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Oftentimes, all customers want is a brief moment of connection with you and your brand.

Raise a virtual hand if your screentime has increased by 90% for the 9th week in a row.  Yup, join the club! Now more than ever, people are looking to computer screens for connection, and companies are scrambling for more ways to show up online. Of all the communication channels available to businesses during this unprecedented time, video conferencing has stood out among the rest.

Video conferencing is a form of synchronous communication, which allows users to interact with and respond to others in real-time. Zoom meetings and Facetimes are great examples of synchronous communication.

A recent study by ZoomInfo found that “Zoom…saw a 418% growth in adoption rate in just two months.” In addition, Google Meet, the tech behemoth’s solution for virtual conferencing, has experienced unprecedented growth in the wake of COVID-19, boasting roughly 100 million video conference attendees each day and utilizing 3 billion minutes of video, according to Forbes.

While these stats are staggering, there’s just one problem – what if virtual conferences are not a good fit for your business?

More companies are feeling the pressure and jumping into the deep end of the digital pool simply because they see others doing it, without knowing whether or not the solution will produce the desired results. What business owners really want is an effective strategy to increase customer engagement, retention, and sales during COVID-19. However, video conferencing and other synchronous video platforms like Zoom are NOT the most effective solution for every business during this time. Perhaps your organization should, instead, look to integrate more asynchronous video solutions to grow your business during COVID-19.

Skyrocket donor giving

Asynchronous video communication enables users to send and respond to video messages without being in a real-time setting. Snapchat and Instagram are great examples of social media platforms utilizing asynchronous communication. It is important to mention that the powerful capabilities of asynchronous video communication aren’t solely reserved for social media, nor limited to 10 and 15-second increments! Businesses around the world have skyrocketed sales, increased team engagement, and made more meaningful connections with their customers by leveraging the power of Videoup’s 30-second asynchronous video solution.

Hold on to your blue light blocking glasses, because we’re taking a closer look at 3 ways you can cure customer disengagement and increase sales during COVID19.

Here’s how you can use Videoup’s asynchronous 30-second video messaging to increase customer engagement, brand awareness, retention, and sales right now.

1. Send a Videoup via text or email to each customer/client after each purchase is made.
2. Send a Videoup to all past customers offering a “free trial” to re-engage them.
3. Create a free digital resource to grow your email list. Send a personal Videoup to new subscribers and offer to hop on a call to offer additional support.

A simple pivot in current marketing strategy can skyrocket donor retention and increase giving over time.

We live in an Informational Age. The steady rise in technology provides nonprofits with the opportunity to connect with more potential donors than ever before. However, it has also increased the competitive landscape overall and made it more difficult to attract and retain donors. Today, nonprofits are not only competing with other nonprofits that have similar missions but with every app, social media fundraiser, Etsy shop, and retail store vying for their stakeholders’ attention from morning until night. 

The competition for acquiring donors is no longer industry-specific. In this present reality, social innovation is a must for organizational survival. Nonprofits that decide to thrive must embrace the present reality, learn to rise above the noise, and implement innovative ways to increase donor engagement and repeat giving. 

One of the most effective ways to improve donor retention and giving is by securing a donor’s second gift, which is often called “the golden donation”. 

“Nonprofits who focus on receiving that golden donation naturally increase their average donor retention rate (about threefold!) because of this higher repeat retention rate.” 

– Bloomerang 

Often, the cost to acquire a new donor can exceed the price of keeping one. Many organizations pour their marketing dollars into donor acquisition efforts, hoping new donors will bring in recurring giving; however, statistics indicate that is not necessarily the case. 

“While acquisition will always be important, to survive today nonprofits need to focus on ways to keep both new and existing donors coming back year after year.” – Bloomerang

Skyrocket donor giving

So how does an organization secure the second gift and skyrocket donor retention and giving? 

The key to securing the second gift lies in fostering more personal connections with donors shortly after a gift is made.

• Speed-up Communications

An effective retention strategy doesn’t have to be complicated. The donors have spoken, and the solution is simple – they just want to be communicated with and thanked after giving. VideoUp makes it easy to send a “thank you” text message or email to a donor shortly after a gift is given. “Research shows that SMS open rates are as high as 98%.” Campaign Monitor The greater chance of message delivery, the greater chance of donor retention.

• Foster Personal Connection Personalize Communications 

While organizations may communicate with donors quickly, they often fail to connect with them personally. Choosing to engage donors through video messaging has a host of benefits. It not only establishes trust, and adds an extra layer of customer service, it also encourages donors to share the video content with their networks! Making donors feel seen, heard, and effective…now that’s a compelling path for increasing brand engagement and donor retention.

When seeking to secure the second gift, fostering meaningful connections with donors is crucial. Communicating quickly and authentically builds trust, and increases donor retention and giving year-after-year, regardless of the growing competition.

Ready to level-up your donor retention strategy? Schedule a 20-minute early access demo with a VideoUp Team member.