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? Do you have to make your #GivingTuesday marketing campaign ongoing, or separate #GivingTuesday and year-end campaigns?
First, take a deep breath. Loosen up. You’ve obtained this. And under, we’re going to current two completely different choices for making the transition from #GivingTuesday to year-end fundraising really feel seamless and straightforward for each your donors and your group.
Since #GivingTuesday gained prominence in 2012, a standard concern amongst nonprofits was whether or not #GivingTuesday merely moved up year-end items. So, as a substitute of constructing a present on December thirty first, are your donors giving on #GivingTuesday?
Our friends at GivingTuesday.org have been doggedly monitoring giving tendencies via the Giving Tuesday Knowledge Commons, and has made their work accessible to everybody without 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 past 5 days of the yr, donation quantity remains to be big and common reward sizes are bigger. And, for a lot of donors, #GivingTuesday means giving an extra reward as a substitute of simply making their annual reward at a unique time.
So, these two fundraising intervals really work collectively to extend giving to charitable causes total. 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 Fantasy of Donor Fatigue
One other widespread concern about #GivingTuesday is about donor fatigue. If my nonprofit did a #GivingTuesday marketing campaign, and in addition does a year-end marketing campaign, gained’t my donors get uninterested in us asking for cash?!
Typically, 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 individuals 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 operating each a #GivingTuesday and year-end marketing campaign that may assist you to present a fascinating, cohesive expertise in your donors (that don’t really feel burdensome or exhausting.)
It is a easy reply to the query of methods 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 via 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 effectively, 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 via December thirty first is momentum. You’ll should construct it and preserve it going for a full month. Past choosing a marketing campaign theme or message that has sufficient mileage to final the entire month, operating your marketing campaign in phases can preserve the giving going till New Years.
Section One:
Publish Launch after #GivingTuesday! In the course of the first part of your marketing campaign transition, concentrate on reintroducing your marketing campaign to donors and getting your supporters engaged. This might imply adjusting a few of 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 in your marketing campaign following #GivingTuesday. This can set you up for later fundraising success, as inching towards your total year-end purpose will permit 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.)
Section Two:
This part needs to be targeted 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 stoop in giving throughout this part, and that’s okay! The month of December goes to have a giant spike in the course of the remaining 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 Section Three…)
Section Three:
That is going to be the ultimate week of the yr, in any other case often known as Go Time. It’s time to drag out all of the stops by executing a strong 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 superb time to drag out your heaviest-hitting storytelling. And it’s additionally a incredible time to focus in your nonprofit’s impression all through this yr! Usually 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. In the event you launch an annual report, this part 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 Section Three.
Plan Your Content material Fastidiously
A month isn’t that lengthy in fundraising time, however within the month of December, you’re going to want a variety of content material to maintain you. Which means tales, photographs, movies, infographics, and extra. And also you’ll need your whole content material to have an analogous look, really feel, and message. So, planning is vital!
Ensure you’ve obtained picture property on deck for emails, your web site, your Mightycause web page, social media, and wherever you often market your fundraising efforts. Nonprofits can get a ton of mileage out of marketing campaign movies, so make sure you coordinate that effectively prematurely. (And, if potential, 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 principally the inverse the above. With two separate campaigns, you gained’t have a momentum drawback or mid-December stoop to take care of. And you may 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 area of a month may really feel like lots 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 might be distinct, however reflective of a core message. That core message could possibly be reinforcing your impression, or the significance of your nonprofit in your group. Regardless of the core message is, creating campaigns which have an analogous key message will assist be certain that it sticks together with your supporters.
Use Visible Cues to Differentiate Campaigns
Altering up your branding through the use of completely different logos, colours, taglines, and so on. can assist differentiate your campaigns, and make the shift really feel extra pure. For example, altering out #Giving Tuesday advertising and logos to replicate your year-end marketing campaign indicators to your supporters that you simply’re shifting gears.
And also you’ll wish to be sure to absolutely transition your Mightycause profile between campaigns, too!
Concentrate on Impression 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 in the course of the yr, how many individuals you’ve helped in your group, and tales that illustrate your direct impression will actually drive residence that your work is price supporting. And it really works very effectively within the final week of the yr.
No matter what you select to do, it’s all about preserving donors engaged and enthusiastic about your message! Sensible planning will assist be certain that you’re in a position to verify the supplying you with see within the month of December can also be unprecedented!
