Today’s comment came from a busy professional and an entrepreneur:

Last week I attended your It’s a SNAP presentation at the NCTech4Good conference.  It was very good, but I could not see how to convert the Product Funnel Strategy to my side-job or even a non-profit organization.   After all, they don’t sell a product or service.  Their company just offers “good works” and my donors just donate money, because it’s the right thing to do.

Well – all companies are in the business to make money (profits and nonprofits alike).

And if you make it “good business” to do business with you, you will attract more business (i.e. donors), who also like to do “good work”.

The key is “understanding your client’s business” and what will help their business thrive.  Because when their business thrives, they will donate more.

Product Funnel Example for a fund-raising based operation:

Goal is to attract new donors as well as entice current donors to not only continue to donate but increase their amounts.

• One thing that all Companies have in common: They are in the Business to Make Money.
• One thing that most individuals have in common: They want more time for the things that they love.

Use those two facts to build a product funnel that entices people to continue to move down your product funnel list.

The above example isn’t meant to perfectly fit your business model.  It just illustrates the concept.  In the above example, you are providing your donors additional more Effective Marketing Opportunities.  This means that their “donation bucks” are also working as their marketing dollars (above and beyond their name as sponsors in the front of back pages.)  It allows their target market to actually get a taste of their business and hopefully continue to buy from them.

Make better use of these two facts:

• Clients/donors have to spend marketing dollars to make dollars.
• People do business with people they know, like and trust.

Therefore, provide more opportunities for the “right public” to get to know more about your donors and their businesses.  Learn about your donor’s “target client” and create an effective marketing strategy for that donor.  Some examples are below.

Provide bundles to entice them to go further down the list, such as:

• 1-full page advertorial* strictly on the donor’s business. You distribute this article to all your magazines, ezines, websites, social media pages, blog-sites (including affiliated partner sites) – that go out to your donor’s target clients/market. They also receive the files for their own distribution.  Each advertorial includes links, coupons and ways to contact the donor’s business.

*An advertorial is an advertisement in the form of editorial content. The term “advertorial” is a blend of the words “advertisement” and “editorial.”

• 30 minute professional video interview on the donor’s business. You distribute this article to all your magazines, ezines, websites, social media pages, blog-sites, TV Stations (including affiliated partner sites) – that go out to your donor’s target clients/market.. They also receive the files for their own distribution. Each advertorial includes links, coupons and ways to contact the donor’s business.
• You arrange to have your donor on a TV or Radio program that is specifically for their target market. This could be an interview, a guest spot, an infomercial, or whatever best fits your donor’s demographic.
• Place a Billboard for their company at a location of their choice (you will have your logo on it to sponsor them).
• Contract that X number of your staff members will post positive comments on the donor’s website/social media pages for a total of 3 posts a week for 3 months.
• Contract that X number of your staff members will do a video testimonial for your donor’s business.

• Create a Networking Event for your donors to meet and do business together. Officially introduce them to each other and make it easy for them to do business together.  Have these events at one of your donor’s facilities.

Once again – these examples may not fit your business model.  But the idea is to design a product funnel strategy that will help your donors do better business.  When your donor’s business thrives, their donation amounts will increase, and therefore, you will thrive.

Let’s talk more about this.  Schedule an appointment <HERE>