Sept/Oct 2009

Question: When should I start working on year-end fundraising?

by Rachael Ahrens, Senior Interactive Specialist,Convio

Hopefully, you’ve been working up to year-end fundraising all year long! The best way to stay top of mind is to send constituents timely news and offer them various ways to get involved with your organization throughout the entire year. However, it’s time to get serious about your end-of-year fundraising strategy as early as August. Yes, that early!

Below is a timeline you can use to keep your year-end fundraising campaign on track:

1. Plan
   In August, plan your online and offline strategy and finalize your calendar, including dates of events, direct mail drops, and other online campaigns you will run. Book real estate on your homepage, space in upcoming newsletters or event invitations, and identify other places where you can promote year-end fundraising during November and December. You don’t have to have all your ideas set in stone at this point, but coordinating your offline and online strategies upfront will help you down the road.
   
   
2. Cultivate
   The fall months (September/October) are a very important time to cultivate your existing constituents and grow your list. Remind your constituents of the value of your organization and help them reconnect with your mission. Many annual or quarterly reports are published around this time, so consider sending an email update which contains a link to your online version. These months are also a great time to launch petitions, pledges, or a fun online contest to help build your list and solidify commitment of new members prior to the upcoming fundraising appeals.
   
   
3. Lock Down
   By the end of October, finalize your online production schedule, as well as copy and design elements. Most folks gasp and wonder how they could possibly complete this task at such an early stage of their fundraising campaign. Don’t fret, it’s possible. The reality is that most offline year-end content will need to be sent to the mailhouse shortly anyway. So, to keep your messaging consistent (and to avoid reinventing the wheel when it comes to copy and imagery), use year-end content to craft both your online and offline messaging simultaneously.
   
   Also, by the end of October, you should confirm any creative giving opportunities that may involve your board or major donors. For instance, a matching gift challenge is a great component of a year-end campaign. Don’t expect to pull this one out of a hat in December though; instead, coordinate far in advance with your board or major donors. They’ll likely be thrilled to get involved!
   
   
4. Kick-Off
   Now the “fun”draising begins! The week preceding Thanksgiving, you should post site promotions, launch Google Ads, and activate donation forms. Sending a final Thanksgiving cultivation message is a great way to thank your constituents for all that they do for your organization.  Then, be prepared to launch your year-end initiative directly after Thanksgiving.  Black Friday isn’t just offline anymore; it is also the top online shopping day. Mission-focused ecommerce items or gift memberships are a great way to launch your year-end fundraising campaign and offer your constituents an alternative to long lines at the mall.
   
   
5. Ask
   Don’t be shy about asking your constituents to give several times throughout the month of December. Tap into the power of multiple messages to achieve the best ROI. Offer a variety of giving opportunities so that your constituents can support your organization in a way that coincides both with their holiday gift giving and philanthropic goals.
   
   
6. Analyze
   Don’t let radio silence steal your momentum in January! Sure, the calendar year is over, but your constituents still want to hear from you. Thank them for a successful year-end fundraising push and get them excited about your plans for the coming year. Consider a welcome series for new donors.
   
   Also, analyze your results and giving trends from your year-end campaign. What emails were a hit? Which ones were duds? Could you have timed them better? Take this opportunity to learn from your campaign and use that information to hone your future communications. After all, each organization is different and only you can know what is best for your housefile.

Over 40 percent of annual giving happens in November and December which means your year-end campaign may be the most important one that you run all year. You want it to be well-organized and well-planned. In short, better prepared = better results.

Download a year-end campaign checklist here. And for more on planning for year-end fundraising, see the recording of the webinar.