As we approach the end of the calendar year, there are several ways you can and should prepare for your end-of-year donor solicitations. A thoughtful end-of-year strategy can boost your donations while building a relationship with your donors — even through a busy fundraising time. I’m here to offer four simple ways to set yourself up for a successful end-of-year strategy.
This is an excellent opportunity to reconnect with your constituent base even if there has been some time between updates. Share a recap of your project’s progress throughout the year. Invite your constituents to share their favorite memory of an event or activity you hosted. Wish them a happy holiday season and thank them for being a part of your project’s community. A clear, simple, and personalized message can go a long way toward turning casual observers of your work into donors. Speaking of personalization...
This is an ideal time to segment your constituent base. Who are your donors? Who are your ticket buyers? Who comes to your free programming? Who are the people who belong to more than one category? This is where a tool like a CRM can really help. It can allow you to be able to identify how people are interacting with your project. Here are some CRM's we recommend checking out.
Now that you’ve segmented your constituents, take the time to customize your message for each grouping. Maybe, for your donors, you highlight how their contributions allowed your project to move forward throughout the year. Or you tell your ticket buyers about your successful crowdfunding campaign or fundraising event. Or you let the patrons of your free event know that they can donate to the project to see more free programming. With enough time to plan, you can create strong, personalized messaging for each member of your constituency.
In each of these personalized messages, be sure to ask clearly and directly for financial support. End-of-year charitable giving is directly connected to being able to offer the tax benefit for your donors: don’t be shy about making that clear! Fiscal sponsorship allows projects to offer the tax deduction to their donors. They may be looking for a place to spend their last minute charitable dollars: let them know they can give to your project and get the tax benefits they may be looking for. Don’t get so caught up in sharing all of the good things happening with your project that you forget to ask for contributions.
Because the end-of-year is a crowded time — between 35 percent to 42 percent of online giving happens in November and December each year, and the average gift during the final quarter of the year is significantly higher— it’s a great time to think outside of the box. You could make a video holiday card. You could have your collaborators make their dream gift list. You could invite your patrons to share a holiday memory with a project-related hashtag. You could even have your collaborators share their favorite holiday cocktail recipe. There are many fun ways to engage your donors — the possibilities are endless!
I hope these ideas have encouraged you to start planning any end-of-year appeals. Feel free to offer your suggestions and feedback in the comments.