We’re heading right into a key time for nonprofit fundraising. A few third of all charitable giving occurs within the month of December. Much more compelling, a noteworthy 10% of all giving occurs within the final three days of the yr.
With #GivingTuesday and year-end fundraising so shut collectively, how can your nonprofit have interaction donors with out carrying them out? Must you make your #GivingTuesday marketing campaign ongoing, or separate #GivingTuesday and year-end campaigns?
First, take a deep breath. Loosen up. You’ve received this. And beneath, we’re going to current two completely different choices for making the transition from #GivingTuesday to year-end fundraising really feel seamless and simple for each your donors and your group.
Since #GivingTuesday gained prominence in 2012, a typical concern amongst nonprofits was whether or not #GivingTuesday merely moved up year-end presents. So, as a substitute of creating a present on December thirty first, are your donors giving on #GivingTuesday?
Our buddies at GivingTuesday.org have been doggedly monitoring giving traits by means of the Giving Tuesday Knowledge Commons, and has made their work out there to everybody at no cost on the Giving Lab, in addition to pulling collectively analysis from different sources. The reply to this query has a easy reply: No, #GivingTuesday doesn’t cannibalize year-end giving! Over the last 5 days of the yr, donation quantity continues to be large and common present sizes are bigger. And, for a lot of donors, #GivingTuesday means giving an extra present as a substitute of simply making their annual present at a unique time.
So, these two fundraising intervals really work collectively to extend giving to charitable causes general. And it’s frequent for nonprofits to coordinate their #GivingTuesday and year-end campaigns to maximise affect and create a cohesive expertise for his or her donors.
The Delusion of Donor Fatigue
One other frequent concern about #GivingTuesday is about donor fatigue. If my nonprofit did a #GivingTuesday marketing campaign, and likewise does a year-end marketing campaign, gained’t my donors get bored with us asking for cash?!
Generally, this apprehension could make some nonprofits really feel like they’ve to decide on one or the opposite: #GivingTuesday or year-end.
However donor fatigue usually isn’t what many nonprofits assume it’s. It’s true that individuals get inundated with fundraising appeals beginning in December (and generally earlier), however donor fatigue is well preventable with sturdy donor administration and communications practices. Engaged donors won’t abandon your nonprofit as a result of they’ve gotten one too many emails!
Donor Fatigue Prevention & Administration for #GivingTuesday
We’ve received two choices for operating each a #GivingTuesday and year-end marketing campaign that may allow you to present an attractive, cohesive expertise on your donors (that don’t really feel burdensome or exhausting.)
This can be a easy reply to the query of the way to juggle two campaigns so shut collectively on the finish of the yr: Don’t! Proceed your marketing campaign that launched on #GivingTuesday and carry it by means of the tip of the yr.
The advantages listed here are pretty apparent! You’ll have one constant message, and need to plan one marketing campaign as a substitute of two. And that eliminates the necessity for a “transition” in any respect. That’s all with out even discussing the lighter workload.
However there are nonetheless some intricacies to pulling this off properly, which we’ll element beneath.
Plan Your Marketing campaign in Phases
So, the large problem in planning one marketing campaign to span November twenty eighth by means of December thirty first is momentum. You’ll need to construct it and preserve it going for a full month. Past selecting a marketing campaign theme or message that has sufficient mileage to final the entire month, operating your marketing campaign in levels can preserve the giving going till New Years.
Part One:
Put up Launch after #GivingTuesday! Throughout the first part of your marketing campaign transition, deal with reintroducing your marketing campaign to donors and getting your supporters engaged. This might imply adjusting among the language on the web page and your advertising supplies as you transition away from the #Giving Tuesday Occasion.
You might wish to set a brand new purpose on your marketing campaign following #GivingTuesday. It will set you up for later fundraising success, as inching towards your general year-end purpose will enable the purpose gradient impact to kick in. (In less complicated phrases, the nearer you get to your purpose, the extra doubtless it’s that individuals will take part as you get nearer to reaching it to assist push you over the end line.)
Part Two:
This part must be targeted on donor engagement. Meaning: following up with and thanking your #GivingTuesday donors, doing private outreach to key teams of donors, and setting the stage for a profitable near the month.
There could also be a little bit of a droop in giving throughout this part, and that’s okay! The month of December goes to have a giant spike throughout the last three days of the yr. So, spend the time in-between specializing in outreach efforts, segmented emails, and offering a constructive expertise for donors. (And buttering them up for Part Three…)
Part Three:
That is going to be the ultimate week of the yr, in any other case generally known as Go Time. It’s time to tug out all of the stops by executing a sturdy electronic mail advertising plan, making calls or sending private emails to these large year-end donors, and actually leaning into “Due to You” messaging.
The ultimate week of the yr is a good time to tug out your heaviest-hitting storytelling. And it’s additionally a implausible time to focus in your nonprofit’s affect all through this yr! Usually talking, statistics usually are not an enormous draw for donors… besides at year-end. That’s when individuals wish to hear about all of your good work, all of the individuals you’ve helped, and know that they assist make all of it attainable with their donations. If you happen to launch an annual report, this part is a good time to do it! And infographics, statistics, and tales that reveal the significance of your nonprofit’s work will all go far in Part Three.
Plan Your Content material Rigorously
A month isn’t that lengthy in fundraising time, however within the month of December, you’re going to wish a whole lot of content material to maintain you. Meaning tales, images, movies, infographics, and extra. And also you’ll need your entire content material to have the same look, really feel, and message. So, planning is vital!
Ensure you’ve received picture belongings on deck for emails, your web site, your Mightycause web page, social media, and anyplace you normally market your fundraising efforts. Nonprofits can get a ton of mileage out of marketing campaign movies, so make sure to coordinate that properly prematurely. (And, if attainable, a unique video for the ultimate week of the yr fundraising push.)
The advantages of internet hosting separate campaigns for #GivingTuesday and year-end are mainly the inverse the above. With two separate campaigns, you gained’t have a momentum downside or mid-December droop to take care of. And you may tailor your finish of yr marketing campaign and its messaging to maximise its affect.
In fact, it might be extra work, since you’ll be planning two campaigns as a substitute of 1. And two campaigns within the area of a month may really feel like so much for donors. So, there’s an artwork to pulling it off, however it may be performed!
Select Your Marketing campaign Messages Properly
Repetition is vital to creating concepts “sticky” for donors. So, it would be best to select marketing campaign themes and messages which are distinct, however reflective of a core message. That core message could possibly be reinforcing your affect, or the significance of your nonprofit in your neighborhood. Regardless of the core message is, creating campaigns which have the same key message will assist make sure that it sticks along with your supporters.
Use Visible Cues to Differentiate Campaigns
Altering up your branding by utilizing completely different logos, colours, taglines, and many others. may help differentiate your campaigns, and make the shift really feel extra pure. As an example, altering out #Giving Tuesday advertising and logos to replicate your year-end marketing campaign alerts to your supporters that you simply’re shifting gears.
And also you’ll wish to be sure you absolutely transition your Mightycause profile between campaigns, too!
Concentrate on Influence for 12 months-Finish
So, as we talked about, statistics are good to have however don’t transfer donors as a lot nearly as good nonprofit storytelling, more often than not. The one exception to this rule of thumb is year-end. That’s the time went donors need to listen to about how many individuals you served and dive into information. Infographics and pictures sharing simply how a lot you’ve achieved throughout the yr, how many individuals you’ve got helped in your neighborhood, and tales that illustrate your direct affect will actually drive dwelling that your work is value supporting. And it really works very properly within the final week of the yr.
No matter what you select to do, it’s all about maintaining donors engaged and enthusiastic about your message! Good planning will assist make sure that you’re in a position to ensure the providing you with see within the month of December can also be unprecedented!
