Tip #13: You can never do too much social media sharing

We've been asked many times "what else can I do besides Facebook to spread the word about my Chance?"  There are countless possibilities, but it's worth noting that social media does have the advantages of:

1) Having a large, worldwide audience, and
2) Being free!

So even if you don't have certain social media accounts for yourself personally, you might consider creating some accounts, even if temporarily, for your pet's Chance activity.

We liked this example:  http://instagram.com/slippersdelcorpo

A Picture Is Worth... A Lot!

Sites like Instagram, Tumblr and Pinterest are ideal because they are very focused on photos and video.  (Just be careful about which pictures you choose -- some of our clients have posted photos of pet injuries or surgeries that really weren't very appealing and may have turned off some potential donors!)



"Why Would I Ever Use Twitter??"
Not everyone has found a good use to send Tweets. Many people wonder why they'd use Twitter at all.  One major benefit of Twitter is that it's unbelievably easy to share ("Re-Tweet") things that are interesting. The "Follow" feature of Twitter lets birds of a feather flock together about things that are interesting to them.  So if you've never sent a Tweet before, doing so for your pet and your Chance might be a great reason.


Got any other social media sites where Chances might get good visibility?  Let us know in the comments!

TIP #12: Share/Like is good on Facebook, but Comments are far better!

In December, 2013 Facebook announced that links to external websites will be given higher rank in the Newsfeed than other types of content.  Moreover, they are going to place additional emphasis on posts that have conversations (Comments).

This is good news for Pet Chance clients, since Pet Chance is an 'external' site.  Our Chance posts are therefore more likely to show up more often in newsfeeds.

Since Facebook is going to re-display posts that have Comments in them, you are strongly encouraged to start (and nurture) conversations about your Pet Chance posts.  In addition to asking people to Share/Like - add updates (if you're the pet owner), ask questions, make suggestions, or anything else you can think of to keep the conversation going.  This will help keep the Chance in more Facebook Newsfeeds for a longer time.

The Impact of Facebook Sharing

The Power of "Sharing"
We all know that Facebook’s “sharing” feature has the ability to make quirky YouTube videos go viral and allow heart-wrenching photographs to be felt around the world. But how much impact does your own sharing hold? How much power lies in just one click of your mouse? Let’s find out.

According to Facebook statistics, the average Facebook user has 190 friends. This means that if you are the average person, each time you share a piece of content it has the potential to meet the eyes of 190 new people.

Now let’s put it into a Pet Chance perspective… If each one of our Pet Chance Facebook followers shared just one chance link per month, it would have the potential to reach outside Facebook users over 1,035,000 different times in one year!

Pet Chance Statistics

We conducted an analysis of Chances belonging clients who made a concerted effort to use Facebook and discovered the following:

• The average number of visits to a Chance page from Facebook was 65.  But Chances that received 50% or more of their treatment amount had an average of 114 visits from Facebook!
• Lesson learned:  Share often! And – make sure you ask others to share, even if they can’t make a donation.

•  It takes an average of 11 visits from a Facebook share to receive a single donation on Pet Chance.  But for Chances that achieved over 50% of the Treatment Amount, it was only 8 visits from Facebook to receive a donation. 
• Lesson learned:  Facebook sharing is effective and using it to get donations is very achievable.  Plus - the more you do, the more effective each share will be.

• The average donation for all of our Chances is about $50.  For Chances that were shared often and therefore achieved 50% or more of the treatment amount, the average donation was $149! 
• Lesson learned:  Not only does sharing get more visits and a larger number of donations, but the amount of each donation tends to be higher for Chances that are actively shared on Facebook.

What You Can Do
The Pet Chance data demonstrates that actively sharing Chances on social media sites, like Facebook, greatly increases the odds of those Chances getting funded.  While this comes as no surprise, it’s comforting to know that the data proves it – time spent sharing is time well spent!

So use that social network of yours to do some good – share a Chance on Facebook and help improve the health of a pet in need. It’s a free and effective way to make a tail wag.

Sources: https://www.facebook.com/notes/facebook-data-team/anatomy-of-facebook/10150388519243859

Tip #11 - Be Specific

Sometimes we get good ideas/inspiration which we want to share. So we're extending our Tips & Tricks series with this list of additional items that we hope will help you out...

BE SPECIFIC
You may have told people: "Please help me spread the word".  How do people know they've "succeeded"?  If you want them to feel proud of themselves for helping you, equip them to do so by being specific.  Say something like "Please email or tell at least 3 people about my Chance to help me spread the word."  See the difference?  Now they will know they "succeeded" in granting your request if they tell 3 people.  Of course most people will tell more than 3 other people - but 3 feels achievable, which means more people are likely to do it.

No Such Thing as Failure

When it comes to Pet Chance, failure is not an option. This isn’t meant in the usual sense of not allowing something to fail by trying harder or going at it from different angles; it is meant in the sense that every Chance provided with donations and medical treatment is a success.

Some concerned clients have mentioned to us that it is heartbreaking to see animals in the success stories section that have received treatment thanks to Pet Chance donors, but have still passed away. They say that it makes the Chance seem like a “failure” even though donors did everything they could to save the animal.

