Best Practice: Thanksgiving Email Illustrating Impact

As you might imagine, I get a number of Thanksgiving messages - email, social media, mail. I thought I would highlight one or two that best caught my attention, with a few insights. The first post was regarding an email I received from Earthjustice. The second post was about the EpicThanks campaign. This third post highlights a great email from Defenders of Wildlife that does an excellent job illustrating the impact the organization and, in turn, its donors had during the past year. Here is the email:

A few notes on the email:

• Great focus on impact, including links to five varied stories - at least one of which is likely to appeal to the recipient's passions.
• The three images at the top make it more likely that the reader will connect with one of those animals, if not all three.
• I appreciate the image of the organization's president, as it puts a personal face on the message and the organization.
• The P.S. is a nice 'gift' to the recipient, but also engages the reader on an on-going basis, if they download the free wallpaper. There are actually 33 different wallpapers to choose from. Since I've always been a fan of otters - here's a look at my favorite:

Kudos Defenders of Wildlife!

Best Practice: Thanksgiving Email

As you might imagine, I get a number of Thanksgiving messages - email, social media, mail. I thought I would highlight one or two that best caught my attention, with a few insights. This first post is regarding the email I received from Earthjustice. It was simple, to the point and linked to an impressive video. Here's the email:


My only complaint is that the unEARTHED component asking what I am thankful for is not more prominently featured. It looks like an afterthought at the end of the message... which could be interpreted as Earthjustice not caring what I think (NOTE: I don't think that's what they think).

Adopt a Nocturnal Creature. No really.

Yep, it's a week late... but I had made note of this email when I was on the run and didn't want to not give it kudos simply because my busy schedule and travel got in the way.

As you might imagine, I am on a number of nonprofit email lists. That being said, it takes something for me to really dig an email. This was one of them - I like the idea of adopting a bat for Halloween (as much as a kid might not like getting that at your doorstep!). Enjoy - Kudos Defenders of Wildlife (@Defenders)!

Take Action: Close Your Drain

So... it's a week after Blog Action Day, when I did a post on infographics re: clean water and another on an individual's water footprint.

But I actually had an idea for another post today: Close Your Drain.

Here's the idea - people regularly waste water when they let it run during shaving, brushing teeth, long showers, etc. So what I suggest is this:

1) Whenever possible, close the drain while you do these type of activities.

2) When you're finished, use a bath crayon and mark how high the water is.

3) Work to get that level lower.

Pretty simple, right? Let me know if you give it a try - I will be doing so! Together we can conserve water and have an impact on the future.

Follow: The Surfrider Foundation

I mentioned on Twitter that I'm reading Beth Katner (@kanter) and Allison Fine's (@afine) book, The Networked Nonprofit. I am occasionally posting good quotes and info from the book on Twitter. To continue that theme, I bring you one of the networked nonprofits highlighted in the book - The Surfrider Foundation - as the latest and greatest #FollowOfTheWeek:

Twitter: @Surfrider
Name: The Surfrider Foundation
Web: www.surfrider.org
Bio: The Surfrider Foundation is a non-profit, grassroots environmental organization dedicated to protection and enjoyment of our world's oceans, waves and beaches. Founded in 1984 by a handful of surfers in Malibu, California, the organization has grown to over 50,000 activists and 100 chapters across world.
Followers: 15,575 + you!
Why Follow? Surfrider is empowering its members and chapters to do incredible work to preserve the oceans and beaches many of us love to visit. Though "surf" is in the name, their efforts are not restricted to surfers and surfing interests.

