The best thing you can do on Giving Tuesday
by Lynne Boardman on October 31st, 2017The vast majority of our fundraising friends and clients make a bit of money on Giving Tuesday. A few make a lot.
Unless you are in that “a lot” category and have a truly compelling campaign planned, grounded in past results and a gripping case for support … here is what we consider the NUMBER ONE way you and you organization should spend Giving Tuesday.
Talking to your donors.
It’s as simple and as revolutionary as that. No planning committees. No new creative. No multitudinous-email campaigns. Simply devote an entire day to speaking – IN PERSON OR ON THE PHONE – to your donors. Thanking them for their support. Telling them how much of a difference they make for your cause.
That’s because it will bear far more fruit in the long run.
Truth: Giving Tuesday by itself is not a reason for giving.
Truth: If you need to run a campaign at that time anyway because you have a really really good reason to (more people needing your services, a research funding deadline, an earthquake) and you’ll get better results by focusing it on one day, that’s great. Ways that happens: “A donor will match all funds given on/by Giving Tuesday.” “X Corporation has made us their Giving Tuesday Charity of 2017 and 10% of all profits will go to the people we help.”
If that’s NOT the case, and you invest a lot of money and time in a Giving Tuesday campaign for a return of $50,000 or less (or whatever amount would be SIGNIFICANT for your charity) we would argue that your time would be better spent on the phone with donors, handwriting thank you notes and birthday cards, visiting donors, throwing a ‘thank you’ reception, or touring a project with a donor.
Should you still be sending e-mails and posting social media updates over the holidays? Absolutely. But don’t feel this all needs to be focused on one day. Spread your efforts out over the holidays. You might find that the time you invest actually returns you even more money because you avoid the competition on Giving Tuesday.
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Thank you for the meaningful ideas that make a difference and make sense.