The end of the year is crucial for nonprofits. And the last 90 days of the year are rich with opportunity. Did you know 50% of nonprofits receive a majority of their annual donations from October through December?
Consumers donate an estimated $48 billion on average during November and December every year. Opportunity is out there, but so is competition. How do you differentiate your organization from the rest of the pack? How can you feel confident that you are executing on the right strategy to reach your donors?
Today we’re sharing 16 practical tips to maximize the opportunity that awaits you in the last 90 days of the year.
16 Practical Ideas to Maximize Year-End Giving
- Develop your strategy with data. Nonprofits that develop a data-driven strategy for their year-end campaign can experience as much as 70% year-over-year growth.
- Conduct an in-depth assessment of previous year-end results.
- Set measurable goals as a team. Identify what to measure and how you’re going to measure it. Consider how you can test different tactics this year based on results from last year’s campaign.
- Optimize your communication to rise above the noise. Targeting donors based on giving history and interests can increase results by 20%.
- Segment and target donors based on giving history, demographics, communication preferences, and interests.
- Coordinate your campaign so each message builds on your overall theme. Develop an omni channel campaign by coordinating every channel to create a seamless experience for donors.
- Consider sending multiple emails on Giving Tuesday and December 31 to stay at the top of your donors’ inboxes.
- Craft compelling campaigns that make a personal connection. 72% of donors say that impact and results are very important factors in their decision to give.
- Define the various aspects of your mission that resonate with donors.
- Build campaigns around individual stories and compelling examples of how your nonprofit is making an impact.
- Target donors with messages based on their interests. Don’t forget to make the donor the hero in every piece.
- Automate your efforts for a strong year-end push. 33% of donations made in December occur on the 31st of the month.
- Build a targeted email series to send in the last two weeks of the year.
- Send daily digital communication pieces on the last four days of the year.
- Create a checklist to prevent surprises that includes setting expectations with your team and making sure your technology works.
- Use fundraising automation tools that can trigger responses based on donor engagement the last week of the year without relying on manual processes.
To get even more practical tips, best practices, and examples of winning campaigns, join Chris Taft and Rachel Muir for the August 26 webinar “Amplify Your Year-End Fundraising.”
There’s a lot riding on the success of your year-end campaign. Don’t miss your opportunity to learn how you can rise above the noise and earn the attention and investment of your donors like never before.