Some Tips for Capturing 'Millennial' Donors

A new generation of potential donors, the so-called "millennials" born between 1980 and 2000, is awaiting your non-profit message. They are 80 million strong and promising more spending power than previous generations by 2017, but they aren't going to necessarily respond to the tried-and-true tactics of the past. A recent "The Buzz Bin" blog post by Rachel Seda outlined some ways to lure this generation of tech-savvy young people. They are definitely open to charitable and political appeals: A 2010 survey found 93% of millennials reported giving to a cause, Seda points out. But they have definite preferences on approach. The successful fundraiser will embrace social media and mobile giving (almost half of their direct donations come via mobile device). The message needs to be simple and relevant, the call-to-action clear and easy to execute, and your response immediate -- because these folks move at the speed of Twitter, Instagram and Pinterest. You will need to tap emotions, create a message they want to share, and ask for involvement not just money to play successfully in millennials' online and offline social space, Seda suggests. For the full blog post, go to http://www.crttbuzzbin.com/5-things-nonprofits-must-do-to-captivate-millennials/