Give us a shout! We provide a free consultation. Email us at info@lughstudio.com or call us at (718) 855-1919!

How To Get More Email Subscribers: Part 2

Posted on by Eric Schenck

Growing an email list is important for your organization, no matter if it’s a nonprofit or a private company. That’s why we shared ten ways to get more email subscribers.

Today, we are continuing with Part 2. Below you’ll find ten more ways to grow your email list, as well as advice on how to implement each one

How To Get More Subscribers: 11-20

11) Collaborate with Influencers

Partnering with influencers can help you reach new audiences and get more email subscribers. The trick is partnering with the right ones. To get started, identify influencers that work in your same industry and present the most important details. What kind of promotion do you have in mind? This could be anything from sponsored posts to social media shoutout(consider using Instagram for your business). What would be required on their end? 

Most importantly, what do they stand to gain by partnering with you? By choosing influencers that align with your brand, you can use their audience to grow your own in a way that benefits you both.

12) Run a Webinar

Hosting a webinar on a topic related to your business can offer value to potential subscribers. This not only gives them something they can use, but is a good way to grow your email list, as well. How? Well, it’s quite common to require attendees to sign up with their email address to attend the webinar. This is just one common best practice of running a virtual event.

Make sure that you choose a topic that is relevant to your audience and provide valuable information during the webinar. Afterwards, you will need to follow up with attendees via email and offer additional resources or information related to the webinar topic. This is a place where effective email automations can really help you out. 

13) Use Content Upgrades

It’s true: nobody likes it when they have to give their email address in order to access exclusive content. Still, done right, this can be an excellent strategy in getting more email subscribers. That’s why it’s important that you do it right.

Here are just two things to keep in mind:

  • Make your free content high quality. Good content marketing will bring people to your site and position yourself as a high authority source of information worth listening to.
  • Naturally transition between your free content and the content people have to sign up for. For example, maybe you put a freely accessible blog post on link building on your site. You could then dive deeper into each tactic in a video that they had to sign up for. This is a great and natural transition.

Execute on these two points and content upgrades can be a valuable part of your list building efforts.

14) Create a Quiz

Quizzes are a great lead magnet. Not only are they fun, but they differentiate you from a lot of your competition in the way that you engage with your audience. They also allow you to give your site visitor a more customized experience, as most people’s quiz results will be slightly different. 

So what’s the trick? It’s important that you create a quiz that aligns with your business and actually gives your audience information of value. This requires a quiz that is both engaging and relevant to your audience. As for how you actually make one and add it to your site? Check out these handy tools that make the process easy.

15) Attend Events

While we often associate building an email list with your digital efforts, in-person events can also be worth your time. That’s because events in your industry are a great opportunity to network and make connections. This can naturally lead to more interest in your business or organization, a fundamental stepping stone to more email subscribers. 

The golden rule? Make sure to have a way to collect email addresses, such as a sign-up sheet or iPad. Like always, be sure to follow up with attendees after the event and offer additional information or resources.

16) Host a Podcast

Podcasts are more popular than they’ve ever been. They are a great way to provide value to your audience, and like all content marketing, can showcase your expertise. Of course, you need to be sure you are actually creating a podcast that’s not only useful, but enjoyable to listen to. Keep in mind podcast best practices when getting started.

To use the platform for more subscribers, you can include a call-to-action in each episode that directs listeners to your email list. Be sure to incentivize signing up. Maybe, for example, you give listeners who sign up through your podcast a free piece of content that nobody else has access to.

17) Use Exit Intent Popups

Exit intent popups trigger when a user is about to leave your website. They can be useful because they act as a “last resort” to get valuable contact information from site visitors. They have also been shown to be more effective than popups that display too soon.

Like most of these tactics, it’s important that you give people a reason to sign up to your list. This can be a discount code for one of your products or any kind of free resource they would find valuable. As for the effectiveness of the popup itself? Make sure it’s visually appealing and obvious enough for your site visitors to act on it if they choose to.

18) Offer a Free Trial

For all the talk of free content acting as a great lead magnet, free trials are often even more effective. That’s because they give your audience members something immediately actionable: access to your product or service. 

Of course, how you go about the free trial will make all the difference. If you have several products, for example, make sure that the trial you offer is directly relevant to the user. You also want to make sure the time frame is in the sweet spot. Too short and not enough people will opt in. Too long and you don’t effectively implement urgency to your advantage.

19) Use YouTube

While not great for converting your audience to paying customers (leave that to your email marketing), third party platforms can be great for building your audience. They are a great place to put your content, educate new people, and (you guessed it) build your email list.

That’s where YouTube comes in. People are consuming more and more videos – why not use it to your advantage?  Include a call-to-action in your videos that directs viewers to subscribe to your email list. And, like always, make both your free content and what you offer in return for their email valuable and relevant.

20) Host a Twitter Chat

We will finish this post with one more platform–specific recommendation: Twitter. Hosting a Twitter chat on a topic related to your business is a great way to generate interest around your organization. Assuming the information you provide is valuable enough, it can also be a great way to grow your email list.

Like anything, reduce as much friction as possible. If people want to sign up to your email list directly from Twitter, it should be as quick and easy as possible.

By implementing these 10 in-depth tips, you can effectively grow your email list and reach more potential customers. Regardless of the tactics you implement, always provide value to your audience and offer incentives that are relevant. Keep this in mind  and a larger (and more profitable) email list is yours for the taking!

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Are you an enterprise, nonprofit or small business looking for help on your website? Give us a shout! We provide a free consultation. Email us at info@lughstudio.com or call us at (718) 855-1919!

Video Marketing For Nonprofits

Posted on by Eric Schenck

Video marketing is an essential tool for nonprofits. Not only does it have a number of benefits, but it’s also the preferred content type for much of your audience these days. 

However, effective video marketing for nonprofits requires a plan. Dive into our post today for everything you need to know.

Why Video Marketing is Important for Nonprofits

In today’s digital age, video content is more popular than ever before. In fact, according to a study by HubSpot, 81% of businesses already use some form of video as a marketing tool. While this may not come as a surprise, the study also shows that a full 85% of consumers say they want to see more video content from brands.

This makes video marketing an effective way for nonprofits to tell their story and connect with their audience. In addition, video marketing for nonprofits helps create emotional connections. That’s because video can display many more emotions than just text. 

The result? A quicker way to both convey important information and inspire action. 

Here are a few more reasons why video marketing for nonprofits is so essential:

  • Showcase your work. What is it that your nonprofit is doing, and what kind of results are you getting? Video is great at showing it all.
  • Increase your reach. With more and more people consuming video content, video marketing is where your audience’s attention is. Conversely, if you are only running a blog, you are not getting in front of nearly as many people as you could be.
  • Attract new donors. Looking to increase your total number of donations? Video marketing builds trust like nothing else, which naturally results in more people willing to donate to your cause.

Video marketing, as we can see, is one of the most beneficial things for nonprofits to invest in. Done right, it can be a major component of your marketing strategy.

As for how you actually approach it for the most success? Let’s move onto the next section…

6 Tips for Video Marketing for Nonprofits

1) Define Your Goals

Before starting any video marketing campaign, nonprofits must clearly define their goals. What are you trying to achieve? Do you want to raise awareness about your cause? Maybe attract new donors? Or perhaps you simply want to showcase the impact of your work? Regardless, clear goals will help nonprofits create a more targeted and effective video marketing strategy.

2) Know Your Audience

Who is actually watching the videos you make? This is an important question you need to answer before getting started, because it will help you create videos that speak directly to your audience. The result? Videos that create more personal connection and action.

3) Create Engaging Content

The holy grail of effective content marketing is content that your audience actually likes. For nonprofits, this rule is the exact same as for private businesses: you simply must create videos that people actually want to consume. This means videos that are engaging and emotionally impactful. You might, for example, include stories of people who have been impacted by your work. 

4) Keep it Short

Attention spans are short – especially online. Nonprofits must create videos that are short and to the point. This means capturing the audience’s attention quickly, and if it’s a video that is longer, maintaining that attention. Be sure to check out video best practices for length.

5) Optimize for Search

Good search engine optimization is important regardless of the content you are making. This ensures you are being found by people that are looking for you, and that your videos are being shown to an audience that actually finds them relevant. How nonprofits can be sure they are actually optimizing their video content for search? By including relevant keywords in the title, description, and tags.

6) Tell a Story

A video isn’t enough in and of itself to connect to an audience – you actually have to connect with the people watching it. That’s where storytelling comes in. Whether about the people you serve or the results that you’ve seen, storytelling is a powerful technique when combined with video marketing. Be sure to implement it in your videos when appropriate for the best results.

The Best Video Marketing Platforms for Nonprofits

While there are various platforms you might choose when creating and publishing videos, there are a few that will usually bring the best return on the time and effort you invest. Here are some of the best that nonprofits should consider: 

1) YouTube

No surprise here. As the second-largest search engine after Google, YouTube is an excellent platform for nonprofits to share their videos. This is where your audience is, and the platform provides a great way to increase your reach.

2) Vimeo

This is another popular video platform. Vimeo offers a range of features, including customizable players and analytics tools, and is a great option for nonprofits trying to increase their video output. 

3) Facebook

If you implement a decent amount of social media marketing, Facebook can also be a good option for your nonprofit’s video strategy. With over 2.9 billion active users, the platform is an excellent option for nonprofits to share their videos and reach a wider audience.

4) Instagram

Just like Facebook, Instagram can be a great platform if you are trying to reach a large number of users. Consider Instagram if you are a nonprofit focusing on short-form videos, as the platform makes it easy to showcase this length.

5) Wistia

This is a video hosting platform that is ideal for nonprofits looking for more control over their videos’ branding and distribution. That’s because Wistia has numerous features that put the power in the hands of the creator. Check out more details here.

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Are you an enterprise, nonprofit or small business looking for help on your website? Give us a shout! We provide a free consultation. Email us at info@lughstudio.com or call us at (718) 855-1919!

How To Improve Your SEO: 12 Tactics To Help

Posted on by Eric Schenck

Quality search engine optimization (SEO) is an essential aspect of digital marketing for any business or organization. It increases a website’s visibility and drives more traffic over time. This positively drives many other “sub goals” that most organizations have.

Are you looking to improve your SEO? Here are 12 actionable tips on how to use SEO effectively to get seen by your target audience.

12 Tactics To Improve Your SEO

1) Conduct Keyword Research

Keyword research is the foundation of any effective SEO strategy. Using tools like Google Keyword Planner or SEMrush can help identify relevant keywords that your target audience is searching for. If you want to improve your SEO with your keyword research? Be sure to incorporate these keywords into your website’s content, headings, meta descriptions, and URL’s (more on this later).

2) Create High-Quality Content

Once you’ve conducted your keyword research, it’s time to create content. High-quality content is crucial to attracting and retaining visitors to your website. This is true regardless of your niche, and relevant for both private businesses and nonprofits. The key? Focus on creating informative, engaging, and unique content that your target audience will find valuable.

3) Optimize Your Website for Mobile

More and more people are using mobile devices for browsing the internet. With this in mind, it’s important to ensure that your website is optimized for mobile. While this can mean a lot of things, here are the most important factors to consider: responsive design, images that are optimized, and a website that loads fast. Focus on this and it will pay dividends over time.

4) Use Descriptive URL’s

It’s directly harming your SEO if you are using URL’s that are either confusing or non-descriptive. The solution? Descriptive URL’s that actually mean something to your audience. Ensure that you are using URL’s that include your target keywords, as well as avoiding generic URL’s that provide no value (or information) to the user.

5) Optimize Your Title Tags

Title tags are usually the first thing users see in the search engine results page (SERP).  The importance of them (and making sure they are optimized) can’t be overstated. With that in mind, be sure that you are using targeted keywords in your title tags, as well as words that ensure that your title tag is relevant to the content on the page.

6) Build Backlinks

Many high quality backlinks are an important factor in improving your SEO. There are many ways to approach this tactic, and a variety of different strategies you can implement. Still, it helps to have a few best practices in mind while building more backlinks to your site. Check out these tactics to get started.

7) Use Alt Tags

Alt tags are descriptions of your images that help search engines understand the context of the image. This makes alt tags essential if you want to improve your SEO. Unfortunately, they are also one of the more “forgotten” aspects of SEO. The solution? Be sure to use targeted keywords in your alt tags to improve your website’s visibility.

8) Use Header Tags

Good SEO requires high quality content. Not only the topics you educate your audience about, but the way you structure your content as well. If you are creating and sharing blog posts, header tags are one of the best ways to do this. They not only make your content easier to read, but show search engines that your content is relevant. This is great if you want to improve your SEO.

9) Optimize Your Meta Descriptions

Meta descriptions provide a summary of your website’s content in the search engine results page. This is important to your SEO results, because this is the first thing many people will see. Like many tactics listed here, the solution is to use targeted keywords. You should also ensure that your description is engaging and relevant to the content on the page.

10) Improve Your Website’s Load Time

Want to know one of the destructive factors to effective SEO? A slow website. A slow-loading website can negatively impact your search engine rankings, and can make the user experience incredibly frustrating. Use tools like Google PageSpeed Insights to identify and fix issues that slow down your website’s load time.

11) Use Social Media

Overall, social media is a great way to drive traffic to your website. Over time, given enough visitors to your different pages, this inevitably improves your search engine rankings. Of course, what exactly you do on various platforms will depend on your company’s approach to social media marketing. Reflect on how to use it effectively (and consistently) for the best results.

12) Track Your Progress

None of these tactics to improve your SEO mean much if you don’t measure your results. To ensure you do, you need to implement the right tools – and do it consistently. A tool like Google Analytics will help you track the right KPI’s like website traffic, bounce rate and search engine rankings. This will give you a good read on the areas you need to improve – essential if you want to improve your SEO.

