How to use LinkedIn for fundraising

If you read our creatively named ‘social media fundraising part one’ post, you’ll know that over the coming months, we’re going to be dedicating some blog space to digital fundraising, and more specifically, how you can utilise the various social media platforms to boost your fundraising income.

First up is LinkedIn.

From growing your professional network, to using the platform's tools to support your fundraising efforts, get ready for some LinkedIn learning, Bamboo-style.

Let’s dive in.

LinkedIn by numbers

LinkedIn is the largest professional networking site in the world. Launched in 2003 and bought by Microsoft in 2016, it boasts more than 875 million users across 200 countries.

In terms of demographics, 52% of users identify as male, and 42.8% as female. Around 60% are aged 25-34, closely followed by 18-24 year-olds.

Different from the rest

While other social media platforms focus on social networking, LinkedIn specialises in business networking. Its less about what you did last weekend and more about how you sealed then deal with your latest corporate partner.

In addition to schmoozing, you can use LinkedIn to advertise jobs, share content, promote events, and be a voice in relevant conversations.

It’s worth noting that, unlike other social media platforms, you cannot accept donations on LinkedIn, but it’s the perfect platform to identify prospective corporate donors/HNWI’s and cultivate relationships with them.

How can you use LinkedIn to fundraise?

Now you know what LinkedIn is and who uses it, let’s look at how charities like yours can make the most of the platform's huge user base.

1.    Find and engage with new donors

When it comes to raising awareness, expanding the reach of your fundraising efforts, and connecting with potential donors, LinkedIn is the place to be.

Research shows that 98% of LinkedIn users donate to good causes at least once a year, with a third donating every month, and one in five donating on a weekly basis. Those are good odds, right?

The platform’s search function makes it easy to find and reach out to relevant organisations, individuals and groups.

Tip: Going in cold is frowned upon, so be sure to nurture new relationships before hitting them with an ask.

2.    Share engaging and relevant content

Amazingly, only 1% of LinkedIn users share content weekly. This means a whole lot of charities are missing out on a prime opportunity to engage with potential donors.

However, this means you have a prime opportunity to stand out. Share content that inspires people to take action, whether its interviews with beneficiaries, event footage, impact stats, or research papers that highlight the need for your work.

One charity that does content creation well is Save the Children International. Why? They post regularly, using striking imagery, short emotive videos, and minimal text – ideal fodder for time pressed businesspeople.

3.    Be active on LinkedIn groups

An effective way to create meaningful conversations with prospects is by joining groups related to your cause and adding your voice to the conversation.

Answer people’s questions, offer advice and support, share useful links, and lead them to your website (if relevant). The objective here is to be helpful, not overly promotional.

You can take it a step further by setting up your own group.

4.    Research and connect with potential corporate partners

LinkedIn is the perfect platform for identifying and reaching out to potential corporate partners, as CEOs, Directors, and other key decision-makers are a mere DM away.

You can find out who you need to speak to by using the handy people tab on company profiles.

Once you’ve established who this is, start a conversation. But avoid sending a ‘copy and paste’ message that adds no value. Make it personal. Tailor it to the individual and company you hope to partner with.

5.    Take advantage of LinkedIn Sales Navigator

LinkedIn Sales Navigator allows charities to develop, grow and manage donor and prospect relationships. Using the tool, you can work out the best path to engage prospects, identify mutual connections that can provide warm introductions, and research prospects to personalise your messages.

6.    Apply for a LinkedIn Ad Grant

The Ad Grants programme allows charities to advertise on LinkedIn for free. The programme accepts applications at certain points during the year and is open to charities focused on:

●      Racial and gender equity

●      Economic opportunity for professionals facing barriers

●      Environmental sustainability

Ad Grants can be used for building awareness, supporting large-scale initiatives, hiring fundraising professionals, recruiting volunteers, generating donations, and attracting corporate partners.

7.    Add a custom button to your page

You can add a custom button to your LinkedIn profile that leads to the donation page on your website or a page for an urgent appeal.

