#GivingTuesday will be celebrating its five-year anniversary in 2017 and many organizations are gearing up to make this year the most charitable yet!
Following on the heels of Black Friday and Cyber Monday, #GivingTuesday is a day to recover from retail madness and begin the charitable season. It’s designed for people to get involved in their community through charities, organizations, events and more.
This year, many non-profit organizations are already thinking about their plan to celebrate the anniversary of #GivingTuesday by pushing their fundraising goals higher than ever before. For us at Greater Giving, #GivingTuesday is a day we give back to our local community and also support the work of all our nonprofit and school clients. If you want more information about our efforts, take a look at our #GivingTuesday site.
Start Planning Early
There’s no time like the present to get your planning started.
Involve your most enthusiastic people, the best ideas you’ve collected throughout the year, and strategies to handle any unexpected roadblocks that come up. If you want to focus on volunteers to come in or execute a specific task. Maybe it is a good time to tackle those tasks you have been putting off for sometime.
If you focus is donations specific, set a goal. Make sure your online donations page is set up and has the Giving Tuesday messaging. We have some best practices we have suggested in the past.
Set Clear and Reasonable Goals
Setting the right goal is key to your fundraiser’s success.
If you’ve hosted a #GivingTuesday event in the past review your notes and get a sense of what is a reasonable goal for this year. Consider specific needs the contributions will fund and their relevance to your organization, and your time constraints. This will provide you with a solid assessment of what would be a measurable and attainable goal. For more information on this proven method check out our post on the “SMART” approach to setting fundraising goals.
Get Creative and Try Something New
Break the monotony of your donors’ busy day by making #GivingTuesday a fun experience.
Ridgefield Academy, a Greater Giving client, began the day by handing out fun sized candy bars at their student drop off site along with information about how to give. As parents drove away they had all the information they needed, plus, a sweet treat and warm smile from a volunteer to take with them as they headed off to work.
Cover All Your Bases with Integrated Marketing
One of the best strategies in today’s multi-channel marketing world is to integrate all your campaigns to support the same message.
List every communication outlet you have at your disposal, then create a timeline for information drops that will specifically target those audiences. Consider newsletters, email drops, social networks, and face-to-face opportunities, such as community organizations.
Fast and Easy, That’s #GivingTuesday’s Style (and purpose)
It’s no surprise that #GivingTuesday has been such a success over the last five years. It provides a simple donation process that contributors will be able to complete in only a few minutes and a couple of clicks on their mobile devices.
Make it even easier to give by offering access through multiple channels. Embed your donation form on your social network page and website and provide a link with instructions in newsletters and any other communication prior to the event.
Go Outside Your First Line of Contact
Think outside the box to work with corporate sponsors, businesses, associations, and major donors in a contribution matching campaign.
Send out an invitation early, offering logo placements on emails, newsletters, and in the flyer to be handed out. Follow up the event with acknowledgement in your community updates and a personal letter of gratitude to the sponsor.
Connect with Your Frontline Fundraising Ambassadors
Chances are your organization has a great network of people who are already rooting for your success. Bring them on-board as fundraising ambassadors!
Give your ambassadors a schedule for posting on social media and offer updates and videos of the event as the day progresses. Then set them free to do what they do best; spread the word and get others excited about your success. After the event, make sure to thank them and follow up to find out how you can increase involvement next year.