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Are you an enterprise, nonprofit or small business looking for help on your website? Give us a shout! We provide a free consultation. Email us at info@lughstudio.com or call us at (718) 855-1919!

Lúgh Studio’s Ultimate Guide To Networking For Small Businesses

Posted on by Eric Schenck

Networking for small businesses is an essential part of growth. Indeed, by connecting with other professionals and potential clients, there are a whole host of benefits most businesses in just about any industry can experience. 

That’s exactly what this guide is for: everything you need to know about networking for small businesses. In this guide, we will first discuss what exactly networking is. We’ll then continue on with why it’s important, as well as a list of our most actionable tips for doing it the right way. We will then finish with a list of resources that you might find helpful.

Let’s dive in.

Download your PDF version of this guide here. 

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What is Networking For Small Businesses?

Networking is the act of making connections and building relationships with other professionals in your industry or related fields. This can include attending events, reaching out to others through social media or email, and generally making yourself visible to those who may be interested in what you have to offer.

Clearly, networking can take many forms: anything from attending industry conferences and meetups to connecting with other business owners in your local community. It is an ongoing process that requires effort, persistence, and a willingness to put yourself out there.

Something to remember is that networking is relevant to most organizations. Doesn’t matter if you are part of a non-profit, a small business just starting out, or a giant corporation. Keep that in mind as you are reflecting on the information in our guide.

Why is Networking for Small Businesses Important?

Networking is essential for small businesses for several reasons. Here are just a few of the benefits you can expect to experience if you start taking it more seriously:

Building relationships

New relationships with other people and businesses is perhaps the biggest benefit of all. Treat these as an end in themselves. True relationships that last develop from not immediately expecting some benefit from the other party.

That said, these relationships can have a long-lasting impact on your own business. You never know what they will lead to. Plus, they help build trust and credibility, which is the first step towards the rest of the benefits below.

Firstly, it allows you to build relationships with other professionals who may be able to refer clients or provide valuable advice and insights 

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Accessing more resources

Networking can provide small businesses with access to resources such as industry information, expert advice and funding opportunities. All of this is information they might not otherwise be able to find, and it’s information that can have a “game changing” impact on a business’s development.

This is especially important for small businesses looking to expand. Even just one valuable insight applied over a long enough time frame can make a huge difference. Be sure to keep this one in mind when planning your networking efforts. 

Learning from others

Similar to the last one, networking can be a valuable learning experience. By connecting with others in your industry or community, you can gain insights and perspectives you might not otherwise have. This can help you improve your business practices and make better decisions.

Just about anybody can teach you something. This could either be businesses more successful than yours, or ones that are just starting out. Approach networking with a mind that’s eager to learn, and you might surprise yourself with the valuable bits of knowledge you pick up along the way.

Building your audience

One interesting benefit of networking is putting your brand in front of more people. Take your content marketing strategy as an example. If you network with another company, there is a decent chance that you collaborate on interesting content for either of your audiences. 

In modern-day marketing, this can have a ton of positive effects. More brand awareness and positioning your company as an industry expert are just two. Of course, it’s important to treat content marketing with a long-term view. Often, the benefits of content marketing don’t happen immediately and take time to nurture, so just be sure to keep this in mind! 

By attending industry events, speaking at conferences, or writing articles for industry publications, you can raise your profile and make a name for yourself. 

Adding new customers

Finally, the most directly beneficial effect of all: more customers. What you see with networking for small businesses is that there is quite often a direct positive effect on how many people you are able to reach. Naturally, this can result in more paying customers for your own business.

Still, as we’ve mentioned before, don’t approach networking with other companies as a way to get a quick dollar. The most effective networking is one which treats new relationships as ends in themselves. Keep this in mind no matter what you do.

By connecting with potential clients, you can increase your chances of winning new business and growing your company.

Tips for Networking for Small Businesses

While “networking” can take many shapes and sizes (virtual events vs. in person, giant conferences vs. one-on-one meetings), there are a few best practices you should keep in mind. Follow at least a few of them for the best possible networking success.  

Invest in it for the long term

As we’ve said before, networking for small businesses should focus first and foremost on relationship-building. This is how you network in a way that’s sustainable. The main goal? Meeting new people and businesses that you can share experiences and insights with. This ensures you are truly investing in other companies with the long-term mindset necessary to success. Approach networking with this mindset and you set yourself up for better results over time.

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Define your objectives

Before attending any networking events, you need to know exactly what you want to achieve. Think about what you are doing, who you will be meeting, and the context of the networking. What is your main goal? This is where “defining your objective” comes into play (anything from securing a new deal for your company, to simply introducing yourself to five new people). Being very clear about what you want to accomplish will help you to be more focused and make the most of your time.

Prepare an elevator pitch

An “elevator pitch” is a brief, persuasive speech that you use to spark interest in you or your business. The point? To be able to quickly distill exactly what it is you do – regardless of the kind of networking you are taking part in. This elevator pitch should be clear, concise, and memorable. Practice your pitch until you can deliver it naturally and confidently. This will allow you to be efficient with your own time, as well as avoid wasting the time of others.

Lead first with value

You get value from networking by first providing value. What can you give this person or business? How can you help them? Who do you know that they should talk to – and can you make an introduction? These are all questions that provide value first before asking for anything in return. This is how you make yourself valuable to other businesses, and is the start to a kind of networking that pays you in dividends.

Utilize the right tools

There’s nothing wrong with the traditional “introduce yourself at an event” kind of networking. That said, times have changed. Not only are there networking events that happen completely digitally, but you can now contact people that otherwise haven’t heard of you. For that you need the right tools. This can be anything from running ads, to joining online networking groups, to targeting people via cold email. Regardless, make sure you research the best networking tools that you might use.

Listen more than you talk

As we’ve already mentioned numerous times, networking is not just about selling your business. It’s also about building relationships and learning from others. With that in mind, it’s important to prioritize listening over talking. This shows genuine interest in what others have to say and gives you more opportunities to learn from people. Of course, this can be difficult to do when you are excited about a potential opportunity for your business. Follow this advice to ensure you are listening enough.

Follow up

After a networking event (or even if you met somebody spontaneously), it’s essential that you continue the conversation. Otherwise you risk forgetting about the other person – or worse, the other person forgetting about you! That’s why you need to perfect the art of follow up. Send a personalized message, connect on social media, or invite them for a chat over coffee. This will help you to build and maintain relationships and increases the likelihood that that networking actually goes somewhere. Struggling for ideas on how to follow up in a way that increases the odds of a response. Check out this helpful guide.

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Be patient

Building a network takes time. And if you are doing it the way you should (providing value before asking for anything in return), it should. In fact, as many studies show, effective networking can take more time than you expect. But this is where the best networking results come from, and how you build relationships that actually last. So don’t expect immediate results. Rather, be patient, consistent, and keep showing up – regardless of whether that is continuing to send cold emails for introductions or attending networking events.

Networking is a critical part of building a successful small business. By following these tips, you can make the most out of your networking efforts and build a strong network of contacts that can help you grow your business. 

Indeed, networking for small businesses is an ongoing process. The more you put into it, the more you’ll get out of it!

Resources

Lastly, we’ll finish this guide to networking for small businesses with some resources you might consider. These are either tools or organizations that can propel your networking efforts and give you better results, faster.

LinkedIn

LinkedIn is a professional social network where businesses can connect with potential clients, partners, and employees. It allows you to build a professional profile, post updates, join groups, and participate in discussions. You might also consider trying out LinkedIn ads.

Meetup

This is a platform that allows businesses to join groups and attend events with people who share similar interests. Generally, Meetup is also a great way to meet new people. Consider it if you are looking for ways to promote your business over time.

Chamber of Commerce

The Chamber of Commerce is a network of businesses that work together to promote economic growth and development in their community. Joining a local Chamber of Commerce can help you easily find other business owners to connect with. It will also give you the chance to attend networking events and gain exposure for your business.

American Marketing Association (AMA)

Looking for training, resources, and networking opportunities that will make you a better and more well-rounded networker? Look no further than the AMA. Overall, this is a great resource for businesses that want to improve their marketing skills and connect with other marketing professionals.

Delivery Truck

Freelancer’s Union

Networking as a freelancer can bring its own unique set of challenges. Thankfully, there are great organizations like the Freelancer’s Union, which provides resources and support to freelance workers. This includes health insurance, retirement planning, and (you guessed it) networking events.

By utilizing these resources, small businesses can expand their networks and gain access to valuable resources and support. Be sure to check out the ones that most resonate with you, and don’t be afraid to research for other resources that might be more applicable.

Conclusion

It’s important to remember that networking is not just about meeting new people. It’s about building and maintaining relationships over time. 

Download your PDF version of this guide here. 

By focusing on building strong relationships and providing value to others, small businesses can establish themselves as trusted partners and grow their business over time. Good luck with all your efforts.

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Are you an enterprise, nonprofit or small business looking for help on your website? Give us a shout! We provide a free consultation. Email us at info@lughstudio.com or call us at (718) 855-1919!

How To Run Effective Promotions: A Guide For Small Businesses

Posted on by Eric Schenck

Promotions are a key tool for small businesses. Done right, they can effectively attract new customers, reward loyal ones, and ultimately drive sales. 

But with so many businesses offering promotions, it’s important to stand out from the crowd.

In this post, we’ll explore why promotions are so useful for small businesses. We will also share six tips for running effective promotions that you can start applying immediately. 

4 Reasons Promotions Are So Useful

There are many different ways to run effective promotions. This includes what you give away, who you target, and the extra value you decide to give away.

We will dive into specifics in the next section. For now, here are four benefits you can expect to experience through a promotion well-done.

Attract new customers

Every company wants more customers. Thankfully, promotions are a great way to meet this goal. That’s because a solid promotion will put your brand in front of a bunch of new people who may not have otherwise discovered your business. By offering a discount or free item, you can entice potential customers to try your products or services for the first time.

Reward loyal customers

What about existing customers? Well, promotions are great for those too. One with enough value is a great way to show appreciation for people that have already bought from you in the past. Indeed, by offering exclusive discounts or rewards, you can foster a sense of loyalty and keep customers coming back.

Increase sales volume

One of the best ways for a company to become more profitable is to get customers to spend more on average. This is where promotions can play a big role. By incentivizing customers to make larger purchases (or buy more frequently), promotions increase your overall sales volume. Here’s just one example to get you thinking creatively: a special discount for customers who have spent over a certain amount. They feel appreciated, and you make more money. It’s a win-win.

Build brand awareness

Lastly, effective promotions build brand awareness. As we discussed in the first point, that’s a result of promotions (done well) going out to a certain number of people that have never heard of your brand. While this does indeed result in more sales, brand awareness has many more implications. Bigger and better brand awareness results in more positive word of mouth marketing, a higher number of reviews, and more opportunities for bigger brands.

As for how you actually  set up effective promotions to experience these four benefits? 

While there are a number of different factors to consider, read on for our six main tips to effective promotions.

6 Tips for Running Effective Promotions

1) Define your goals 

Before launching any promotion, you need to have specific goals. Different promotions will vary widely on their “end goal” depending on the company running them. It’s worth the time spent reflecting on what exactly you want to achieve, because that will affect almost every decision you make along the way. For example, are you looking to simply increase the number of sales? Or perhaps you are trying to add new email subscribers to market to them later. Regardless, don’t skip this first step!

2) Know your audience

Who are you trying to reach? Or put another way: who is your audience? To create a promotion that resonates with your target audience, you need to know who they are. You also need to have a good read on what motivates them. How you get this knowledge? Conduct market research to understand your customers’ needs and preferences. You can then tailor your promotion accordingly.

3) Offer bonuses

This is one of the most important steps in running an effective promotion. Often, it’s not enough to simply run a promotion and hope for the best. Plenty of other companies are competing for your audience’s attention. Bonuses or incentives are how you “sweeten the deal.” This might take a little creativity. What is something that you audience would find a lot of value in, and what is something that makes sense to market alongside your promotion? This is a good place to start.

4) Time it right

Timing is everything when it comes to promotions. Launching a promotion at the wrong time can result in lower sales or a missed opportunity. For example, launching a summer-themed promotion in the middle of winter? Not the best idea. You might also consider the last time you ran a similar promotion. Your audience can get “promotion burn out”, which is another consideration you have to make when it comes to timing. Check out this guide for more information on timing a promotion right.

5) Set a clear timeframe

Urgency is one of the most important parts of an effective promotion. Simply put, people won’t act if they have too much time. That’s why having a very clear timeframe for your promotion is so essential. Of course, be sure to communicate the dates straight from the beginning. People need to know how much time they have to buy.

6) Create effective marketing materials

A promotion will flop if it’s not marketed properly. It doesn’t matter what you are promoting, how good of a deal it is, or how targeted your audience is. The fact is, good marketing is essential. That’s where “eye-catching” marketing materials come into play. What exactly these are? Could be anything from a great ad, to a descriptive sales page, to a convincing email sequence led by storytelling. Regardless, remember that your promotion won’t market itself!

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Are you an enterprise, nonprofit or small business looking for help on your website? Give us a shout! We provide a free consultation. Email us at info@lughstudio.com or call us at (718) 855-1919!

How To Get More Email Subscribers: Part 1

Posted on by Eric Schenck

As we have talked about numerous times, email marketing is essential for most businesses.

But how do you add more subscribers? Yes, email marketing (whether or not that includes a consistent newsletter) is a vital part of your marketing plan…but you need to have a sizeable list in the first place.

This is the topic of our new series: how to add more email subscribers. This will include two parts, and today we are sharing Part 1. 

Let’s dive into the first ten strategies now.

How To Get More Subscribers: 1-10

Keep in mind that all of these can help you increase the number of newsletter subscribers. It’s up to you to reflect on which ones are the most relevant to your own situation. 

