Year-End Giving
We talk a lot about communicating on a calendar around here. That’s because it is the foundation for relationship building with donors. So when year-end asks finally roll around, what does that calendar look like? Perhaps you know exactly what you want to say, you just need to know when.
The key is this: create a drumbeat of a very specific larger ask that is broken down into manageable asks for each of your donor segments.
Let’s start at the beginning:
Choose a particular need or goal for the upcoming year. Closing a debt from last year or simply asking for a nebulous amount is going to be much more difficult to raise funds on. But casting a vision for a specific impact that can be achieved in the coming year will motivate donors at the smallest level - or even new donors. That vision can be a more focused or expanded number of people served, or it can be a larger dollar amount for a specific new or expanded initiative.
Once you have your vision and total price tag set, it’s time to break it down into giving levels that match your donors. If you choose a route that is focused on more people served, give a price tag to each person, and then make your ask based on multiples of that price tag. If you choose a larger vision with a specific number, break it down into giving levels that match the patterns of your donor base and perhaps push them to give a little more. Send your emails with the same base content, but with different ask levels so that, for example, your large donors don’t get asked to give just $25.
When does this all start? Well, plan it out now. You should begin to actually be in Year-End mode by mid-November. Stick to a schedule so that your audiences are reached several times, in several ways.
Online communications start mid-November through social media and email. Make your calendar of posts ahead of time so that you’re not coming up with content every few days and lose your story arc.
Drop your mail-piece between the day after Thanksgiving but no later than December 12. Do you need a mail-piece? Is the expense worth it? We think so because it’s one more reminder to give and keeps your message in and amongst the others who will also be sending a mail-piece. But keep it cost-effective. There’s no need for fancy.
Send between 3 and 6 emails from mid-November to December 31, depending on your audience. If you’re doing a GivingTuesday campaign, it may be a little more. But at the very least, you need a “kick-off” email, a second email to further your cause and story, the third email as a reminder and a brief December 31 email to create urgency.
Make some phone calls, send some texts, or do some extra outreach to specific people who matter to you or might need that extra nudge. We hear all the time that a text is all the reminder it took to land a large donation that was simply on someone’s back burner.
Rhythms and consistency. They work throughout the year but are especially important at year-end. The most effective groups will over-communicate, and you should join them. It’s OK to feel a little overkill in order to break through the clutter of the time of year. In fact, it’s necessary. Don’t be shy. Make a bold ask, and you’ll have the greatest chance of return - and, most importantly, transformation for those you serve.