Final Word

LinkedIn is a powerful tool for charity fundraising. We’ve shared seven ways that your charity can use the platform to support your fundraising. It’s not an exhaustive list, but it’s a great start, don’t you think?

We suggest that you sign up and start making the most of what LinkedIn can offer your charity. Let us know how you get on.

In the meantime, if you’re looking for a digital expert to help you manage your social media fundraising. Give us a call on 020 3750 3111 or info@bamboofundraising.co.uk to find out more.

The benefits of fixed term-contracts

If you’ve been trawling the job sites for your first fundraising role, you’ve probably noticed a fair number of them are offered on a fixed-term contract (FTC) basis.

For the unfamiliar, a fixed-term contract is a temporary role with a specific end date, (usually somewhere between three months and three years).

Granted, this may sound less attractive than a permanent role, but before you discard FTC’s altogether, consider this: Fixed term contracts offer a ton of advantages that permanent roles don’t.

Here are five reasons to consider a fixed-term contract.

1. They can help you break into the charity sector

If you’re looking to move into the sector (and have relevant, transferable skills), a fixed-term maternity contract could provide you with the perfect opportunity to shine. And if that person decides not to return? You could be in with a good chance of being made permanent.

2. There’s less competition

The temporary nature of fixed-term contracts means they’re not as highly sought after as permanent roles. This can play to your advantage if you’re new to the sector or wanting to gain experience to go for a more senior permanent role.

3. You’ll pick up new skills

No two charities are the same. They use different tools, CRMs, and take different approaches to fundraising and donor care. FTC’s will enable you to pick-up different skills and techniques, enabling you to grow and develop in a way you may not have in a permanent role.

4. You can try out organisations

Maybe you know a career in fundraising is for you, but you don’t know what sort of charity you want to work for. Fixed-term contracts provide a great opportunity to explore options while gaining valuable experience.

The best bit? When you find the cause you’re passionate about, you’ll already have a foot in the door.

5. You may earn more

Fixed term contracts care often paid at higher rates than permanent roles – either because they require specialist skills, the funding comes from a different budget to that of the permanent staff, and/or an allowance is made for the temporary nature of the role.

6. Your contract may be extended

Just because you start on an FTC doesn't mean the contract will end when it’s meant to … the charity may secure more funding for the role and extend your contract, or you might blow the socks off the hiring manager and be offered a permanent contract.

7. You get the same rights as permanent workers

As a contractor, you’ll be entitled to the same rights, benefits, and opportunities as permanent employees. The only difference is your employment will have an end date.

Final Word

Fixed-term contracts come with less job security than permanent roles. For that reason, they won’t be a great fit for everyone. But, if you’re trying to move into the sector, or you want to get some serious experience under your belt,

Want to know what opportunities are out there? Give us a call on 020 3750 3111 to find out.

How to ace your second interview

Congratulations on smashing your first interview for that awesome new fundraising role. You clearly did your homework and made a good impression … now it’s time for the second one.

Wondering what it will involve and how to prepare? Read on to find out.

Why two interviews?

There isn't a set rule for how many interviews it takes to get a job. Every charity is different.  But it often depends on the position. For entry-level positions, one interview might be enough. For mid-level positions, there may be two. For managerial/senior level roles, there can be three or four.

For the purposes of this post, let’s assume there are two.

The first interview

First and second round interviews serve different purposes. The aim of the first interview is to screen applicants and weed out those who don’t have the skills, education or experience needed for the position.

The interviewer will do this by testing your personality and basic skills to see whether you match up to your CV and cover letter.

At this stage, the interviewer is not considering whether you’re perfect for the job. They’re considering whether you’re better than the other applicants.

First round interviews are often carried out by HR bods and may be conducted online, or over the phone.

The second interview

The fact you made it to the second interview means you’ve got the core skills required to fulfil the duties in the job description. But, at this stage, only the cream of the crop will be called back so you’ll need to up your game to get the job.