1) Create Valuable Content

Content marketing is an essential part of modern day marketing. That’s because it educates your audience, gains their trust, and positions you as an authority that they might buy from (or donate to). One other natural side effect? More email subscribers. Of course, offering something in return is guaranteed to get you better results. Which brings us to the next point…

2) Offer a Lead Magnet

While you can simply ask people to sign up for your email list, offering something in return will almost always perform better. This is where lead magnets come in handy. A lead magnet is a valuable piece of content that you offer to your website visitors in exchange for their email address. There is a wide variety of options when it comes to what your lead magnet actually looks like (e-book, white paper, checklist, etc.). The one golden rule? Make sure your lead magnet is not only valuable to potential signups, but is something they actually want.

3) Use Pop-up Forms

Pop-up forms: nobody likes them, but you can’t deny that they work well. Extremely well, in fact. Regardless of your personal opinion on pop-up forms, consider giving them a go. They are a highly effective way to collect email addresses from your website visitors, and are even more effective when paired with a lead magnet. You might also consider using “exit-intent” pop-ups. These appear when a user is about to leave your website.

4) Optimize Your Website

Specifically, organize it for lead generation. LINK You’d be surprised how many websites are either a pain to use (so much for user experience), or aren’t set up for lead generation. If you want more email subscribers, this is hurting your ability to get them. So how do you do it? One of the quickest ways is to place sign-up forms in prominent locations on your site (your homepage or the sidebars), although there are many ways you can improve your results. 

5) Use Social Media 

Once you’ve set up your website to consistently generate more email subscribers, it’s time to get more people to your website! There’s a number of ways to do this. Indeed, depending on your situation, there’s likely no one “right answer” for this objective. However, social media can be an excellent tool at your disposal. Include links to your sign-up form in your social media profiles and share updates about your newsletter regularly.

6) Use Paid Advertising

Another way to get more people to your website (or sign up for your email list directly) is paid advertising. There are multiple platforms to use, so be sure to look into what the best option for your own company would be. This might include Google Ads or social media ads that target your ideal audience. The key phrase here is “ideal audience.” There are a ton of people out there who perfectly match your ideal subscriber – you just have to go find them. Paid advertising is a great way to do just that.

7) Host a Contest or Giveaway

If you want more subscribers, contests and giveaways are a great way to do it. That’s because they are effective at incentivizing people to sign up for your email newsletter – much the same way that a good lead magnet is. The process here is similar: offer a prize that is relevant to your target audience and make sure that the entry form requires an email address. You can even give away multiple prizes if you can manage it.

8) Partner With Other Brands

Collaboration is one of the best ways to gather more email subscribers. As we have pointed out in past posts, working with other brands puts you in front of people who might know you. This builds interest in your company or nonprofit, and gets you better results than working on your own. How you go about it? Reach out to people in your industry, and make them a valuable offer. This could be a direct payment, but there are plenty of ways to approach an offer. 

9) Test Everything

While trying to add more email subscribers, you will be trying a variety of strategies (just this post has 10). One rule of thumb that will help you, regardless of which you decide to try? Testing everything. This will ensure you are getting the best results and continuously trying new things out – one of the essential steps to success! 

10) Use Referral Marketing

Our last tip for adding more subscribers is all about getting your existing subscribers to do the work for you. Encourage your existing subscribers to refer their friends and colleagues to your email newsletter. Of course, it’s important that you offer them something in return. What do they get for each new subscriber? For every five? Consider something like a discount or exclusive content.

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Are you an enterprise, nonprofit or small business looking for help on your website? Give us a shout! We provide a free consultation. Email us at info@lughstudio.com or call us at (718) 855-1919!

10 Ways To Provide Immediate Value To Clients: Part 2

Posted on by Eric Schenck

A few months ago we covered some of the best ways to provide immediate value to your clients. In this article we covered 5 specific tactics.

Today we are delivering “part 2.” Enjoy these tips and test out the ones you think are most applicable to your own client’s situation. 

How To Provide Immediate Value To Clients (6-10)

6) Create more lead magnets for them

For many businesses, email marketing represents a huge opportunity. In the era of different social media platforms vying for the attention of your potential customers, email is the exact opposite. It’s a direct line of communication, and done right, something that people actually look forward to reading. 

This is why it’s important to have an engaged list. However, second only to list engagement is list size. Simple math, but a larger list is usually one that will be more profitable. Because of this, consistently creating more lead magnets is a must.

Think about what your client’s audience might benefit from. What are the problems their typical customer faces, what are the solutions, and what kind of free content could you give away that provides that solution? This is a great place to start for a lead magnet likely to convert well.

7) Improve their copy

Better copywriting can have results for just about every aspect of a business. That’s because regardless of what you are offering, ineffective communication through writing almost guarantees underperformance. 

Luckily, better copywriting doesn’t require a ton of changes. Often, just implementing a few quick wins will set you on the path to better results long term. As for places you might actually implement this copy for quick results, check out this post here. 

8) Implement more proven customer psychology

The fact is, everybody you are selling to is subject to the same thinking processes. That’s what makes us humans. If you don’t understand this, and use it to your advantage, it’s almost assured that your client’s results will be worse than they could be. 

Here are some of the emotions we all experience, as well as how you might appeal to each one with your clients’ audiences.

  • Greed. People want to get ahead in life. They want more money, more status, and more material possessions, even if what they already have is perfectly sufficient. Consider marketing your client’s offers as things that will help their audience “get ahead.”
  • Envy. The fact is, we all compare ourselves to others, even if we are unaware of it. This means that a lot of our purchasing decisions are driven by the need to somehow be better than others. How might you position your client’s product to appeal to this emotion? 
  • Nostalgia. Is your client selling something that somehow attaches their customers to the past? If they are, you have a chance to bring them back to a time that they remember fondly.

9) Improve their calls to action

Your client’s website is all about getting people to take action – regardless of what the “action” actually is. This can be anything from getting people to sign up for an email list, to watching a video, to actually taking out their credit card and purchasing something.

Unfortunately, just as we saw in the section on “sales pages” in part 1, poor communication often results in underperformance. No matter how good your offer is, failing to describe it will simply won’t inspire people to act. This is where effective calls to action come into play. 

This goes back to the importance of good copywriting. Even if your offer (free or paid) is excellent, it’s simply not going to matter if your calls to action are lacking. Here are a few tips for creating CTA’s that actually convert.

10) Pair content creation with keyword research

Our last point is one of the best ways to provide immediate value to clients. While any content is usually better than no content, the content that will get your client the best results is often backed by data. You simply don’t want to be spending a ton of time creating content you don’t know people will actually find value in.

This is why keyword research is so important.

Here are a few quick tips for making the most of your keyword research:

  • Choose topics that combine high volume with low competition. These are topics a lot of people are searching for on search engines, but not a lot of people are creating content for. Prioritizing these topics increases the odds you actually rank for the keywords.
  • Consider how closely related certain topics are to your product. Even if a topic has traffic and is easy to rank for, it should at least be somehow related to your product or service. Otherwise it will be quite difficult to make the jump to pitching your offer!

If you are interested in diving deep into this topic, check out Ahrefs. This is one of the best keyword research tools on the market, and they also have a wonderful blog you can check out for free. 

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Are you an enterprise, nonprofit or small business looking for help on your website? Give us a shout! We provide a free consultation. Email us at info@lughstudio.com or call us at (718) 855-1919!

The Ultimate Guide to Hosting a Virtual Fundraising Event

Posted on by michailah

In recent years, virtual fundraising events have become increasingly popular among nonprofits. The COVID pandemic, in many ways, has only accelerated this trend. After all, for a few years, traditional in-person fundraising events were nearly impossible. This made virtual fundraising events a necessary alternative.

All things considered, hosting a virtual fundraising event can have a host of benefits for your organization. Still, it’s a big undertaking, and it can be difficult to know where to start.

In our latest ultimate guide, we are giving you everything you need to know to successfully run a virtual fundraiser. This includes best practices as well as some resources you can consult for further education.

Let’s dive in.

Download Your PDF Version of this Guide Here

9 Reasons You Should Host a Virtual Fundraising Event

Let’s first cover some of the reasons why you might consider hosting a virtual fundraising event. Each organization is different, so be sure to reflect on which of these benefits are most relevant to your own.

Reach a larger audience: A virtual fundraising event simply lets you reach more people. That’s because there are a ton of people that can attend that wouldn’t have been able to for an in-person event. This not only expands your audience, but increases your fundraising potential.

Cost-effective: Let’s be honest: in-person events can be expensive. Not so (usually) with virtual events. That’s because a virtual fundraising event allows you to save money on things like venue rental, catering, and transportation of guests. This makes them a great option for organization on a budget.

More flexibility: Whereas an in-person event will usually follow a strict schedule, virtual fundraisers have a bit more freedom. Simply schedule your event at any time and date that suits your audience. You can even directly ask them via email what date works best for them! This keeps you flexible with your planning.

Accessibility: Virtual events are accessible to just about everybody. All you need is reliable internet connection. This makes them quite accessible to people who might otherwise not attend an in-person event (think about people with any kind of disabilities). If they can make it to a computer or any device with internet, it’s possible for them to attend.

Increased engagement: While not every virtual event will be all that engaging, it’s up to the host to make it so. Consider interactive features like chat rooms, polls, and Q&A sessions. With these features, the people attending your event feel more inclusion and better connect with your organization. This creates a sense of community and increases the odds for donation.

More data: Virtual fundraisers, when set up correctly, provide you with more data than traditional events. That’s because you can track attendance, engagement, and fundraising progress in real-time. Wondering how to do it? Check out these tools for different options for collecting actionable data. 

9 Reasons You Should Host a Virtual Fundraising Event

Easier to share: One of the quickest ways that virtual events gain momentum, even before they take place, is through people sharing. Luckily, a virtual fundraiser makes this quite easy. Indeed, all your attendees really have to do is share a link with people they think might be interested. The obvious effect? Increased reach and exposure.

Less environmental impact: Many organizations prioritize lessening their overall environmental impact. Thankfully, virtual events make this easy to do. They require far less energy and resources than in-person events. This not only makes them better for the environment, but is more likely to attract potential donors who have similar values.

More creative options: Lastly, a virtual event opens the door to a ton of potential creativity. This is true at all stages of the event, all the way from planning the fundraiser to how you follow up with attendees. You might also create engaging content promoting your fundraiser in a way that is tailored to your audience. When it comes to creative options for a virtual fundraiser, you are really only limited by your team’s imagination!

Now that we’ve seen some benefits of a virtual fundraiser, you can better understand why your organization should consider hosting one. Let’s move on to the most important steps in setting one up.

Steps for Hosting a Virtual Fundraising Event

If you want to plan a successful virtual fundraising event, you need to approach it with careful preparation and execution. 

Here are the most important steps you should follow to ensure that your event runs smoothly:

Define your goals and objectives: Before you start planning your virtual fundraising event, you need to have a clear idea of what you want to achieve. A virtual fundraiser event, after all, can have a wide variety of objectives. These can include the amount of money you want to raise as well as your target audience. A clear goal will help you determine the type of event that will work best for you and enable you to create a focused and effective plan.

Choose the right platform: The platform you choose for your virtual fundraising event is critical. Look for a platform that can handle live streaming, has robust security features, and is easy to use. You might also consider what you have used in the past, as well as platforms you know your audience uses. There are many options available, such as Zoom, Google Meet, Microsoft Teams, and Facebook Live. Research each platform’s features and costs to find the best one for your needs.

Select the date and time: Choose a date and time that works best for your target audience. This includes a number of considerations, including time zones and your audience’s work schedules. It’s also essential to avoid scheduling your event on holidays or major events that could distract potential attendees. Be wary of the large number of factors that may affect participation.

Create a detailed plan: This might be the trickiest step of them all, as it’s the point where you can go a number of directions. It will involve planning out all aspects of your event (just like any aspect of your marketing). This includes the schedule, format, as well as the activities. Decide on the length of your event, the type of content you’ll present, and the order of the presentations. This is also the time you’ll want to start reaching out to potential speakers (if relevant to your event). Which brings us to our next tip…

Secure sponsors and partners: Even if a virtual fundraiser is cheaper than an in-person event, there are still inherent costs involved. This is where sponsors and partners come in. Who can help support your event financially, and which potential partners would stand to receive a benefit from sponsoring your event? It’s time for outreach. Reach out to businesses, organizations, and individuals who share your values and can help you spread the word about your event.

Promote your event: It’s now time to get the word out. This will involve using various marketing channels to promote your event and reach your target audience. Here are just a few assets you can create that will generate interest and drive more attendance to your event:

  • A benefit-driven landing page
  • Curiosity-provoking social media posts
  • Email campaigns to people that might be interested in attending your event

Here’s something else that can get great results – share your event with your current supporters and encourage them to invite others. You might be surprised at the results!

Train your team: Make sure everyone involved in the event is well-trained. They should also be very clear on what their responsibilities will be. This might include managing the chat function, monitoring donations, and presenting content. Everybody involved should also be familiar with the platform you’re using as well as any relevant tools. 

Steps for Hosting a Virtual Fundraising Event

Engage your audience: Keep your audience engaged throughout the event with interactive activities and Q&A sessions. Encourage attendees to participate in polls, surveys, and other interactive elements. Make sure your presenters are lively and engaging to keep the audience interested.

Follow up with attendees: This is one of the most important steps. The fact is, a large proportion of your event attendees aren’t going to donate during your event. That’s why follow up is so essential. After the event, be sure to follow up with attendees to thank them for their participation and share the results of the event. Send out donation receipts and updates on how the funds were used. Use this opportunity to build lasting relationships with your supporters and encourage them to participate in future events (as well as donate if they haven’t already). 

Be sure to follow these essential steps for your virtual event. This will increase the likelihood that you create an event that engages your audience, raises funds, and supports your organization’s goals.

