Giving Day – A Look Back

Giving Tuesday – self-proclaimed “global day of giving fueled by the power of social media and collaboration” – is the equivalent of a gathering place for donors and volunteers everywhere to connect virtually on one day. It is quickly becoming a significant part of many organizations’ annual fundraising plan.

How can you make the most of Giving Tuesday for your local or regional organization when the concept is so big, so national, so global? I’m not sure the answer is any different from how national or global organizations make the most of it. Best practices are best practices, regardless of your size and service area. If your Giving Tuesday experience wasn’t all you expected it to be, consider the following tips for next year.

Let people know you’re participating. Giving Tuesday isn’t a day when gifts just miraculously show up at your organization’s doorstep. People need to know that you’re involved in the day, that you’ve thought about how to make your organization shine, and that you’re ready to receive their gift. Leverage the national awareness that already exists.

Be consistent. Your presence on Giving Tuesday should be consistent across all platforms – on your website, in your social media, and on the landing page where all Giving Tuesday traffic driven there arrives.

Giving Tuesday starts before Tuesday. Start your promotion early, at least by Saturday of Thanksgiving weekend. This includes announcing your Giving Tuesday goal.

Go big or go home. Cross-channel promotion of your participation is critical. There is a lot of traffic and noise on Giving Tuesday from other organizations fighting for the same dollars. Consider a digital strategy that includes multiple channels including social media and email. It is a “crowded” day. If you make minimal effort, you will find yourself lost in that crowd.

People may not give the first time you ask. Multiple emails or views on social media may be necessary to drive up your total revenue for the day. Do not lose heart at midday and cancel the balance of your day’s scheduled activity if revenue isn’t where you thought it’d be. Once you have committed to participate, stick with it.

Thank everyone, givers and non-givers alike. Not everyone you ask will give. But send a thank you to everyone you solicited to update them on how you did against your stated goal. This increases engagement and ensures that you don’t close the door on future gifts.

Whether you are a global relief organization or a local nonprofit serving the homeless, you can leverage Giving Tuesday as the perfect kickoff to your year-end fundraising efforts. For help with next year’s efforts, contact us.