Tips to Boost Charitable Giving to Your Organization this Holiday Season
I know you’re probably enjoying that pumpkin spice latte right about now, but it’s time to start thinking about ahead – not something that often comes intuitively to nonprofits. Many nonprofits know that the most charitable giving happens during the holiday season, yet it still sneaks up each year.
Why is this such a big season for nonprofits?
Perhaps it’s because people feel more generous during the holidays.
Or maybe they just want to take advantage of a tax write-off.
Regardless of the motivation, you still need to do some work on the marketing and communication end to ensure that you fill your organization’s coffers.
But what else can you do besides take advantage of the #GivingTuesday messaging?
And how do you go about getting your organization in front of peoples’ eyes without spending an arm and a leg?
I know that we are getting into that time of year that is hectic, stressful and exciting, but taking some time to work out your marketing strategy will ensure that you have a successful year in donations.
We’ve worked with countless nonprofits over the years and we want to see you succeed!
Stats to Set the Stage
Maximizing your donations at the end of the year can mean big bucks. It’s estimated that over 17% of all giving happens in the last month of the year, and that isn’t even including Giving Tuesday!
And it’s not just the when that is key, but the who as well. Over half of all donations are made by women! Then, of course, you’ll also need to consider how you market to different generations based on how they interact differently with technology.
The First Step
As with any good marketing campaign, you need to first establish your goal(s). Are you counting on the end-of-year giving to be the majority of your donations or just an end cap to a successful annual campaign? Having an idea of your financial goals can help you build your marketing and communication campaigns.
#GivingTuesday
Giving Tuesday is the first Tuesday after Thanksgiving, coming on the heels of Black Friday and Small Business Saturday. When it comes to this special day of giving, it’s key that you build a dedicated campaign. Part of this can be building a microsite for details, information, and to collect online donations.
You also want to create organic and paid social media posts using the hashtag. In fact, peer-to-peer fundraising can also give your Giving Tuesday campaign a boost. This type of campaign leverages your existing donor base to spread the word to their friends and family, or anyone that follows them on social media. Think of it as the equivalent to hosting a challenge on Instagram or TikTok as a business where users share content to win a prize except the prize here is the satisfaction of donating to a cause bigger than you! Because these messages are coming from friends, family or a trusted source online, these campaigns can be very personal and emotionally engaging, leading to larger donations.
Increase Excitement with One-Time Events
People are busy during this season so having a well-attended event can be tricky. These don’t have to be large charity galas that you spend lots of money on. In fact, doing a livestream is a great way to have a one-time event that is virtually (pardon the pun) free for you to do!
Host an Instagram or TikTok Live; these platforms are a bit more exclusive because the Live does not automatically save to your account. Be sure that you advertise and post all over your socials prior to the event to get the word out. Encourage your followers to like and share your posts to get the word out about your event.
Then when you go live, you’ll have a good number of people joining in! Take people behind the scenes or even do a small giveaway for some merch to help build excitement. Don’t forget to add a link to your donations page or to direct people to your donations page verbally throughout your live event.
Leverage that Inbox
Email is still a very successful marketing tactic. Almost everyone has an email so you’ll be able to hit up multiple age groups with an emotional appeal or announcement. Start by sending out targeted emails to your donor base. You can use email blasts to garner excitement for your upcoming campaigns or charity events. It’s a great way to build up buzz. Don’t forget to also encourage your audience to share your email by hitting the forward button!
Paid Ads Don’t Have to Cost a Fortune
Traditional methods of advertising are reliable for older generations, but it’s not cheap. Instead, leverage social media for paid advertising. Here, you can literally buy ads for pennies, depending on how far of a reach you want and how long the ad runs for. As with any online ad campaign, make sure you thoroughly plan it out, test it and adjust it!
A Helping Hand
Need a hand for the holiday season, or even year round? Attuned Marketing can do the heavy lifting for you! We take a different approach to marketing, and are an invested partner in your success. Our out-of-the-box thinking will get people buzzing about your organization! Contact us today to learn more.