Carolyn M. Appleton, CFRE

For Crescendo Interactive, Inc.

September, 2012

SOCIAL MEDIA: M A J O R & P L A N N E D G I V I N G A P P L I C A T I O N S

S O C I A L M E D I A : M A J O R A N D P L A N N E D

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“Every once in a while, a person will do

something obvious and direct that is no more

than it appears to be.

I think they do it to throw you off.”

~ Steven Brust

American science fiction author

Personal Experience

Asked to join Facebook in 2008 by a major gift donor, whose family had awarded

several of my nonprofit projects more than $1 million (combined).

I was reticent, didn’t think I had time to learn it, and didn’t see its value.

I reconsidered given the stature of that donor (and their family) to me and my

nonprofit projects.

I’ve since discovered many major gift donors ~ individuals, families, foundations

and agencies ~ are active on social media.

I seek to educate, inform and support them all.

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Key Facts and Conference Messages

More people of all ages are online.

Social media is no longer used primarily by young people.

More people 40+ are online, the number is growing & this is a target planned

giving audience.

Your organization should have social media metrics in place.

Measure online responses to everything & evaluate your data.

Alter your communications strategies accordingly.

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G I V I N G A P P L I C A T I O N S

“Numbers don’t matter.

What’s important is that you understand

your audience, know what they want,

and give it to them.”

~ Peter Shankman

Vice President, Vocus

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G I V I N G A P P L I C A T I O N S

“Use the Force, Luke.”

~ Obi-Wan Kenobi

“Star Wars”

What’s Wrong with Planned Giving Websites?

~ State Farm Insurance

They are too complicated.

They have too many words.

They use legalese that most people don’t understand.

They don’t easily offer downloadable information or a way to

sign-up for a newsletter.

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What’s Wrong with

Planned Giving Websites?

They don’t focus on the

nonprofit’s mission.

They don’t say how their money will be spent.

They don’t share bequest language easily.

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What’s Wrong with Planned Giving Websites?

They don’t say who is leading the charge at

the nonprofit, and what his or her

strategic plan will be going forward.

They don’t emphasize the history and

longevity of the organization.

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“The 7 Most Important Things

on Your Website” from Business

News Daily

Logo

Main navigation menu

Search box

Social networking links

Main image

Written content

Bottom of the website.

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“There is no such thing as the general public.”

~ Kivi Leroux Miller

The Nonprofit Marketing Guide, 2010

Kivi Leroux Miller

Focus on the basics first ~ your website and e-mail marketing.

Don’t fret about Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and other online

venues until you have your website and e-mail program well-in-

hand.

Don’t fear failure ~ don’t be too conservative.

Remember, people value honesty and transparency.

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Define Your Audiences: Who Do You

Want to Reach?

Donors and potential donors

Family members, advisors & friends

of donors (gatekeepers)

Professional advisors

People served by your nonprofit.

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Define Your Audiences: Who Do You Want to Reach?

What are the values and needs of each group?

What do they care about?

Develop communication and marketing

tactics that focus on those traits.

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“Keep it real, be transparent and own what you do

wrong. There is no better way to get an audience to

trust you than to be honest with them when you screw

up. Be honest and open, be the person who people think

you are.”

~ Peter Shankman

Vice President, Vocus

Fast Company ~ September 2012

“Unpleasant Truth No.1:

Engagement Can’t be Seen in Dollars.

Until Lady Gaga, Skittles had the record for most

likes and comments on a single Facebook post.

Did it boost sales? “Anybody who says they can track that is in a bubble.”

~ Michael Lebowitz, CEO of Big Spaceship (Skittles marketer)

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Checklist for Planned Giving Officers

~ Cynthia Wilson Krause ~

Baylor Health Care System Foundation ~ Dallas

Focus on becoming more of an educator and less of a

technician.

Focus on individuals who are truly motivated by charitable

intent, not just tax considerations.

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Checklist for Planned Giving Officers

Strengthen donor-recognition programs

to keep current donors.

Utilize market strategies that

incorporate your mission.

Strengthen your focus on philanthropy

and caring about future generations.

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G I V I N G A P P L I C A T I O N S

Checklist for Planned Giving Officers

Create a strategy or process for educating your board and senior leadership

about the benefits of planned giving.

Determine what type of planned giving program best suits your organization

and adjust your strategic plan accordingly.

What Social Media Should You Use?

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G I V I N G A P P L I C A T I O N S

What Social Media Should You Use?

What venues are you comfortable using?

Which venues are appropriate for your nonprofit’s mission,

image, and style of communicating?

Are there venues you aren’t using now, that you should learn?

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G I V I N G A P P L I C A T I O N S

Considerations

Constantly evaluate which social media venues might be valuable

to your communications strategies ~ new ones are developed

fairly often (keep up with trends).

