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Facebook has made it harder to reach fans without paying for promoted posts or ads.
But it is still possible… It just requires a slow and steady approach.
We have over 800 rescue groups signed up with our t-shirt fundraising program but most are NOT earning much money.
Why?
I cannot say with 100% accuracy. Some groups have a very small Facebook following… Other groups may have “begged for likes” giving themselves big FB numbers, but not a lot of actual supporters, etc..,
It is just hard to say.
However, I can say that the groups we work with that make the most $$ on a consistent basis do have one thing in common…
They use the slow and steady approach.
Some groups post once or twice on FB, hoping to win the “t-shirt sales lottery”.
This rarely works.
After all… Your fans are busy… They like many different FB pages… And they may or may not see your group’s post.
Even if they do see your post.., there is no guarantee they are going to make a purchase right then and there.
We all have busy lives… And when was the last time you saw something you were interested in… Only to forget about it a short time later?
It happens…
The successful animal rescue groups and shelters we work with, tend to post their t-shirt fundraising pages on Facebook on a regular basis… And every 8th day seems to work best.
Many groups are very busy saving animals… So they actually use facebook’s scheduled posts feature to pre-schedule their t-shirt posts for a few months at a time.
It is simple… Free… Takes very little time… And frankly, we are not sure why more groups are not using this option.
Of course including your t-shirt fundraising link in EVERY email newsletter you send out, is also a good idea.
Again, just because someone saw the link last month, does not mean they were ready to purchase. Advertising 101 says that most people need to see an offer 4-6 times before they respond to it.
We will continue to help animal rescue groups and shelters with fundraising, because that is what we do.
Signing up new groups is great, but if we can help those who have already signed up with us, earn more $$… Even better!
These bright colored shirts sell well.
If you are part of an Animal Rescue Group or Shelter… and have a Black and White (or mostly black and white) logo… you should definitely try out our ZERO-Investment, Hassle-Free fundraising program.
These shirts are selling well, and we only use the highest quality materials.
For groups, fundraising is EASY!
You receive a free fundraising t-shirt page. Simply post the link on facebook, your website, include it in eNewsletters, etc… and your fans can support your group by purchasing a t-shirt.
By the way… when your fans wear a t-shirt with your group’s logo on it, it is not “just” a way to earn funds… but it is FREE ADVERTISING for your group.
How Cool Is That?
If you want to learn more about earning money via t-shirt sales… visit this page: http://shop.rescuedismyfavoritebreed.org/cash.htm
Over the past year, we have been working with Animal Rescue Groups and Shelters to help improve donations to their Amazon Wish Lists.
What is an Amazon Wish List? Think “wedding registry” for pet supplies. Supporters and Fans of these groups can shop a wish list of needed items, and when purchased, the items are shipped directly to Animal Rescue or Shelter.
This works really great… if done correctly.
Here are some tips to help your group improve your donations.
1. Remember, your supporters are just as busy as you! If you have a wish list, made up of 100’s of items, spanning dozens of pages, it is VERY UNLIKELY that your average fan will browse through all the items on your list. We have seen groups that have 13 different sizes/colors of dog collars, 10 formulas of dog food, 8 leash colors… and the lists go on and on and on. The idea of a wish list is not to “recreate the entire amazon pet supply section”, it is a place to list a few dozen “essential” items that your group uses on a weekly basis.
2. Even “donors” appreciate value. Try to make sure that most items on your list qualify for free super saver shipping (which is free shipping on orders totaling $35 or more). Your supporters want to get more “bang for their donated bucks”, so they will be much more likely to donate a $44 bag of dog food with free shipping, than they would be to donate a $36 bag with a $16.95 shipping charge. Also, your group can actually increase donations by choosing all “free shipping” items, because a fan, who may have started out with a plan to purchase $25 worth of items, may add another $10 worth of items to their cart, so they get free shipping. After all, why spend $25 +$10 in shipping… when they can simply add $10 worth of treats, toys, etc… and get free shipping.
