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 12 months.
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 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 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 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 developments via the Giving Tuesday Data Commons, and has made their work out there to everybody without cost on the Giving Lab, in addition to pulling collectively analysis from different sources. The reply to this query has a simple answer: No, #GivingTuesday doesn’t cannibalize year-end giving! Over the last 5 days of the 12 months, donation quantity continues to be big 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 truly 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 influence 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 in addition does a year-end marketing campaign, gained’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 suppose it’s. It’s true that folks get inundated with fundraising appeals beginning in December (and generally earlier), however donor fatigue is definitely preventable with sturdy 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!
We’ve obtained two choices for operating each a #GivingTuesday and year-end marketing campaign that may assist you to present an interesting, cohesive expertise on your donors (that don’t really feel burdensome or exhausting.)
It is a easy reply to the query of easy methods 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 via the tip of the 12 months.
The advantages listed below 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 maintain 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 phases can maintain the giving going till New Years.
Section One:
Submit 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.
It’s possible you’ll wish to set a brand new aim on your marketing campaign following #GivingTuesday. This may set you up for later fundraising success, as inching towards your general year-end aim will permit the goal gradient effect to kick in. (In easier 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.)
Section Two:
This part ought to be centered 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 hunch in giving throughout this part, and that’s okay! The month of December goes to have an enormous spike in the course of the closing three days of the 12 months. So, spend the time in-between specializing in outreach efforts, segmented emails, and offering a optimistic expertise for donors. (And buttering them up for Section Three…)
Section Three:
That is going to be the ultimate week of the 12 months, in any other case referred to as Go Time. It’s time to drag out all of the stops by executing a sturdy electronic mail advertising plan, making calls or sending private emails to these huge 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 incredible time to focus in your nonprofit’s influence all through this 12 months! Typically talking, statistics are usually 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 potential with their donations. When you launch an annual report, this part 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 Section 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 want numerous content material to maintain you. Meaning tales, pictures, movies, infographics, and extra. And also you’ll need all your content material to have an identical look, really feel, and message. So, planning is essential!
Be sure to’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 remember to coordinate that effectively upfront. (And, if potential, a distinct video for the ultimate week of the 12 months 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 hunch to take care of. 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 area of a month might really feel like so much 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 might be distinct, however reflective of a core message. That core message might be reinforcing your influence, or the significance of your nonprofit in your neighborhood. Regardless of the core message is, creating campaigns which have an identical key message will assist make sure that it sticks together with your supporters.
Use Visible Cues to Differentiate Campaigns
Altering up your branding through the use of totally different logos, colours, taglines, and so forth. will help differentiate your campaigns, and make the shift really feel extra pure. As an illustration, altering out #Giving Tuesday advertising and logos to mirror your year-end marketing campaign alerts to your supporters that you simply’re shifting gears.
And also you’ll wish to ensure you totally transition your Mightycause profile between campaigns, too!
Give attention to Influence for Yr-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 12 months, how many individuals you’ve gotten helped in your neighborhood, and tales that illustrate your direct influence will actually drive residence 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 protecting donors engaged and enthusiastic about your message! Sensible planning will assist make sure that you’re in a position to verify the supplying you with see within the month of December can be unprecedented!
