ELECTION YEAR + EOY CAMPAIGN NUGGETS

Here are our recommended dos and don’ts when it comes to planning, launching, executing, and stewarding your donors through this end-of-year season in the midst of a presidential election cycle! While these recommendations are specific to 2024, these do’s and don’ts can be applied to any election (local, state, national).

DO: plan, prepare to pivot, stay focused, and connect with your people.

+ Be proactive – plan, plan, plan! We’re recommending you start planning your campaign no later than August!

• • • Plan your timing strategically. Carefully consider the timing of your campaign launch. Mailers sent before the election are likely to be crowded out by election postcards. Email inboxes will experience a similar overload and social media will be overflowing with election content. The two weeks leading up to and one week following Election Day will be the hardest for you to break through the noise, so consider ramping up no earlier than Tuesday, November 12, 2024.
    • Look back before you look ahead. What do your organization’s historical giving trends during election years tell you about how your donors interacted with you during that time? Use this to inform your strategies this year.
    • Set realistic financial expectations. Remember, money is flowing at different times during an election year. If you have a solid plan, have strong donor stewardship, and make the right ask at the right time, your loyal donors are sure to still invest in your mission, but it may be late November and December. How did the last few election cycles impact your giving (outside the global pandemic, of course)?
    • Get the most bang for your buck. Competition for social media or other digital ad placements are going to be much higher than typical. If you invest in paid advertising, consider upping your budgets or waiting until after Election Day to engage with paid advertising. As these advertisers prepare for a busy season, it will also be likely that ad approval will take longer than normal.

+ Be prepared to pivot. Lingering post-election effects may continue to crowd communications channels. Stay flexible and be mindful of timing and cadence.

+ Stay focused on your mission and storytelling. People will have political fatigue and, unless your nonprofit already operates in this space, we recommend remaining politically neutral! But that doesn’t mean you should shy away from educating your supporters and beneficiaries about the implications of the election results on those you serve – just lean into the power of story instead of political affiliation. Most importantly, know your audience and what they expect to hear from you.

+ Engage your major donors early to discuss their giving plans for end-of-year. It’s best practice to engage them ahead of the masses (and since this is personal outreach, you can engage them ahead of Election Day). This is your time to shine in building a relationship with your key supporters during what can be a tumultuous, uncertain time. The best way to keep your mission front-of-mind is face-to-face (aka – set yourself apart from the politics flooding their inbox).

DON’T: catastrophize, stay silent, be afraid, underestimate the election’s effects

+ Catastrophize the impact of this election on your fundraising capability. Elections are a constant in our lives! A variety of different studies have shown:

• • • Overall giving (to political and non-political issues) does not decrease during an election year – it often increases.
    • There is little to no evidence that people give less to their typical nonprofit charities in an election year. Candidate platforms inspire people to give to issues they care about.
    • Some recent studies have shown a spike in giving after an election (especially to causes that don’t typically align with the electee’s platform/party).
    • Prime your leadership for lower giving in October and early November. Don’t let anybody panic!

+ Stay silent until your end-of-year appeal. We know breaking through the noise is a high charge, but your mission is worth being heard! Spend some time in late summer and early fall priming your audience with the great work your nonprofit does, and then keep the conversation going. With much division, donors will be looking for some good news and common ground.

+ Be afraid to try new things! Text-to-give, phone-a-thons, a small event or some handwritten notes could go a long way in breaking through the noise and engaging with your audiences. Don’t stop the digital marketing, but try to meet them outside of their inbox too!

+ Alienate any of your people. The election is polarizing and personal to many, so the more mission-centric you can be, the better! This includes your staff internally, donors externally, beneficiaries, and the community at large. Unless you’ve historically taken a political stance (and it’s a part of your mission to do so), we don’t recommend starting this year.

+ Underestimate the lingering emotional and psychological effects of the election and the ways it could impact the day-to-day lives of the people you serve. Be sure you are using appropriate language, being sensitive in your messaging, and staying mission-centric.

If you’re looking for strategy around your end-of-year campaign or need help developing your materials, the team at Angel Oak Creative is here for you! Contact us today.

*Side note: For those of you running Giving Tuesday campaigns – this year’s Giving Tuesday falls on December 3, later than normal. That means if you use this day to launch your end-of-year campaign, your giving window is significantly shortened!