In cases such as these, it is important to remember that passing on is sometimes unavoidable. It can bring animals to a better place, far away from the pain or suffering they may have experienced toward the end of their lives.

What should comfort donors and clients in these times of trial is the fact that Pet Chance donors gave these deceased pets a chance at life. The contributions they made ensured that every possible measure was taken for the pet’s wellbeing and that the animal did not pass on from a lack of access to medical care, but because it was his or her time.

We are so grateful for our generous donors and we can’t wait to help more animals on the road to success.

My Chance was closed. What gives?

Pet Chance is proud to be different (and hopefully better somehow) from most other crowdfunding sites in a number of ways.  One thing we do very differently is allowing clients to keep Chances open indefinitely - IF there is activity with the Chance.  Activity can be demonstrated with donations, updates from the client, or proof that the client is actively spreading the word.

We have this policy at the risk of leaving unproductive Chances open for a long time.  But we strongly believe that if there's an opportunity to help a pet, we don't want the Chance to close.



Having said all that, we're putting in more processes to close inactive Chances more regularly so our donors can find and contribute to Chances that are likely to succeed.  This doesn't mean we don't want to help.  In fact, if a Chance is closed due to inactivity, it can quickly be re-opened if the client shows us that she/he will re-engage.

And of course, if a Chance closes, any donations that were made will be refunded if the donor so chooses.

We hope fewer and fewer Chances will close in the future.  But in the meantime, we hope our flexible-but-formal policies are helpful to both clients (pet owners) and donors alike!

YOUR TURN:  What ideas do you have for clients who are having trouble getting activity with their Chances?

People Want To Be Asked

            

We often find that our clients are reluctant to ask friends, family and acquaintances for donations on behalf of their pets. This stems from the false belief that others don’t want to be asked for help because they find it irritating or distasteful. In fact, the opposite it true.

In a study conducted at Babson University, research showed that a number of people didn’t donate a second time on PetChance.org simply because, “I wasn’t asked.” Many agreed that had they been given the opportunity to help again, they would’ve gladly taken it. This shows the importance of reaching out to request assistance – people do want to help, but they also appreciate being ASKED for help.

A request for help can feel much more comfortable if you present a donation to your chance page as an “opportunity” rather than a “favor.” By offering it as an opportunity to participate in the restoration of your animal’s health, you are drawing donors in and making them want to be a part of the journey that will lead to a better life for your animal. This presentation will allow donors to feel satisfied that they’ve help your pet take a few paw-steps forward.

Example

Favor: “I need help paying for Fluffy’s treatment.”

Opportunity: “If you and a few other people help out with $20 or so, Fluffy will be well in no time!”

What other suggestions do you have for converting “favors” into “opportunities?”

Tips & Tricks Archive

We've put together a Tips & Tricks series to help you succeed in the quest for your pet's better health. Many of these ideas came from previous Pet Chance clients who had successes with their Chances. We are confident that these suggestions will help guide you straight to our growing list of success stories!

Tip #1 - E-mail/Social Media Templates
Short blurbs you can copy, paste and personalize onto your favorite social media sites or e-mails to promote your Chance page.

Tip #2 - Photos, Videos and Updates, Oh My!
Learn how to use photos, videos and updates to improve donation rates.

Tip #3 - Thank Your Donors
Learn how to thank donors and the impact it makes on your Chance.

Tip #4 - Personalizing E-mails
Explains the huge difference it makes to personalize appeals for funding.

Tip #5 - Using the Two P's
Persistence and patience are the key to successful Chances.

Tip #6 - Let's Make an Event Out of It
How and why you should start a Facebook event for your Chance page.

Tip #7 - Fast Track to Donations
Read about alternative ways to advertise your Pet Chance profile. These creative promotional tactics are sure to catalyze donations.

Tip #8 - When Your Friends Can't Donate
What can your friends do for your Chance page if they don't have funding to donate? Find out here.

Tip #9 - Great Photos Make for Great Donations
Good photos: the stuff donations are made of.

Tip #10 - Taking Control
You are in the driver's seat - make your Chance a success!

Tip #11 - Be Specific
Giving your friends and family a goal to reach can help them to be more successful in spreading the word about your Chance.

Tip #12 - Let's Give Them Something to Talk About
Facebook updated the way it shows posts in the Newsfeed. Learn how to take advantage of that and get Chance posts more visibility.

Tip #13 - You Can Never Do Too Much Social Media Sharing
You might not need or want a lot of social media accounts for your day-to-day life, but using social media to spread the word for Chances has many benefits.

Tip #10 - Taking Control

One of the most important things to remember during your time with Pet Chance is that you are in control. That’s right, you – the one staring at this computer screen as we speak. YOU have the power to make your Chance a success.

As a crowdfunding site, Pet Chance gives you the unique opportunity to promote, advertise, and cultivate your own Chance page. We leave this responsibility completely up to your individual creativity and imagination. The best part is that there is no one “right” way to do it. Hundreds of combinations are possible and it’s up to you to find the one that suits both you and your Chance best.

Putting in the effort to get the word out about your pet’s Chance is sure to reap benefits. Let’s see how far you can take it…we know you will succeed!