How to use funnels to convert your non profit audience

Funnels are an essential part of paid social ads, and marketing in general. They help you to take people from being strangers to supporters by helping them get to know, like and trust you.

Think of your funnel as an exceptional three course meal.

Your starter (for the sake of argument, let's call it scallops) starts to warm up your audience. They haven't been to the restaurant before, and they've never heard of the chef. But they are open to loving them both because the scallops have peaked their interest. They provide a flavour of what's happening in the kitchen.

Your main course (steak, chips, bearnaise sauce, portobello mushroom, salad) gives them even more of a sense of what your restaurant can do. They're now interested in the chef's vision and the sommelier's recommendation. They have a deeper layer of knowledge and understanding.

Now, your dessert. That's the highlight. I'm talking souffle. I'm talking chocolate fondant. By now, they understand the chef's influences, and their abilities. They've bought into what the restaurant is all about. The relationship is developing nicely. They're planning how they can continue the interaction; they'll come again and tell their friends. You might see your plates on Instagram Stories later.

By the time the bill comes they are happy to pay and everyone leaves happy. Another supporter is born.

In short, a well-designed funnel will:

• Drive awareness of your organisation and what you do

• Engage potential customers and get them interested in finding out more

• Convert prospects into leads and customers

Now let's take a look at how you can use paid social ads to build an effective funnel that will help you convert strangers into supporters.

• Drive awareness of your brand and what you do. Your focus here is reaching new audiences, finding where 'your' people are and testing what they respond best to in terms of messaging, creative (video, static images, graphics) and call to action. You're not asking for anything, you're just getting your organisation in front of people and introducing yourself.

• Engage potential customers and get them interested in what you do. This is your education piece; your chance to take your prospects a step further along the journey of getting to know, like and trust you.

• Convert prospects into leads and customers. Here you can focus on what you already have in place that converts people and send your warmed up audience to it. If it's your newsletter, drive people there. If it's your website, that's where they should go. If you have a specific donation landing page with a great conversion rate, focus there.

Your first step will be to plan how this journey from stranger to supporter looks. If you lay it out systematically it's a lot easier to track the journey your audience will go on, and where your gaps may be. If it starts to look more like an 8-course taster menu and you don't have a huge budget, review where you can make it a simpler, more streamlined journey and test that first. Simplicity is always the best approach. Bon appetit!

What should I be testing to make sure my ads are working hard for me?

When it comes to your non profit's bottom line, engagement is key. No matter how deserving your cause, if you're not able to engage potential supporters, you're not going to convert them into donors, or volunteers, or ambassadors. And that's where testing comes in. It's key to figuring out what works best for you.

Picture this. You've worked hard to create a brilliant video that tells the story of someone you helped. You've crafted copy that supports the video by walking the perfect line between emotion and fact. It has a clear call to action. You build a cold audience that makes sense for your cause - these people logically should be interested in what you have to say. All your metaphorical eggs are in this one basket. You hit 'publish'.

And nothing happens. Very few click throughs, very few reactions. Certainly no donations. No one seems to care. It's heartbreaking.

Here's how to avoid that happening.

• Firstly, a testing strategy. One piece of content, however well crafted, won't give you the data to make longer-term decisions. Multiple ad variations where you can test different pieces of creative against different pieces of copy against different headlines against different calls to actions, will give you that data very quickly. The same goes for audience testing - your first choice is unlikely to be the absolute best, but it's a starting point for learning. By constantly testing different elements of your paid social campaigns you can ensure that your engagement levels are always high, and that your conversions will follow suit.

• Secondly, mindset. If you approach every campaign as a testing opportunity it's amazing what you can learn. It's exactly like life - if you try something new, there's a chance you might not love it but now you'll know that you don't love it and you'll avoid it. That's precisely why I no longer ski. You will always learn something about your audience; what they respond to (what to do more of), what doesn't resonate (what to stop doing), opinions from conversations in the comments (what can be used to answer concerns in future content). This means that although you've spent money in order to learn, that money has taught you something that can then make your second attempt more likely to be successful.

But why is testing so important in paid social specifically? Here are three big reasons:

• Paid social is all about engagement: with platforms like Facebook and Instagram, you're paying to put your ads in front of people who are already likely to be interested in what you have to say. That means that you need to make sure that your ads are as engaging as possible in order to make those people pause and give you their attention. The only way to do that is to test until you find what works best for you.

• Paid social platforms are constantly changing: that means that what worked yesterday might not work today. That's why it's so important to be constantly testing your paid social campaigns.

• You need to stand out from the competition: paid social is a crowded space. In order to stand out from the competition, you need to make sure that your ads are as attention-grabbing and engaging as possible. The only way to do that is to test different elements of your ads until you find a winning formula.

By constantly testing different elements of your campaigns, you have a much higher chance of high engagement levels and conversions. So what are you waiting for? Get out there and start testing!

