Ever heard it said "there’s no ‘$’ in social media. Just a plain old letter ‘s’?" Many organizations have found that a strong social media presence has not yet translated directly into significant fundraising revenue. Shoni Field will share the BC SPCA’s experiences using a ‘small wins’ approach to growing their social media sourced revenue. Using case studies that reference some of the BC SPCAs successful online campaigns including BC SPCA Medical Emergency, Second Chance Holiday Campaign, Calendar Contest and National Cupcake Days she’ll explore: • Whether a shifting emphasis from transactional to relational fundraising fits better with the social media psyche. • How we move social media supporters out of their silo. • What role virtual peer2peer models can play in growing social media sourced revenue. PRESENTER Shoni Field As Director of Fundraising Innovation at the BC SPCA, Shoni Field explores dynamic opportunities in micro-campaign and peer-to-peer fundraising that deeply engages their support base. Shoni has eighteen years of experience in direct response fundraising. She has worked with a range of non-profits including The Pembina Institute, Imagine1Day, EcoJustice, The Arthritis Society and the B.C. Cancer Agency.

1. Using small wins to grow social
media revenue
Shoni Field – Director, Fundraising Operations and Innovation - BC SPCA

2.  Online (passive) revenue was climbing but
‘spontaneous’ 2nd gift rate was low.
 Online solicitations (active) were
underperforming, contributing to low 2nd gift
rate, and had no mechanism to bring in new
donors.

3.  Despite high engagement only 4.2% of our
35,000 likes on Facebook were donors.
 Had some success driving delayed revenue
through event registration, both actual and
virtual, but responses to solicitations were low
(ranging from 0-3% of donors)

4.  Microsite with:
• Goal thermometer
• Leader board
• Peer to peer capacity
• Social sharing

5.  E-blast series over campaign (5-6 weeks):
• Supporter list: 5-6 emails
• Peer to peer fundraisers: +2-3 coaching emails
• Donors: +1 (request to share)

6.  Multi vehicle promotions:
• Physical: posters, sandwich board etc.
• Social media: Facebook cover photo,
Facebook/twitter posts
• Other online: website banner, email
signature, e-newsletter, online ads(?)
• Earned media
• Direct Mail tie in (on occasion)

7. Dec. '11 Dec. '12 Dec. '13 Increase
Total Raised $ 3,715.00 $ 38,436.00 $ 78,055.00 2001%
Average Gift $ 69.00 $ 98.00 $ 187.00 171%
Visitors 1850 4622 4821 161%
Donors 54 392 660 1122%
Total New Donors 5 102 190 3700%
Saw huge revenue increase by:
• Making peer to peer the 1st ask
• Providing a ‘home’, with a goal

8. People will give via FB when a
personal connection is made.
22% of gifts came from Facebook
Increased by
Revenue 49%
Entrants ($100+) 34%
Avg. Donation 12%
Avg. Raised/per
entrant 10%
# donors 43%

9. People will give to a
‘local’ case when they
don’t live in the area
66% of donations came
from outside the
community

10.  Having a ‘home’ for the campaign with a goal
was key to increasing revenue.
 Needed to make a personal connection to
stimulate facebook sourced giving.
 Geographic proximity to need wasn’t a factor.
 New donors coming in but weren’t
converting to other giving platforms.

11.  Media releases 12-20 times a year
• Animals with unusual medical costs
 Challenges:
• More stories than capacity for media
releases.
• Donor discomfort with making gift to general giving
page, when inspired by one animal’s story.
 Personal connection, ongoing, ‘local’ stories
province-wide

13. 22 dogs (breeder surrender)
Medical costs = $27,000
Money raised = 11 days
Medical appeals for cats
increased from 13% to
43% of all stories.
Uka, $700 in 7 days
Donor: “I have respiratory
problems too, so I really
related to Uka.”
Campaign provides
platform to fundraise
for large cases, quickly.
In cruelty cases when we have
restrictions on fundraising , being
able to help fund medical care
gives a frustrated public an outlet.
Nelson, $1000 in 5 days

14. • 34% new donors
• 28% of them made
2nd gift within 3
months.
Source of new donors
Facebook
spca.bc.ca
Email shares
Media links
Other
19%
18%
2%
27% 34%

15. • 92% of existing
donors increased
their (Q1/2)
giving from
2013 to 2014
Changes in Giving Patterns
Stayed same
Down over 2013
Q1/2
Monthly donors
Lapsed Donors
37.2%
Giving 41.4% 

16.  Quick gratification, clear impact
• Cats 6 day, Dogs 9 day (mean length)
• Donors get animal update when goal met
About a personal connection to an animal
rather than a transactional relationship with
an organization more comfortable sharing.

17.  Group challenges to reintroduce peer to peer.
 Tele conversion campaign to get new donors
to monthly.
 Sign up for ‘alerts’ when case added.
Testing online advertising again.

18. Shoni Field
sfield@spca.bc.ca
604-720-0541
Confession:
If you have questions, and want to contact
me, email will get better results than
LinkedIn, Twitter or Facebook!