In our Holiday Giving webinar last month, we touched on the top 5 most important elements to include in your 2020 year end giving campaign. These tips are so crucial for a successful campaign that we’re sharing them again (don’t want to miss the details? Catch the webinar recording)!
Tip #1: Segment Your Audience
Competition for donor dollars is steep this year, especially with more digital communication filling inboxes and social media feeds during the last four weeks of the year. How can your organization rise above the noise and be seen? Why, with a little sugar, spice, and…personalization!
Personalizing (aka segmenting) your audience allows you to speak directly to your supporters in a way that resonates with them. Personalizing your communication (particularly emails) shows that you understand and care about them, their support is recognized, and their donation makes a difference. A few of our favorite donor segments are previous year givers, lapsed donors, and P2P fundraisers.
Try it out! Find 2-3 donor segments in your database, write directly to that group of supporters in your emails, and watch them respond with gifts of appreciation this holiday season.
Tip #2: Meet Your Donors Where They Are
Until we can gather together again in person, it’s essential to place your ask where your constituents spend a lot of time. And that, my friends, is online. In order to stand out in 2020, it’s so important for your organization to be present in the digital world. We can’t emphasize this enough! So here’s a three-step recipe for success:
- Use a strong email campaign to drive supporters to social media and donations to your website.
- Optimize giving experiences to make online giving as easy as pumpkin pie.
- Automate a well-built welcome email series to keep new supporters engaged for seasons to come.
Spend your time (and marketing dollars) in digital fundraising strategy this holiday season to enjoy a firework display of giving and end your year with a bang.
Tip #3: Update your Message for Now
How have your services changed this year due to the pandemic? What contributions has your organization made to support its community in need? These are a couple questions to get you thinking about your marketing message for the year-end giving season. It’s time to tell the world about all of the great things your nonprofit has been up to in 2020. When possible, use numbers and statistics to show impact, and highlight your story by expressing the survival, perseverance, and resilience of your organization.
Tip #4: Prepare your Stewardship Plan
2020 calls for an extraordinary stewardship plan. We’re not talking about just any stewardship plan— you need to craft one that pulls out all the stops when thanking your constituents for their generous gift. Delight your donors by showering them with relentless gratitude!
This might mean calling every donor within 24 hours of making a gift. Or perhaps you’ll send a personalized, handwritten card signed by your organization’s leadership for donations over a certain amount. Or maybe it’s a simple yet sweet text message thanking your donors and wishing them a happy and prosperous New Year. Whichever way you choose to fill stockings with gratitude, make sure to give your donors the warm fuzzies that will stick with them for months to come.
Tip #5: Set Goals, Track Progress & Celebrate Successes!
Fundraising is a challenging job as it is, and 2020 has made it that much more difficult. You’re taking on the challenge of raising money during one of the toughest times in recent history because your mission depends on it. Continue reminding yourself that you’re doing your best in tough circumstances. Take time to set weekly (or potentially daily) goals, and track your progress toward the achievement. And when you accomplish a weekly goal, receive a large gift, or simply have a great day of giving, celebrate as a Team. You are a hardworking, life-changing group of professionals, and you deserve to celebrate a job well done!
Save our top tips for holiday giving infographic to reference throughout your 2020 giving campaign. Use these essentials to keep you focused on your goals and reminded of what’s most important!
Carly is a Digital Fundraising Strategist with decades of experience creating vibrant, engaging online fundraising campaigns. Carly excels in revenue generation, fundraiser stewardship, virtual events, and donor retention.