The most popular venues may not be a good fit. Don’t jump into

new social media venues without thinking them through and figuring

out how they might support your communications.

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What Social Media Should You Use?

Use multiple venues, interweave your posts to

provide variety and strengthen your case.

Curate content ~ think it through before posting

and routinely clean-up outdated information.

Respond to donor and prospect inquiries ASAP

and show you’re paying attention.

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G I V I N G A P P L I C A T I O N S

How Do I Use Social Media?

My aim is to be helpful, interesting, competent, thoughtful, and

broad-reaching in terms of subject matter.

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G I V I N G A P P L I C A T I O N S

S O C I A L M E D I A : M A J O R A N D P L A N N E D

G I V I N G A P P L I C A T I O N S

WordPress Websites

(3)

Google+ and

YouTube

Facebook

Twitter

Tumblr

SlideShare

LinkedIn

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G I V I N G A P P L I C A T I O N S

1. WordPress (3) ~ “home base” websites with work experience, helpful

links, professional opinions, proposal resources, in-depth coverage.

2. Facebook ~ general, attractive presentation (a “friend” request page to keep

out undesired guests), links to articles, and entertainment ~ notification focus.

3. Twitter ~ helpful information also found on my other sites, notifications,

blog post promotions.

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G I V I N G A P P L I C A T I O N S

4. Tumblr ~ personal and professional posts, strong visual focus, cross-linked

to all other venues.

5. LinkedIn ~ professional information and dialogues/posts with everyone

(some via group associations), no restrictions as to who links-up.

6. SlideShare ~ professional presentations for access by volunteers and donors.

7. Google+ and YouTube ~ for me, still in development, includes information

found on all the above.

Not currently used: Pinterest and Foursquare (Instagram ~ limited)

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G I V I N G A P P L I C A T I O N S

Your Nonprofit Might Consider …

More than one Twitter account (i.e., one for

general information about your nonprofit’s

mission and ongoing work; another for special

events; and another for professional advisors).

More than one Facebook page (a formal

presence for your nonprofit and its mission

and activities, another for legacy donors and

their special activities).

Creating video (post them across channels).

S O C I A L M E D I A : M A J O R A N D P L A N N E D

G I V I N G A P P L I C A T I O N S

You Might Also …

Develop an attractive blog with regular posts by the

director and program staff about your nonprofit’s

accomplishments (cross-link them).

Include guest blog posts by trusted professional

advisors (cross-link them).

As appropriate, recognize donors online (but get

permission first).

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G I V I N G A P P L I C A T I O N S

“Have you ever started a meeting without an agenda?

Driven your car with no destination?

How about gotten surgery before diagnosing a need?”

~ Brian Solis

http://www.briansolis.com/

Vision … mission … goal … strategy … action plan!

S O C I A L M E D I A : M A J O R A N D P L A N N E D

G I V I N G A P P L I C A T I O N S

Last But Not Least …

Let professionals ~ like Crescendo Interactive ~ handle

the “nuts-and-bolts” of planned giving ~ integrate this

with your website, e-mail, and social media.

Don’t fear social media, handle mistakes with grace, and

keep moving forward.

S O C I A L M E D I A : M A J O R A N D P L A N N E D

G I V I N G A P P L I C A T I O N S

S O C I A L M E D I A : M A J O R A N D P L A N N E D

G I V I N G A P P L I C A T I O N S

Thank you!

Carolyn M. Appleton, CFRE

E-mail: cappleton@earthlink.net

Blog: http://carolynmappleton.wordpress.com/

SlideShare: http://www.slideshare.net/CAppleton/presentations

Fundraising Resources: http://fundraisingresources.wordpress.com/

Photographs in this presentation were provided by:

Carolyn M. Appleton (including one using the iPhone app, Aviary)

Baylor Health Care System Foundation

Fast Company

Microsoft Office Online

Noise to Signal

Ginger Rogers and Fred Astaire courtesy of, “One Dress a Day” blog

Peter Shankman

Brian Solis

Star Wars

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S O C I A L M E D I A : M A J O R A N D P L A N N E D

G I V I N G A P P L I C A T I O N S

http://carolynmappleton.wordpress.com/

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G I V I N G A P P L I C A T I O N S

Reading List

The following articles provide background support for this slide

presentation.

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G I V I N G A P P L I C A T I O N S R E A D I N G L I S T

Carolyn M. Appleton, “Baby Boomers and Seniors are Embracing Social Media,”

WordPress blog (carolynmappleton.wordpress.com/posts/how-baby-boomers-are-embracing-digital-media/).

Boston College, “Giving Data Show Boomers Poised for Record Giving Capacity,”

February 7, 2012, AFP Reports and Research (afpnet.org).

