Tips for Social Sector Marketing & Fundraising Teams
It’s hard enough to capture the attention of funders in person, but how do we do it effectively through social media, without sinking days and days into research and design time, ending up with little to show for results in funds raised?
Greater expectations from increasingly social-media savvy philanthropists and grant makers means social sector folks in charge of fundraising now have to compete with the billions of dollars in social media advertising also aiming to capture their attention.
Here, we show you how to make a big impact with a few clicks by using our Karto tool specifically designed to help our social-sector partners easily visualize data in support of their social missions.
We find that LinkedIn and Twitter are your best bets, but you can also apply these ideas to Instagram and Facebook very easily.
1. Make data visual.
Text is good, but pictures are better. Just consider the impact of a Tweet saying, “There are many seniors in need in Toronto.” You may add a stock photo here and there. You may even have data to add that says, “Our waitlists for seniors’ counselling have doubled this year.” This is all great. But now imagine bringing a compelling, data-based visual to the mix.
“Demand for seniors’ supports has doubled at @organization – with hotspots appearing in key areas of #city. With more demand, we need to right-size supply – click here to support our expanded services in #neighbourhoods.
You can grab thisvisual simply by opening your Karto dashboard to the Supply/Demand Analytics, clicking on Heatmap and selecting the issue you’re looking to visualize. Take a screenshot, drop it with the text above, and you’re off!
Not only that, Karto’s heatmap data is live, so you can always revive this post and adjust with new data for the next campaign.
2. Showcase your uniqueness.
Let’s pick up on the data theme. Sometimes we’re asked how our organization is “different” when we’re working to raise awareness to support our fundraising. This is a fair question: people considering supporting your organization have likely been approached by tens if not hundreds of other organizations and causes. They need to see how you’re different to decide whether your work is a good fit for their funding or philanthropy.
They’re likely used to the anecdotal client stories, and the very general messaging of the “do good, donate” type they’re met with all the time. But to make the case and stand out, adding evidence about how your organization fits into the local supply mix can bring data into the conversation, and show them you go beyond the usual superficial pitch.
Take a look at how you can showcase your organization’s offerings as being uniquely positioned by population focus, service bundles, and areas of need. With Karto’s Service & Need Tag Connections, you can show exactly where you fit in relation to other listings in your city. Now, instead of generally pitching that “@organization is very unique in our offerings for seniors who need counselling, information, and referral supports,” you can add that you’re the only organization locally out of hundreds that serves this group in a one-stop shop. And why not drop a screenshot to show your math for even greater impact?
3. Be that influencer.
Some of us in the social services sector think we can’t really talk about anything other than what our organization specifically focuses on. Yet we all know we work as part of an ecosystem of support, and no one organization can do it on their own. Showcase your expertise on social trends – and by all means, help bring awareness to both your work and that of your partners. Being that go-to influencer on social media will make sure your organization is top of mind for donors and funders. You’ll show that you’re a collaborator, and a systems thinker, and you don’t have to spend days of research to do it.
A simple but effective way of using data is to leverage what your audience already knows. Statistics Canada’s Census is something folks are familiar with, and can connect with, as compared to program data unique to your sector or service.
The bad news about this data is that it takes hours to sort through the maze of public datasets, download the right option, understand it, and be able to find something of interest. Then you still have to manipulate the data and visualize it to make the point in your social posts. Here again, you cut and paste with a few clicks to back up your campaign with interesting facts.
You can use the Karto Social Data Trends to post about all kinds of social issues. Don’t limit yourself strictly to your specialization: your ability to offer expertise in diverse areas shows that your organization gets the big picture, and understands macro-trends. At the same time, you’re helping the social sector ecosystem become more evidence-driven. This all adds up to better results. This becomes even more useful to help you bring your followers timely and insightful posts during awareness events like “Suicide Awareness Day.”
You can create simple posts like “Did you know? Despite number of renters in #city growing faster than owners, over 76% are living in unaffordable housing. #StatisticsCanada #CMHC.“ Then add screenshot ready-to-go visuals and summaries to drive more traffic and grab the attention of funders to your organization as a source of insights and data. This builds your credibility and sets you apart from the noise on social media – again, without spending hours upon hours.
Karto even auto generates the relevant trends to speed up your work – cut/paste, customize, and off you go!
Tag your funders, influencers, and advocates in the image, and compare how this post performs compared to your previous efforts. Tweak the time of day, hashtags, and your targets – it’s all about A/B testing, patience, and remembering that marketing is a volume game. To find your perfect formula, you have to experiment, change it up, experiment again, and repeat.. But with some simple and time-effective tips, you’ll impress your funders and your boss without bugging research and evaluation teams, or spending endless hours scouring for data to fit the campaign.
Let us know how it’s going, and how else we can help Karto help you shine in your next marketing campaign, fundraising pitch, or board meeting!
Start now, and make sure you tag HelpSeeker.org in your social posts next time you use Karto!