Happy #GivingTuesday!
Up until this point, you’ve probably learned that a successful #GivingTuesday campaign demands a lot of planning. However, planning what you will do AFTER #GivingTuesday is just as important, if not more, than all the planning you put into the big day.
3 #GivingTuesday Follow Up Tips Every Nonprofit Should Know
In order to help you maximize the success of all the effort you’ve put in so far, here are three follow up tips to turn your #GivingTuesday campaign into long-term fundraising success:
Tip #1: Make the donor the hero of your story by using the pronoun “you” and sharing powerful storytelling that give your donors the credit for changing lives.
Many organizations have an email welcome series for new donors. This is your chance to tailor yours for #GivingTuesday. Roll out the red carpet with a warm introduction to your cause with an intentional welcome series that educates them about your cause and the impact they make by donating
Tip #2: Optimize your follow up strategy by thanking donors, showing how their gift will be used, and setting expectations for building the relationship.
In their webinar, “‘Loverizing’ Your Donors,” my colleague Rachel Muir and guest Tom Ahern recommend this first interaction should confidence that making the gift was a good decision by immediate telling the story of how the gift will be put to good use.
At the same time, tell the donor how and when he or she will hear more—an email in three weeks? A newsletter next quarter?
Tip #3: Take the time to gather behavioral data about your donors.
You likely already have great behavioral insights from events your donors attend or programs they support. Creating a follow up video to your #GivingTuesday campaign can be an incredibly effective way to not only educate your donors, but gather critical insights about their interest in giving more in the future. This can provide valuable insights which can be passed on to a gift officer who can then know precisely which programs and topics the donor cares about when they engage them.
Remember… failing to develop a meaningful strategy to convert your first time #GivingTuesday donors into making a second gift could potentially mean you just wasted all your hard work you put into creating your campaign.
Don’t miss the opportunity to cultivate your new donors this year! Instead, take the time to think through how you cause can leverage each of these three tips to generate long-term success from all the hard work you’ve put into today’s #GivingTuesday campaign.