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Twitter Page:

MySpace Page:

YouTube Page:

Website:

Video on Not The Answer project:

Update: Alyssa Milano's Old Spice Guy Challenge

An update to my previous post on the Old Spice Guy, applying the strategy to NPOs and Alyssa Milano's challenge to Proctor & Gamble to give $100K to gulf cleanup efforts:

Alyssa posted this full update, but some highlights are these snippets:

Here’s where we are now… I’ve been speaking with Beth who isn’t from Procter & Gamble but from the PR firm that represents them (I think that’s where she is from. Wherever she is from, she has been wonderful in answering my many questions). Beth has told me about the abundant philanthropic partnerships Procter & Gamble has and donations they’ve made. As Beth proudly tells it: “In the last few months P&G donated 5x your requested donation to the International Bird Rescue Research Center and the Marine Mammal Center and they are about to start that campaign again, which should result in another donation of $500,000.” Beth has also shared that 12,000 bottles of Dawn Liquid Soap has been sent to clean the wildlife. This is awesome. Beyond awesome and it makes me happy (seriously, way to go P&G).

This is all my roundabout way of saying it looks as though my specific challenge for National Wildlife Federation’s Gulf Coast Relief Fund will NOT be met by P&G BUT… the lovely Beth assures me that Proctor and Gamble would like to do something to acknowledge my challenge and will brainstorm some ideas.

Learn more about:

BlueSwarm highlighted by TechCrunch

BlueSwarm was recently highlighted by TechCrunch with the piece primarily focused on BlueSwarm's success with political fundraising and recent efforts to raise angel fund dollars. Let's take a look at BlueSwarm and TechCrunch's piece, Through Non-Profit Eyes. First, a snippet of the original piece:

Since its launch, BlueSwarm has raised more than $172 million for fundraising campaigns, with the vast majority of those funds directed towards political election campaigns.

The startup, which is a platform that leverages social media tools to attract and track donations, has wooed many politicians, including several gubernatorial candidates like Massachusetts’ Charlie Baker, Wisconsin’s Tom Barrett and California’s Meg Whitman. Whitman, who has already invested a decent portion of her personal fortune into her campaign, has also amassed more than $20 million through BlueSwarm.

The company says the platform is currently being used in 50% of US Senate races and 30% of gubernatorial races, in addition to many local races. However, despite the high volume of transactions, the amount of revenues is still fairly low because BlueSwarm only takes a 2.9% cut.

Some screenshots from the BlueSwarm website:

A look at the BlueSwarm Facebook app:

And mobile app for the iPhone:

A look at some of the dashboard tools within the software:

And a video from TechCrunch & BlueSwarm:

What are your thoughts on this software's implications for non-political fundraising? It appears to have great potential for use for annual giving efforts in the academia, environmental, health and cultural segments. My questions would include how well BlueSwarm can "talk" with the oft-antiquated databases of fundraising operations? What questions do you have?

Eco-Ride 2.0 - Great Social Fundraising

I recently received an email from an organization in Ann Arbor, the Ecology Center. My family and I participated in the '09 EcoRide which included bikers, walkers and runners completing a course at a metropark.

This year, the invite was for EcoRide 2.0... a virtual and social fundraiser for the Center. I love the campaign - the design, interactive site, and the case for support. Screenshots follow. Needless to say, @Ecology_Center is our new #FollowOfTheWeek.

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Twitter: @Ecology_Center

Name: The Ecology Center
Web: www.ecocenter.org
Bio: The Ecology Center is a membership-based nonprofit environmental organization in Ann Arbor, Michigan, founded by community activists after the 1st Earth Day.

Followers: 990 + you!
Why Follow? The Ecology Center runs the following campaigns: Clean Car Campaign, Environmental Education, Greening Chemistry, Healthy Food in Healthcare, Safe Kids, Homes, Towns, Save Land, Build Community, Trash & Recycling and maintains the popular HealthyStuff.org site. They provide great information.

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Email Invite:

Website home:

Create An Ecorider:

Fundraising Goal:

Donation:

Personalize the avatar:

Choose the setting:

And find & follow riders:

Leaderboard:

Social fundraising via Facebook, Twitter & Email:

HealthyStuff.org page - definitely worth checking out. You can follow their RSS here.

HealthyStuff.org video:

And finally, EcoCenter's Twitter page: