We’re heading right into a key time for nonprofit fundraising. A couple of 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? Do you have to make your #GivingTuesday marketing campaign ongoing, or separate #GivingTuesday and year-end campaigns?
First, take a deep breath. Chill out. You’ve obtained this. And under, we’re going to current two totally 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 items. 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 tendencies by means of the Giving Tuesday Knowledge Commons, and has made their work obtainable to everybody free of charge 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 past 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 distinct time.
So, these two fundraising intervals really work collectively to extend giving to charitable causes general. And it’s widespread for nonprofits to coordinate their #GivingTuesday and year-end campaigns to maximise impression and create a cohesive expertise for his or her donors.
The Fable of Donor Fatigue
One other widespread 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 uninterested in 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 typically isn’t what many nonprofits suppose it’s. It’s true that folks get inundated with fundraising appeals beginning in December (and typically 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 obtained two choices for working each a #GivingTuesday and year-end marketing campaign that may show you how to present an enticing, cohesive expertise on your donors (that don’t really feel burdensome or exhausting.)
This can be a easy reply to the query of tips on how 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 top of the yr.
The advantages listed here are pretty apparent! You’ll have one constant message, and should 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 nicely, which we’ll element under.
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 should construct it and maintain it going for a full month. Past selecting a marketing campaign theme or message that has sufficient mileage to final the entire month, working your marketing campaign in phases can maintain the giving going till New Years.
Part One:
Put up Launch after #GivingTuesday! Throughout the first section of your marketing campaign transition, concentrate on reintroducing your marketing campaign to donors and getting your supporters engaged. This might imply adjusting a number of the language on the web page and your advertising and marketing supplies as you transition away from the #Giving Tuesday Occasion.
You could wish to set a brand new purpose on your marketing campaign following #GivingTuesday. This may 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 easier phrases, the nearer you get to your purpose, the extra seemingly it’s that folks will take part as you get nearer to reaching it to assist push you over the end line.)
Part Two:
This section ought to be centered on donor engagement. Which means: 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 hunch in giving throughout this section, and that’s okay! The month of December goes to have a giant spike in the course of the ultimate three days of the yr. So, spend the time in-between specializing in outreach efforts, segmented emails, and offering a optimistic 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 referred to as Go Time. It’s time to drag out all of the stops by executing a strong e-mail advertising and marketing 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 superb time to drag out your heaviest-hitting storytelling. And it’s additionally a unbelievable time to focus in your nonprofit’s impression all through this yr! Typically talking, statistics aren’t an enormous draw for donors… besides at year-end. That’s when folks wish to hear about all of your good work, all of the folks you’ve helped, and know that they assist make all of it potential with their donations. Should you launch an annual report, this section is a superb 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 quite a lot of content material to maintain you. Which means tales, images, movies, infographics, and extra. And also you’ll need all your content material to have the same look, really feel, and message. So, planning is vital!
Be sure you’ve obtained picture property on deck for emails, your web site, your Mightycause web page, social media, and wherever you normally market your fundraising efforts. Nonprofits can get a ton of mileage out of marketing campaign movies, so you’ll want to coordinate that nicely prematurely. (And, if potential, a distinct 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 hunch to cope with. And you’ll tailor your finish of yr marketing campaign and its messaging to maximise its impression.
After all, it could be extra work, since you’ll be planning two campaigns as a substitute of 1. And two campaigns within the house of a month might really feel like so much for donors. So, there may be an artwork to pulling it off, however it may be finished!
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 can be distinct, however reflective of a core message. That core message may very well be reinforcing your impression, 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 be certain that it sticks along with your supporters.
Use Visible Cues to Differentiate Campaigns
Altering up your branding by utilizing totally different logos, colours, taglines, and so on. may also help differentiate your campaigns, and make the shift really feel extra pure. As an illustration, altering out #Giving Tuesday advertising and marketing 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 to totally transition your Mightycause profile between campaigns, too!
Give attention to Affect for 12 months-Finish
So, as we talked about, statistics are good to have however don’t transfer donors as a lot pretty much 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 in the course of the yr, how many individuals you might have helped in your neighborhood, and tales that illustrate your direct impression will actually drive residence that your work is price supporting. And it really works very nicely within the final week of the yr.
No matter what you select to do, it’s all about holding donors engaged and enthusiastic about your message! Sensible planning will assist be certain that you’re in a position to ensure the supplying you with see within the month of December can also be unprecedented!
