#GivingTuesday may only be a couple of years old but it has already had a profound impact and shows no sign of slowing down. In 2012, 2500 nonprofits took part in #GivingTuesday. In 2013, that number leaped to 10,000. According to the UN Foundation, the nonprofit industry saw a 53 percent increase in donations on the Tuesday after Thanksgiving from 2011 to 2012. According to Blackbaud, that percentage increased to 90 percent in 2013 compared to the first #GivingTuesday. In all likelihood, 2014 will make an even bigger impact.
With so many organizations beginning to maximize the opportunity of #GivingTuesday, how can you make sure your organization’s case for support stands out?
Three Ways to Make Your #GivingTuesday Campaign Stand Out Above the Rest
1. Make sure your emails are optimized to convert.
If your emails don’t clearly communicate your organization’s case for support and why the recipient should care, the likelihood of it converting is very slim. Renew your focus on understanding constituent interests, tailoring messaging to constituent segments, and creating mobile-friendly emails and donation forms.
2. Send a “teaser” email the day before #GivingTuesday with your compelling case for support.
While most organizations put all their focus on taking advantage of the 24 hours they have on Tuesday, you should consider sending out an email a day early. This distinguishes your case for support a day ahead of time. Additionally, people are more likely to open emails from organizations and brands on Cyber Monday looking for deals and information. In fact, one of our clients experienced their highest average gift day on Cyber Monday last year.
3. Be prepared to send two (or more) emails on #GivingTuesday.
We’ve seen a lot of success with our clients sending multiple emails in one day for specific time-sensitive campaigns. This is incredibly effective when you’re close to achieving your goal. Treat #GivingTuesday as a single fundraising day. Don’t just ask for money (although that’s the point). Make sure you include pictures/stories of impact. Be specific on what the funds will help accomplish.
#GivingTuesday is an important opportunity to make a difference for your organization. In fact, #GivingTuesday represents the second highest single giving day of the month right behind December 31 for most of our clients at Pursuant. With a little planning and research you can reach donors before the rest of the pack gets there and reap the rewards.
Did you participate in #GivingTuesday last year? What will you do differently this year?