Funnel-hacking Fundraising

What is "funnel hacking" in the context of fundraising?

In business, funnel hacking is the process of reverse-engineering the marketing and sales strategies of other organizations to understand what works and what doesn't.

But in the context of fundraising, it simply means to study the fundraising activities of other nonprofits, often as a donor, to gain insights into their strategies—and learn from them.

We get into analyzing ads, direct mail, emails, funders, partnerships, financials, job postings and a whole lot more.

But to be clear, this is NOT about simply copying tactics. It’s about trying to to get a clearer picture about WHY organizations are choosing those tactics in the first place—and trying to understand if that strategy is working for them.

Hint: want to know the best funnel hacking method of all time? Call the fundraiser at the org whose fundraising efforts you’re studying, and just ask them. Chances are, they’ll be thrilled to know somebody took notice.


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ABOUT THE HOSTS

Louis Diez advises nonprofits in annual fund development, digital fundraising, and engagement strategies. He's the founder and host of the Donor Participation Project and VP, Community at Almabase.
Mike Duerksen hosts the Build Good Fundraising Podcast. He’s the founder and CEO of BuildGood, a fundraising agency that helps nonprofits raise more money from individual donors.