#FundraisingFriday - Get Ready for Giving Tuesday

The biggest fundraising day of the entire year is rapidly approaching! Are you ready? Don’t panic - we’re going to focus  this #FundraisingFriday article about how to prepare for Giving Tuesday and how to stand out from the crowd when asking for donations.

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#GivingTuesday is recognized as the universal day of giving and the unofficial start of the end of the year donation push by organizations around the world. Nonprofits and charities use the last Tuesday of November to celebrate their missions and request donations from the public to support their cause.

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There are a lot of voices, a lot of great causes, and a lot of marketing that goes into these donation asks online and by mail. With so many options, so much information, and only so much money to go around, you and your mission must stand out.

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We’ve got 3 sure-fire ways to do your best this #GivingTuesday:

1. Be authentic
2. Be mission-driven
3. Engage your niche audience

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Be authentic. Just because someone else online is making a fancy dance video for their nonprofit, doesn’t mean you need to go hire a choreographer. If it doesn’t fit with your brand, don’t force it. A fancy dance video works if you’re supporting youth dance courses, but if you’re saving endangered species in Africa, that’s probably not your best fit. Don’t do a trend just to check a box; do it because it will connect to your donors’ hearts and help them see why they should donate to your mission.

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Be mission-driven. Similar to the advice above, you’ve got to sell your mission to the public. Tell the donor what your mission is, why it matters to them, and how their donations will make a difference regardless of the amount. Stay on topic, use similar copy, and make sure you’re honest about how your funds are being used to improve in the community. Honesty shines through in your media - words and imagery. If you’re faking it, donors will know. Be true to your mission in your words and actions to stand out to donors.

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Engage your niche audience. This one depends on your bandwidth and staffing capabilities, but whatever you do, do it 110%! If you’re going to send a handwritten note to every single donor, do it with the nicest pen and a unique thank you card. If you can’t make that work, give them a group or individual shout out on social media for every donation on Giving Tuesday. However you do it, give your donors a pat on the back for doing the right thing. This virtue signaling that is genuine from your actions has a psychological impact on others who see it: they’ll think, “so and so got a shout out. I want one too, so I’ll consider donating”. This signaling will increase the engagement on your posts and/or your donation landing page which are both great things for capturing potential donors!

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Whatever you do, however you do it - do it with honesty, integrity, and genuine kindness in your heart. You’re passionate about your organization and their mission. That will shine through in your marketing material and call to action for donations this #GivingTuesday and end of year donation season. Believe in yourself and your mission - the donors will follow suit.

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Next month, we’ll cover how to parlay this #GivingTuesday ask and marketing into a fundraising campaign through the end of the year. Good luck this Giving Tuesday!

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Originally from Upstate New York, Gabby Rockwell grew up in Girl Scouts with her troop meeting weekly in a volunteer fire station and giving back to her local volunteer department. From a young age, her passion was her community and the emergency responders that kept her town safe.

In New York, she pursued her Bachelors in International Relations, focusing on the impact that nonprofits have in making positive change on the world. Later moving to California to further her studies in State and Local Policy and Econometrics by getting her Masters in Public Policy, continuing to focus on how nonprofits can make a local difference through a combination of data analytics and marketing partnership opportunities.

She has worked in the community relations world of professional baseball and nonprofits, continuing to give back to emergency responders in local, statewide, and national capacities. From producing events, fundraising, marketing, and analyzing how to implement best strategies for increased donations, Gabby has a broad experience in the fundraising world of supporting emergency responders.

Now based in San Diego, Gabby is the Director of Social Media Marketing at NEP Services. She continues to spend her time giving back to emergency responders - both professionally and in her free time with her son. She's proud to merge her nonprofit and analytics backgrounds into one role to give back to those who give their all for us day in and day out.

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