Wow, we can’t believe that 2012 is almost over.
As we close out another year on the blog, we’d like to share the 5 most popular posts from the last 12 months. Enjoy!
5. Donation page upgrades increase conversion by over 200%
“We’ve preached the importance of continuous online testing and optimization. But it really hit home when that resulted in a 209% better conversion rate for one of our clients in 2011.
The first important step was identifying an area for testing where a lift in results would make a real difference. We settled on the donation experience on the website.”
Read more about donation page optimization.
4. Getting noticed on Pinterest
“There has been much published about Pinterest and non-profit use over the past few weeks.
As she often does Beth Kanter kicked it off with a thoughtful blog post that serves as a good primer on the subject.
If you just pronounced “primer” prim-er as opposed to prime-er you lose one point. Don’t worry I am keeping track of these points.
Pinterest is interesting in how fast it has grown and the disproportional number of women using it. That is of special interest to non-profits since women usually make up a majority of donors.”
3. It just makes NO SENSE!
“Direct marketing is so darn illogical. I’ve been doing this for over 40 years, and common sense seems to be, well, not as common as you might think.
Going with your gut, or trusting your intuition, is an easy trap that both experienced veterans and younger ‘superstars’ can fall into. Without long-term testing and accurate analysis, trusting what seems logical can be disastrous.”
Read more about testing and direct marketing.
2. Fundraising across generations
“As our mature donors — those born before 1945 — exit the giving scene, the imperative to attract new and younger donors has never been more important. Two critical questions arise as we work to engage the next generations of donors today:
- How will we optimize bringing on younger donors without compromising current revenue from our current donors?
- What generational age cohorts are the most strategic and economically viable to pursue?
As we consider these questions, let’s look first at the evolving traits and current realities of the youngest giving generation, Gen Y, which is also known as the Millennials.”
1. Extreme donor-focused newsletter increases revenue by 521%
“Some simply report accomplishments. Others are nothing more than fundraising appeals, thinly disguised in newsletter clothing. Still, others are institutionally-focused pieces written for insiders.
One of the most effective types is the Extreme Donor-Focused Newsletter. It is aimed squarely at the donor. In fact, it is all ABOUT the donor.”
Read more about creating an extreme donor focused newsletter.