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The proliferation of the Internet is creating a new type of constituent that carries a different set of behaviors and opens a door to a larger group of potential fundraisers. Nonprofits know that the most engaged constituents can become some of the most successful fundraisers for the organization.

According to Debbie Snyder, vice president professional services for Kintera in San Diego, the trick is capturing these online constituents, converting them to supporters, then converting the supporters to donors before finally converting donors to fundraisers. Avid Internet users are also more likely to share information with others online and the number of ways in which they can do it has grown substantially in recent years. There are a number of online resources to help an organization encourage online participation from its constituent base.

The first obvious tool is social networking. It has been all the rage lately and gotten a lot of publicity. It's easy, free, and people are doing it. Social networking may not be a gold mine of donations, but it is a successful way for organizations to educate the public about its mission and cause. "And to steal from cartoon character GI Joe, knowing is half the battle," said Snyder.

Second, organizations need to employ an e-communications strategy and plan. For organizations with limited resources, this can be as simple as a monthly e-newsletter. A more elaborate e-communications plan will include a number of online activities such as social networking, online or virtual events, and video clips in addition to e-newsletters and general Web site maintenance, she said. As the younger generations age into donors, an organization's online presence will become of greater significance to constituents and potential donors.

Setting up a social networking page on the major sites and developing an effective e-communications plan requires resources and time; two things nonprofits often don't have enough. So instead of using staff to implement an effective e-communications plan that includes social networking or virtual events, nonprofits can use the time and expertise of a volunteer or group of volunteers. Colleges and universities can be a great place to find students that are interested in learning the operations of organizations and have the online knowledge and expertise required.

With an effective e-communications plan in place, nonprofits can capture online constituents. And once these constituents have interacted with the organization in some way, accepting the nonprofit as a "friend" on their social networking site for example, then they are on some level a supporter of the organization. Once organizations have captured and identified a supporter, then they must encourage constituents to become more engaged with the organization by enabling them to be messengers of the organization's mission. This level of interaction will eventually lead engaged donors to become new fundraisers.

To do this effectively, nonprofits should look to online viral marketing tactics as a guide. Below are some best practices for organizations to employ when developing various e-communications designed to convert online supporters to online fundraisers, according to Snyder.

Personalize communications. There is no argument that a personalized message sent by a friend carries more weight than an e-mail from a large organization. Nonprofits not only need to send personalized communication to constituents, but also enable constituents to send their own personalized message to their contact list.
Offer incentives. Sometimes people just need a little encouragement. Ideally, constituents will share the message because they have a personal feeling of affinity for the organization. But for those that are on the fence, a little nudge won't hurt. Incentives can be as simple as coupons for services, merchandise, or products that have been donated by local businesses. Coupons offered over the Internet need to be easy to print and redeemable both online and on location.
Make messages clear, easy to understand, and easy to share. This point is especially important for online communications where constituents tend to browse and skim content more so than with other forms of media. And just like the game telephone, nonprofits need to ensure that the message remains the same every time it gets shared or passed on.
Information policy. Just because someone forwarded a message doesn't mean the recipient is automatically interested. When using viral fundraising nonprofits need to make sure they have a clear privacy policy. Messages can be sent along to others, but it is essential to differentiate between a recipient of a viral message and a recipient who has shown interest. Interest can be implied in a number of ways, such as volunteering or signing up for the organization's e-newsletter. New constituents shouldn't be added to the database unless they have opted in. However, opting in should be quick and easy, too.

For organizations looking to convert online constituents to online fundraisers, there are two basics steps. The first is to get online and effectively capture Internet savvy constituents that have compassion for the organization's mission. And second, make it is a simple and easy as possible for those constituents to share the organization's message with their personal network.

The online constituent won't mind becoming a marketer for an organization. They probably have already done it. But, they won't go out of their way to do it. Nonprofits can develop a successful viral e-fundraising program by keeping communications personalized, offering incentives, and using messages that are simple and clear.

This article is from NPT TechnoBuzz, a publication of The NonProfit Times.

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