Allyson Kapin 6 min read

5 Ways Your Nonprofit Can Reach Millennials

Nonprofits have been trying to reach millennials effectively for some time now. Some organizations like Ask Big Questions, a program of Hillel International and Do Something have figured it out, while others are still tailoring their strategies. We took a look at a couple of surveys, from Millennial Impact Research and from the infographic, Everything You Need to Know About the Millennial Consumer. For those of nonprofits still tailoring their strategies, we've got some tips on how to reach millennials.

Text, don't call! 52% of millennials would rather have conversations via text than on the phone. Make an effort to capture the mobile phone numbers of your constituents, and get their permission to reach out by text message.
Make your brand accessible. Does your organization advertise in the most optimum spaces? 38% of millennials said that brands are more accessible and trustworthy when they use social media ads vs. traditional ads. Find out where your audience is. Are they on Instagram? Facebook? Twitter? Do they prefer Tumblr or LinkedIn? Engage with them on the channels and platforms where they're at. On average, they're checking their smartphones 43 times per day.
Educate them about your organization, and challenge them to think and reinforce their passion. It's what many millennials want. Start a dialogue, not a monologue. More than 60% of respondents liked it most when nonprofits shared success stories about success projects or the people they help.
Don't just tell a story with no ask. Make sure to incorporate an ask or a call to action in all of your stories. Contrary to popular belief, millennials aren't lazy, and they want to help. 51% connect on social media, 46% donate to the causes they're passionate about, and 46% read blog posts. Who said blogging was dead? So keep 'em engaged, and ask for help when you need it.
Keep your content updated. No one likes to see outdated content, but millenials in particular loathe it. It's one of the fastest ways to turn them off.

How are you reaching millennials?

Allyson Kapin

Allyson has been named one of "Top Tech Titans" by the Washingtonian, one of the Most Influential Women In Tech by Fast Company, and one of the top 30 women entrepreneurs to follow on Twitter by Forbes for her leadership role in technology and social media. As Founding Partner of Rad Campaign, she leads the firm's client and online strategic services. For over a decade Allyson has helped non-profit organizations and political campaigns create dynamic and award-winning websites and online marketing and recruitment campaigns. She works side-by-side with her clients to meet their web needs and maximize their online effectiveness to create real world impact.