Reactions to the 2008 donorCentrics Internet Giving Benchmarking Analysis
There has been a lot of discussion about the 2008 donorCentrics Internet Giving Benchmarking Analysis since it was released last week. The blogs, Twitter, email lists, and sidebar chats in-between have been busy with a lot of activity. Here is a recap of a few of the articles and blog postings:
Study Shows First-Time Online Donors Often Do Not Return
Stephanie Strom — The New York Times
“The findings suggest that while the Internet can be a valuable fund-raising tool for charities, particularly in soliciting gifts after disasters like Hurricane Katrina, it is not a replacement for direct mail or other forms of fund-raising.”
Getting Repeat Gifts From First-Time Online Donors Proves Challenging
Paula Wasley — The Chronicle of Philanthropy
“Target researchers say the findings suggest that nonprofit groups would do well to integrate their online and offline fund-raising programs.”
Truths & Myths About Online Donors
Roger Craver — The Agitator
“Effective online fundraising clearly goes beyond technique — such as focusing on “hits” and “open rates” — and must absolutely involve integrating this new channel into the tried and true older channels (dm, telemarketing) to get the most donor value possible.”
Do New Online Donors Give Again?
Robert Weiner — TechSoup
“I wonder whether other factors might be at work here. The majority of the nonprofits I have observed do not attempt to re-solicit online donors through online means. Instead, all donors are placed in the same pool and solicited the same way, often through direct mail.”
Future of Fundraising is Hiding in Blackbaud Results
Allison Fine — A. Fine Blog
“We are in a period of transition where the old ways of doing things, like direct mail fundraising, may continue for a short time because going back to the old well is easier than figuring out where the new well is and how it works.”
Is Online Giving Dead or Alive?
Roger Carr — Everyday Giving Blog
“Online giving is alive and growing, but it is not the only game in town. It also has some limitations that need to be understood. The better you understand the trends in online and offline giving, the better you will be able to build an appropriate fundraising strategy for your profit organization.”
Study Finds Online Donors Hard to Retain
Joanne Fritz — About.com Guide to Nonprofits
“There is still no silver bullet for fundraising. Charities must promote their causes across channels. Putting up a website, or having a presence at a social network giving site, is not enough. Capturing information from online donors, so we can follow up in other ways, is just as important as appealing to those donors in the first place.”
New Findings About Online Giving
Norman Reiss — Nonprofit Bridge
“So if anyone tells you to focus only your efforts online when seeking new constituents, remind them that it’s too early to phase out traditional methods, such as direct mail.”
Juicy stats, benchmarks and lessons on online giving
Katya Andresen — Katya’s Non-Profit Marketing Blog
“The best nonprofits have a nice multi-channel outreach program. Don’t assume people want to give in only one way, online or off.”
Attention All Shoppers: Online Fundraising Metrics Are In!
Holly Ross — NTEN Blog
“Integrated marketing makes so much sense here. The more ways you communicate with a donor, the more chances you have to be in that right place, at the right time.”