Paid social ads for non-profits: your getting started check list

Social media advertising can be a brilliant way to showcase your non-profit’s activities to a larger, carefully targeted audience and to find new supporters. But it’s not (unfortunately!) for everyone. If you’re considering promoting your organisation via Facebook advertising, here’s your check list of things to think about before you move forward.

• Are you converting people organically? Paid ads amplify what you’re already doing, meaning that if what you’re doing isn’t generating support through other channels (website, organic social, word of mouth, other marketing activity) then Facebook ads won’t solve that issue. For instance, if your non-profit is amazing but your website doesn’t convert prospects into supporters then focus on updating your website so that it converts well before you drive more people to it. It’s always tempting to try something new and pin your hopes on it, but it will save you money in the long-run if you get your house in order first.

• Do you have a minimum of £500 per month to devote to your adspend? With Facebook you have to pay to play, so you have to expect to spend money in order to make money. The absolute minimum you should spend per month is £500, and if the process of warming up prospects will require a funnel (i.e. a two-or-more-step process to help people get to know, like and trust you) you should factor in a minimum of £1000 per month. These are ballparks only, but an ad specialist can help you work out how much you should look at spending based on what you want to achieve.

• Are you prepared to give it time? Facebook is an incredible tool for finding the right people to show your ads to, but it takes the algorithm time to learn who they are and where to find them. And it will take testing for you to figure out exactly how to target your ideal customers, how to talk to them and what they respond best to. It’s unlikely that your first attempt will be a winner, so I would recommend earmarking three months minimum as a test period, not including the time it takes to make sure your business manager, ad account and pixel are all up and running.

• Do you have the time and headspace to do it yourself? Marketing teams are, in general, full of busy people with a LOT on their plates. Adding in another skill to learn, practice and perfect can be overwhelming. If this is you, consider outsourcing to a specialist who can partner with you.

Big goal, small budget: can paid social ads work for me?

It's no secret that non-profits can use all the support they can get. They're often up against big odds, working to make the world a better place with limited resources. 

So you know it's really important that you, as a non-profit fundraiser or marketer, make smart choices when it comes to allocating your budget, to make sure you are getting as much bang for your buck as possible.

The good news is that, although paid social media isn't a silver bullet, it can amplify what is already working well. So, if you don't have an enormous budget to play with, ask yourself this question:

What do I already have in place that is consistently making people take the action I want?

Take that best converting asset and use paid ads to put it in front of more people, keeping your objective front of mind throughout. For instance:

Increasing website traffic. If your website is already working well for you and is driving people to donate to your cause, use paid ads to reach new people, give them a flavour of what you do, and encourage them to visit your website to find out more. 

Building your email list. A newsletter or email sequence can be a great way to keep people engaged and aware of how they can support you. If yours converts well into donations, use your ads to reach new audiences and/or engage with existing audiences who aren’t on your list, and give them a reason to sign up to receive your emails.

Building your organic following. If your Facebook page is full of engaged supporters and your content drives action, focus on building that following and using your ads to reach more people likely to be interested in engaging with your page.

There are of course brilliant strategies that can take people through the whole journey from stranger to supporter via ads, but if funds are limited, try focusing on one area at a time. Be open to testing different messaging and creative until you find what drives your audience to take the action you want, and be aware that this process may take time. And if you need support, please feel free to reach out to me at alex@socialclimber.london. I'd love to hear from you.

Connecting emotionally with your audience - why it's a game-changer for non profits

A story on a charity website made me cry yesterday. I properly welled up. It was a story about a lady going into palliative hospice care, told by her sister, and it was talking about how the love she was shown by this charity in her last months changed her attitude to her illness and made her loved ones feel supported in their darkest hours. 

It was a beautiful, heart-breaking story. And it was important because, without reading anything else on the website or knowing any other background, it told me:

• That the charity was showing incredible love and kindness to people whose lives have become unknown and frightening, as well as offering practical solutions to very real problems.

• That this work was touching whole families, not just individuals, and that the impact would be long-lasting.

• That this help was very hard to find elsewhere.

And that, therefore, this charity needed public support to enable them to continue working with the people who need them most. 

That's the power of storytelling. 

Big stats can be shocking but they can also be immobilising because they feel overwhelming and immovable. They don't move you like personal stories do. Stories put a human face on those statistics and give you a glimpse into the lives of those affected. They help you put yourself in their shoes. And that drives action like nothing else.

If you're reaching out to new audiences who aren't familiar with you with the goal of converting them into supporters (whether that's to build awareness or grow your email list with the aim of ultimately asking for donations), storytelling is a great place to start, and that comes down to talking to the people you've already helped.

If you have them, case studies and testimonials are incredibly useful for pulling out the stories that will connect with prospective supporters. If you don't have any, ask a few recipients of your help these questions: 

• How did you feel before we met?

• What happened once we started our relationship?

• How do you feel now?

