We are trying to increase our online fundraising efforts, and I'm trying to find out what methods other organizations are using.
From my experience, and what I've learned from others, most people do not use online fundraising unless it is coupled with direct mail or another traditional form of solicitation because email solicitations in and of themselves tend to produce little to no response rate. We are currently sending emails as follow-up reminders after a direct mail is sent, and we are considering sending email acquisition emails to people after they attend a performance.
Is anyone doing anything similar? What do you guys find to be effective/ineffective?
We have done emails solicitations to patrons after a performance that is particularly popular or unique. we don't do it very often, but when we have done it, we have seen a pretty decent response.
Thanks for the response! Do you send those emails to everyone who attend the particular performance, or do you segment?
Recently we've begun sending extremely targeted emails (think 250 or fewer patrons) asking for money and it is working. Basically we are trying to figure out which motivating factors (about to miss attending this donor benefit, "hey, missing your complimentary parking yet?") will push people's buttons. Good luck.