According to recent research, more than 30% of all charity giving occurs in December, with 10% occurring during the month's final three days. This means it’s a huge opportunity for you as a nonprofit to hit or exceed your fundraising goals! Thankfully, we’ve put together a list of easy ways you can execute & win to make your year-end fundraising the best yet.
1. Focus on Donor Retention
At this point, it makes much more sense strategically to focus on donors that already know who you are and what you offer instead of acquiring new donors, not only is it more time-intensive that takes weeks, if not months to nurture, it also is more costly. For instance, it costs $1.25 to raise $1 from a new donor, versus $0.20 from someone that’s already donated.
Here’s what you need to do: Pull a list of everyone who donated from 2019-2021 and have yet to donate this year and sort based on the amount donated. Those who have donated under $100 are the hardest to re-engage, so keep that in mind!
2. Pay Attention to Your Data to Guide Efforts
Analyzing your donor data can be a helpful tool to find the best ways to reach your audience & what types of messaging will resonate most. And be sure to look across all your metrics, as an integrative approach to cross-platform marketing has been found to be more effective than only using one. From email marketing to social media platforms, your data will help you choose the right way to go about reaching!
For instance, this study found that email is the best way to reach Gen Xers & Baby Boomers, but social media works best for Millenials & Gen Zers!
3. Use Quick & Direct Methods to Reach Out
It’s a busy time for so many of us and the likelihood of someone on their laptop and/or checking emails diligently the last two weeks of the year aren’t very high, so focus on quick & direct methods to reach out like text messaging or direct messages on social media. Don’t know what to say? Use this template as a guide:
“Hi [First Name]! It's [Your Name] from [Organization Name]. We are so grateful for the $[amount donated] gift you made in [year donated] You helped us [impact made with their donation]. I know inboxes are full so I wanted to make it easy to send the direct link to support us again if you are able. We are so thankful for champions like you! [Link to fundraiser]”
4. Share Your Impact Metrics
According to a recent report, 97% of donors attributed the impact of their gift as a major deciding factor. Donors must be presented regularly with a clear message of need & impact that both inform them of your efforts and reminds them of the importance of your mission.
Be as specific & simple as possible, too! With Feeding America, $1 helps provide at least 10 meals to families in need - straightforward yet impactful. Incorporating your impact metrics to your Pledge public profile is great to attract donors, especially during the busy giving season! For a walk-through video on how you can easily do this on your Impact Hub, go here.
5. Don’t Forget to Say Thanks!
This step, although often forgotten, is critical to your fundraising success. In fact, according to this 2022 report, 13% of donors stopped contributing because the organization did not say thank you. Which shows that even a simple "thank you" email can make a big difference to your donor base! Developing a strategy for communicating your gratitude and appreciation to your donors is essential & doesn’t need to be expensive or time-consuming! Here’s one simple example:
“Thank you [donor name] for your contribution towards our mission! Your donation has helped [impact metrics].”
Bonus points if you use this simple follow-up to remind them of your year-end campaign progress & how they can help you reach your goal!
Looking for more guidance? Check out our two essential year-end fundraising guides below for everything you need to make these last few days of 2022 a success!
Fall & Winter Fundraising Guide | Virtual Fundraising Guide with our Donations By Pledge Zoom App
Now, who’s ready to crush their fundraising goals!? We know you are! And while we know it’s a busy time, we hope you can time a moment to reflect on all the impact you have made in the past year. At Pledge, we are sincerely appreciative of your service and as always, are here to support you in making this the best fundraising year for you & your organization.