As a fundraiser, you know that building and maintaining relationships with your donors is key to success. And in today’s world, that means using social media. LinkedIn is a powerful tool that can help you connect with potential and current donors, cultivate relationships, and solicit donations. Here are 5 tips to use LinkedIn in your major donor strategy:
1. Create a Company Page
The first step is to create a company page for your organization. This is a great way to increase your visibility online and share information about your mission, vision, and impact. Be sure to include links to your website and social media platforms so that people can easily learn more about you.
LinkedIn boasts over 800 million members, making it one of the most popular social media platforms – and one that should not be ignored by nonprofits. While the platform may not be as “sexy” as Instagram or Snapchat, its user base is extremely engaged, which makes it an valuable tool for nonprofits looking to raise awareness and funds. Here are three reasons why your nonprofit should have a LinkedIn page:
LinkedIn is where people go to learn about organizations and make donations
A recent study found that LinkedIn is the social media platform where people are most likely to learn about a new organization and make a donation to that organization. That’s because LinkedIn users are already in a giving mindset – they are professionals who are looking to make connections and help out Causes that align with their values.
LinkedIn is a great way to connect with potential donors who may be difficult to reach through other channels
While Facebook and Twitter may be great for raising awareness about your Cause, LinkedIn is where you can reach potential donors who may be difficult to connect with through other channels. These include high- net-worth individuals, corporate foundations, and government grantmakers. Creating content that is specific to this audience and sharing it on LinkedIn is a great way to reach these key stakeholders.
LinkedIn provides valuable insights about your audience that can be used to inform your fundraising strategy
LinkedIn offers valuable insights about the demographics of your audience, including their job titles, companies they work for, and location. This information can be extremely helpful in informing your fundraising strategy and tailoring your appeals to specific groups of people.
Creating a page on LinkedIn is a great way to connect with potential donors who may be difficult to reach through other channels, learn more about your audience, and ultimately raise more money for your cause.
How do you create a Nonprofit Page on LinkedIn?
- Visit the LinkedIn Business Center and click on the Create Your Page button.
- Select Company or Educational Institution, depending on your need.
- Complete the form with your organization’s information.
- Click on Create Page.
If your organization already has a page and it has not been claimed yet, you need to have the organization name listed in your current work experience.
How do you claim a Nonprofit Page on LinkedIn?
- Visit your profile and click on your Organization Logo to go to the company page for your nonprofit.
- Near the top, click Claim This Page.
- Click the checkbox to confirm that you’re an authorized representative of the page.
- You will be redirected to the administration view for the page.
- If someone has already claimed your page, click on the More button and click Request Admin Access. This will send a message to the current page admin to grant you access.
- If the person who is currently an admin has left the organization, you can go to the LinkedIn Contact Form and fill it out to gain access to your nonprofit’s page.
If you already have a company page, then make sure you …
2. Update Your LinkedIn Page
LinkedIn is a powerful tool for connecting with potential donors, board members, and other nonprofits. But only if you optimize your page! A well-optimized LinkedIn page can help you increase your visibility and reach a larger audience. So how do you optimize your LinkedIn page? Here are some tips.
Use keyword-rich titles and descriptions.
When potential donors or other interested parties search for nonprofits on LinkedIn, they use keywords. Make sure your titles and descriptions include relevant keywords so that you can be easily found in a search. For example, if you are a nonprofit that focuses on environmental issues, some relevant keywords might be “sustainability,” “climate change,” or “environmental protection.”
Keep your content up to date.
Make sure the information on your LinkedIn page is current. This includes both the written content (e.g., your “About” section) as well as any images or videos you have posted. If you have any upcoming events, be sure to list them on your page as well! Regular updates will show potential donors that you are an active and engaged organization.
Highlight your successes.
It’s important to show potential donors what difference their contribution could make by highlighting your successes on your LinkedIn page. You can do this by sharing impactful stories or statistics about the work you do. For example, if you are a nonprofit that provides financial assistance to low-income families, you could share statistics about how many families you have helped or stories about how lives have been changed as a result of your work.
3. Connect with Prospective Donors
Once you have created your company page, start connecting with prospective donors. LinkedIn allows you to search for people by location, industry, job title, and keywords. This makes it easy to find and connect with people who might be interested in supporting your organization.
The first step is to research your prospects. You can use LinkedIn’s search function to find potential donors who are a good fit for your organization. When you’ve found someone you want to connect with, take a look at their profile to see if you have any mutual connections. If you do, reach out to that connection and ask for an introduction. If you don’t have any mutual connections, that’s okay! You can still send a connection request, but be sure to personalize your message. Include a sentence or two about why you want to connect and how you think you could help each other. For example, “I saw that you’re interested in XYZ cause and I wanted to reach out because we work on similar issues at ABC nonprofit. I think we could learn a lot from each other!”