Best Practices for Hosting a Virtual Fundraising Event

The steps above are a great plan to follow when hosting a virtual fundraising event. Here are some “best practices” that you might also consider:

Plan Ahead: The first step towards a successful virtual fundraiser is all about preparation. Give yourself enough time to plan and prepare for your virtual fundraising event. Make sure you have all the necessary technology and equipment, as well as a clear agenda and schedule for the event.

Engage Your Audience: Connection with your audience is one of the most important factors to a successful fundraising. This is true regardless of whether or not it’s virtual. As for how you do it? Consider features like polls, Q&A sessions, and live chats to engage your audience. This will also make them feel part of the event.

Be Authentic: Another key to success is authenticity. Of course, how you do this will vary depending on your organization. One of the most reliable ways to be authentic is through your messaging. Make sure your message is clear, genuine, and resonates with your audience. You might also consider certain social media marketing best practices, like sharing “behind the scenes” details of preparing your event.

Test Your Technology: As we pointed out above numerous times, preparation is key. The same goes for the technology that you use. Indeed, you have little hope for a good virtual fundraising event if your technology doesn’t work! Test your internet connection, audio and video equipment, and any other tools you plan to use. And of course, have a backup plan in case of technical issues during the event!

Make it Easy to Donate: If the point of a virtual fundraising event is to get your attendees to donate, you need to make things as easy as possible. Every extra second it takes somebody to donate makes it more likely they don’t take action. This is the importance of making things simple. More specifically, make sure you provide clear instructions and make the process straightforward. 

Use a Professional Moderator: Most virtual events will have a main host that is responsible for moderating. This is even the case if you have planned numerous speakers throughout the event. While it’s best to have somebody that is well-acquainted with your organization, often experience hosting virtual events is the most important consideration. This ensures you keep the event flowing smoothly and maintain energy and engagement throughout.

Best Practices for Hosting a Virtual Fundraising Event

Make it Fun: Nobody likes a boring event. Doesn’t matter if it’s in-person or virtual. There are a number of ways to make sure that people are having fun at your event. Try incorporating fun and entertaining elements to keep your audience engaged and excited to donate. You can also get them involved, so they aren’t just sitting behind a screen watching people speak.

Practice, Practice, Practice: Everybody has a plan until reality happens. The fact is, no matter how much you prepare, your virtual event isn’t going to go perfectly according to plan. That’s why practicing is so essential. Rehearse your event with your team to make sure everything runs smoothly. Identify any potential issues and troubleshoot them before the event to avoid any surprises on the day of the event.

Resources

Resources

Lastly, here are a few resources you might want to check out. These will help you properly prepare and execute on your dream virtual fundraiser. 

Fundraise Up: Make it easy for people during your online event to donate.

TechSoup: TechSoup provides technology solutions for nonprofits and offers a range of resources for virtual fundraising events, including webinars and guides.

Classy: Classy is an online fundraising platform that offers a guide to hosting virtual fundraising events, along with templates, examples, and best practices.

Nonprofit Tech for Good: Nonprofit Tech for Good provides resources for nonprofits looking to leverage technology for fundraising, including a guide to virtual events and webinars.

The Chronicle of Philanthropy: The Chronicle of Philanthropy provides resources for nonprofits on various topics, including virtual fundraising events.

Conclusion

Hosting a virtual fundraiser event is no small task, but we hope our ultimate guide can set you in the right direction. 

Follow the steps and best practices above, and read some of our further resources, and your next virtual fundraising event will be your best yet!

Download Your PDF Version of this Guide Here

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Are you an enterprise, nonprofit or small business looking for help on your website? Give us a shout! We provide a free consultation. Email us at info@lughstudio.com or call us at (718) 855-1919!

Social Media Marketing Trends In 2023

Posted on by Eric Schenck

Social media has become an essential part of nonprofit marketing strategy. In today’s digital age, social media platforms are some of the most powerful tools available to reach your target audience. They also play an essential part in building your brand and driving higher engagement. 

In this article, we will discuss some of the reasons why social media marketing is important for nonprofits. This includes the main benefits you can expect to receive when using them. We will also explore some of the top social media marketing trends you need to keep an eye on in 2023.

Why is Social Media Marketing Important for Nonprofits?

While each nonprofit will use social media in a slightly different way, there are a wide variety of benefits most organizations can expect. Here are five of the most important:

Reach a Wider Audience

Here’s a fact for you: there are almost 5 billion active social media users throughout the world. Simply put, if you want to go where the people are, social media platforms are a great place to start. Indeed, these platforms can reach more people than traditional marketing methods. This makes it possible (but not necessarily easy) to build and engage with a community of supporters and advocates for their cause.

Cost-Effective

Social media marketing is an affordable way for nonprofits to promote their brand and message. In fact, it’s often free. Plus, depending on your budget, you can also run social media ads for relatively cheap. This makes it much quicker than other marketing methods like organic content marketing.

Build Trust and Credibility

One of the biggest benefits to social media marketing is the trust that it builds. By engaging with followers and sharing information about their work and impact, nonprofits can establish themselves as trustworthy and reliable organizations. Through this increased credibility, social media marketing sets up a nonprofit for long term success. 

Stay Connected

Just like a social media platform allows people to stay connected with their favorite nonprofit organizations, they also connect you to your followers. What do people like? Which of your organization’s causes are they most passionate about? What kind of content resonates most with them? These are all insights that social media platforms can provide.

Increased Donations

Finally, social media can help nonprofits increase their overall donations. Because of the increased number of people you can reach (and the credibility you can build in doing so), more donations are a natural result of social media marketing.

As for how you get these increased donations? Time to cover the most important information: the top social media marketing trends you need to keep an eye on in 2023.

5 Social Media Marketing Trends for 2023

Video Content Dominates:

No surprise here. Video content will continue to dominate social media in 2023, and likely the years to come. Particularly popular are short-form videos. This includes content such as TikTok videos and Instagram Reels. Additionally, for different reasons, longer-form videos on platforms like YouTube will continue to attract audiences.

Nonprofits should consider investing in creating video content that can be shared across social media platforms. Even if your organization doesn’t have a video team, you can still get started gradually and build up from there.

Augmented Reality:

Augmented reality (AR) will continue to grow in not only popularity, but usefulness. Nonprofits can use AR to create interactive content that engages supporters and creates a more immersive experience. In this way, AR offers brands a way to enhance the overall user experience. 

Reflect on how your own organization can use this to your advantage. What are some ways that augmented reality can contribute to your connection with your donors? For inspiration, check out this ultimate guide to augmented reality.

Ephemeral Content:

Content like Instagram and Snapchat stories will continue to be popular in 2023. These temporary posts are perfect for sharing behind-the-scenes content, as well as more personal updates. This lets nonprofits showcase their work in a more casual and personal way. 

Because people love to connect on a more personal level with nonprofits, ephemeral content fulfills this need quite well! Just like anything else with social media, make sure you create a schedule and stick to it.

Influencer Marketing:

This type of collaborative marketing has gotten more popular every year, and 2023 is no exception. That’s because influencers will continue to play a crucial role in promoting products and services (as well as the services of nonprofits) to their audiences. Nonprofits can partner with influencers who share their values. These influencers then reach out to their own audience to create more awareness for their cause.

While influencer marketing might not sound like it applies to your nonprofit, most organizations can benefit from collaboration. Even if you can’t get a big name celebrity to promote your cause, a “micro influencer” can bring great results.

Voice-Based Social Media:

More and more people are drawn to the audio format of content. For this reason, expect voice-based social media to be a social media trend worth watching. Apps that allow users to participate in live audio conversations are expected to rise in popularity in the future.

What this means for your own organization? It’s important with your content that you mix things up, and voice-based social media is a great way to do it. Specifically, nonprofits can use voice-based social media to host discussions and events. This allows them to engage with their supporters in real-time and share their message in a new and exciting way.

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Are you an enterprise, nonprofit or small business looking for help on your website? Give us a shout! We provide a free consultation. Email us at info@lughstudio.com or call us at (718) 855-1919!

Going Dark On Social Media: The Why & How

Posted on by Eric Schenck

Social media has become a critical part of the modern business landscape. Brands invest significant resources into developing and maintaining their social media presence, and for good reason. Social media can be a powerful tool for driving brand awareness, building communities, and engaging with customers. 

However, there are times when a brand may want to go “dark” on social media. Today we talk about what that means, why a brand might want to do it, and some tips for going dark effectively.

What Does Going Dark On Social Media Mean?

Going dark on social media simply means temporarily ceasing all activity on a brand’s social media channels. This can include everything from posting updates and responding to comments to running ads and engaging with followers. Essentially, refraining from the activities common to social media marketing for a specified time.

It’s important to note that going dark (usually) doesn’t necessarily mean disappearing altogether. A brand might still be active behind the scenes, working on new campaigns or developing its social media strategy.

Why a Brand Might Want to Go Dark on Social Media

Going dark on social media is not a decision that should be taken lightly. However, there are times when it can be a smart move for a brand. Here are some reasons why a brand might consider it:

Time off

The first reason is the most common. Brands may choose to go dark on social media simply to give their social media team some time off. Social media teams are often expected to be available 24/7, which can lead to burnout. Going dark for a short period of time can help team members recharge and come back to their work refreshed. For example, in 2020, Patagonia announced that it wouldn’t be active on social media on election day. This gave their employees time to vote and prioritize their overall mental health.

Rebranding or relaunch

If a brand is undergoing a major rebranding or relaunch, it may be best to temporarily go dark on social media. This is often the time when new branding or messaging is developed and tested, which can help build anticipation and excitement for the new launch. This is exactly what Wendy’s did in 2012. The restaurant used the time they were dark on social media to plan a new logo rollout.

Crisis management

If a brand is facing a crisis or scandal, it may be best to temporarily go dark on social media. This can give the brand time to address the issue internally and formulate a plan before publicly addressing it on social media. For example, after the infamous United Airlines incident in which a passenger was forcibly removed from an overbooked flight LINK, the airline went dark on social media for a few days while they addressed the issue.

Seasonal break

Some brands may choose to go dark on social media during slower seasons or holidays. These are typically times when engagement is likely to be lower. This can allow the brand to save resources and come back with renewed energy when engagement is higher. For example, some clothing retailers may go dark on social media during the summer months when people are less likely to be shopping for winter clothes.

Environmental or social causes

Lastly, going dark on social media is a strategy that can create attention. Specifically, brands can use the silence as a form of protest or to draw attention to a particular cause or issue. For example, many brands went dark on social media in 2020 as part of the #StopHateForProfit campaign. This called for companies to pause their advertising on Facebook to protest the platform’s handling of hate speech and misinformation.

Tips for Going Dark on Social Media:

As we’ve seen, brands can have a variety of reasons for why they might go dark on social media. But how do you do it effectively? Here are 7 tips.

Plan ahead

Staying inactive on social media can be a big move for any brand. That’s why it’s important to plan ahead. Make sure you have a clear strategy in place. Here are some questions you should answer before going dark:

  • What platforms are you leaving?
  • How long will you be gone?
  • What is your end goal for going dark?

Be transparent

Communicate with your followers about why you’re taking a break from social media. What message do you want to give your audience before you disappear? Be clear about this before going dark. This can help reduce confusion and ensure that your audience doesn’t assume you’ve closed up shop. 

Offer alternatives

Regardless of your plans for going dark, people still want to stay connected to your brand. That’s why it’s important to offer your audience alternative ways for staying in touch. This could be anything from email newsletters to a dedicated landing page on your website, or even a phone number they can call.

Set expectations

Be clear about when you will be returning to social media, as well as what followers can expect when you do. Will you be posting less frequently? Will your content have a different tone? Perhaps even a website redesign? Whatever happens after the period of no social media use, setting these expectations can help to avoid confusion. It also ensures a smooth transition back to regular posting.

Keep a close eye with social listening

Even if you aren’t posting on social media, it’s important to keep an eye on what people are saying about your brand. This means using social listening tools to monitor brand mentions and respond to any concerns or questions that arise. The reason? You still want to have an idea of how your followers are responding to your period of inactivity.

 

Are you an enterprise, nonprofit or small business looking for help with your social media management? Give us a shout! We provide a free consultation. Email us at info@lughstudio.com or call us at (718) 855-1919

How To Set Up Text-To-Donate Features

Posted on by Eric Schenck

As mobile usage continues to increase, text-to-donate features have become an increasingly popular way for non-profit organizations to raise funds. These features allow donors to give to a non-profit by simply sending a text message. 

In this blog post, we’ll explore what text-to-donate features are, why they’re important for your non-profit, and how to set them up.

What Are Text-To-Donate Features?

Text-to-donate features allow donors to make a contribution to a nonprofit organization by simply sending a text message. This process is simple, fast, and convenient, which is why it has become an increasingly popular part of a solid nonprofit marketing plan.

The process is straightforward: a donor sends a text message with a specific keyword to a designated number, and the donation amount is automatically added to the donor’s phone bill or charged to their credit card.

One such example of a successful text-to-donate campaign comes from the American Red Cross. In 2010, this organization raised over $32 million for Haiti earthquake relief – all through texts.

By incorporating text-to-donate features into their fundraising strategies, nonprofits can tap into the growing trend of mobile donations. This not only makes it easier for donors to contribute, but allows the organization to reach a wider overall audience.

Why Text-To-Donate Features Are Important For Your NonProfit

As we’ve already seen, text-to-donate campaigns can be effective. But what is the main reason for their success?

Here are just four reasons:

Increased donor engagement

The main appeal of text-to-donate features is how easy they make donating. Simply put, because they make the entire process (literally) the click of a button, the process is simplified and increases overall donor engagement. By offering a quick and convenient donation option, you can encourage more people to contribute, which can lead to increased donor retention rates. 