This takes them through the journey without being bombarded with questions. And it gives the people reading an understanding of how your work has impacted people on a personal level.

You can use your bank of stories in so many ways, but look at starting here:

• How can storytelling be part of your website? It will be integral in helping new people understand how you could help them, as well as driving support, so it needs to be prominent. Could stories be incorporated into your homepage, your About Us, or your What we do sections?

• Could you film your interviews and create snippets that could be used across your organic social media as well as your paid ads? Video can be a really powerful way of communicating people's stories, and is especially useful on social media, which is embracing video content more and more.

See what impact that has on the support you receive.

Why you shouldn't cut your marketing spend in a crisis

This month the Government is going to run an ad campaign asking businesses to move their marketing budgets into discounting the prices of their goods and services to help ease the current UK economic climate. Ironic given that their marketing budget will fund the campaign!

There's a lot that makes little sense about this approach, but the big questions are - if no-one knows you're there, how will they buy your discounted goods or services? And if no-one buys, how will your business stay afloat?

Looking at this through the lens of the non-profit sector, in difficult times it's tempting to funnel as much budget as possible straight into the cause rather than keeping budget aside for marketing. That can help in the short term, but here's why it will actually slow you down longer-term:

• No-one will support a cause they aren't aware of, so putting your message in front of the right eyes is crucial to your future. You don't need millions to get started, or to be across every channel, or to embrace every marketing trend, you just need a solid testing strategy. Start small, test what works, build on that. Ask people for help where you have knowledge gaps.

• Nurture takes time. It's logical that at a time when a lot of people are struggling financially, or at least reviewing their financial activities, they may not be in a position to donate. But they will remember, and revisit when they are in a better position. Think of every destination, product or experience on your bucket list. How long have you had those thoughts that one day you'll go / own / do those things? Aspiration doesn't disappear just because it's not the right time right now, and neither does the desire to make a difference.

• Kindness is everywhere. If we can take any solace from this year's horrendous news cycle, it's the knowledge that kindness springs up wherever there is distress. Think of the amazing Polish parents leaving buggies at train stations for Ukrainian mums arriving in Poland. Even in dire circumstances, people want to help, whatever that looks like for them. It helps to feel like you can make a contribution, however small. Give them the opportunity to do that.

Staying front of mind doesn't need to cost a fortune, but disappearing will end up costing you (and those you help) much more. Future you will thank you if you remember the benefits and keep going.

How to boost your social engagement using popular culture

If you're looking to increase support for your non profit, brand awareness and engagement will be high on your priority list. I wanted to share two great examples this week of charities employing brilliant engagement strategies in order to engage and educate new audiences...

Take a look at how the Humane Society of Utah used the launch of the new series of Stranger Things to encourage adoption by giving the rabbits characters from the show. They are using two effective strategies here:

• putting (bunny) faces to their cause repositions the rabbits from animals in need in the abstract to specific animals with their own personalities who need loving homes. It's much easier to drive action based on personal stories that people can relate to or feel for, than talking about a wider need that feels insurmountable to individual readers.

• tapping into popular culture - a riff on a popular piece of our culture can be a clever way to raise a smile and get your message across. Here it's being done with a funny link to a tv show but if humour doesn't sit well with your brand in this way, try focusing on the format of your content instead. The British Red Cross are a great example - they are using Tik Tok dance videos to talk about important topics, and not only reaching new audiences but also tailoring their delivery to their platform. Check them out here.

4 email automations that will save your team time and energy

If you’re leading a non-profit marketing department you know that the activities your team spend their time and expertise on are extremely valuable. Where focus goes, energy flows right?

Automating activities that are repeated over and over again frees your team up to focus on the things only they can do, like planning video content for your next social media campaign or reviewing previous campaign data.

Email is a key automation to have in place because once you have your messaging plan sorted it’s just a matter of setting up your automation to send out the right messages at the right time. The impact on the recipient is the same as a manual send and you don't have to keep track of who should get what and when.

Here are 4 email communications that can be easily automated and save your team a lot of time:

1. New newsletter subscribers - these people are already familiar with what you do, but need to be nurtured so that they continue supporting you. An email sequence that takes them on a journey into the different activities happening within your organisation and how they can help will start this nurture process. Make sure you space out the email send days so no-one feels inundated with emails.

2. New donors - these people already know, like and trust you sufficiently to donate. An email sequence that teaches them about how donations are used will cement their understanding of the value of their support, and can help transition one-off donors into monthly donors.

3. Weekly Updates - it’s key to remain front-of-mind with existing supporters in order to continue the relationship and make them feel like a valued part of your community. A weekly email update that showcases current activities, updates on longer-term projects and opportunities to volunteer will help achieve this.

4. Donation requests - a monthly email that updates your audiences specifically on how donations have helped further your cause and provides opportunities for further support is a gentle way to drive donations without hounding.

What could your team achieve with the time they save?