The Cramer Team
Giving Tuesday is less than 30 DAYS away! This global day of generosity is celebrated by all types of organizations, from local churches to international charities.
It’s not too late to layout your plan. Read the Cramer Team’s ‘7 Tips for a Successful Giving Tuesday Campaign,’ and always include this day of generosity into your year-end giving timeline.
- Pick a specific project, program or need. For this 1 day of giving, highlight a certain project or program in need of some TLC. Bringing attention to these types of needs can touch the heartstrings of your donors. Specific projects will set you apart from the hundreds of thousands of other nonprofits competing for donations on December 1, 2020.
- Create a storyboard, choose a theme and collect pictures… as a team. Once you’ve chosen a project, gather your Development and Marketing teams to create a comprehensive storyboard. Write content that allows your donors to see, feel, hear, think and imagine the mission-impact on the community. Pick messaging, colors and imagery that align with the theme and use them throughout the campaign.
- Layout a content calendar; your roadmap to collaboration and success. Your content calendar, crafted by the Development and Marketing teams, doesn’t have to look fancy. Use an Excel file that’s easy to share or the calendar feature on Hootsuite to stay organized. Incorporate all channels – website, e-news, social media, video, direct mail – and tie everything together with the messaging, colors and imagery from your storyboard. This will help brand and elevate your Giving Tuesday campaign.
- Encourage a donor to step forward and provide a match or challenge gift. Invite a loyal supporter, board member or family to provide a match or challenge gift to rally prospective donors. Donors like a challenge, especially paired with a sense of urgency. Work together to set a specific dollar amount for your donors to match or challenge a certain number of new prospects to give by December 1.
- Lean on your board members. Leverage the skills, expertise and connections of your board members. Provide a list of contacts and assign board members to make phone calls or send emails on the big day. Do you have a board member with a strong following? Have them share pre-written posts on their social media. Challenge your board to donate, too!
- Rally staff and volunteers. Inspire the entire staff and team of volunteers to take part in this day of generosity. Generate excitement for the day by planning a pizza party and broadcast the fun for your followers to see. Staff and volunteers can also assist the board in connecting with your stakeholders by phone or email.
- Share gratitude. Design a postcard with engaging pictures of your mission, produce a video expressing your thanks, or simply send a handwritten thank you after the big day. You can script out the language beforehand, but make sure there’s a personal touch added to each note. Imagine getting a handwritten note from a volunteer. This will surprise your donors!
Cramer & Associates is a nationally recognized philanthropic consulting firm that has been serving nonprofit organizations, corporations and foundations since 1987. Our full-service firm offers clients a wide range of services, including feasibility studies, campaigns, strategic planning, board training, development audits, events, executive searches and much more. The Cramer Team identifies organizations’ strengths and opportunities and develops campaigns that succeed, empowering organizations to impact their communities. www.cramerphilanthropy.com
