November 26, 2018

THIS POST IS PART OF A SERIES.
YOU CAN READ PART 1 HERE AND PART 2 HERE.

As Giving Tuesday has become known as the global day of giving, it also needs to be viewed as the launch of an organization’s year-end fundraising campaign.

In my work as a development consultant, I caution organizations to not put all their eggs into one basket when it comes to Giving Tuesday. What I mean by this is that Giving Tuesday can be disappointing if an organization uses it as a one-day event to reach its fundraising goal.

Rather, your organization’s Giving Tuesday campaign should act as more of a kickoff than a standalone strategy, and work in conjunction with your end-of-year campaign. Using Giving Tuesday as a soft launch allows your organization to be strategic in its approach to raising funds to meet your end-of-year goals. By using the buzz and excitement around this special day to garner the first donations for your year-end campaign, you can build the social proof your campaign page needs to spur others to donate through the end of the year.

GIVING TUESDAY: PART OF A BIGGER STRATEGY

As you finalize your Giving Tuesday campaign, here are some Do’s and Don’ts to help you establish its role in your larger end-of-year fundraising strategy:

GIVING TUESDAY DON’TS

• Don’t think of Giving Tuesday as short term gain. Think of it instead as a long-term investment into a full end of the year fundraising campaign.
• Don’t view Giving Tuesday as being only about fundraising. It doesn’t have to be.  In fact, you don’t have to ask for money at all on Giving Tuesday. I suggest rather using it as a day to raise awareness of your organization and its mission. Highlight how money raised from supporters will increase the social impact of the organization.
• Don’t set a goal specific to Giving Tuesday, but rather an end of the year campaign goal.
• Don’t use Giving Tuesday as the benchmark for judging how your campaign will perform.  It’s only one tool in your campaign toolbox.

GIVING TUESDAY DO’S

• Do use Giving Tuesday as a way to enhance your relationships with your donors, prospects, corporate partners and sponsors.
• Do use Giving Tuesday as one (and only one) of your strategies to reach your end of year campaign goal. It’s a great way to launch and test new messaging about your organization’s mission and programs.
• Do use Giving Tuesday as an opportunity to tell the story of your organization and your mission. STORYTELLING is key on Giving Tuesday, and it is a perfect time to share compelling and interesting information about your organization.
• Do accompany your Giving Tuesday launch with a well thought out social media and mobile strategy. Share a variety of types of social posts including video (if possible), storytelling, interesting snippets of data about your programs, compelling metrics, and historical facts about your organization.  With every posting, be sure to include a prominent ‘Donate’ button.
• Do follow up after Giving Tuesday with your end of year campaign, in which you will ask for support throughout the duration of it.

Laura Tucker has more than 15 years of nonprofit fundraising experience with an expertise in donor cultivation and major gift development. Laura is a highly creative results-driven development strategist with entrepreneurial passion, drive and vision. Laura has many years of professional experience generating revenue and increasing support bases for expanding national nonprofit and for-profit organizations. Her experience includes executive and volunteer leadership roles particularly in the sciences and public safety sectors. Laura is very comfortable working with and re-organizing leadership Boards, gaining corporate philanthropic support and planning and executing consumer driven promotional fundraisers. Given Laura’s background in public relations, she can effectively articulate the mission of the organization she is representing.