Additionally, depending on timing, text-to-donate campaigns can be used to create a sense of urgency. This can encourage donors to give immediately to support a specific cause or fundraising goal. Overall, text-to-donate features prioritize convenience and immediacy – both highly convincing factors when dealing with donors. 

Improved fundraising efficiency

Text-to-donate features also streamline the donation process. Unlike some inefficient donation methods that require time-consuming paperwork or manual processing, text-to-donate features automatically collect donor information and process transactions. This can save a ton of time and reduce administrative costs. 

The result? Your organization can redirect resources towards other fundraising efforts or program activities, improving your overall fundraising outcomes in the process.

Access to new donor demographics

Every nonprofit wants to reach new potential donors with each campaign. New donor demographics represent the possibility for better results, larger fundraisers, and a “snowball effect” for future efforts.

Thankfully, this is exactly what text-to-donate features are capable of providing. Younger donors are more likely to use mobile devices for donations than traditional methods like mail or phone. Their overall use of phones is also much higher than older donors. This means that by offering a text-to-donate option, you can attract younger donors and provide them with a way to contribute to your organization that is tailored to their preferences.

Real-time data collection and analytics

You can only improve what you decide to measure. This is one of the biggest benefits of text-to-donate features: real-time date and a range of actionable analytics. Compare this to more traditional models of fundraisers, which often are more of a shot in the dark.

By monitoring the response rates of your text-to-donate campaigns, you can adjust your messaging and strategy to improve outcomes. Additionally, you can collect valuable data about donor behavior, including how much they give and how frequently they donate. This data can be used to develop targeted marketing campaigns or personalized outreach strategies, improving your donor engagement and fundraising results.

How To Set Up Text-To-Donate Features

The process is actually quite easy, assuming you start with the right provider.

Here’s a 6-step process for setting up text-to-donate features:

1) Choose a text-to-donate provider

The first step in setting up text-to-donate features is choosing a provider that offers the services you need. Look for a provider that has experience working with nonprofits and offers a user-friendly platform with transparent pricing. Our number one recommendation? 

Fundraise Up. While the platform itself doesn’t send text messages, it easily integrates with other solutions that do. Be sure to check out more of Fundraise Up’s features.

2) Register your campaign with your provider

Once you’ve selected a provider, you’ll need to register your text-to-donate campaign. This involves providing basic information about your non-profit, setting up a campaign keyword, and determining the donation amount and message.

3) Promote your campaign

Next, you’ll need to promote your text-to-donate campaign to your supporters. Use a variety of marketing channels to spread the word about your campaign and encourage people to participate. This can include email, social media as well as your website.

4) Monitor your campaign

As your campaign progresses, it’s important to monitor things to see how it’s performing. Use your provider’s dashboard to track donations and engagement, and make adjustments as needed to optimize your campaign’s success.

5) Say thank you

This step is one of the most-forgotten (yet essential) parts of the process. You need to thank your supporters for their contributions – no way around it. Be sure to send them a personalized message, thanking them for their support and keeping them informed about the impact of their donation.

6) Evaluate your campaign

Once your campaign is complete, evaluate its success. Review your campaign data to determine how many donations were made, how much was raised, and how your campaign performed compared to your goals. This step is essential, because your findings will allow you to refine your strategy and improve your fundraising efforts moving forward.

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Are you an enterprise, nonprofit or small business looking for help on your website? Give us a shout! We provide a free consultation. Email us at info@lughstudio.com or call us at (718) 855-1919!

A Great Newsletter: Most Important Elements

Posted on by Eric Schenck

Newsletters are an essential component of any nonprofit’s marketing strategy. They offer a direct line of communication with supporters and help establish a strong brand that your followers connect with. Quality newsletters also give a nonprofit the chance to highlight successes, share stories and drive engagement. 

However, to consistently craft a great newsletter takes planning. In this post, we’ll explore why a newsletter is important for your nonprofit and essential elements a great newsletter needs to have.

Let’s get started.

Why A Newsletter Is Important For Your Nonprofit

Build stronger relationships with supporters

Newsletters provide an opportunity for your nonprofit to connect with your supporters on a deeper level. By keeping them informed and engaged, you build trust and strengthen your relationship with them.

Increase engagement and donations

A great newsletter can increase engagement and donations by providing relevant and interesting content to your audience. By sharing your successes and progress, you can inspire your supporters to take action and contribute to your cause.

Reach a wider audience

If you send a regular newsletter, you also have a powerful tool for reaching potential donors outside your existing donor base. By sharing your newsletter on social media or other digital platforms, you can attract new supporters to your various campaigns.

Establish your nonprofit as a thought leader

By sharing insightful and thought-provoking content, you can establish your nonprofit as a source of high quality information. Do it enough, and your organization even becomes a “thought leader” in your area of focus. Not only can this attract new supporters and donors, but you also build credibility and awareness for your cause.

Provide exclusive content and updates

Besides all the other benefits a great newsletter can bring, it’s also simply a great way to keep your audience informed. This can be anything from your latest content to important updates they might find interesting. 

Essential Elements For A Great Newsletter

Now that we know the reasons a newsletter can be so beneficial, let’s cover the elements you can’t forget. While a newsletter will look different between organizations, the following 8 elements are a great place to start.

Clear and Compelling Subject Line

As we discuss in our ultimate guide to email marketing, a good email always starts with a great subject line. This is true regardless of the content of your newsletter. Your subject line should be clear, concise and compelling. It should hint at what’s inside and be eye-catching enough to grab your reader’s attention. Avoid using vague or misleading subject lines as they can result in low open rates or even mark your emails as spam.

Engaging Headline

After a good subject line, the next element of a great newsletter is your headline. This is the first thing your reader will see after clicking on your email. While not all nonprofits will utilize a headline in their newsletter, be sure it’s engaging if you do. Keep it short and sweet, but make sure it’s catchy and interesting.

Branding and Design

When it comes to a nonprofit newsletter, there are two camps of thought regarding branding and design. Some people insist it’s essential, while others prefer to simply send it in plain text. Which one matches your brand better? If you decide to design it in a specific way, be sure you understand some of the most important design elements for a newsletter.

High-Quality Content

Great content marketing is the backbone of a responsive audience. It provides value to your readers, educates them, and often builds a strong connection with your followers. But how do you get it in front of your audience? 

A newsletter is just one option. Your newsletter should have high-quality, relevant content that is valuable to your readers. Include stories about your nonprofit’s work, upcoming events, recent achievements, and the impact you’ve made. Use clear language, avoid jargon, and make sure your content is easily scannable.

Calls to Action

Any great newsletter is going to give your readers the chance to take further action. This could include clicking on links to your content, responding to a survey, or even directly donating to one of your campaigns. That’s where calls-to-action come in handy. In a high-quality newsletter, your CTAs should be prominent and easy to find.

Personalization

Everybody wants to feel like you’re writing directly to them. It deepens the connection they have when reading your newsletter and makes it more likely that you take any actions you request them to. This is where personalization comes in. Thankfully, one of the easiest and most reliable ways to implement this is through the use of merge tags. You might also consider different methods of email tagging if you want to send multiple segmented newsletter.

Mobile Optimization

If you’re committed to sending a great newsletter, you have to consider what it looks like via mobile. Indeed, over half of all emails are now opened on mobile devices. Here is the golden rule: make sure your newsletter is easy to read and navigate on smaller screens. Most email service providers make this easy to test out before sending.

Frequency

The most successful newsletters (nonprofit or otherwise) follow a schedule. This builds the expectation from the relevant audience and gives them something to look forward to. The most common frequency of a newsletter is once a week, but you can really send it however often is most convenient for your organization. Whatever schedule you decide on, make sure you stick to it. It’s a sign of professionalism and can build deep (and profitable) relationships with your audience over time.

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Are you an enterprise, nonprofit or small business looking for help on your website? Give us a shout! We provide a free consultation. Email us at info@lughstudio.com or call us at (718) 855-1919

Lúgh Studio’s Ultimate Guide To Peer-To-Peer Fundraising

Posted on by Eric Schenck

Peer-to-peer (P2P) fundraising is a popular and effective way to raise money for a cause or organization. Indeed, with the rise of social media and technology, P2P fundraising has become increasingly accessible and easier to implement.

In this ultimate guide, we’ll cover everything you need to know about P2P fundraising. This includes an explanation of what it is, why it’s important, and the most common mistakes to avoid. We will also go over ten tips you can follow for P2P fundraising success, as well as a guide for further resources. Let’s get started!

Download Your PDF Version of this Guide Here

What Is Peer-to-Peer Fundraising?

P2P fundraising involves enlisting the support of individuals to help raise funds on behalf of a charity or non-profit. This allows individuals to take an active role in raising money for a cause they care about. 

Instead of relying solely on traditional donations from individuals, P2P fundraising involves supporters using their personal networks to reach potential donors. The result? Organizations tap into the power of social networks and leverage the relationships and connections of their supporters to raise funds.

Peer-To-Peer Fundraising Money

P2P fundraising can take many forms. This includes various campaign forms like walk-a-thons, fun runs, charity auctions, and even online campaigns (to name just a few). In each case, supporters are encouraged to reach out to their friends, family, and social networks to encourage them to support the cause. Ideally, this creates a ripple effect of engagement. Each new supporter recruits others to join the campaign, and the results snowball from there.

P2P fundraising is often referred to as crowdfunding. While there are certainly similarities, strictly speaking, crowdfunding almost always involves raising funds for personal projects or ventures. P2P fundraising, on the other hand, is specifically focused on raising money for a non-profit or charitable organization.

Overall, P2P fundraising is a powerful tool for non-profit organizations looking to build support and raise funds for their cause. By engaging supporters and leveraging the power of social networks, organizations can achieve their fundraising goals while also building a sense of community and connection among their supporters.

Why Peer-to-Peer Fundraising Is So Important

Peer-to-peer fundraising has become an increasingly important tool for non-profit organizations looking to engage their supporters and raise funds. But to maximize its potential for your own organization, you must first understand why it’s so important. Here are just a few:

Increased reach and visibility. Peer-to-peer fundraising allows non-profit organizations to tap into the networks of their supporters to reach a wider audience. By empowering supporters to share their support for the cause with their own network, organizations can significantly increase their reach and visibility.

More engaged donors. P2P fundraising encourages donors to take an active role in supporting the cause they care about. The result? More excitement among supporters, leading to more committed donors who are more likely to support the organization over the long term.

Higher donation rates. Research has shown that P2P fundraising campaigns can result in higher donation rates compared to traditional fundraising methods. This is because supporters are more likely to donate when asked by someone they know and trust. Compare this to a big organization asking directly — much less of a connection.

Peer-To-Peer Fundraising

Cost-effective. P2P fundraising can also be (when done right) a cost-effective way for organizations to raise funds. By relying on their supporters to do the fundraising on their behalf, organizations can save on marketing and advertising costs. This is in comparison to massively expensive ads that aren’t even guaranteed to be a success.

Builds community. This type of fundraising can also create a sense of community and shared purpose among supporters. By working together to reach a common goal, supporters can build lasting relationships. This can make them feel a sense of belonging — to both the organization and the cause. Plus, it’s simply a lot of fun.

Scalable. Lastly, P2P fundraising is a scalable model. This means that it can be adapted to organizations of all sizes. Whether a non-profit organization is just starting out or has been around for years, P2P fundraising can be an effective way to engage supporters and raise funds.

Overall, peer-to-peer fundraising is an important tool for non-profit organizations looking to engage their supporters, increase their reach and visibility, and raise funds in a cost-effective and scalable way. By understanding the importance of P2P fundraising, organizations can leverage the power of their supporters to make a meaningful impact on the causes they care about.

Common Mistakes Organizations Make

Before we dive into our main advice for making P2P fundraising work for you, let’s first cover some of the most common mistakes. Avoid these at all costs, and you will set yourself up for effective implementation of our tips. 

Lack of clear goals. Without a clear fundraising goal, it’s difficult to motivate supporters and measure success. While this is true in any marketing activity, it’s especially vital for a people-based approach to fundraising. Remember this before starting any campaigns: you need both specific and achievable goals for your campaigns.

Peer-To-Peer Fundraising Handshake

Poor communication. Effective communication is key to any successful fundraising campaign. Organizations should make sure to provide their supporters with the tools and resources they need to fundraise effectively and to keep them informed about the progress of the campaign. 

Insufficient support. Ongoing support for supporters is a non-negotiable for P2P campaigns. Unfortunately, this is something a lot of organizations tend to get wrong. To succeed here, focus on providing your people with the resources they need, answering questions, and offering tips for effective fundraising.

Inadequate promotion. Simply put, peer-to-peer fundraising campaigns require promotion to reach a wider audience. Organizations should leverage social media, email marketing, and other channels to promote the campaign and encourage supporters to get involved. Otherwise, they are sure to underperform.

Lack of engagement. Engaging supporters is key to the success of a peer-to-peer fundraising campaign. Organizations should create opportunities for supporters to get involved, share their personal stories, and connect with other supporters.

Failure to follow up. Like many areas of marketing, follow-up is key in P2P fundraising. After the campaign is over, it’s important to follow up with supporters to thank them for their contributions. You can also consider providing a summary of their impact on the campaign. This can help build long-term relationships with supporters and encourage them to continue to support the organization in the future.

By avoiding these common mistakes, organizations can increase the chances of running a successful peer-to-peer fundraising campaign. Just remember to keep them in mind when you are getting started. 

Now, time for our most important tips…  

Top Tips for Effective Peer-to-Peer Fundraising

Here are ten tips for running an effective P2P fundraising campaign:

1) Start with a clear goal. This is where it all starts. A clear and specific fundraising goal will make the “next steps” of your campaign easier to plan. It will also give your supporters a clear target to aim for and motivate them to reach it.

