GIVING TUESDAY IS COMING
At the time of this writing… Giving Tuesday is 11 weeks away!
If that statement makes you want to curl up in a ball… just go with it. It’ll feel good for about 90 seconds. (I’ve tried it. Nice lower back stretch!)
After that, take a cleansing breath and consider these these 11 tried-and-true ways to make Giving Tuesday work for you — all of which I’ve been tracking for years with the nonprofits I serve:
#1 - Remember, you have options.
I’ve seen many different approaches be successful, including -
Use Giving Tuesday to officially launch your year-end fundraising campaign.
or - Make it a purely stewardship-focused Thank-You Tuesday.
or - Use Giving Tuesday for a laser-focused, 24-hour, one-specific-need appeal. (Maybe the only day of the year it really pays to make a designated ask.)
or - Make it an “Other Ways to Give” day. Maybe you recruit or host new volunteers on Giving Tuesday!
#2 - Plan it NOW.
No matter how you approach Giving Tuesday, don’t wait until October to make decisions and start the wheels turning.
Remember how much longer it takes (than you hope it will) to land that story interview and photos? Or to nail down that match offer?
#3 - Stop trying to do it all alone.
Giving Tuesday is a perfect time to loop in your program staff — for one example — to help you land on a compelling need AND find an emotionally-powerful story that demonstrates it.
#4 - Surprise and delight.
Orgs who cut through the noise on this day offer something unexpected. It’s your chance to shake things up and razzle dazzle.
Don’t serve up the exact same ask and offer you did last year (and the year before that) on Giving Tuesday.
And if you’ve been wanting to test out writing more conversationally, more emotionally, today is the day to experiment! I promise, it can only help you.
#5 - Be super specific, for a near-term need.
This is NOT the day you can get away with having no strong offer.
Donors respond best on Giving Tuesday to asks that are highly specific. And they give for a need that ‘s near and time-sensitive. What’s yours this year?
#6 - Offer a match. Any match.
For better or worse, a matching gift has become the norm and an expectation on Giving Tuesday.
Remember that your supporters care deeply about multiple causes. They’ll hear from them all. If you’re the only one not offering a match, you might miss the gift.
#7 - Don’t send just one email.
Think about your own inbox. Think about how much mail you get - especially on a day like Giving Tuesday. How easy is it to miss or delete something you might actually care about? Happens all the time.
Send at least two emails. Depending on your approach (e.g., do you have a match you can “early bird”?), consider sending out a first touch point the evening before.
#8 - Tap into more channels.
Email rules on Giving Tuesday, but you may benefit by sharing your message across more platforms.
Could you multi-purpose across your social media? Might you drop a Giving Tuesday-focused postcard in the mail before Thanksgiving? Are you looking to experiment with text messaging? Any of these boost your Giving Tuesday.
#11 - Customize your donation page.
Yes, it’s worth it just for this one day! Mirror your Giving Tuesday call-to-action and photo(s) to sustain trust and land the donation.
How sad would it be for your amazing email to send supporters to an off-message, generic donation page… where they lose interest and leave before making a gift?
#10 - Custom THANK Giving Tuesday donors… promptly.
Your general, automated “thanks” message isn’t enough. Create a warm message of thanks personalized to Giving Tuesday donors and send it out by the end of that week. Be sure to remind them what their gift is making possible.
Many Giving Tuesday donors give again (and again) through December… IF they feel seen and genuinely appreciated for this early donation.
#11 - Keep it in perspective.
IMO, Giving Tuesday matters. And also, it’s just one day.
Don’t lose sleep, and don’t lose lose sight of your big picture.
I hope something here sparked an idea for you. Let me know how it turns out!
You’ve got this. And I’m rooting for you.