Tips to End 2022 with a Bang: Advice for Your End-of-Year Campaign
Olivia Hairfield
Published: 12/08/2022
With 2022 drawing to a close, you can bet your donors are in the giving spirit. ‘Tis the season for generosity. Your end-of-year campaign is the way to connect with your donors and help them support a cause that matters to them–your organization.
At the 2022 AHP International Conference, Tim Logan, ACFRE, FAHP shared recommendations for a successful end-of-year campaign. His session was one of my favorites, and the attendees had a lot to say about it too. In case you missed his session, I’m breaking down four pieces of guidance from Tim.
1. Donors think on a calendar year.
Some of our organizations operate by fiscal year and others by calendar year, but you can be sure that when a donor is thinking about “the end of the year,” they mean the month of December. Meet them where they are and don’t neglect their willingness to give around this time. One fifth of annual nonprofit revenue is raised in December, so you need to take advantage of that fact.
2. Be everywhere. Mailboxes, email inboxes, Facebook, and more.
You need to reach out several times in multiple, complementary ways to stay at the top of your donor’s mind during this season of giving. Direct mail is still the most effective method of reaching donors, but don’t just send out your letters and call it a day. It’s best practice to incorporate other touches like phone calls, email, tv ads, and social media.
And make each touch count. Did you know that over half of your emails are being opened on a cell phone? Keep that in mind when you’re sending out emails. Talk to your marketing and public relations team for their design support or try recommendations from this article.
3. Keep it personal.
Use “You” language like “YOUR impact” or “YOU can make a difference.” Connect the donor to your mission. Tell them how their donation will be used. You may be sending your letter to a long list of donors, but you don’t have to make the recipient feel like they’re just a part of the crowd.
To help keep your message personal, Tim recommends segmenting your contacts into groups and using a unique message for each group. He uses the acronym RFM as a simple method for forming segments.
Recency-When was the last time they gave?
Frequency-How often do they give?
Monetary amount-What amount have they donated in the past?
4. Testing. 1, 2, 3.
How easy is it to make a donation on your website? Give it a try and see. Ask your friends or parents to try it and give their feedback. If it’s too difficult for your donors to give, they may give up from frustration. We’ve all had those moments...
To make the giving process smoother, capitalize on these little changes. Have a “DONATE” button on every webpage, so it’s easy for them to start the donation process no matter when they are on your website. Be discerning about what information you collect from donors. Don’t collect unnecessary information. People are in a hurry, so a long form is the last thing they want to fill out.
Testing may seem like a tiny priority, but it can make a big difference.
Beyond these tips, Tim’s session covered scheduling, strategy, specific ideas to use in your campaign, and ways to mesh end-of-year giving with your other campaigns. If you want to hear more from Tim, you can find him at Madison Institute this summer.