2) Set up a user-friendly fundraising platform. This makes it easy for your supporters to set up their own fundraising pages and share them with their networks. Choose a user-friendly platform that makes it easy to set up and share pages.

3) Provide fundraising resources. In peer-to-peer fundraising, you have to make sure you are actually giving the people involved the skills that they need to succeed. This might include sample social media posts, email templates, and other resources to help them spread the word.

Peer-To-Peer Fundraising

4) Encourage friendly competition. While you’re all working together — a little competition never hurts. Create a sense of friendly competition among your supporters by offering prizes or recognition for the top fundraisers.

5) Leverage social media. Knowing how to effectively use social media can amplify your message during a P2P campaign. Encourage your supporters to share their fundraising pages on social media and provide them with sample posts to make it easier.

6) Thank your supporters. A little thanks can go a long way. People like to be acknowledged for their efforts and will stay loyal if you do so. Be sure to thank your supporters for their contributions and provide regular updates on the progress of the campaign.

7) Provide incentives. This doesn’t have to be complicated. Good incentives can include anything from t-shirts and water bottles to other branded swag.

8) Make it personal. Encourage your supporters to share their personal stories and experiences with the cause. This can help build a personal connection with potential donors and motivate them to support your campaign.

9) Stay engaged. Keep your supporters engaged throughout the campaign by providing regular updates and opportunities to get involved. This can include social media challenges, live events, and other interactive activities.

10) Follow up. After the campaign is over, be sure to touch base with your supporters. Thank them for their contributions, and as we point out above, provide a summary of the impact of the campaign. This can go a long way in building relationships with them.

Now that you are equipped with a game plan, you’re well-prepared to run a great peer-to-peer fundraiser.

Still, it’s important to implement the right tools. Pairing a great strategy with the right technology is the most guaranteed way to run campaigns that get results.

But where to start? While there are plenty of tools you could use, there’s one we recommend above all others…

Fundraise Up: Our Favorite Tool For Fundraisers

Peer-To-Peer Fundraising

Fundraise Up is an excellent fundraising tool that can significantly increase a nonprofit’s total amount of donations. One of the most significant benefits of the tool is that it’s an all-in-one platform. The result? Your nonprofit no longer needs to use multiple software solutions to manage different aspects of your fundraising campaigns.

With Fundraise Up, nonprofits can easily create and manage their donation forms, allowing them to design a customized experience for their donors. The platform also offers advanced features such as AI-powered upsells. This suggests additional donation amounts to donors based on their previous giving behavior. In addition, Fundraise Up seamlessly integrates with various CRMs and email tools like Salesforce, Zapier, and Mailchimp. This allows nonprofits to manage their donations and donor information in a more organized and efficient manner.

Overall, Fundraise Up provides a user-friendly, streamlined experience for any nonprofit looking to increase their donations.

Be sure to check out Fundraise Up!

 

Download Your PDF Version of this Guide Here

Your Ideal Donor: 8 Tips For Finding Them

Posted on by Eric Schenck

As a nonprofit organization, fundraising is a critical aspect of ensuring the sustainability and growth of your cause. That’s why being able to answer “who is my ideal donor” is so important. 

Today we discuss why finding your ideal donor is so essential, as well as tips for finding them.

Let’s get started.

Who Is Your Ideal Donor?

First, let’s cover what your ideal donor actually looks like. While you likely have a number of people willing to contribute to your organization, your ideal donor fits three criteria:

  1. Passionate about your mission. Your ideal donor is genuinely interested in what you do, and they feel some sort of emotional connection to it.
  2. Has the capacity to give. Your ideal donor has the funds necessary for giving and actually does.
  3. Likely to give again in the future. Good donors give once – great donors give repeatedly. These are the most valuable givers you have, and you need to treat them like it.

 

Why Is Finding Your Ideal Donor Important

Finding your ideal donor (wherever they may, and whoever they may be) is important for four main reasons:

Increases Efficiency:

Targeting your ideal donor allows you to direct your efforts toward the people who are most likely to give to your cause. This saves time and resources, as you are not wasting effort on targeting those who are unlikely to donate.

Increases Donor Retention:

Ideal donors are more likely to give again in the future and to continue supporting your organization. This helps to create a stable source of funding, which is essential for the long-term sustainability of your organization.

Builds Relationships:

Targeting ideal donors allows you to build relationships with them. This can lead to increased engagement and support for your cause. Better relationships also often lead to increased donations and even philanthropic support, as ideal donors become ambassadors for your organization.

Improves Fundraising Results:

By targeting your ideal donor, you increase the likelihood of receiving donations and improve your overall fundraising results. This can have a significant impact on the success of your organization and its ability to achieve its mission.

8 Tips For Finding Your Ideal Donor:

Identify Your Target Audience:

These are the people who are most likely to support your cause. Consider factors such as age, income, location, and interests when defining your target audience. Not sure where to start? Check out our ultimate guide to nonprofit marketing for some ideas.

Analyze Your Current Donor Base:

Look at your current donor base and analyze the characteristics of your most successful donors. This is some of the most critical data you have. Going through this process can help you identify your ideal donor and understand what they are looking for in a nonprofit organization.

Utilize Social Media:

As we point out in our ultimate guide to social media marketing, social media is a powerful tool for reaching potential donors. Create a strong online presence and use platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn to engage with your target audience. This will bring in more donors, and ideally, more repeat donors as well.

Network with Other Organizations:

No use doing it alone when a little help goes a long way. Partner with other organizations that share your mission and target audience. This can help you reach new donors and increase your visibility.

Host Events:

Hosting events is a great strategy to bring together people who are passionate about your cause. This can be a great way to engage with potential donors and build relationships with them. The natural result? More “ideal donors” donating to your cause. Thinking about hosting a virtual event? Make sure you read up on some of the best practices! 

Create Compelling Content:

Content creation is one of the most reliable ways to build interest in your organization. Of course, you need to be sure that you are creating content that resonates with your target audience and showcases the impact of your organization. This can include blog posts, videos, infographics, and case studies.

Use Email Marketing:

If you’re looking for a cost-effective way to reach potential donors and build relationships with them, you can’t go wrong with effective email marketing. LINK Create a targeted email list and send regular updates about your organization and its impact. You might be surprised by the results!

Offer Incentives:

People need every motivation possible to encourage them to give. This is where incentives come in. These can include exclusive access to events, recognition on your website or in your newsletter, or personalized thank-you gifts. Whatever it may be, make sure your donors know about the incentives in the first place!

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Are you an enterprise, nonprofit or small business looking for help on your website? Give us a shout! We provide a free consultation. Email us at info@lughstudio.com or call us at (718) 855-1919

Link Building For Nonprofits: 5 Tactics

Posted on by Eric Schenck

Today we are covering the process of link building for nonprofits. This is essential to drive more traffic to your website and increase donations, and we will keep things as actionable as possible.

Let’s get started. 

Why Link Building For Nonprofits Is Important

First, let’s cover why exactly link building is worth doing for nonprofits. When people think about link building they have a tendency to associate it with large for profit companies.

However, this is a narrow way of looking at link building. Links, regardless of your industry, niche or audience, show search engines that you are an authoritative site. This has a ton of long-term benefits, including more traffic to your site and more donations overall.

Because of that, it’s worth your time to take link building for your nonprofit seriously. 

5 Link Building Tactics For Nonprofits

1) Do campaigns together

Perhaps the most direct way to get a link to your website is to work together with another organization. The trade off here is that a mutual campaign can potentially create more work for you. There are likely email campaigns that need to be written as well as a certain content schedule. 

Only commit to this if you actually have the time!

2) Get on roundup lists

There are a ton of roundup posts out there. They are easy to read and promise a quick result for the reader. More importantly for your organization, they are also an excellent chance to earn another link back to your website.

One good example are posts with titles like “The Best Nonprofits That…” What does your organization do? Unless it’s a super specific niche, odds are that there are plenty of other organizations doing the same kind of thing as you. 

This is good news because it suggests there are at least a few roundup posts out there that your organization might well on.

One easy way to do this is to simply google the name of the roundup list that you’d expect your organization to be part of. Check out the organizations they link to. If they are all relatively similar to your own, there’s a good chance the author of the post would gladly include you.

3) Look for broken links

The internet is a graveyard of broken links. There are a number of reasons for this. Many websites are simply taken down or deactivated after a certain period of time. Maybe the people running it no longer had a use for it. Maybe the business went bankrupt, or perhaps the organization simply moved over to a different website. Something else that often happens is that link URL’s change.

Most of the time people linking to the old URL aren’t aware of the change, and if the business that owns the links doesn’t do a redirect the link will be shown as invalid. Whatever the reason, reaching out to companies about broken links is always welcome information. 

The way you turn it to your advantage? Suggest that they replace the link with an active one to your own organization. Everybody wins here, as the people that come across that piece of content never want the frustrating experience of a link simply not working.  

4) Look for unlinked mentions of your organization 

Odds are, a good portion of the times your nonprofit is mentioned on the internet are unlinked. While this is nice and potentially drives a bit more traffic to your site, it doesn’t communicate anything to search engines. This is a problem because links act as a sign of authority. 

As we point out in our ultimate guide to SEO, a lot of links to your site (assuming they are high quality) show the internet that you are a trusted resource in your niche? No links? Well, regardless of how much people talk about you, search engines can’t “validate your authority.

This is a relatively easy tactic because it doesn’t require so much work on the part of the person you are reaching out to. They simply need to find the unlinked mention and then fix it!

It’s important here to prioritize the organizations that have the biggest bang for their buck. For example, you don’t want to invest a lot of time in getting a link to your organization on the website of a company that’s completely unrelated to your industry. Conversely, if there is a big organization that you know would benefit you massively if they linked to you? Go for it!

5) Ask for a link back your website

We’ve saved the simplest link building tactic for the last. While giving somebody something in return for linking to you is usually best practice, sometimes all you have to do is ask.

This is an especially useful strategy if you can’t find any immediately obvious place that another organization might link to you. No round up posts? No recommended resource pages? Not open to running a campaign together? Not to worry – sometimes simply asking people is enough.

Of course, it doesn’t hurt to offer something in return. Just be careful here. A direct link exchange isn’t always considered a good thing by Google algorithms. If you are going to do a link exchange, be sure to follow these best practices.

A Tool To Help You Build More Links

Knowing what you need to do to build more backlinks as a nonprofit is one thing. Actually doing it? Well, that’s another story.

Thankfully a tool like Ahrefs makes all these actions relatively easy. The keyword research tool is one of the best in the industry and is capable of doing all the things mentioned in the list (and much more). Check it out!

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Are you an enterprise, nonprofit or small business looking for help on your website? Give us a shout! We provide a free consultation. Email us at info@lughstudio.com or call us at (718) 855-1919!

Lúgh Studio’s Ultimate Guide To Lead Generation For Nonprofits

Posted on by Eric Schenck

Today we are sharing our ultimate guide to lead generation for nonprofit.

Lead generation is essential for businesses, but just as important for nonprofits. Today we talk about the difference between the two, the benefits of effective lead generation for nonprofits, and our main tips for the process.

Download Your PDF Version of this Guide Here

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Lead Generation For Nonprofits

What Is Lead Generation?

At its most basic, lead generation for nonprofits is the process of identifying and cultivating potential donors or supporters. It is an essential component of any nonprofit’s fundraising and growth strategy, and it helps to build a sustainable base of support for the organization’s mission and programs.

Lead Generation For Business Vs. Nonprofit: What’s The Difference?

Lead generation for non-profit organizations and lead generation for private businesses have some similarities, of course. Still, there are also some key differences. 

Some of these include:

Different Goals

Different goals

The main goal of lead generation for private businesses is typically to generate revenue by converting leads into customers. On the other hand, the main goal of lead generation for non-profit organizations is almost always to generate funding by converting leads into donors.

Different target audiences

Private businesses most usually target leads who are interested in purchasing their products or services – either immediately or some point in the future. Meanwhile, non-profit organizations approach leads interested in supporting their mission and programs.

Different lead generation strategies

Private businesses may use strategies such as paid advertising, email marketing, and search engine optimization (SEO) to generate leads. In contrast, non-profit organizations often implement things like networking, direct mail, and community outreach.

Different Conversion Metrics

Different conversion metrics

Private businesses measure the effectiveness of their lead generation efforts by tracking the conversion rate of leads to customers. On the other hand, non-profit organizations track the conversion rate of leads to donors.

Different return on investment

The return on investment for private businesses may be measured in terms of revenue generated from sales. For nonprofits? The ROI is usually measured in terms of funding generated from donations.

Different messaging

Private businesses will usually stick with messaging that focuses on the benefits of their products or services. Meanwhile, nonprofit organizations focus on the impact of their mission and programs.

Why Lead Generation For Nonprofits Is So Important

Lead generation can have a number of positive effects for a nonprofit organization. Here are just a few of them:

  • Increased funding: One of the most obvious benefits of lead generation is that it can help to increase the funding available to the organization. By identifying and speaking with potential donors and supporters, nonprofits can build a sustainable base of support for their mission. This helps to ensure the long-term financial stability of the organization.
  • Greater awareness and engagement: Lead generation can also help to increase awareness and engagement around the nonprofit’s mission and programs. Want more people to know about the work your organization is doing? Lead generation is your answer! By reaching out to potential donors and supporters, nonprofits raise awareness of the organization and inspire others to take action and get involved.
  • Improved donor retention: Effective lead generation also increases how long donors stay donors. Because many lead generation tactics are focused on building relationships, nonprofits can create a sense of loyalty and commitment. This increases the odds of continued donor support into the future.
  • Higher efficiency: Lead generation can also help to improve the efficiency of the nonprofit’s fundraising efforts. By identifying and targeting potential donors who are most likely to support the organization, these organizations can focus their efforts on the groups of people who are most likely to make a donation. This helps to maximize the return on investment for their fundraising efforts.
  • Greater community impact: By building a sustainable base of support for their mission and programs, nonprofits expand their reach and the total impact that they can have. This creates a virtuous cycle, as heightened awareness through lead generation leads to more donations, which results in a higher impact overall.

