Gearing Up For #GivingTuesday

Gearing Up For #GivingTuesday

Gearing Up For #GivingTuesday

As the end of 2017 is fast approaching, nonprofits are searching for key end-of-year donors. This task is not simple, and involves months of planning and preparations. But how can nonprofits get a leg up?

Most people are already aware of two of the biggest shopping days of the year: Black Friday, and Cyber Monday. On these days, people come in droves to shop both in stores and online, respectively. In 2016 alone, shoppers spent $3.3 Billion on Black Friday, and $3.5 Billion on Cyber Monday. These numbers are increasingly impressive, as each year, more and more people show up to spend money on these shopping holidays.

But with all this cash flow moving through the market, how can nonprofits benefit? The answer is simple: #GivingTuesday.

#GivingTuesday was started in 2012 with the purpose of “bringing people together around the values of service and giving back.” According to their website, this global day of giving “connects diverse groups of individuals, communities and organizations around the world for one common purpose: to celebrate and encourage giving.” Last year alone, Blackbaud’s Charitable Giving Report stated that 6,845 nonprofit organizations earned a collective $23 Billion in fundraising on #GivingTuesday.

But how would an organization actually reap these benefits? We’ll give you a break down of what we, at Cause Inspired Media, believe to be the most important ways that your organization can capitalize on this charitable holiday:

One thing to keep in mind about  #GivingTuesday is that it is not typically a time you’ll gain a significant amount of new donors. Instead, look at #GivingTuesday as a day in which your existing, or former donors, volunteers, etc., will experience extra social pressure to contribute more than they already are, or have in the past. This added social pressure will cause donors to turn to their charity of choice (usually one they already have a relationship with), and see if their chosen organization has anything “special” to promote the day.

Because of this, it is best to create a page on your website that answers that “something special” question. This could involve talking about #GivingTuesday and what it means to your organization. Incorporate details about what you are doing that is special to the day, and highlight your successes from the last year, especially what you were able to accomplish with past #GivingTuesday funding.

Finally, if at all possible, find a single matching sponsor for the day. People are significantly more likely to give now and in the future if they think its impact will go further. If you are an existing client, and would like help with this step, contact us. We have a successful strategy for obtaining corporate sponsors that has positively impacted many of our clients.

At this point, you should have a meaningful page that you can share with your existing constituents. This page will give you the ability to advertise directly to people under the same social pressure to give that don’t already have a “charity of choice.” You’ll now be able to offer them a compelling reason to choose you now, and in the future. Check out this Cause Inspired post to learn more about retaining your new donors.

All that’s left to do is advertise. If you are an existing client, send us information on your #GivingTuesday campaign as soon as possible so that we can begin creating relevant search advertisements using your Google Grant. If you want to create a truly impactful campaign, we can’t emphasize this step enough. In all reality, you can’t expect success from a campaign that was started just a week or two before the event, especially one that involves so many participants and competitors.

If you have any questions about #GivingTuesday or promoting your existing website and marketing campaigns, contact us! We’re glad to help!

By: Emily Dietz, Strategic Planning & Operations Manager