Did you know:
– Nearly one-third of all annual giving occurs in December
– 12% of all giving occurs in the last three days of the year
– 28% of nonprofits raise 26-50% of their annual funds from their end-of-year appeal
(Source: NeonCRM)
It’s that time of year, again.
And we’re not talking about the hustle and bustle of the Christmas holidays. We’re talking about the end-of year appeal season. This is one of the most important, and often dreaded, times of the year for nonprofits. But if you’re prepared, it could be an opportunity to engage your supporters, raise a significant amount of money and create a replicable process to make your organization a lean, mean EOY appeal machine. While it is a little late in the season, it’s not too late to make an impact.
We work with a dozen or more nonprofits each year to help them develop their EOY campaigns. We’ve worked with campaigns seeking to raise $10,000 to $100,000+ and have found some common elements that have helped make these campaigns successful. Here are our top 5 tips for creating and executing a rockstar EOY campaign.
1. Name it
Just asking for money isn’t enough. Supporters want something they can rally around. Something out of the ordinary in which they can take part. Branding or creating a theme is an important part of building a memorable and engaging campaign. While there is no science behind creating an effective brand or theme, it should tie in well with your goals and your mission. It should reflect why you’re raising the money and/or your vision. And keep it simple and brief.
2. Plan it
The old saying goes, “If you fail to plan, you plan to fail.” This couldn’t be more true for your EOY appeal. We use a number of tools to help us develop plans for our clients. One of our most proven documents is the campaign overview. This document creates a roadmap for your appeal. It identifies your goals, theme, messaging, touch points, timeline and methodology.
3. Tell a story
The most compelling appeals are anchored in stories. Stories about your impact told through the eyes of those who benefit from your organization’s efforts will move your supporters and bring them into your mission. While you don’t want to ignore statistics and numbers, study after study, and our experience, has proven that donors respond to stories.
4. Go digital
Storytelling is critical, and today’s audiences expect their stories delivered in a dynamic way. Thankfully, with access to smartphones and inexpensive editing solutions, digital storytelling is affordable and accessible. Here’s a great example of digital storytelling from one of our clients, Hope Reins. This one was professionally produced, but the story is the important part. If you’re doing it yourself, just be sure to get your sound and lighting to a decent quality so that your supporters can hear and see your story.
5. Use multiple touch points
It is said that it takes 7-13 touch points for donors to make the decision to give (source: Online Marketing Institute). And for most organizations, the EOY appeal is just one opportunity to reach out. During this appeal you want to ensure you are touching your supporters three to five times across multiple channels – email, direct mail, social media, phone calls and traditional media are all valid options.
There are many elements to executing a successful end-of-year campaign. The keys are to plan ahead, not get overwhelmed, tell compelling and dynamic stories and connect with your supporters regularly and across multiple channels. The end of the year can be one of your most productive and fruitful seasons. And of course, we’re always here for you! Let us know how we can help.
– David Chatham, Senior Marketing Consultant