Negative Consequences Of No Plan

 

Negative Consequences Of No Plan

Likewise, nonprofits that don’t take lead generation seriously enough often experience a number of negative effects. These include, but are not limited to:

  • Lack of funding: This is perhaps the most obvious negative consequence of not taking lead generation seriously. Without a steady stream of donations, nonprofits struggle to pay for the programs and services they provide. This, of course, leads directly to a reduction in the impact they are able to have in the communities they serve.
  • Not as much awareness: Without a strong base of support, nonprofits can struggle to raise awareness of the issues they are working on. This creates a general downward trend of the things the organization is able to achieve.
  • Poor donor retention: Poor lead generation for a nonprofit can also lead to poor donor retention. Without strong relationships with donors and supporters, keeping donors interested in the cause and engaged with their contributions can be an uphill battle over the long term.

With so many benefits of a good lead generation plan (and a host of issues that can arise), lead generation is one of the areas nonprofit organizations do well to focus on. 

But where do you start? Now that we’ve laid the foundation of the importance of a good lead generation plan, let’s dive into specific advice. Remember – these are just tips. You know your organization better than anybody else, and only you know what has the chance to actually work. 

Still – no harm in experimenting!

Tips For Effective Lead Generation For Nonprofits

There are many different ways to generate leads for a non-profit organization, and the best approach will depend on the specific goals and resources of the organization. Here are some of the most common you might consider:

1) Networking

Building relationships with other organizations and individuals in the non-profit sector can be a great way to generate leads. This can be done through attending conferences and events, joining professional associations, and connecting with other non-profit leaders on social media.

Direct Mail

2) Direct mail

Sending targeted mailings to potential donors or supporters can also be a great idea. This can be done by purchasing mailing lists or by using data from past donors to create a targeted mailing list. Of course, this is only viable if you have the budget for it and implement decent copywriting.

3) Online marketing

A huge topic in general, “online marketing” is an umbrella term that can include everything from social media and email marketing to search engine optimization (SEO). Depending on your own organization, these can all be great ways to generate leads. Be sure to check out our guide to content marketing, email marketing, and paid advertising if you are considering any of these methods.

Volunteer Recruitment

4) Volunteer recruitment

Recruiting volunteers to help with fundraising and other activities can also be a great way to generate leads. How you go about it? While it can take various forms, volunteer recruitment is usually done by reaching out to current volunteers and asking them to refer friends and family. This can be tricky, because you need to make sure your volunteers are trained correctly, but it’s still a tactic you might consider.

5) Community outreach

This method of lead generation is all about building relationships with members of your community. This can be done by attending community events, participating in local activities and initiatives, and working with other organizations to promote the nonprofit’s mission and programs.

General Advice For Lead Generation For Nonprofits

One of the most important things to keep in mind when generating leads for a non-profit organization is that your leads are actually high-quality. They also need to be relevant to the organization’s mission and programs. 

This can be done by targeting specific groups of people. For example, these could be individuals who have shown an interest in similar causes or organizations, or by using data from past donors to create a targeted list of potential supporters.

A big part of this is the relationships you build with donors. Be sure to maintain good communication with donors and supporters throughout the lead generation process. This can be done by keeping them informed about the organization’s activities and progress, and by providing opportunities for them to get involved and take action.

Another important factor to consider is the cost of lead generation. Some lead generation strategies, such as direct mail and paid advertising, can be quite expensive. This makes it essential to carefully evaluate the potential return on investment before committing to a particular strategy.

To maximize the effectiveness of lead generation efforts, you need to have a clear and compelling message that resonates with potential donors and supporters. This can be done by clearly communicating the impact of the organization’s programs and mission. You can also make it a point to highlight the specific ways that donors can make a difference.

Finally, as in all marketing efforts, you need to be willing to make adjustments as needed. This can be done by tracking the number of leads generated, the conversion rate of leads to donors, and the overall return on investment. Not all tactics are going to pay off, and an attitude that makes room for experimentation is one that will bring you more success.

 

Recommended Resources

Here are some recommended resources for non-profit organizations looking to improve their lead generation efforts:

  • Our Ultimate Guide to Nonprofit Marketing: Looking for a crash course in how to approach marketing at your organization? This is it!
  • The Nonprofit Marketing Guide: This website offers a wide range of resources, including articles, e-books, and webinars, on topics such as fundraising, marketing, and communications for non-profit organizations.
  • Network for Good: This resource includes a range of tools and resources for non-profit organizations, including a donor management system, a fundraising platform, and a library of articles and e-books on fundraising and marketing.
  • Charity Navigator: A quality website that provides ratings and reviews of non-profit organizations, as well as a library of resources on topics such as fundraising, governance, and accountability.
  • The Nonprofit Times: A collection of news and information on the nonprofit sector, as well as a library of articles on topics such as fundraising, marketing, and governance.
  • The Fundraising Authority: A wide range of resources and tools for non-profit organizations, including articles, e-books, and webinars on fundraising and donor development.

Conclusion

Overall, lead generation is a critical component of any non-profit organization’s fundraising and growth strategy. By utilizing the resources and strategies discussed here, non-profit organizations can improve their lead generation efforts and build a sustainable base of support for their mission and programs. 

With the right approach, nonprofits can increase funding, awareness, donor retention, efficiency, community impact, and accountability, which can lead to a greater impact in the communities they serve.

Good luck in your efforts! Reach out to us if you ever need any help getting results!

Download Your PDF Version of this Guide Here

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Are you an enterprise, nonprofit or small business looking for help on your website? Give us a shout! We provide a free consultation. Email us at info@lughstudio.com or call us at (718) 855-1919!

Agency Vs. Freelancer: How To Decide

Posted on by Eric Schenck

Agency vs. freelancer. It’s a question many businesses have asked themselves when planning out their goals, and what needs to get done to achieve them. Unfortunately, it’s not such an easy question to answer.

Today we are covering the topic of agency vs freelancer, why you should care, and some information about each that will help you decide which one to hire. 

Agency Vs. Freelancer: Why Does It Matter?

Understanding the difference between agency vs freelancer can have big implications for your own business. While there are similarities between the two, you need to also understand the differences 

Here’s an example. If you needed your grass cut but didn’t have the time to do it, would you schedule a meeting with the city’s largest landscaping contractor to map out your needs? Or would you simply hire the kid next door?

Similarly, if you needed help with your business’s 2023 content plan, who would you be most likely to go to: some guy that had written a few blog posts back in 2010, or an agency that was a content marketing specialist?

It’s the same with your own business. You have a variety of needs and jobs that need to be done. An agency typically has a certain set of skills that might help you that a freelancer might not….and vic versa.

Main Differences Between Agencies Vs. Freelancers

While you can work with both an agency and freelancer to fulfill your business’s needs, there are differences between the two that you should keep in mind. Here is a list of the most important distinguishing factors between the two. 

Agency:

  • Initial expense. An agency will often offer some sort of “done for you” service. While this will cost more in the short-term, the expense is usually worth it over time.
  • Multi-client. An agency will likely work with a number of clients besides you. Often, agencies will assign your account to a dedicated Account Manager who will focus on the details of each of your projects and ensure your deliverables meet expectations.
  • Offers a more diverse set of skills. An agency will likely have an entire team working on your account (depending on the service). This is good news if you are looking for a finished product with minimal work on your part.
  • Less communication needed. Because of their extensive experience with bigger accounts, an agency will often know exactly what it is that you are looking for. 

Freelancer:

  • Cheaper. While this isn’t always the case, an individual freelancer will sometimes be less expensive than an agency. This is important to consider if you have a tight budget.
  • Less clientele. This obviously depends on the freelancer that you work with, but individual freelancers may have a smaller client list.  They often do not have dedicated Account Managers and handle all aspects of their business themselves.
  • Skill-specific. A freelancer will likely do one thing, and one thing only.  Expertise is what drives results, but it is something you need to consider depending on your needs.
  • More communication. This is especially true if you are entrusting more than one task to a single freelancer.

While there are a number of differences between the two, thinking about the roles that both agencies and freelancer can fill is perhaps best summed up like this:

Freelancers perform best when they are hired to perform a very specific and well-defined task. Agencies, meanwhile, are best at delivering complete (or almost complete) “end products.”

Once you understand the comparison like this, it’s easier to pick the right one. So, when it comes to the question of agency vs. freelancer, which one is the right fit for you?

Agency Vs. Freelancer: How To Decide

Like any business decision, the question of “agency vs freelancer” is only one that you can answer. Reflecting on your needs and long-term goals is really the best way that you can determine which one is better for you.

Of course, it doesn’t have to be so black and white. Many businesses work with a mix of agencies and freelancers, depending on their needs. For example, a company’s relatively complex SEO needs might be better left to an agency, whereas an individual freelancer might take care of editing their weekly email newsletter. 

Lúgh Studio, for example, is a full agency. While we have helped multiple non-profit organizations, some of our largest clients have come from the private sector. That said, here is how we see it:

For most businesses that want results, hiring an agency is going to be the biggest bang for your buck.

The reality is, most projects you hire outside help for are going to be multifaceted. This means that a freelancer will typically not be able to provide you the full scope of services that you need. An agency, meanwhile, has both the experience and expertise needed to give you results. 

Interested in hearing how we can help you meet your marketing goals?  

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Are you an enterprise, nonprofit or business looking for help on your website? Give us a shout! We provide a free consultation. Email us at info@lughstudio.com or call us at (718) 855-1919!

Speaking To Your Donors Through Storytelling

Posted on by Eric Schenck

How do you speak to your donors in a visually compelling way? And even more importantly – why do you have to?

Today, we answer these two questions. As always, we also give you some actionable advice on improving your own organization’s skills in speaking to your donors. And trust us – there’s one clear way of doing this!

Why Speaking To Your Donors Through Storytelling Is So Essential

It all has to do with people’s emotions. Emotional reactions are what get people to act. They are what get people to feel a strong connection with your organization. These emotions are what get people to donate to your cause, and in the long run, can have one of the biggest effects on your organization’s goals. 

Of course, there are a number of ways you might start speaking to your donors in a visually compelling way. This can include everything from professionally done infographics to charming copy used throughout your company.

Still, out of all the ways you can start speaking to your donors, one strategy is shown time and time again to be the most effective: storytelling.

Humans were designed to love stories. It’s how we’ve passed on information for thousands of years, and how we have grown closer to other people. 

Storytelling is who we are, and if you are trying to drive results for your organization’s campaigns, it is the way you want to be communicating with your donors. Many organizations (in both the private and public sector) have realized this. As for how you get better?

Well, we have four pieces of advice we follow ourselves!

How To Improve Your Storytelling

Once you’ve decided to inject more storytelling in your communication with donors (and trust us, you should!), there are a number of different ways you can set about improving it. Here are four you might consider.

1) Always be on the lookout for everyday things that might make a good story.

When people think about storytelling, there is often the tendency to exaggerate what it actually is. This is destructive, as it often stops people from getting started in the first place. To prevent that from happening, consider storytelling not as some grand gesture of plot and action, but simply the everyday happenings at your organization that your audience might find interesting.

The main takeaway here? Pay attention – you never know what is going to make a good story. You’ll need a little bit of creativity, of course. But as long as you are approaching life with the eye of a reporter, you might be surprised what story worthy material you come across.

2) Don’t be afraid to inject a little personality into your stories. 

People get bored easily. They have limited attention spans, and if you want them to pay attention to you, an interesting story is a great way to do that.

A second benefit of personality is the trust that you gain. Have you ever noticed that it’s hard to trust a business that appears too squeaky clean? How a business that shares its actual story, warts and all, is somehow a business that you like more? This is a common experience, and you use it to your advantage.

3) Get your audience to tell your story for you.

While telling your own story is great, it’s even more convincing if it comes from someone else. Think about it: will a potential donor believe what you say about your organization more, or what a direct beneficiary says about it? The fact is, the most convincing testimonial is a positive word that you didn’t ask for – this is exactly how great stories function.

To encourage people to tell your story, there’s a number of different things you can do. There are also a number of different formats you might consider. We cover it all in our post about content marketing.

4) Use some of fiction’s most popular storytelling techniques.

If you’ve ever read a story that just wouldn’t let you go, that you simply had to finish before falling asleep, there’s a good chance that the story employed the use of a number of different storytelling techniques. No surprise here – this is how great stories become addicting.

While your own stories you choose to tell to donors will vary, here are a few different techniques you might consider:

  • Hooks. How does your story start? The very beginning is perhaps the most important part, as this is what gets the reader of the story sucked in. This is called the hook.
  • Open loops. You always want people to come back for more. To get invested in a certain story and to give you their full attention over time before the story is resolved. Using something like the open loop, you can.

The hero’s journey. Just one type of story format, the hero’s journey is a great way of telling a story that is inherently engaging. If you can somehow fit in your donor as the hero of the story, you can expect great results.

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Are you an enterprise, nonprofit or small business looking for help on your website? Give us a shout! We provide a free consultation. Email us at info@lughstudio.com or call us at (718) 855-1919!

Finding The Right Platforms To Reach Your Donors

Posted on by Eric Schenck

Why should you reflect on the best platforms to reach your donors?

In today’s post, this is the question we are asking. We will also dive into the process you need to go through in selecting a platform, as well as some that you should consider.

Let’s get started.

Why You Need To Use The Right Platforms To Reach Your Donors

The fact is, the internet is a big place. There are tons of websites and platforms out there. Your audience has never had more of a choice where they spend their time online.

