2010 holds a lot of promise for nonprofit organizations. It seems that now more than ever people are really paying attention to what’s important and are becoming more involved in philanthropic efforts. Though people may not be able to give as much per donation as in the past, research has shown that the number of people giving has increased.  Being that the economy is the way that it is though nonprofits have to be tactful and strategic in their fundraising plans in order to achieve optimal results. I have compiled a list that I’ve dubbed the “10 Fundraising Commandments” that are by no means the end all and be all of fundraising but can be used as a guide to help nonprofits work smarter, not harder, in these tough times.

1. Thou shalt be optimistic - Despite less than optimal economic conditions, individuals and businesses have not stopped their charitable giving. Instead, there has just been a change in giving patterns where donors are now opting for longer-term pledges and gift commitments. Learn more about this by clicking here. Also, as mentioned earlier more people are giving due to the new collective awareness of the importance of philanthropy. The economy has helped us all to focus on what’s really important.
2. Thou shalt recognize the importance of  email marketing – Frogloop, Care2’s nonprofit online marketing blog, conducted a survey and found out that even many well known (and nationally recognized) nonprofits are under-performing in their email marketing. According to another article, email accounts for 46% of content sharing activity on the internet which gives it a lot of potential in terms of “word-of-mouth” marketing. Also, email provides the option for real-time communication when thanking a donor for their contribution. This is very important because the quicker you can respond to them, the more likely they are to donate again in the future.
3. Thou shalt realize the effectiveness of direct mail - The Direct Marketing Association estimates that non-catalog direct mail returned $15.22 for every dollar spent in 2009. Also, several surveys have revealed that direct mail is one of the most effective ways to recruit new donors. It is also one of the best ways to provide donors and potential donors with new information not to mention that donations still come through mail so it’s important to keep that channel open. Click here for more insight on how direct marketing is often underestimated.
4. Thou shalt not underestimate the power of social media - Social media has opened up a new channel for fundraising. One success story that illustrates this involves Epic Change, a nonprofit that used Twitter to raise $11,000 in 48 hours to build a school in Tanzania. 98% of those who donated to this campaign had never donated to Epic Change before.  Social media has also opened up new doors for marketing. Individuals are becoming champions for their causes through social media and their support emanates through their social networks via news feeds and social share features for all their friends to see.
5. Thou shalt understand the need for cross channel marketing – Online and offline channels reinforce one another helping the message to stick. Click here to read about the increasingly important role of multichannel marketing for nonprofits or click here to read about the rising need for cross channel marketing in general.
6. Thou shalt engage donors - With the rise of the internet and social media donors are expecting to be more than just check writers. They want to interact and influence nonprofits and feel like they have a hand in the mission. Opening up two-way communication channels (i.e.-social media) to engage your donors and get their opinions/ideas allows for this kind of interaction.
7. Thou shalt have a stellar web design - A website is very important to potential donors when deciding where/how to donate. If a website is difficult to navigate, has content that is unclear, is too bulky, not consistent with brand image, etc. (the list of potential problems could go on) the responsible nonprofit organization decreases their chances of receiving all potential donations. It’s been estimated that with every click a potential donor has to take to find information or figure out how to donate that there is about a 40%  decrease in the likelihood that they actually will donate.
8. Thou shalt tell stories – It’s important for donors to feel connected to the mission of a nonprofit. Storytelling is more effective in accomplishing this rather than just giving straight facts and asking people to care. Tell stories about your organization, those positively affected by your organization, members of your organization, etc…anything that can help conjure up emotion and interest and create a connection between the potential donor and your mission. According to Network for Good, people don’t give to organizations they give to people.
9. Thou shalt not forget about planned giving - “Considering the average planned gift is 200 times the value of an individual’s largest major gift, cutting back on marketing them is an unwise choice.” (via PlannedGiving.com) Planned giving is often overlooked as it takes a more proactive approach to market this type of giving program but none-the-less the pay-off can prove to be worth it.
10. Thou shalt personalize donor communication – You can increase the likelihood of your direct mail being opened by 44% just by including the person’s name and 70% of people prefer personalized direct mail over generic direct mail. It’s becoming expected and almost necessary to personalize communication these days in order to achieve a desirable response rate.

I hope you found these commandments helpful.  Please feel free to leave comments or share any of your own tips! Happy fundraising!