Newsletter: Walgreen's Pivot to Digital for Red Nose Day 🔴 ; How Brands are Rethinking Pride 2020 🏳️🌈 ; How Not to Waste Money on Content Marketing 🗑
Following last week's newsletter, I got several questions on point #2 in my introduction:
2. The biggest opportunity for corporate gifts is staring back at you in your individual donors. Even with unemployment surging, most people are still working. Think about it: every one of your donors either runs a business or works for one. Every nonprofit should be asking donors where they work. The challenge is you'll have to work their employer as hard for a gift as you worked the individual! This will require time, resources and staff. Still, you'll start with something you don't have with most companies: a connection.
Readers asked: "Can you explain a bit more about how you would capture this information and use it?"
Sure.
First, I would ask every donor six questions: Name, address, phone number, email address and WHERE DO YOU WORK AND WHAT'S YOUR JOB TITLE?
Second, I would enter that information into my database and would create a new file for just the company. For example, the donor, JANE DOE, would have their own file, but I'd also create one for her employer (i.e. State Street Bank).
Third, I would research the company's potential for matching gifts, corporate grants, sponsorship and cause marketing.
Fourth, as I interacted with the donor, JANE DOE, I would also ask how she could help me secure a matching gift, or apply for a corporate grant, or sponsor an event, etc.
The point here is that you have to treat the company as a separate giving opportunity. But as I said last week, the lead isn't a cold one since you have a connection with the company via the donor. To NOT target the company is a missed opportunity!
How DO YOU target the companies that individual donors work for or own? Hit reply and let me know.
🦠 Responding to COVID-1
1. The story behind Walgreen's pivot to digital for Red Nose Day. 🔴Pictured above is my friend and talented former colleague Jessica Orndorff. When Jess isn't reading my newsletter, she's a senior manager for national corporate development for City Year.
2. This cause marketing fundraiser shows that non-pandemic campaigns can succeed when there is authenticity and, of course, foot traffic.
3. Empathy, purposeful brand-building, action and agility. An excellent interview with the chief marketer at PepsiCo's foodservice division on what things will outlast the pandemic. A great article to share with your corporate partners!
4. An interesting discussion is happening around what companies will be doing for Pride this year as festivals have been cancelled. Benevity is hosting a free webinar on Friday on how brands - like Lush🧴- are rethinking Pride 2020. #PridePledge is asking businesses to pivot funds they aren’t using on Pride festivals this year - or else. Finally, there's a push afoot to get companies to see queer women as a viable market. [Did you hit a paywall? I can email you these articles.]
🤑 Marketing Your Cause
1. How to write a cold email that actually gets a response...and here's the best day to send it (hint: it's not Saturday).
2. How to not waste money on content marketing by creating content that your audience simply cannot ignore and two more takeaways.
3. I Love this thread from April Dunford. Don't sell your features, sell your point of view. Every time she says "startup" just substitute "nonprofit." April also has a great book that I would like to read in the Social Impact Book Club. BTW, the club is currently reading Fanocracy and I'm loving it! Join us.
😎 Cool Jobs in Cause
No jobs this week. 😢
Have your cause-related job featured here for FREE. Hit reply to this email and give me the details and a link to the position.
🧠🍌 Brain Food
1. The folks at Peta miss protesting so much they're protesting in video games instead. The work continues!
2. Three peer-to-peer fundraising campaigns that are reinventing themselves for the new normal.
3. Here's what it takes to order KFC in Gaza City. 🍗😳
Have a question, comment, or just want to say hi? Just leave a comment below or head over to Twitter.
