Reaching the Under-50 Age Bracket
Does your organization find it difficult to reach the under-50’s age bracket and challenging to engage them as new donors and volunteers? You’re not alone, this is a tricky demographic to reach. Also known as Gen X, this is often the time potential donors and volunteers are establishing their careers, have more rigorous family commitments, and tighten financial restraints; getting involved with an organization may not be on top of their priority list.
However, there are still some simple ways to introduce your organization and engage this group. In this blog post, we’ll go over five ways to reach the under-50 demographic and how to keep them interested in your cause.
1. Provide Opportunities for Volunteering
Ask this group to help make a difference, but not just through contributions of their money. Rather, ask for contributions of their time, skills, and expertise – intangible donations that make a tangible impact! Providing opportunities for volunteering will help you engage and build a strong relationship with them. Consider hosting volunteer events or creating a volunteer program that aligns with your organization’s mission and values. Build affinity, by allowing this group to see firsthand the impact of your organization’s work and how they’re contributing to its success. Reach the under-50’s by working with them!
2. Stay Up-to-Date with Technology
This demographic, for the most part, is a mobile-savvy generation; they would have been the first to adopt the Internet, smartphones, and social media and incorporate them into their daily lives; because of this, their worlds often revolve around their mobile devices. That means, if you want to be reached, you must be optimized for mobile. If your website is difficult to navigate or transactions aren’t easily accepted, it could turn off potential donors. If you don’t provide online invitations or RSVP options, you could lose out on event participants. If you don’t have an engaging social media strategy, you won’t stand out against your peers.
To reach the under-50’s, ensure your website is user-friendly and easy to navigate on a mobile device. Allow for digital options for in-person events. Show off your organization’s mission in real time over social. And, for goodness sake: make sure your donation process is mobile-friendly, allowing for quick and easy donations from mobile phones. Staying up-to-date with the latest technology is a simple way to create a seamless experience for donors and volunteers; giving them more access to connect and interact with your organization!
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3. Collaborate with Influencers and Peer-to-Peer Fundraising
Influencer marketing has become popular with many for-profit brands and organizations and non-profits can utilize similar strategies. Identify influencers who align with your organization’s mission and partner with them for the promotion of your cause. Better yet, look for people already connected to your organization (for example: attended an event, is a volunteer, or have made use of your services) for a more authentic partnership. Additionally, consider peer-to-peer fundraising.
Peer-to-peer fundraising is a powerful tool that can help you tap into new networks and expand your reach to the under-50’s. Have your supporters create their own fundraising pages and share them with friends and family. They do not need millions (or even hundreds) of followers to engage, because people are more likely to donate to a cause when asked by a friend or family member. This is an easy way to build internal influencers within your own organization!
4. Use Gamification to Encourage Donations
Gamification is the use of game design elements in non-game contexts to engage users and encourage behaviour. By incorporating gamification into your fundraising efforts, you can create a more engaging and interactive experience. This is great for generations that were raised by video games and peewee sports leagues! For example, you could create a leaderboard to show top donors, offer rewards for reaching donation milestones, or create a social media challenge where users can tag friends to donate. A little friendly competition is a great way to reach the under-50’s and get them engaged. Repeat after us: gaming is not just for children!
5. Say Thank You
It sounds simple because it is. Acknowledging someone for a donation, attending an event, or even leaving a comment on your Instagram post goes a long way. Recognizing contributions–big or small–makes a person feel good. And they’ll be more incentivized to pay that good forward.
In conclusion, to reach the under-50’s and have them engage with your charitable organization requires a thoughtful and intentional approach. By providing opportunities for volunteering, staying up-to-date with technology, collaborating with influencers and peer-to-peer fundraising, using Gamification to encourage donations, and just saying “thank you,” you can create a strong connection with this group and continue to build an affinity with your cause.
Need more support to reach the under-50 donors and supporters? Clavis can help! Check out Clavis Care or our Nonprofit Marketing page for more information. Or contact us directly to set up a free consultation!