The interview will probably take place on-site and you may be interviewed by your potential boss, or a panel.

This time around, the interviewer will want to drill into the detail to find out if you’d be a good fit for the role, and the team.

They’ll probably do this by asking a mixture of competency and behavioural interview questions.

Competency-based questions

Competencies are the skills, behaviours and knowledge you’ll bring into the role i.e., leadership, teamwork, resilience. Employers will use competency questions to discover real-life scenarios where you can demonstrate you used your competencies to the best effect.

• Give an example of a time when you had to make a difficult decision.

• Can you give me an example of a time when you have had to convince a person to do something that they were initially reluctant to do.

• Describe a time when you had to step up and demonstrate leadership skills.

Behavioural questions

These are designed to give hiring managers insight into your behaviour and personality and find out how you handle work-related situations.

Examples

• Tell me about a time when you failed to reach your fundraising goal and what you learned from the experience.

• Tell me about a stressful situation you experienced in a previous fundraising role and how you dealt with it

• Give me an example of a fundraising goal you reached and tell me how you achieved it.

Tip: Use the STAR method to structure your answers. It’s a game changer! You can find out more about it here.

Final Word

Now you’re clued up on what to expect in your second interview, you’re ready to ace it. Good luck!

Want some support with your interview prep? Give us a call on 0203 750 3111 or email info@bamboofundraising.co.uk.

Six tips to make your job adverts more inclusive

If you've tried to recruit recently, you'll know that fundraising candidates are getting harder to find than sea turtles. But it’s not just you. Despite the abundance of fundraising roles across the sector, many charities are struggling to fill vacancies.  

Assuming you read our blog post on recruiting and retaining fundraisers, and you’ve tackled the issues of low pay, flexible working practices, and staff burnout, what else can you do to attract top fundraising talent? Make your recruitment process more diverse.

This will not only give you access to a wider talent pool and enable you to build a workforce that better reflects your donor base; it could also improve your bottom line.

Research has found that organisations with a diverse workforce are up to 35% more likely to outperform their competitors.

To reap the rewards of a diverse workforce, your recruitment process needs to be inclusive from start to finish, but it all starts with the job ad. 

Here are six tips to make your job ads more inclusive.

1.     Keep it simple, stupid! (KISS)

It may be a design principle, KISS is equally applicable to job adverts, particularly if you consider 1.5 million Brits have a learning disability.

Make your ads accessible by keeping the language simple. Avoid complex descriptions, jargon, wordiness, and awkward phrasing.

You also need to consider the layout. According to the British Dyslexia Association, some fonts and font sizes are more readable than others. They recommend Arial, Verdana, or Calibri in a 12–14-point size. And avoid italics; they’re not accessible to all.

How are you asking candidates to apply? If there’s an online application form, offer alternative formats i.e., a large print form or an audio recording for visually impaired candidates and/or those who struggle with backlit screens.

2.     Mind your language

In a candidate-driven market, you can’t afford to lose applicants at the initial stage because you use jargon or biased language in your job ad.

You need to ensure the language you use is inclusive.

Inclusive language consists of words, terms and phrases that communicate a respect for diversity, sensitivity to differences among people from various backgrounds, and equitable opportunities for all people.

Here are some things to bear in mind.

Age bias

A third of workers in the UK are aged 50+. If you want to attract candidates in this bracket, avoid phrases such as ‘digital natives’ or ‘tech-savvy’. This is a sure-fire way to turn them off. Conversely, specifying that a candidate needs ‘seven years’ experience’ or an ‘extensive portfolio’ puts older candidates at an advantage.

Rather than asking for a certain amount of experience as a pre-requisite, focus on the required skills. After all, jobseekers with seven years’ experience can differ greatly in terms of their abilities.

Racial bias

Avoid phrases that could be seen as perpetuating negative racial, cultural, or faith stereotypes. For example, ‘do you want to join our gang?’ can have negative racial connotations.

Also, bear in mind that phrases such as ‘strong English-language skills’, or ‘native English speaker’ could alienate non-native English speakers.

