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 12 months.
With #GivingTuesday and year-end fundraising so shut collectively, how can your nonprofit interact 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 bought this. And beneath, we’re going to current two totally 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 typical concern amongst nonprofits was whether or not #GivingTuesday merely moved up year-end presents. 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 developments by means of the Giving Tuesday Information 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 last 5 days of the 12 months, donation quantity continues to be large and common reward sizes are bigger. And, for a lot of donors, #GivingTuesday means giving an further 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 influence 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 in addition does a year-end marketing campaign, received’t my donors get bored with 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 assume it’s. It’s true that folks get inundated with fundraising appeals beginning in December (and typically earlier), however donor fatigue is definitely preventable with robust donor administration and communications practices. Engaged donors is not going to abandon your nonprofit as a result of they’ve gotten one too many emails!
Donor Fatigue Prevention & Administration for #GivingTuesday
We’ve bought two choices for working each a #GivingTuesday and year-end marketing campaign that may allow you to present an enticing, cohesive expertise to 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 12 months: Don’t! Proceed your marketing campaign that launched on #GivingTuesday and carry it by means of the tip of the 12 months.
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 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 should construct it and hold 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 levels can hold the giving going till New Years.
Part One:
Submit Launch after #GivingTuesday! Through the first section of your marketing campaign transition, give attention to 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 could need to set a brand new aim to your marketing campaign following #GivingTuesday. This may set you up for later fundraising success, as inching towards your total year-end aim will permit the aim gradient impact to kick in. (In less complicated phrases, the nearer you get to your aim, the extra possible it’s that folks will take part as you get nearer to attaining it to assist push you over the end line.)
Part Two:
This section must 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 hunch in giving throughout this section, and that’s okay! The month of December goes to have an enormous spike throughout the ultimate three days of the 12 months. 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 12 months, in any other case often called Go Time. It’s time to drag out all of the stops by executing a strong e mail advertising plan, making calls or sending private emails to these massive year-end donors, and actually leaning into “Due to You” messaging.
The ultimate week of the 12 months is a superb time to drag out your heaviest-hitting storytelling. And it’s additionally a implausible time to focus in your nonprofit’s influence all through this 12 months! Usually talking, statistics aren’t an enormous draw for donors… besides at year-end. That’s when folks need to hear about all of your good work, all of the folks you’ve helped, and know that they assist make all of it doable with their donations. For those who launch an annual report, this section is a superb time to do it! And infographics, statistics, and tales that show the significance of your nonprofit’s work will all go far in Part 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 lots of content material to maintain you. Which means 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 essential!
Ensure you’ve bought picture belongings 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 make sure you coordinate that effectively prematurely. (And, if doable, a unique video for the ultimate week of the 12 months 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 received’t have a momentum downside or mid-December hunch to cope with. And you may tailor your finish of 12 months marketing campaign and its messaging to maximise its influence.
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 may really feel like quite a bit for donors. So, there’s an artwork to pulling it off, however it may be accomplished!
Select Your Marketing campaign Messages Correctly
Repetition is essential to creating concepts “sticky” for donors. So, you’ll want 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 influence, or the significance of your nonprofit in your group. 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 totally different logos, colours, taglines, and many others. may help differentiate your campaigns, and make the shift really feel extra pure. For example, altering out #Giving Tuesday advertising and logos to mirror your year-end marketing campaign indicators to your supporters that you simply’re shifting gears.
And also you’ll need to be sure you totally transition your Mightycause profile between campaigns, too!
Give attention to 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 12 months, how many individuals you have got helped in your group, and tales that illustrate your direct influence will actually drive dwelling that your work is value supporting. And it really works very effectively within the final week of the 12 months.
No matter what you select to do, it’s all about retaining donors engaged and enthusiastic about your message! Good planning will assist make sure that you’re ready to ensure the supplying you with see within the month of December can also be unprecedented!