3. Varying the prices of items, is more important than varying colors, flavors, etc… In a nutshell… have an $18 bag of food, and a $40 bag of food… an $8.95 package of treats, and a $21.95 package of treats… The goals should be to have some items priced in “everyone’s budget”. You may “want” the $178 case of flea medication, but it would take a “Die Hard Fan” to purchase that. You would get many more donations of that product by having the $28.95 individual box listed.
4. Don’t just post your wish list link… tell a story. Too many groups simply post their link on facebook and say “please go here to see our list”. Why? What is on your list? Why should I, as a fan, be motivated to visit your list? It is much more effective to post a photo of one of the items on your list… give a brief reason “why” your group needs the item, then include a statement that says “to see all our current needs, click here:”
5. Use an “improved” version of your link… It is very simply… people on facebook react to things they see, and there are MANY online distractions. Which link do YOU think would get more clicks? This stock Amazon link: http://amzn.com/w/1W4AR3AS0MT97 or this improved version: http://www.CLICK-HERE-To-Help.org/FloridaBoxerRescue.htm (To get a FREE, new and improved Amazon link for your rescue group or shelter, click here: http://www.CLICK-HERE-To-Help.org
6. Promote your link on a REGULAR Basis… You will not get very many donations, burying your link on your website, under a “ways to help our group” tab. If you have a facebook page, you already have an ongoing dialog and relationship with 100’s, if not 1000’s of fans. The only problem is that any ONE post on facebook, reaches only a small portion of those fans. To combat this, post your Amazon Wish List link on a rotating basis. Groups that post their t-shirt fundraising info every 6th day, seem to be getting the best overall results. This works well, because the fans who see a post Saturday at 10am (for example) are usually not the same fans who see the next post which would be the following Friday, at let’s say at 4pm… and the next post, 6 days later (like Thursday at Noon) would reach a totally different set of fans.
7. Put your Wish List Posts on “auto pilot”… Facebook has a free feature that let’s you pre-schedule your posts. This is an EASY way to put your Amazon donations on “auto pilot”. Simply sit down at the computer for an hour every other Month… and pre-schedule 8-9 weeks of posts. Very simple and gives you increased donations, with one less thing to worry about. Info on how to do this is here: http://www.rescuedismyfavoritebreed.org/Every6thDay.htm
8. Get professional help for your wish list posts… We run a very successful FB Page with over 160,000 fans, and have learned how to create posts that reach the largest number of facebook fans. Recently, we have been helping Rescues and Shelters, who have at least 2000 FB fans, with their wish list posts. This is a free service we offer, and can not only dramatically increase your donations, but free up more of your time to help pets in need. For more info on this service, contact us via this page: http://www.rescuedismyfavoritebreed.org/contact.htm
So to Recap…
Don’t add too many items to your wish list… make sure most of the items qualify for free shipping… make sure there is a variety of “price points” in your items… try to “tell a story” when you post your link… get an improved link to increase clicks to your list when posted on facebook… promote your list on a regular basis… put your FB posts on “auto pilot” by either using the scheduling feature, or better yet, have the FB Pros from Rescued! Is My Favorite Breed. do the posting for you.
We have spent the last two years figuring out “what works” on Facebook.
This step by step training guide shows you all the tips, tricks, and strategies we use each day on our page.
Whether you are just setting up a new Facebook page, looking to get more likes, trying to reach more of your facebook fans, or want to earn or raise money from your page… This will help you.
Do you know someone who fits this description? See this mug here: Cat Mugs
We would do things a little differently than some of the rescues we have seen.
No, we are not experts in Animal Rescue, but we have learned a lot about Fan/Supporter dynamics.
Frankly, when we see a brand new Rescue, with few FB fans, post on our NATIONAL page, we have to wonder.
Do they really want to start out, from day one, attracting fans from all over the country… who may be fans and supporters of DOZENS of other rescues… and who will most likely not be available to Volunteer, Foster, or Adopt their pets?
If we started a rescue, and a brand new Facebook page to go along with it… here is what WE would do:
First… we would get a map, and decide what our territory is going to be. Understanding that we can always expand it later, but basically, we want to figure out how far…
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I bet there are people who live 10 miles away… 5 miles away… even 6 blocks away from you… who are on facebook “all the time”… yet they don’t even know your group exists.