Gender bias

If your ad is unintentionally gender-coded, it can skew the gender-weighting of applicants for your roles.

Academic research by Duke University and the University of Waterloo found that women can be discouraged from applying for a job if the ad uses masculine coded terms such as ‘independent’, ‘aggressive’ and ‘decisive’. However, men are unaffected if a job description uses feminine words like “considerate”, “collaborate” and “loyal”.

Use this Gender Decoder Tool to check your ad is gender neutral.

Bonus tip: Microsoft has an in-built inclusive language checker. Run your copy through it before publishing. This is how to access the tool.

3.     Keep ‘key skills’ to a minimum

Research has found that men will apply for a role if they meet 60% of the requirements, but women will only apply if they can tick off 100%.

This means many women screen themselves out of the process before putting pen to paper.

A long list of essentials can also be off-putting for younger candidates who haven’t had time to build up their skills and knowledge.

Don’t include anything as a ‘prerequisite’ or ‘must-have’ unless it literally is. If you can train new hires to perform a particular skill, leave it off your list of requirements.

If you’re asking for the world and expecting to find a unicorn candidate, you run the risk of deterring potential fundraising superstars.

4.     Don’t ask for a degree

Going to university is expensive — prohibitively so for people in lower socio-economic brackets. If you include a degree qualification requirement in your job ad, you’ll exclude lots of great potential candidates.

Unless it’s essential, focus on the required skills rather than educational background.

5.     Highlight your commitment to EDI

State your commitment to equality, diversity, and inclusion in the ad. Let applicants know you welcome applications from all qualified candidates, regardless of their race, gender, disability, religion/belief, sexual orientation or age.

Need some help building a diverse fundraising team? Give us a call on 020 3750 3111 or email us at info@bamboofundraising.co.uk.

Is a 4-day working week set to become the new norm?

We all love a 3-day weekend. Bank holidays are always a cause for excitement. But what if you scrapped the traditional 5-day week and made this the norm?

If the results of the world’s largest ever four-day working week trial are anything to go by, this may be the way things are heading.

Organised by 4 Day Week Global in partnership with thinktank Autonomy, the study saw researchers examine the impact of reduced working hours over a six-month period. 

61 companies across a variety of sectors, (including seven charities), took part, cutting their working hours by 20%, with no reduction in pay, from June to December 2022.

The findings were significant:

• 56 of the 61 organisations that took part said they plan to continue with the four-day working week, while 18 confirmed the policy has become a permanent change.

• 39% of employees said they were less stressed compared with the start of the trial, and the number of sick days taken during the trial dropped by around two-thirds

• 71% had reduced levels of burnout at the end of the trial.

• 60% of employees found an increased ability to combine paid work with care responsibilities

• The number of staff leaving participating companies dropped by 57% over the trial period.

• The results even found that company revenue increased slightly by 1.4% on average over the trial period, and by a much higher 35% compared to the same six-month period in 2021.

Winning the war for talent

The trial has shown that (among other things) a shorter working week has the potential to improve employee wellbeing, improve productivity, and boost revenue.

But there’s another major benefit. In the current candidate driven recruitment market, flexible working is high on jobseekers wish lists. In fact, a study by Remote found that 77% of 10,000 individuals surveyed valued flexible working hours over any other perk.

However, employers are well aware of this, with two thirds now offering it as standard. To win the war on fundraising talent, you need to take flexible working a step further.

A four-day working week could be just the thing to give you the edge over your competitors.

Opinion

It remains to be seen whether a four-day week is the solution to the changing 21st century workplace. It’s a concept that many organisations may struggle with, at least initially, as it requires a break to working culture norms and a complete shift in mindset.

But, if employee attraction, retention and wellbeing are high on your priority list, a four-day workweek could be the answer. 

Final Word

Whether you offer a 4-day work week or not, we have a bank of talented fundraisers looking to get their teeth into their next role. Give us a call on 020 3750 3111 to get the conversation started.