A nonprofit’s end-of-year campaign can provide a huge sum of its annual funding. Utilizing the right channels, methods and timing can drastically improve the donations coming in this holiday season. The only thing a charity’s year-end campaign shouldn’t be is abandoned. It takes action to find success. here are some tips for enhancing year-end campaigns for nonprofits.
Cohesive social media year-end campaigns
Nonprofit Hub advocated for reinforcing the nonprofit’s initial ask with social media posts. Donors that received letters outlining the end-of-year campaign earlier in the season will need reminders on the charity’s goals and deadlines. Posting on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, LinkedIn and other social sites on which an organization’s donors are active can dramatically boost awareness of fundraising efforts. Post informative status updates with links that send contributors directly to online donation pages. This process should be as seamless as possible; don’t reroute donors to FAQ or contact pages. Send them directly to the landing page set up for the year-end drive.
It’s important to remember that consistency across all social media channels is crucial to effective campaigning. While some sites may have to vary from others, try to keep the wording and imagery identical across all platforms. Twitter, for instance, only allows 140 characters and may need to be edited for effectiveness. However, Facebook and LinkedIn posts should match exactly. This gives constituents greater confidence in the campaign and identifies the nonprofit as a cohesive organization with unified goals.
Specialized communication
Transform the monthly e-newsletter, or mailed newsletter, into a festive call to action. Network for Good encouraged organizations to use this platform as a direct ask by providing links to online donation forms with specially designed Donate Now buttons. Additional, one-time-only editions of the newsletter can be sent out with less information on the organization as a whole and more information geared to the year-end campaign.
Don’t underestimate the power of e-cards, either. Creating a seasonal e-card that constituents can share with their family and friends is a great way to not only reach out to current donors but hopefully find new givers at the same time.
Demonstrate results
It’s no secret that nonprofits need to prove their effectiveness to stay afloat. This time of year is more emotional than others, so Donor Drive recommended that these results come through the lens of the human condition. Use video testimonials from those who benefited from the organization over the past year to illustrate the impact it has on the community. A new trend in the online video involves compiling many short clips to create a longer video. Take short, 10-second shots of recipients and volunteers to express the extent to which the NPO helped people in the past 12 months.
Be contradictory
While many groups may be asking supporters to take action and give time, it may catch donors off-guard to see a nonprofit tell them to stay home and donate from their living room. Everyone is busy this time of year; make sure online donations are available to funders so they don’t have to think about spending extra time or energy-giving.
Know the biggest fans
Constituents who willingly promote a nonprofit to their friends and family regularly are excellent resources during this time of year. If possible, tag them in Facebook and Twitter posts to thank them for all they’ve done. Ask them to share the donation page and mission statement on their own profiles.
In addition to all these important tips, investing in donation management software can help nonprofits better attack their year-end giving campaigns. With seamless integration and smooth adoption of cloud-based software, organizations can better manage their constituents and gifts over time, not to mention communication when the holiday season rolls around.
