3 Ways to Keep Your Donors’ Attention on Facebook

Facebook can be a lot like your elementary school game of dodge ball: you step into the game and all of a sudden you have a ton of things thrown at you. You run, you duck, you block, and you have no idea who hit you. Maybe you’ll focus in on a specific ball and catch it and throw out a ball or two of your own, but when you walk away everything just seems to be a blur. Okay, so maybe it’s not quite so dramatic (or maybe I had a troubled childhood), but it’s clear that it can be hard to stand out in a sea of posts on Facebook. Here are some ideas that may help you to catch your donors’ attention and better participate in the game.

Have Purpose

Whether you are on Facebook for personal reasons or professional reasons, we are all looking to get something out of it. It’s called a “social networking” site for a reason – your donors follow you to get updates, affirmation, information, and feedback. Are you meeting your donors’ expectations with your posts? As any investor in a stock feels part ownership in the business, so do committed supporters feel invested in the organization they financially contribute to. Create posts that update on current projects, affirm that dollars are needed, give information to show that you are making a difference, and respond to comments and posts with feedback of your own. Though donations may be the ultimate goal, people want to feel included rather than like an atm. Invest in their lives and they will invest in yours.

Make It Personal

As I was perusing through my Facebook home page I was looking at the organizations I have supported long term and realized that most are related to a personal attachment. When a natural disaster happens or someone asks for a contribution at a storefront, I may throw a couple of bucks their way but it is never ongoing. When I am asked for a donation from one of the organizations I support, I inadvertently think of the person I know who works there, their passion and integrity, and I am thrilled to be a part of something so important.

It’s vital to have your personality come across in your posts to remind your Facebook friends that you are an accessible, relatable human being. Isn’t that what advertising is all about: the human touch? So many brands and companies use celebrity endorsements to reach out to the consumers. As a nonprofit leader, you are the bridge to your “product” which is buying into your vision.

Switch It Up

You may post once a day, twice a day or even a couple of times a week. However, sometimes when you feel pressure to write something, your mind may go blank. Mix things up with these reader engaging ideas:

• Take a picture of your daily life – upload a view from your office and say “Excited to see what today will bring!” and you can mention a project that you are working on. Show the simple activities that go on in which you are helping others.
• Try taking a poll. If you are a symphony you could ask, “In a future concert, would you like us to highlight pieces from popular musical theatre, traditional classical composers, or upcoming new artists?” You may also want to write open ended questions so your donors can fill in the blank with a one word or short answer comment. “The main reason I support your after school program is to __________________.”
• As an expert in your field, sharing your knowledge can also be helpful depending on your cause. One pastor I work with sends out a 100 word daily devotional. An organization I help that promotes family unity sends out a weekly parenting tip. My sister is a teacher and the principal at her school posts the link to his biweekly blog.

Facebook is necessary for online fundraising and relating to our donors. Once you create a game plan and accumulate an arsenal of tools to use this platform, you may be surprised at the outcome.