Use Your Website to Get the Word Out!

    This week, we’re delighted to hear from Nikki Keyser of KGNU, host of the wonderful local radio show Dot Org. Every weekday, Nikki features the good work of nonprofits along the Front Range at 6:55 AM, right before Democracy Now on 88.5 FM and 1390 AM. As a communications expert, Nikki has some suggestions for making your website a more powerful way to connect with your donors and prospects:

    An emotional connection is essential before people are willing to give your organization money, time or other resources. Testimonials in a client’s own voice can be very powerful. Instead of using U-Tube video that takes a long time for the website to load, an mp3 of just audio is simple, quick, easier and cheaper to produce, and much more intimate. A button to start the audio can be under a photo of the person.

    To listen to a model audio interview that could be posted on your website, go to KGNU.org/DotOrg to hear other non-profits chatting about who they are and what they do. In a few minutes a volunteer, client or director can reach the public in a very personal and heartfelt way.

    Do you want to start a dialogue with potential clients or supporters? A Word Press blog that takes comments is free and easy to include on your website. When dealing with sensitive issues of abuse for example, the initial anonymity might encourage someone to make contact.

    As long as you‘re ramping up your website’s capacity to talk to donors, here are a few tips for making the whole things more effective.

    Photographs and stories of your people are website gold. Whenever possible, show rather than tell. Text should be short and informal to sound as though a real person is speaking. Mission statements do not have to be all inclusive, but they do need to address the heart and substance of what you do. As you move into details down the home page, consider bullets or phrases rather than complete sentences. Avoid big text blocks.

    Are your colors high contrast? If visitors get off as quickly as possible to avoid eye strain from brilliant red, yellow and black, they are not lingering to consider your message. Try six or less of the softer, earthy tones. Leave the vivid colors in the paint box.

    Simple and clean are best. In fact be a minimalist. For easier reading, drop the WWW. and capitalize the beginning of each word when your website address is stated in text, such as StateYourView.org.

    Print your e-mail address in your contact information, so that a web visitor can easily copy it. Don’t make someone copy it off the automatically opened e-mail application. This way they can add it to a spreadsheet or put it in a task list to use later.

    More and more donors are using websites as a way to determine whether or not to give. Make sure your website is communicating what you want it to!

    And, don’t forget to listen to Dot Org. If you’d like to be a guest, contact Nikki directly at KGNU.org/DotOrg.


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