Trees... lights... snowflakes... bows... glitter... sparkle... with holiday decorating in full swing, it's tempting to give your year-end appeals a similar treatment.
Yet your dusting of holiday cheer runs the risk of hiding your important, urgent, passionate message, and distracting people from the task at hand - their contribution to your organization.
The greatest revenue is almost always delivered through bold, simple design, accompanied by direct, clear, action-oriented messages.
Go crazy decorating the world... but keep your fundraising streamlined and targeted.
Year-end e-appeals are already appearing. While we know at minimum, you want to send two emails before Christmas and two after, we also know that some organizations will send 10+ e-appeals before the New Year begins.
What's right for you organization? Consider your limits.
Your limit = the tolerance of the people on your list. Exceed your limit, they will unsubscribe, and you will lose your ability to communicate with them through e-mail. Your limit is based on two things:
1) The strength of your brand. The more valued and beloved your organization is in the community it serves, and the more passionate people feel, the more they will be willing to accept (and respond to) multiple appeals from you.
2) Your own online generosity. In the online space, you want to give more than you ask. Organizations that also deliver communications that add value to people's lives, can send more fundraising emails because people will be less likely to want to disconnect from the value they receive year-round.
While you might think that Cyber Monday is built for retailers, and Giving Tuesday is built for nonprofits... these are simply fake constructs created to drive action - now.
While Giving Tuesday will be the clear choice for most organizations, "It's Giving Tuesday, and today is the perfect day to support our cause...." we offer an alternate option.
Send your email out today, get ahead of the crowd, and build even greater feelings of pride and connection through a subtle anti-consumerism message. "Let us suggest a different way to use your credit card today - to create a whole world of good...." or "Wrap up Cyber Monday with a gift that keeps on giving... a contribution...."
People feel pleasure no matter when or how they give. But your communications are responsible for setting up the strength and leaning of these emotions. For some, it will be a far more memorable experience to contribute today, when they aren't supposed to, than to contribute tomorrow when they are.
To delve a little further...
Cyber Monday is ubiquitous, recognized as a "thing" by most Americans. Giving Tuesday, not so much - yet.
Cyber Monday boasts increased online activity all day long (fish where the fish are), PLUS credit cards already out of wallets, ready to be used - overcoming a huge barrier to giving - the simple hassle of getting the credit card out.
Cyber Monday is about spending money - what's another $50 or $100 for a good cause when you're already shopping, shopping, shopping. Giving Tuesday is the morning after, when you've had time to realize how much you actually spent yesterday.
Give it a whirl. By now, your organization should be able to turn around a fundraising email in less than a day. If you can't, you'll want to put that at the top of your Santa Wish List for the year to come.