4. Build relationships
Once you’ve connected with potential donors on LinkedIn, it’s important to start building relationships with them. This can be done by engaging in thoughtful discussions, sharing articles and resources that would be of interest to them, and thanking them for their support (if they’ve already donated). By taking the time to build relationships with potential donors, you’ll be more likely to turn them into committed supporters of your nonprofit.
Take a look at their profile again and see if there are any groups they belong to that would be relevant for you as well. You can also check out their activity feed to see what kinds of posts they interact with and what kind of content they share. This will give you an idea of the topics they’re interested in and how you can add value to their LinkedIn experience. For example, if they frequently engage with articles about fundraising, you could share some of your own content or articles from other thought leaders in the field.
5. Join Relevant Groups
Another great way to connect with prospective donors is by joining relevant groups. There are thousands of groups on LinkedIn, so there’s sure to be one (or more) that fit your target audience. Groups are a great way to start discussions, share news and updates, and build relationships with potential donors.
One of the best ways to build relationships on LinkedIn is by sharing your expertise. When you post updates or articles, be sure to tag any relevant connections so they receive a notification. This is a great way to start a conversation and get your name in front of people who may not be familiar with your work. And when you comment on other people’s posts, take the opportunity to add value by providing your unique perspective. This will show that you’re an expert in your field and someone worth listening to.
LinkedIn is also a great place to find opportunities for collaboration. There are many groups dedicated to specific causes or industries where members are always looking for partners. By connecting with people in these groups, you can develop relationships that lead to real-world partnerships. For example, if you’re looking for new board members, reach out to some of the members of LinkedIn groups dedicated to nonprofit leadership or governance. These individuals are likely already interested in giving back and would be open to hearing more about your organization.
6. Share Your Story
Once you’ve connected with potential donors, it’s time to start sharing your story. Don’t be afraid to be personal—people want to know who they’re supporting and how their donation will make an impact. Use photos, videos, and infographics to bring your story to life and make a lasting impression.
Use LinkedIn to showcase your organization’s impact.
When people visit your LinkedIn page, they should be able to quickly understand what your nonprofit does and how you make a difference. Include stories and photos that illustrate the work of your organization. This will help people feel connected to your mission and more likely to support your work.
Use LinkedIn to build relationships with potential supporters.
LinkedIn is a great platform for networking and building relationships with potential donors, partners, and volunteers. Make sure to keep your profile up-to-date so that people can easily learn more about your work. You can also use LinkedIn groups to connect with like-minded individuals and join discussions related to your nonprofit’s mission.
Use LinkedIn to deepen existing relationships.
Your LinkedIn page is also a great way to stay in touch with current donors, partners, and volunteers. You can use this platform to share updates about your work and progress toward your goals. Additionally, you can use LinkedIn messaging or InMail features to reach out directly to individuals you want to connect with.
Use LinkedIn advertising features to reach new audiences
LinkedIn offers several different advertising features that can help you reach new audiences. For example, Sponsored Content allows you to create targeted ads that will be shown in the feeds of individuals who match your target audience criteria. You can also use LinkedIn Lead Gen Forms to capture leads from potential supporters who see your ad and click through to learn more about your organization.
LinkedIn for Nonprofits
LinkedIn has a specific program for Nonprofits, offering both paid features (the ability to reach out to people) and free resources to grow your nonprofit’s presence on LinkedIn. Free resources include blog posts, guides, webinars, and more.
How does the LinkedIn for Nonprofits program work?
The “LinkedIn for Nonprofits” program provides nonprofits with discounted access to LinkedIn Premium, which gives them access to LinkedIn’s full suite of features. This includes the ability to see who has viewed their profile, send messages to other members, and view detailed analytics about their account activity. In addition, nonprofits will be able to create up to 50 personalized InMail messages per month (normally a paid feature) and receive priority customer support.
Members of the “LinkedIn for Nonprofits” program will also have access to exclusive content, such as tips and best practices for using LinkedIn in their work. They will also be able to join monthly webinars with other nonprofit professionals.
What are the benefits of the LinkedIn for Nonprofits program?
The “LinkedIn for Nonprofits” program can benefit nonprofits in a number of ways. First, it can help them connect with potential donors and other supporters. With access to LinkedIn’s full suite of features, nonprofits will be able to reach out to potential donors more easily and cultivate relationships with them. Additionally, they will be able to use LinkedIn’s data and analytics features to better understand their target audience and craft more effective outreach strategies.
Another benefit of the program is that it can help nonprofits connect with other professionals in their field. With access to exclusive content and monthly webinars, nonprofits will be able to learn from their peers and develop best practices for using LinkedIn in their work. Additionally, by connecting with other professionals on LinkedIn, nonprofits will be able to expand their network and build relationships with potential collaborators.
LinkedIn can be an extremely powerful tool for fundraisers looking to engage with potential major donors. By utilizing LinkedIn’s search functionality and advanced filters, you can easily find individuals who fit your criteria for a major donor. Once you’ve found someone, reach out and start building a relationship!
