E-Philanthropy

While it might not be possible for other nonprofits to perfectly emulate charity: water's marketing strategy — in fact, it probably wouldn’t be a good idea for them to try given that each nonprofit has a distinct mission, target audience and way of operating — all would benefit from applying even just a few of the lessons we can learn from its incredible marketing. With that in mind, here are nine marketing lessons other nonprofits can take away from charity: water.

Some nonprofits have not made their websites a priority, feeling that they don’t have the resources to dedicate to them. However, nonprofits can no longer ignore their websites, as the website is sure to be one of their largest sources of income in the coming years. Once the decision to improve the website is made, nonprofits must then focus on creating a positive user experience that helps boost purchases and donations.

Here are a few key points to keep in mind when designing a nonprofit site.

Still stuck for subject lines for your year-end e-mails? The subject line is like the outer envelope for direct mail. It’s the window into your message. Make sure it’s wide open and gives a glimpse of something that grabs folks’ attention. Make it intriguing, urgent, exciting, compelling, emotional, shocking or funny. The more useful and specific it is the better.

Here’s what you need to know about your online donors — and what you can do about it now! 1. Most online gifts will come in the last two days of the year. 2. Many donors research you online before they give. 3. Your donors have serious trust issues. 4. Many donors don't like unrestricted gifts. 5. Donors receiving your mailings will go to your site to make their gifts. 6. Your older donors are, in fact, online. 7. Confused online donors will abandon the donation process.

I have a really good piece of advice for you. Send a fundraising e-mail the week between Christmas and New Year’s Eve. Dec. 30 and 31 are the biggest online days of the year, in my experience. All those generous procrastinators are just getting their acts together, so your timing is perfect if you send a last-minute reminder at year’s end.

The subject line is more important than you can ever imagine.

Doctors Without Borders uses new marketing best practices to extend its reach with "remarketing" and "retargeting" ads.

Two nonprofit organizations share how they secured the proper matches to run three extremely successful fundraising campaigns. Toronto-based Kids Help Phone secured a corporate partner to match gifts to its holiday campaign. And the Coast Guard Foundation struck matches with two campaigns — matching donors' desire to help during an emergency for a Coast Guard tragedy and incorporating a matching gift in its annual Memorial Day campaign.

Here are six quick tips to improve your online-giving experience for your donors: 1. Abide by the one-click rule. 2. Keep the online-giving form simple. 3. Tell your donors why they should donate. 4. Use video to thank your donors. 5. Make it easy to donate through social media by directing donors to your donation site. 6. Ask your donors to get their donations matched.

Borrow a page from the retail marketers who spend big bucks on market research. In "15 Subject Line Examples for Your Holiday Email Marketing," Ryan Pinkham provides some free inspiration that applies as well to nonprofits as to retail businesses. Here are eight examples I particularly like, with some thoughts about how you can adapt them to boost your year-end fundraising …