I bet that I could go to your FB page… look at all the pages you have “liked” and will see few (if any) Local non-pet related pages.
Seriously?
I thought the idea was to reach your community so when it was time for people to get a pet, they would look to your group first?
How can they do this, if they don’t know you?
OK… here is a scenario from our own town that illustrates what we are getting at.
There is a very popular pizza place in our town, that has an active facebook following. (i.e. many people taking part in discussions, most of them local people.)
Often you will see comments… (appropriate for the topic) by other pages such as “Jen’s Mary Kay Cosmetics” or “Pampered Chef Solutions” or “Hair Design by Susan”… etc…
These people are commenting “as their page” on the pizza place’s page.
They are NOT, however… saying “Please visit my business” or “Please like my page” or “Please buy my products” in their posts.
They ARE, simply commenting on their favorite pizza toppings, what their plans are for the summer, the best part of living near the ocean, or any of the many other random questions the pizza place posts on their wall.
In a nutshell… those businesses are just “being part of the conversation” and are getting noticed.
I don’t know a single rescue who has “too many foster families”… or a shelter with a “waiting list, due to all of their pets being adopted”.
Being “a part of the community” in any and EVERY possible way, is definately beneficial.
And Finding, Liking, and “being a part” of every local FB page you can find… is a good strategy.
But wait… you are Far Too Busy to do all that… Right?
Hmmm… again… I bet there are “potential volunteers” among your FB fans who may not be able to foster, or adopt, or walk dogs for you… but “could” help out online.
You could find a volunteer with plenty of free time, and make them an admin on your FB page. Make it their ONLY duty to Find, Like, and Comment (on a regular basis) on the FB pages of your LOCAL businesses and organizations.
It is actually VERY Easy… the admin “uses facebook as your page”… likes as many local pages as they can find… then on a regular basis, they simply browse your page’s newsfeed (while logged in as your group), where they can quickly scan posts by all the pages your page has liked… and make quick comments (or simply like) on posts from all the pages in your community.
No Soliciting… No “Come like our page”… No talk of rescued animals at all… and Definitely NO CROSS POSTING!
You don’t want to be a spammer or a nuisance.
Simply be a “fly on the wall, who also joins in on the conversations, likes posts/photos, etc”… so that the Fans of All Those Pages will see the name of “XYZ Rescue” or “ABC Animal Shelter” (i.e. your group’s name) on a regular basis.
If we need something from “Pampered Chef” or “Mary Kay” or want to try a new Hair Stylist… we already know who to contact… because we see them on our favorite Pizza Place’s FB Wall all the time. (And they never solicit). Visiting their pages is as easy as clicking on their FB name. And although we have never actually “met” them… we feel like we “know them” because they are on the same FB pages we are on.
Get the picture?
Do the people in your town, who NEVER visit a single pet related FB page, see YOUR group’s name on a regular basis?
More Facebook Promotion Tips and Tricks can be found here: http://www.rescuedismyfavoritebreed.org/FB-Promotion-Tips.htm
Imagine you are out in the woods, hiking, and get lost.
Don’t worry… you have an embedded chip in your neck, so “when” and “if” you are found, people will know who your family is…
Does that sound good?
OR…
Would you rather have a GPS device on you… so the INSTANT your family realizes you are lost, they can come find you?
Of course the latter is better.
Now don’t get me wrong… Microchipping pets is VERY IMPORTANT!
However, it only works once a pet is found… and then brought to someone with reader.
How long that pet is lost, and roaming in the cold, dark night… is anyone’s guess.
So what can pet owners do, who want to provide EXTRA protection for their fur-kids? How about those dogs that tend to “escape” despite your best efforts?
The answer is a GPS pet collar. The instant you realize your pet is missing, you can go out and actively “find them” using an app on your phone!
No putting up “missing posters”… no waiting by the phone, hoping someone finds them and checks their microchip.
It is an awesome invention, and can be seen here: http://www.rescuedismyfavoritebreed.org/GPS-Pet-Tracking-Collar-CLICK-HERE.htm
GPS Collar with Tracking App for Phone
rescuedismyfavoritebreed 