If you want the biggest bang for your buck, you need to devote your time to finding your donors where they are. This means researching (and spending time on) their favorite platforms.

Think about it. If your company was trying to sell its own brand of dog food, would you advertise your product to people that were members of “cat owner” communities?

Probably not. 

It’s the same concept with non-profits. The kinds of people that are most likely to donate money to your organization likely have a few things in common. Their beliefs, their everyday routines, the kinds of hobbies they have…and yes, the platforms they spend their time on.

It’s your job to find them.

Finding The Right Platforms

With the importance of finding the right platforms to reach your donors, it helps to have a gameplan. A checklist that you can follow to increase your odds of better fundraising.

While each business will look slightly different, there are definitely a few actions you need to be taking – regardless of what your organization does. Here are three steps you should consider:

1) Conduct deep online research.

Most of the information you need to select the right platform for reaching your donors is already out there – you just need to go looking for it. Thankfully, this process can be quite easy. Here are two ways you might do online research:

  • Find where most of your donors found you. You probably already have a good idea which platforms your donors come from. These will be the platforms you interact with them the most on. Pinpointing this answer will help you understand the “journey” that people take to find you – valuable information for appealing to more people.
  • Find where most of your competitors’ competitors found them. There is likely an organization that gets donations from the exact people your own mission would appeal to. In this case, it can be quite useful to run campaigns on the platforms. After all, if people on these websites are donating to organizations that have similar missions, they’ll likely be interested in supporting your own cause!

2) Post your content on different platforms. 

Content is important because it provides value to your audience. This educates them and turns them into potential donors (which we cover in our ultimate guide to content marketing). 

Of course, you aren’t done when you have clicked “Publish.” The main point here is to compare the engagement rates across different platforms. For example, maybe you put up the same piece of content on both Facebook and Instagram. If there are substantially more likes, comments, or shares on LinkedIn, this is a good sign that it’s better than Facebook for finding your next donors.   

3) Test paid ads. 

If you have the budget for it, paid advertising can be a great tool for finding the right platforms. That’s because of the quick feedback loop. Paid ads get you fast results (whether positive or negative) in a way that organic content simply can’t. This gets you valuable insight fast, and let’s go make corrections on the go.

And how exactly paid ads are relevant for a non-profit? Well, they show you what kind of message people respond to. If a certain type of wording or creative image gathers a ton of clicks, you can consider building an entire fundraising campaign around it.

As for the exact platforms you will consider? That’s up to you. As I said, each organization is different, each cause unique, and because of that, each donor will have slightly different online behavior. 

Still, implement the three tips above, and you are well on your way to choosing the right platform to reach your donors! 

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Are you an enterprise, nonprofit or small business looking for help on your website? Give us a shout! We provide a free consultation. Email us at info@lughstudio.com or call us at (718) 855-1919!

End-Of-Year Planning For Businesses: Part 2

Posted on by michailah

We all know why end-of-year planning for businesses is important: it helps you finish the year on a strong note, as well as hit the ground running for the next.

But how do you approach it for maximum effectiveness? Today we are sharing three questions you should answer before getting started. We will also cover some of the most important areas you might consider for your own end-of-year planning.

Three Questions To Answer During End-Of-Year Planning

 

1) What did you plan for 2022?

The first thing to do during end-of-year planning is to reflect on past goals. Specifically, what you planned for 2022. This gives you a good idea of the place your organization was at this time last year. 

Why exactly this matters?

It’s all about understanding what to focus on. What were your goals last year, and why did you decide to pursue them? Reflecting on this can inform your overall strategy for the next year. What do you want to continue working on, and where will you shift your focus?

2) How did you perform on your goals this year?

Once you’ve reminded yourself of your goals from 2022, it’s time for the second question: did you succeed? This second question lets you reflect on your successes. 

However, even more importantly, it allows you to reflect on your organization’s shortcomings. Where did you fail at goals that you set? More importantly, why did you come up short?

The answers you come up with here will give you a clue on how your team can perform better. Are there certain skills your organization is lacking? Maybe it’s time to invest in area-specific training for your workers. Perhaps your organization spread itself too thin over 2022? Time to double down on the projects that matter the most.

Regardless of the answers you come up with, this second question is vital during your end-of-year planning. It will set you up to be better prepared and more successful in the following year.

3) What do you want to achieve in 2023?

Now that you’ve reflected on what you planned for 2022 (as well as how successful you were in reaching your various goals), it’s time for the most important question: what next? Specifically,  what are the main areas your team is going to focus on?

While this question is essential for any business, it’s important to note that each organization will have slightly different priorities. And that’s ok – most important is nailing down the goals that matter the most to your team.

Maybe your business is focusing on releasing new products in 2023. Maybe your priority will be more big ticket clients. Whatever it is, spend some time with this question and involve your entire team. After all – this is what you will be focusing on during the year to come!

End-Of-Year Planning: The Areas That Most Matter

With that exercise completed, it’s time to move on to the actual planning. While there are a ton of areas your team might focus on, here are some common areas you can focus on:

  • Large expenses. This is inherently tied to your budget for 2023. While it can be difficult to perfectly plan ahead, you should already have a good idea of what your biggest expenses will be.
  • Team skill sets. Moving from point A to point B is often simply a matter of having the right skills. Time to plan training for your team.
  • Products / clients. This is what will make the cash register ring. Best to plan far ahead of time.
  • Cybersecurity. This is a topic that more and more businesses are taking seriously. If you are one of them, check out this list of the most important steps you need to take.
  • Content. We are big on content marketing. It’s a great way to attract new clients and position yourself as an expert in your field. Planning now will pay dividends in 2023.

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Are you an enterprise, nonprofit or small business looking for help on your website? Give us a shout! We provide a free consultation. Email us at  or call us at (718) 855-1919!

10 New Year’s Resolutions For Nonprofits

Posted on by Eric Schenck

There are only a few months left of 2022. That means it’s time to start planning for the new year.

This is typically the time people start making New Year’s resolutions. While that’s a great habit, we thought it’d be better to lay out some New Year’s resolutions for nonprofits. So you can start planning and hit the ground running in 2023. 

Let’s get started!

10 New Year’s Resolutions For Your Nonprofit

1) Get on top of your finances

It can be difficult to know where you’re spending money. The bigger your organization grows, the more expenses you have, and the more spread out your budget becomes.

While this is understandable, it also prevents your nonprofit from doing the work it’s capable of doing. One great example here is to look at subscriptions you don’t use. There are tons of software memberships that organizations are part of that they hardly ever log into!

Regardless of the shape it takes, being on top of your finances is a New Year’s resolution you should consider!

2) Reflect on your main KPI’s

KPI’s, or key performance indicators, are the stats your organization looks at to know if it’s doing a good job or not. So, what are yours?

When looking at your KPI’s for 2022 and the year ahead, ask yourself a few questions. Do they need to change? Which things should you start measuring? Just as importantly, what are the most important “intangibles” that you can’t measure?

These are good to know at any point. However, when planning for a new year and everything you plan on doing, they are even more essential.

3) Invest in training your staff

What are the skills and competencies that would make your company more successful? What are the things you want to achieve in 2023, and what are the skills you need organization-wide to make them happen?

Odds are it would be fairly cheap to train your workers in them. This focus on training also has the added benefit of keeping your workers happy. Here are a few ways to approach effective training. 

4) Build systems as much as possible

Systems can be tricky. They are difficult to set up (and where do you even start?), but once you do, everything runs much more smoothly. Definitely a resolution worth taking seriously in 2023. 

Things should function like clockwork at your business; systems are how you make that happen.

So how do you get started? It’s a big topic, and the systems you invest the time in creating will vary between organizations. With that in mind, check out this guide to the systems that matter most.

5) Outsource where possible 

Don’t get me wrong – there is a lot of value in doing things “in house. This includes saving on costs, building up skills among your workers, and having more control over the creative process.

However, not everything can (or even should) come from your team. There is an entire world of freelancers at your disposal, and hiring them can free up time and energy for your main workers to focus on other things.

That’s why outsourcing can be such a valuable resolution. For background on how to do it the right way, give this guide a look.

6) Consider your company culture

What exactly is company culture? While it can be difficult to pinpoint, company culture is basically the values your organization stands for (and the ones you prioritize over everything else). 

Reflecting on this (and changing yours if you have to) can have a ton of benefits to your organization. Above all, it gets your entire workforce on the same page, working towards the same communal goal.

In 2023, it’s worth asking yourself what it is you stand for. Is there a clear answer? If so, should it be changed? If not, perhaps it is time to brainstorm how exactly you want your company culture to look like? 

7) Understand the power of automations

Going back to systems here! We’ve talked about it numerous times, but automations put the most important organization activities on autopilot.

Just one example is the power of email automations. To check out ideas, take a look at our guide on the most important email automations you can set up now. And for more ideas on automations you can apply organization-wide, check out this post here.

8) Connect the people on your team with your beneficiaries

What’s the best way to improve your organization? Understanding exactly what it is you do, and connecting with the people that benefit from it the most, is a great place to start.

That’s why for organizations in 2023, we recommend putting their workers in contact more often with the people they are helping. It can be easy to get lost in the hustle and bustle of the “everyday.” But sometimes it’s important to step back and connect with the people that are actually benefiting from the work you’re doing.

That’s why this is a great New Year’s resolution to consider. 

9) Test more

“Test and find out” is essentially the number one rule of modern day marketing. You never know what works well (and more importantly, what could work better) if you don’t test it out against other options.

This could be anything from email subject lines to blog post subjects to the names of fundraisers. For just a few A/B test options, check out this post.

10) Bond with your team more

At the end of the day, you spend a ton of time with the people you work with. Might as well enjoy their company!

The first nine New Year’s resolutions are about the work you do and your organization itself. The last one is all about the people. In 2023, it’s worth thinking about how you could grow closer to the people you work with. This not only makes work more fun – but more fulfilling, as well.

No matter what you choose to pursue in the new year, good luck with your New Year’s resolutions!

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Are you an enterprise, nonprofit or small business looking for help on your website? Give us a shout! We provide a free consultation. Email us at info@lughstudio.com or call us at (718) 855-1919!

End-Of-Year Giving: 5 Tips For Driving More Donations

Posted on by Eric Schenck

It’s already December, which means end of year giving is kicking into full swing. 

The last month of the year is when many organizations get the majority of their donations. With that in mind, here are five tips we recommend at Lúgh Studio to drive more donations. 

Think about which ones are most realistic for your organization, reflect on our advice for implementing them correctly – and then get to work!

5 Tips For Driving More Donations

1) Do live feeds to appeal to people

Video is only increasing in importance. In fact, in the next few years, the percentage of people that consume most of their content in video format will only go up.

The implication is simple: if you aren’t doing video, you are missing out. This is especially true when asking people to donate their hard-earned money. They want to feel connected to a cause before pulling out their wallets, and live video feeds are one of the best ways to do that.

There are many different ways you can make this happen. When it comes to love feeds, you are only limited by your own ideas. Here are just a few options you might consider:

  • Your organization’s founder making an appeal for more donations
  • One of your biggest donor sharing why they chose to donate
  • A direct beneficiary detailing what they have been able to achieve with the funds  

No matter which platform you pick, the most important thing is that you simply do it. People love the engagement that live feeds bring, so be sure to check out some of the best practices you need,

2) Share emotionally charged pictures

A big part of driving more donations is appealing to peoples’ emotions. While solid copywriting can do this quite effectively, pictures are hard to beat. This is especially true if the pictures are emotionally charged” in some way.

So what are some options? Well, if you are an organization that helps people in some capacity, it’s always a good idea to share pictures of the ones that you help. This depends completely on what your organization’s mission is, but there’s a good chance you help people in some capacity. So be sure to get pictures of your main beneficiaries.

While these pictures can be reused from previous years / campaigns, it’s best to use pictures your audience has never seen before. This is relatively easy to do, as long as you make the time for it. Remember this: your pictures don’t have to be the highest quality out there. What they do need to be, however, is honest. The rest will take care of itself.

3) Alert your donors about fundraisers

Driving more donations, in a large part, is about letting your audience know that fundraisers are taking place. It’s been shown numerous times that people have a tendency to feel more giving and generous during the holiday season. This means that simply alerting people about your various campaigns you have going on can be quite effective at driving more donations.

You can approach this communication in a number of ways. Here are a few options:

  • Email campaigns. Check out our ultimate guide to email marketing for more specific tips here.
  • Your organization’s social media pages. Much of your audience hangs out on various social media platforms – great for sharing pictures of your work.
  • Phone calls. For the best results, focus on donors that have a proven track record of interest in your organization’s cause.
  • Paid ads. More costly, but potentially worth it. Give our guide to PPC advertising a read for an in-depth background on making ads work for you.

Of course, it’s important which platforms you decide to utilize the most. Where do your donors spend most of their time? This is the platform you should be dedicating most of your time to for alerts. 

For example, if your audience typically doesn’t spend so much time on Facebook – it’s likely a waste of time and money to advertise on Facebook!

4) Implement crowdfunding campaigns 

People are more likely to take action if they see that others have already acted. The great thing with crowdfunding it has a built in “social proof” element to it. People commenting on your posts, liking it or sharing it with their friends is more likely to drive an increase in interest.

You want your campaigns to be seen by as many people as possible, and crowdfunding can be a great strategy. As for how to make it work for the nonprofit industry? Check out this list of the best crowdfunding websites you can consider.

5) Reach out to your biggest donors

Have you heard of the 80/20 rule? It basically states that 80 percent of your outcome will come from about 20 percent of your efforts. This is true in multiple areas of life – the nonprofit industry included.

Most likely, approximately 80 percent of your total donations comes from about 20 percent of your donors. That means if you want to start driving more donations, there are a few specific donors you should dedicate most of your time to. Dedicate your time here and you can’t go wrong!

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