Six tips to Usher in the Season of Giving

From now until January is a perfect time to show gratitude to our donors and volunteers!

Some experts estimate that as much as 50% of all annual giving is made during this time of year. Those same nonprofit experts also note that as much as 22 percent of online giving is done during the last two days of the year—and that’s just in the U.S.!  When you consider that giving in the U.S. tops $350 billion annually, that’s a lot of donations given at this time of year.

To help usher in this giving season, back in 2012 the Tuesday after Black Friday and Cyber Monday was designated as #GivingTuesday. Its intent was—and still is— to provide people with a reason to get as excited about giving back to their communities as they were to buy that large flat-screen TV on the cheap. It seems, however, that over the past four years, the #GivingTuesday movement has evolved so that more and more often we see messages that are targeting the nonprofits themselves—encouraging them to reach out to their donors and ask for their support, financial or otherwise.  It becomes an event, something to spend time, money and energy on.

For many it’s hard to embrace the idea of asking donors to support their organization on #GivingTuesday.  Does that mean you focus on #GivingTuesday and forego the traditional annual appeal letter? Can you do both? How do you create balance with your supporters?  Won’t they feel like an ATM machine? Many organizations rely on their annual appeal letter for a large portion of their budget, particularly those unrestricted funds that don’t have to be allocated to a specific program. What about those donors who say they look forward to our annual letter and update?

Well, what if we change the rules just a bit?  What if we embrace the concept of #GivingTuesday by shifting our focus to #GivingBackTuesday? Spend our energy and focus on sharing the gratitude of the season by showing our appreciation to our donors, volunteers, and supporters instead of asking them to give us money?

As a sector we don’t do a very good job of appreciating our donors. Some studies estimate that nonprofit donor retention is at an all-time low of 27%. That means that as much as 73% of our donors are taking their money and time elsewhere and much of that attrition can be attributed to them not feeling valued or respected. #GivingTuesday offers us the perfect opportunity to show our gratitude.

Here are six fun ideas on how to turn #GivingTuesday into #GivingBackTuesday:

                                                   

Use social media.

Take a silly selfie or make a short video on your smart phone and post it … it doesn’t need to be professional … in fact, it shouldn’t be.  But it should be authentic and sincere.  Post pictures on Twitter and Facebook throughout the day that show all the ways you’re grateful.

Make phone calls.

Have your staff and board each make 3-5 calls to donors and volunteers.  No script needed, simply say “we wanted to call and say thanks, we couldn’t do what we do without you!” Choose donors you haven’t talked with in a while as well as those you have … chances are your last conversation didn’t involve a thank you.

Send a hand addressed greeting card – with a stamp.

I don’t know about you, but when I see a hand addressed envelope – with a real stamp – in my mailbox I do a little happy dance. Pick up a packet of note cards at the dollar store and have your staff and board hand address them and include a short personal note.

Send a thank-you email.

Subject line : “You rock our world”, “You’re the best”, or “What would we do without you?” Tell a story in your email that shows how much you value the recipient’s contribution.

Send a picture.

Use an online picture puzzle generator and send the picture with a caption … “you help us put the puzzle together.” Or generate a “connect-the-dots” picture … “you help us connect the dots and make a beautiful picture.”

Tell a story of impact that couldn’t have happened without the donor or volunteer.

Stories are always a great thank you. Start your story … “Because of you …”

By showing your gratitude before you hold out your hand for additional donations by way of an annual appeal letter, you are offering both you and your supporters a way to truly experience the “reason for the season” — the power of gratitude combined with the joy of giving.