There is no denying the fact that today’s workplace is increasingly diverse. Composed of professionals across multiple generations, including baby boomers, Generation Xers and millennials, a one-size marketing strategy is no longer a sufficient means to capture the attention of this diverse audience.
This, coinciding with the increasing number of millennials participating in the workforce, has created the evident need to eliminate this type of strategy to include this younger demographic. With this in mind, knowing how to effectively interact with the younger generation is imperative to successful fundraising efforts.
Here are six tips to help you fundraise with the millennial generation.
Know the audience
If you want to build lasting relationships and establish valuable connections,
you must know your audience members. What are their interests? What are their
pain points? What excites them?
Go green
Millennials have a strong sense of social responsibility. They want to make a
difference in the world, so fundraising and volunteerism appeal to their
generation. Get them excited to donate by creating advocacy opportunities and
allowing them to get involved and make an impact.
Be online
Millennials were the first generation to grow up with the Internet, and not
surprisingly, they are engaged in online activities all the time. Use this fact
to your advantage, and meet them where they want to be met.
Use multiple communication platforms to engage
effectively
As a direct result of growing up with the Internet, millennials are constantly
plugged in and use a variety of platforms to communicate — anytime and
anyplace. Whether it’s via social media, a blog, a website, personal
invitations or videos, millennials are accustomed to expecting creative,
relevant content that is personalized to them. In fact, they have mastered the
art of weeding through all of the junk.
Host fundraising events
This generation highly values its personal time spent with peers. Be
accommodating by creating fundraising events that encourage participants to
invite their friends, making sure to reward those who do so. This simple tactic
not only helps ensure your attendees are content, but it also organically
inspires others to get involved.
Be everywhere
The younger generation is far and away the most difficult to reach. Millennials
communicate using a variety of technological platforms. You need to make sure
your message is available on multiple channels and can be easily found.
