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Happy reading! -Becky

Holiday clutter

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.

Emails: Not too many... not too few...

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.

Go edgy or go with the crowd?

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.

The tax deduction case

What's your best lead for year-end giving? A reminder about tax deductions? 

We don't think so. While there's no real hard evidence to prove it, this is our thinking.

Consider first, the fact that less than fifty percent of Americans itemize their taxes. Of course, the itemization rate increases as income goes up, but it's not wise to assume that all of your donors have large incomes. People in lower income brackets actually tend to contribute  a greater percentage of their income to charity than people in higher brackets.

Then consider the people you are likely to reach at this time of the year.

The procrastinator: This person is well aware of your organization... they are aware of tax deadlines... they may even already have a list of organizations they plan to contribute to at year-end. Yet they haven't found their perfect moment to sit down and take action. Your regular presence in their mailbox or in-box is the best way to win them over to action. But they need to be reminded not of the pesky stuff like taxes, but rather about why your organization is important and deserving of action.

The planner: This person does care about tax deductions and probably already has a plan in their head about how much they intend to contribute at year-end. Your goal here is to convince them that your organization belongs on the list. Possibly your goal is to be even more convincing, and get them to give more than they had originally planned. The tax deduction case then, is also not your best lead here. 

The lover: This person loves what your organization does, probably supports you already, and feels great about the world in this "season of giving." They're walking around with a do-good spirit, just waiting to make a difference. Your powerful, passionate, and emotional case can inspire them to do more. Your reminder about tax deductions will probably leave them feeling flat. 

The tester: This person knows about your organization, maybe follows you on social media and receives your emails. But they have yet to support your organization. They still need to be convinced, which means that you need to make a strong case for the power of their gift, and the importance of your goals and deadlines, then follow with the tax reminder as an added benefit.

Successful year-end campaigns

Now is a good time to double-check your year-end efforts before they hit mailboxes and in-boxes in the weeks ahead.

ARE YOU PERSONAL? People connect with and contribute to people. "You's" and "I's" should fill your communications rather than the more formal "our supporters" and "we's."

ARE YOU TARGETED? This isn't the time for an "everything but the kitchen sink" story about all you do. Build your communication around one key message. Stick close to your theme and develop it well. 

DO YOU ASK FOR THE MONEY? Ask directly, succinctly and with power. Ask more than once. Don't ask questions (will you consider a gift?) or be less than assured (we hope you will contribute). Be bold: Your support right now is vital to the future. Make your important contribution today.

Up next: Your hook. How heavy should you go with tax and deadline messages?

The end

Successful fundraising, marketing and PR pitches have one thing in common: FOCUS.

Here's a simple trick to help you build a focused story.

1) Get out a piece of paper. 
2) Write "The End" on it.
3) Just above "The End," write your final sentence - your story's defining idea.

Now, begin your story, and point everything you write towards that end.Stay focused!