You’re ready to embrace digital strategies, but you’re not exactly sure what exactly digital fundraising is, never mind how to implement it in your annual fundraising plan. If that sounds like you, keep reading. You can do your own research, but you don’t have time. You can ask others in the industry, but you want to find experts and you believe in paying people for their work. Consider saving time, energy, money, and ultimately, peace of mind, by hiring a consultant. Read on to learn the five reasons to hire a digital fundraising consultant and the benefits these specialists can add to your team.
1. Demystify digital fundraising.
Facebook, YouTube, Twitter, Instagram. Text giving. Crowdfunding. The Internet, social media, and various apps have changed how people donate. And while these technologies make it easier than ever to get your message out, the sheer variety of online platforms can make using digital fundraising tools more than a little confusing – plus these technologies keeps changing all of the time! A consultant can help you:
- better understand the digital landscape
- evaluate your organization’s current use of social media
- develop strategies that best utilize specific platforms to target and engage current and future supporters and donors
If you’ve ever thought about using Instagram to create a viral campaign, or reaching a specific segment of the population through Facebook ads, working with a consultant can help to demystify the entire process.
2. Understaffed? Let a consultant pitch in!
When you don’t have the dedicated staff to develop and implement a proper digital fundraising campaign, a consultant can be a valuable addition to your fundraising team. Tapping into the skills and services a digital fundraising consultant can provide allows your organization to move forward on initiatives that have been back burnered, shelved, or simply underdeveloped.
3. Save money.
Just as a consultant can help your organization when staffing levels are low, utilizing a digital fundraising consultant is a good idea when you can’t afford to increase headcount by adding a full-time digital person. Additionally, as they are already familiar with trends, best practices, and technologies, training is unnecessary, saving you time in addition to money. Hell, it’s actually the other way around. By hiring them, you’ll increase your organization’s knowledge of the digital tools they’ll use.
4. “Round out” your campaign.
If you’ve been metaphorically throwing strategies at a wall to see what sticks – a consultant can help you figure out what strategies best fit your organization. A consultant is aware of the “latest and greatest” fundraising developments and trends. A digital fundraising consultant should also be able to inform you on the best way to integrate technology and social media with traditional fundraising methods. Finally, a consultant is an expert at using all available data to properly target potential new supporters, and can be particularly good at developing personalized asks.
5. Get a “second pair of eyes.”
Just as it’s helpful to have someone else review a proposal before sending, it can be useful to have a “second pair of eyes” look over your funding strategy. When crafting a fundraising plan, organizations may develop a type of “tunnel vision,” leading to potential strategic gaps. A consultant, however, can review your plan with a fresh perspective, suggest new strategies, and come up with innovative ways to solve old challenges. Because of their background and experience, they’ve seen nearly everything, and can bring the diversity of their experiences to bear.
No matter how big or small your organization, you can undoubtedly use more assistance with fundraising. Move your fundraising to the next level. If you’re interested in learning more about how a digital fundraising consultant can help your organization specifically, schedule a consultation with us.