Renowned speaker, author and blogger Katya Andresen shares four end-of-the-year fundraising strategies that work. Learn four things that you can implement at your nonprofit before the IRS declares the year over one more time.
In response to the many requests, I have had regarding “Last Minute Giving Success,” I have decided to re-post this insightful article by the renowned speaker, author and blogger Katya Andresen.
If you haven’t gotten out your year-end online appeal yet, don’t worry! You aren’t the only procrastinator – your online donors are just like you. At Network for Good, my nonprofit, we process donations for about 40,000 nonprofits annually, and every year, the biggest two donation days are December 30th and 31st. Generous procrastinators like to get their gifts in at the last minute for tax purposes. So it’s not too late to be successful. Here are the top four things you need to remember:
- Strike now and then again at the last minute: The best piece of advice I can give you at this time of year is this: Send out an appeal soon – then send out a last-minute reminder appeal the week between Christmas and New Year’s. Surprisingly few nonprofits send out appeals then, so you get the double advantage of gaining visibility and reaching donors when they are most inclined to give.
- Craft a great ask: Forge an emotional connection right away that tells the donor why they should personally care and what tangible difference they will make. Then put that appeal in the mouth of someone the prospective donor trusts.
- Make sure your donate form is in perfect working order — easy to find, quick to use, and full of security assurances. You want it to feel simple and safe to give. Ask one of your more technically challenged friends to make a donation and see if they can do it. If they can’t, fix your form.
- Receipt and thank quickly and graciously: Send out the receipt instantly and thank profusely. Remember: the number one irritation of donors is lack of gratitude or information on the impact of their gift. It’s the season to ask for money, but it’s also the season to give thanks.
Related posts:
- Make the Case For Giving – 7 Tips to Help Your Nonprofits Increase Its Year End Appeal Response
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- Increasing Online Giving: 10 Tips to Optimize Your Donation Landing Pages
- Twitter Tips for Sucessful Nonprofit Fundraising
- Email Marketing for Nonprofits: 3 Essential Techniques
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[...] Media 4 Good… Top 4 Things to Ensure Last-Minute Giving Success This post shares four helpful end-of-the year fundraising strategies from Katya Andresen. First, [...]