The
non-profit business in the U.S. is one of the leading industries
world-wide.
With the economic difficulties that countries around the globe have
been attempting to balance since 2008, the need for assistance in
many areas of what would otherwise be handled by government agencies
is more necessary than any time since the Great Depression.
If
you have seen any of the non-profit ads on television suggesting that
“for only $19 a month” you can help this or that charity, then
you already know that billing a set monthly amount has proven
successful for many different types of NPOs.
Using
a recurring
billing software
program that allows your donors the option of donating smaller but
more consistent amounts lets you know how much money your non-profit
can budget for different purposes.
Target
Your Donors by Age
Wesley
Yuhn,one
of the most experienced marketers in the world for private, public
and non-profit enterprises suggests targeting donors by age groups
rather than by other demographic data. Normally, this is not the
best concept for finding the right marketing technique but there is a
method to the madness he recommends.
Baby
Boomers – born 1946 to 1964
Baby
Boomers are the most generous donors right now--- coughing up 43% of
all donations to non-profits. They need few incentives beyond knowing
what wrong needs righting. They have the most amount of disposable
cash to spread around and feel an obligation to help those less
fortunate.
Even
those who may have retired are still working and bringing in extra
money. They were raised by parents and grandparents who inspired them
to give back to society as a whole.
Matures
– born earlier than 1945
To
most of the people in the U.S. being born between 1940 and 1945 still
places them in the Baby Boomer category, but non-profits have decided
that anyone born before the end of WWII is not a Boomer at all.
While
those in this age group actually give more per donation, they are
targeted less because fewer are in a position to give. Yet,
statistics show that of 88% those that do make charitable
contributions donate to 6.2 different groups.
Gen
X – born 1965 to 1980
Gen
X-ers are the children of the Boomers and the majority have better
educations, careers that are lucrative and fewer children by choice.
That said, out of the total number of donors for all non-profits they
only represent 20% of those giving, slightly more than half support
an average of 3.9 different organizations.
Gen
Y – born 1981 to 1995
Primarily
because these are the teenagers and recent college graduates of the
nation, they are the lowest percentage of donors in the sector.
None-the-less, 60% of those that do make donations support at least 3
different charities.
Most
of this group is either working in a low-paying, part time position
since the economic disaster of 2008 or are overwhelmed with college
loan payments and young families. Still, their hearts are open to
supporting the needs of others.
The
Boomers, Gen X-ers and Gen Y-ers are all quite technology savvy and
accustomed to making recurring
payments
through secured online sites. Providing this option for your NPO
right now will be the determining factor for how much you can do for
those you represent.
