5 Quick Fixes To Digitize Your Year-End Campaign
From Boomers to Gen Z, virtually everyone is connected to the internet these days. Because of this, nonprofits need to assess whether their fundraising efforts meet today’s digital standards, particularly during Giving Tuesday and year-end. While direct mail is still an integral component of any year-end campaign, incorporating up-to-date digital practices can positively impact its success. In fact, it can result in a 118% lift in response rate. The last three months of the year are critical in securing funds to support your cause, and 30% of annual giving takes place in December alone. In order to make the most out of your campaign, we’ve got 5 quick fixes you can use to digitize your year-end strategy:
1. One-click functionality
Does your platform support one-click functionality – the ability to share a link (typically through email) that allows users to simply click and make an instant donation? A study conducted by EveryAction and Audubon found that one-click emails produce much higher conversion rates than standard donation link emails, leading to a higher generation of revenue per recipient overall.
2. Email
After you’ve gotten the basics of creating effective fundraising emails, your organization needs to support technical functions such as email automation, field merging, A/B testing, and be able to handle an increased volume of emails during the end of the year. Using the latest email tools, ensuring that your system can handle an increased amount of sends, and maintaining good deliverability rates is key to getting the most out of your year-end email campaigns.>
3. Social media
Does your organization utilize social media in a meaningful and strategic way? Not sure how to use social media to advance your organization’s mission? Check out our Nonprofit Guide to Hacking Social Media for ideas on how to harness the power of social media to advance your mission. Making personal connections with your donors, and enabling them to share your message with their social media networks can provide a key fundraising boost at critical moments when many organizations are competing for their attention.
4. Mobile responsiveness
When you think about using the internet you might picture a desktop computer, but in reality we are shifting further and further away from that image. The fact is—mobile is modern. 93% of millennials, 90% of Gen Xers, 68% of Boomers, and 40% of the Silent Generation own a smartphone. To reach donors where they are, nonprofits should ensure their tools properly function on mobile devices to provide a convenient, easy, and enjoyable experience for supporters and potential donors.
5. Digital storytelling
Even in the rushed final months of the year, take time to frame your cause around an emotional arc. When planning your digital marketing efforts, you should employ storytelling across different channels to remind supporters why their gifts matter. While our digital tools may evolve over time, storytelling will always act as the adhesive that binds us together.
Looking for more insight on tuning up your year-end campaign? Read our full “Give Your Year-End Program a Digital Facelift” guide.
