We’re heading right into a key time for nonprofit fundraising. A few third of all charitable giving occurs within the month of December. And 10% of all giving occurs within the final three days of the 12 months. In 2022, #GivingTuesday kicked off this high-stakes month on November twenty ninth. With #GivingTuesday and year-end fundraising so shut collectively, how can your nonprofit interact donors with out sporting them out? Must you make your #GivingTuesday marketing campaign ongoing, or separate #GivingTuesday and year-end campaigns?
First, take a deep breath. Chill out. You’ve acquired 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 standard concern amongst nonprofits was whether or not #GivingTuesday merely moved up year-end presents. So, as an alternative of constructing a present on December thirty first, are your donors giving on #GivingTuesday?
Our buddies at GivingTuesday.org have been doggedly monitoring giving developments by way of the Giving Tuesday Information Commons, and has made their work accessible 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 past 5 days of the 12 months, donation quantity remains to be large and common reward sizes are bigger. And, for a lot of donors, #GivingTuesday means giving an further reward as an alternative 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 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 Fable 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, received’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 suppose it’s. It’s true that folks 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 acquired two choices for operating each a #GivingTuesday and year-end marketing campaign that may show you how to present an interesting, 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 12 months: Don’t! Proceed your marketing campaign that launched on #GivingTuesday and carry it by way of the tip of the 12 months.
The advantages listed below are pretty apparent! You’ll have one constant message, and must plan one marketing campaign as an alternative 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 beneath.
Plan Your Marketing campaign in Phases
So, the large problem in planning one marketing campaign to span November twenty ninth by way of December thirty first is momentum. You’ll must 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, operating your marketing campaign in phases can hold the giving going till New Years.
Part One:
Put up Launch after #GivingTuesday! Through the first section of your marketing campaign transition, deal with 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 supplies as you transition away from the #Giving Tuesday Occasion.
It’s possible you’ll wish to set a brand new objective in your marketing campaign following #GivingTuesday. This can set you up for later fundraising success, as inching towards your total year-end objective will permit the objective gradient impact to kick in. (In easier phrases, the nearer you get to your objective, the extra doubtless 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 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 droop in giving throughout this section, and that’s okay! The month of December goes to have an enormous spike throughout the last 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 generally known as Go Time. It’s time to tug out all of the stops by executing a sturdy 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 tug out your heaviest-hitting storytelling. And it’s additionally a improbable time to focus in your nonprofit’s affect in 2022! Usually talking, statistics will not be 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 attainable 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 display 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 numerous content material to maintain you. Which means tales, images, 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 acquired picture belongings 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 nicely upfront. (And, if attainable, 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 droop to take care of. And you’ll tailor your finish of 12 months marketing campaign and its messaging to maximise its affect.
In fact, it could be extra work, since you’ll be planning two campaigns as an alternative of 1. And two campaigns within the house of a month might really feel like loads for donors. So, there may be 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 may very well be reinforcing your affect, 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 be certain 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 so on. may help differentiate your campaigns, and make the shift really feel extra pure. As an 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 wish to be sure to absolutely transition your Mightycause profile between campaigns, too!
Give attention to Impression 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 throughout the 12 months, how many individuals you’ve got helped in your neighborhood, and tales that illustrate your direct affect will actually drive residence that your work is value supporting. And it really works very nicely within the final week of the 12 months.
No matter what you select to do, it’s all about preserving donors engaged and enthusiastic about your message! 2022 has been an unprecedented 12 months in so some ways, however donors are motivated to provide, so good planning will assist be certain that you’re ready to verify the providing you with see within the month of December can be unprecedented!
