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.

In 2023, #GivingTuesday kicked off this high-stakes month on November twenty eighth. 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. Calm down. You’ve obtained 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 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 presents. So, as an alternative of creating a present on December thirty first, are your donors giving on #GivingTuesday?

Our friends at GivingTuesday.org have been doggedly monitoring giving tendencies by the Giving Tuesday Information 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 easy reply: No, #GivingTuesday doesn’t cannibalize year-end giving! Over the past 5 days of the yr, donation quantity continues to be big 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 widespread for nonprofits to coordinate their #GivingTuesday and year-end campaigns to maximise affect and create a cohesive expertise for his or her donors.

The Delusion 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 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 usually 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 definitely preventable with robust 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 aid you present an attractive, cohesive expertise to your donors (that don’t really feel burdensome or exhausting.)

It is a easy reply to the query of how you can 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 the top of the yr.

The advantages listed below are pretty apparent! You’ll have one constant message, and need to 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 massive problem in planning one marketing campaign to span November twenty eighth by December thirty first is momentum. You’ll need to 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 levels can maintain the giving going till New Years.

Section One: 

Submit Launch after #GivingTuesday! In the course of 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 few 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 to your marketing campaign following #GivingTuesday. This may 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 probably 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 section needs 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 droop in giving throughout this section, and that’s okay! The month of December goes to have a giant spike through the last 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 Section Three…)

Section 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 massive year-end donors, and actually leaning into “Due to You” messaging.

The ultimate week of the yr is a good time to drag out your heaviest-hitting storytelling. And it’s additionally a implausible time to focus in your nonprofit’s affect in 2023! Usually 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 doable with their donations. If you happen to launch an annual report, this section is a good 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 Fastidiously

A month isn’t that lengthy in fundraising time, however within the month of December, you’re going to want a number of content material to maintain you. Meaning tales, images, movies, infographics, and extra. And also you’ll need your entire content material to have an identical look, really feel, and message. So, planning is essential!

Be sure you’ve obtained 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 to coordinate that nicely prematurely. (And, if doable, 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 mainly the inverse the above. With two separate campaigns, you received’t have a momentum drawback or mid-December droop to take care of. And you may tailor your finish of yr 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 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 executed!

Select Your Marketing campaign Messages Properly

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 group. Regardless of the core message is, creating campaigns which have an identical 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 totally different logos, colours, taglines, and many others. may also help differentiate your campaigns, and make the shift really feel extra pure. For example, altering out #Giving Tuesday advertising and marketing and logos to replicate your year-end marketing campaign alerts to your supporters that you just’re shifting gears.

And also you’ll wish to be sure you totally transition your Mightycause profile between campaigns, too!

Deal with Affect for Yr-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 through the yr, how many individuals you could have helped in your group, and tales that illustrate your direct affect will actually drive dwelling 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 retaining donors engaged and enthusiastic about your message! 2023 has been an unprecedented yr in so some ways, however donors are motivated to provide, so good planning will assist be certain that you’re in a position to verify the providing you with see within the month of December can also be unprecedented!