Business News Daily, “The 7 Most Important Things On Your Website,” February 16,

2012 (http://www.businessnewsdaily.com/2046-web-design-data.html).

Campbell Rinker, as reported in Huffington Post Impact, “Online Giving Important to

Donors 60+” (http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/12/12/online-giving-important-t_n_1144435.html).

Jamie Carracher, Edelman Digital, “How Baby Boomers Are Embracing Digital

Media,” Mashable, April 6, 2011.

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G I V I N G A P P L I C A T I O N S R E A D I N G L I S T

Constant Contact Blogs and Webinars (http://blogs.constantcontact.com/).

Erich Hamm, “Building Relationships with Professional Advisors,” Philanthropy Journal,

April 15, 2011.

Aidan Hijleh, “How to Appeal to Facebook’s Fastest Growing Demographic: Seniors,”

also includes Boomers, Allfacebook.com, October 4, 2011.

JustGiving (UK), “Older Donors and Online Giving,” August 6, 2012

(http://blog.justgiving.com/community/older-giving/).

Beth Kanter, “How to Avoid Getting ‘Content Fried,’” NTEN Change, August 15, 2012

(http://www.nten.org/blog/2012/08/15/tips-for-content-curators-from-beth-kanter-how-to-avoid-getting-content-

fried?utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+nten+%28NTEN+Blog%29).

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G I V I N G A P P L I C A T I O N S R E A D I N G L I S T

Cynthia Wilson Krause, “Checklist for Planned Giving Officers,” The NonProfit Times

(thenonprofittimes.com/article/detail/checklist-for-the-planned-giving-officers-2768).

Ian Lurie, “The Data-Driven Disadvantage,” IBM Smarter Commerce, September 7, 2012

(http://asmarterplanet.com/smarter-commerce/page/2).

MarketSmart Blog, “What’s wrong with the Words on Planned Giving Websites?” April 16,

2012 (State Farm: imarketsmart.com/blog/2012/04/whats-wrong-with-the-words-on-planned-giving-websites/).

Kivi Leroux Miller, The Nonprofit Marketing Guide (John Wiley & Sons, 2010).

National Philanthropic Trust, “2011 Donor-Advised Fund Report”

(nptrust.org/images/uploads/2011%20Donor-Advised-Fund-Report(1).pdf).

NTEN: Nonprofit Technology Network, CHANGE (e-journal on data), September, 2012:

http://www.nten.org/ntenchange.

NTEN: Nonprofit Technology Network, “The 2012 Nonprofit Social Networking

Benchmarks Report” (http://www.nten.org/research/the-2012-nonprofit-social-networking-benchmarks-report).

Dan Pallotta, “Data Isn’t All It’s Cracked Up to Be,” Dan Pallotta (Tumblr), August 22, 2012

(http://www.danpallotta.com/post/29962726738/data-isnt-all-its-cracked-up-to-be).

Salvation Army of Southern New England, Connecticut and Rhode Island, YouTube

Channel, “The Givers” (http://youtu.be/PmaatG7lwhE).

Katherine E. Swank. J.D. and Lawrence C. Henze, J.D., “Data Bytes or Data Bites? Using

Data Efficiently for Planned-Giving Programs,” Advancing Philanthropy, July/August 2012

issue ~ one must be a paid member of AFP to access this article; if you aren’t a member, I

can fax a copy: cappleton@earthlink.net (http://www.afpnet.org/Publications/IssueDetail.cfm?itemnumber=11997).

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Marla Tabaka, “Toss Out Your Social Media Metrics,” an interview with Peter

Shankman, Inc.com , May 7, 2012.

Hollis Thomases, Inc.com, “11 Reasons a 23-Year-Old Shouldn’t Run Your Social Media,”

August 10, 2012.

Baratunde Thurston, “The Social Media Road Map (Sorta),” Fast Company, September,

2012 , “Our surefire, can’t lose, 100% accurate guarantee: In this evolving marketplace, nothing is

predictable.”

Ross Toro, “America’s Baby Boomers are Retiring Early (Infographic), LiveScience, April

30, 2012 (www.livescience.com).

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G I V I N G A P P L I C A T I O N S R E A D I N G L I S T

Mal Warwick, “Just the Facts on Legacy Giving,” The SOFII Foundation, UK (www.sofii.org/node/288).

Mal Warwick, “What an Effective Planned Giving Program Can Mean for Your

Organization,” (www.malwarwick.com ~ Learning Resources)

Kathryn Zickuhr and Aaron Smith, Pew Internet & American Life, “Digital Differences,” April

13, 2012 (http://pewinternet.org/Reports/2012/Digital-differences/Main-Report/Internet-adoption-over-time.aspx).

Slide presentation updated

September 17, 2012

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