There is no denying the fact that today’s workplace is increasingly diverse. Composed of professionals across multiple generations, including baby boomers, Generation Xers and millennials, a one-size marketing strategy is no longer a sufficient means to capture the attention of this diverse audience.
This, coinciding with the increasing number of millennials participating in the workforce, has created the evident need to eliminate this type of strategy to include this younger demographic. With this in mind, knowing how to effectively interact with the younger generation is imperative to successful fundraising efforts.
Here are six tips to help you fundraise with the millennial generation.
Know the audience
If you want to build lasting relationships and establish valuable connections, you must know your audience members. What are their interests? What are their pain points? What excites them?
To design a successful fundraising campaign, take the time to research and understand your audience’s demographics and what makes it tick. For example, the millennial generation comprises individuals born between 1978 and 1994. Millennials are extremely technologically savvy and believe in working smarter as opposed to working longer. They were nurtured by their parents and value their families, teamwork and praise. In total, they represent approximately 22 percent of the workforce today.
Now, take this information and build on it based on your specific millennial audience. Beyond this, ask yourself what tactics you can use to stimulate the interests and capture the attention of this young generation to raise awareness and build money for your nonprofit.
Go green
Millennials have a strong sense of social responsibility. They want to make a difference in the world, so fundraising and volunteerism appeal to their generation. Get them excited to donate by creating advocacy opportunities and allowing them to get involved and make an impact.
Be online
Millennials were the first generation to grow up with the Internet, and not surprisingly, they are engaged in online activities all the time. Use this fact to your advantage, and meet them where they want to be met.
Make sure to utilize mobile apps and online applications to run fundraising campaigns. For example, using the PayAnywhere app, your organization can accept Visa, MasterCard, American Express, Discover and PayPal with an iPhone, iPad, Android or BlackBerry device. This makes donating convenient and easy.
Use multiple communication platforms to engage effectively
As a direct result of growing up with the Internet, millennials are constantly plugged in and use a variety of platforms to communicate — anytime and anyplace. Whether it’s via social media, a blog, a website, personal invitations or videos, millennials are accustomed to expecting creative, relevant content that is personalized to them. In fact, they have mastered the art of weeding through all of the junk.
Make sure when you execute your fundraising initiatives you do so through a variety of communication channels, including your website, Twitter and Facebook. Additionally, remember that this generation loves interesting videos that can be watched online and on-demand. Consider delivering pertinent information about your fundraising campaign using videos that engage and appeal to millennials' interests.
Host fundraising events
This generation highly values its personal time spent with peers. Be accommodating by creating fundraising events that encourage participants to invite their friends, making sure to reward those who do so. This simple tactic not only helps ensure your attendees are content, but it also organically inspires others to get involved.
Be everywhere
The younger generation is far and away the most difficult to reach. Millennials communicate using a variety of technological platforms. You need to make sure your message is available on multiple channels and can be easily found.
Beyond this, remember that since their daily lives revolve around communication, you need to make your message brief and to the point. For example, Twitter is often a great way to raise awareness about a specific fundraising effort, as it challenges you to reach out and communicate in 140 characters or less.
One of the many challenges that nonprofit organizations face is knowing how to communicate and connect with the younger generations. By simply taking the time to get to know your audiences, their interests and their preferences, you enhance the performance of your fundraising efforts. Use the six tips outlined above, stay true to your vision and always have fun!
DJ Muller is president and founder of WebLink International.
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