Giving Tuesday will be here before we know it. As someone who has been planning Giving Tuesday campaigns since 2012, I’d been wondering how long Giving Tuesday has been around, so I looked it up. Giving Tuesday started in 2012, meaning I have been working on Giving Tuesday fundraising campaigns for all eight years it has existed.
Here’s what I’ve learned about how to make Giving Tuesday a success. These suggestions can be used for all your online fundraising campaigns (even beyond Giving Tuesday) and help your organization set itself apart from the crowd:
Make it easy for validators to share
Create sample social posts, emails and graphics for folks to share on your behalf. Personal outreach is the most effective strategy to bring in money, so make it easy for board members, volunteers, and key stakeholders to amplify your message by doing the legwork for them. Creating content for the organization’s biggest supporters to share will also ensure a consistent and strong message.
Don’t skip Giving Tuesday, make the ask
Making a Giving Tuesday graphic and changing your social media profile pictures for the day is not enough. That’s not an ask. You still have to make an appeal. You may think your whole list is tired of fundraising asks, but they aren’t reading every single email and responding to every single ask. Your supporters probably aren’t as tired of fundraising asks as you think they are, and they can probably give, even when times are hard. Don’t assume you know the specific financial circumstances and priorities of your audience.
Ask early, ask often
Don’t just post once and think that’s it. Even folks who are interested in donating might forget, or get distracted before they make that final click, The more they see from you, the more they are reminded to give. That doesn’t mean you should make a donation ask every hour on Giving Tuesday, but it does mean you should plan and serve up regular social media and email content leading up to and during Giving Tuesday.
Get a matching grant
People want their money to make the greatest impact. Don’t be dishonest, but do tell donors if there’s a way they can double their donation. Matching opportunities also give you something to keep posting about so your appeal stays fresh in people’s minds.
If you’re new to year-end fundraising or want to up your game in 2020, book a call with our team. We can answer any Giving Tuesday questions you may have, and help you come up with a fundraising strategy that will achieve your goals.