Did you know that nearly ONE-THIRD of annual giving occurs in December?
That’s HUGE! In fact, 12% of all giving happens in the last three days of the year. Talk about last minute! But no worries, it’s still November, which means you’ve got time to craft your year end appeal.
In fact, November is the most popular month for making year end appeals! So don’t feel behind.
Ready for another stat?
28% of nonprofits raise 26% to 50% of their annual funds from their year end appeal.
This time of year can be a big boost for your organization, so don’t put it off. Just start now with a few tips to get the most out of your appeal.
Using the right data and effectively segmenting your audience are great places to start.
This is also a great time to start planning out a thank you letter. Follow up is an important step toward retention. Consider looking at your last year’s appeal/follow-up strategy and analyze it to make this year’s more effective.
And don’t stop with just the appeal letter. 60% of nonprofits make 1-3 touches for their year end campaign. So send out another direct mail piece or an email. The more you get in front of your donors, the better chance you have at securing their gifts.
Speaking of additional marketing channels, don’t overlook in-person asks. Reach out to your current donors and ask them to be champions of your cause. Why? Because two-thirds of people who make a donation do NO research. Instead, they give to organizations they’re already supporting or that are recommended by family and friends.
Word of mouth marketing is the single most effective channel for nonprofits. Likewise, look at your volunteers. They are 2x as likely to donate! You might think that volunteers are only donating their time and skills, but if you take some time to focus on volunteer retention, you can easily engage and already engaged sector to donate money as well.
So, make the most out of this very powerful time of year for your nonprofit. It’s not too late to get your year end appeal in order and start getting donations for your cause. We can help!
