October 3, 2019 || Today is two months exactly until Giving Tuesday 2019. While the national giving holiday may seem like low-hanging fruit, the amount of nonprofit organizations and causes vying for the attention and donations of the consumer is staggering and ever-increasing. Without a strong strategy, translated into a practical plan, Giving Tuesday will most likely be like any other day of the year for your organization in terms of giving.
Not to fear- two months out is just enough time to create your strategy, develop content, and raise funds digitally for your organization. Creating a content calendar, and strategy might seem overwhelming if this is your first Giving Tuesday, or if you haven't done much with it in the past. Today, we will be talking about resources available to nonprofits, key elements to include in your strategy, and a general outline of content. Like I said earlier, we only have two months until the big day, so let's jump right in!
Outline Your Content to Tell a Story
Knowing where to start creating a content guide is much simpler when you think of it in terms of telling a story. I always begin with an outline of the story I want to tell, and fill in the specifics of what each post will be once I have the story down.
The Introduction. Start at least one month before, educating your online community about what Giving Tuesday is, and how your organization will be participating. You can do this in video, graphics, and email.
The Why. Share the most compelling examples of how your organization makes an impact in your community, and the most effective way to do this is in the stories of the people you help. This is why starting now is so important. By planning now, you will have time to find the best stories surrounding your cause.
The Lead Up. As you approach Giving Tuesday, plan out how you are going to tie-in your non-related content to your the purpose of Giving Tuesday. You can do this by using your strongest non-related content to make a connection to the importance of giving and community impact, and link to your Giving Tuesday page, or other posts. Another essential component of the lead up is identifying individuals (key influencers) who will advocate for the fundraiser on their personal social media accounts. (We will be talking more about this specifically in a blog post next week!)
The Ask. This is the big day, and the few days before it, where you make your direct ask. Giving through social is typically associated with microgiving, although larger gifts shouldn't be ruled out completely. It's important that you have your specific ask written out before hand. If you are asking for $5 donations, it's important you show your audience exactly what their $5 donation is funding, and followup with a way for them to share their donor status.
The Hype. This stage of the campaign may be the most crucial. Throughout the day, it is imperative that you interact and share posts from your key influencers we spoke about earlier, and the progress of your campaign. Constantly update the level of sponsorship needed to reach your goal, what it powers for your organization, and how to fill that need.
The Followup. This step may take place after the completion of your Giving Tuesday campaign, but it is essential in converting one-time donors into regular members of your philanthropic circle. Make sure to thank your donors on social media, and capture their information.
Establish Your Giving Platform and Methods
How do you currently have digital giving setup for your organization? A Paypal link on your website, Fund.ly, QGive, or something else? If you don't have a user-friendly, reliable giving platform established, now is the time to nail it down. Things to think about when making your Giving Tuesday strategy:
How does your giving preview on social media? Make sure to switch it up and not only use the generated link preview every time.
Giving on social works best when your audience can measure your success. Consider having a way for your followers to visually measure your campaign's progress.
Nonprofit Resources for Giving Tuesday
Have you registered your nonprofit as a participating organization with GivingTuesday.org? If not, head over to their website as soon as you wrap up this article and while you're at it, check out their full Giving Tuesday Toolkit, complete with press release templates, content ideas, and more!
I hope this helps your organization get ready for Giving Tuesday 2019, and makes fundraising smarter rather than harder. Want to chat more about your digital fundraising this giving season or take it off your plate altogether? Feel free to email me at taylorbrandconsulting@gmail.com to setup a time to connect, and make sure to follow me at @taylorbrandconsulting on Instagram for more marketing tips and tricks for nonprofit organizations and small business owners.
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