4 Ways to Boost Year-End Donor Engagement

With about 2 months remaining in 2017, you might feel like there’s no time left for online fundraising. Donor engagement may seem like a thing of the past and the year-end comes near.

While a concentrated campaign may not be effective this late in the game, there’s always time to expand the reach of your organization and encourage donor engagement. More engagement equals more end of year donations. More donations equals more celebrating!?

Here are 4 great ideas to mix into your year-end tactics.

1. Say thank you

It’s always a good plan to express your gratitude. In fact, those 2 little words might be one of your most powerful fundraising tools to for a strong year-end. We have a few ideas to get your creative juices flowing:

Create a quick and fun video of your staff saying thanks for all the support in 2017.

Send an email from your president thanking donors and volunteers for their involvement.

Pick up the phone and call your top 10-20 donors just to say thanks.

Not only will these simple acts show your most valuable donors that you’re grateful for them and their support, they can also serve as a nice reminder to them. Make sure your emails or videos end with a link to a donation page or landing page.

2. Seize the holiday season

November and December are obviously full of holidays. And holidays make people reflect on what they cherish, and envision what they’d like to change. There’s no better time to get the word out about your cause.

Utilizing the season in your marketing is a great start. Hone in your messaging to align with the feelings of the season.

Compare the way your audience may feel during this time to the way your beneficiaries may be feeling. Or remind donors of holiday activities they could give up this year to sponsor one of your participants or help expand your vision. Showing this contrast or identifying ways your donor can be the hero to someone can inspire them to give.

3. Send an email

It’s simple, it’s fast, and it get’s your message in front of donors in a matter of minutes.

Take 20 minutes with your team and draft an email that highlights the importance of your organization while emphasizing the urgency of your field work. Add video or photos that compel and inspire readers.

And don’t forget the donate button! While donors scramble to make last-minute tax-deductible gifts before year-end, make online donations easy for them to access!

Get going with our 5 steps to a powerful donor email.

4. Get lists of the right people

With only a handful of weeks left in 2017, you probably don’t have time to call every name in your database and ask them to give. It simply can’t happen.

But what can happen: reach out to the right people. This is where segmenting comes in. Use your donor database to filter the people who are most likely to give, and reach out to those folks!

And, if you noticed, #4 says “lists”. Don’t settle with just one master list of most eligible givers. Sure, it’s great to get a list of people you think may give again. You can message them and give an easy ask for them to jump in at year-end. But don’t stop there!

What about people that haven’t given this year? Or haven’t given in the last few years? This is a great chance to remind them of their previous gift, and invite them to give again.

Year-end doesn’t mean the-end

This year isn’t over. For many of us it’s time to buckle down and hit the fundraising hard! As people look to the end of the calendar year, there’s no time like the present to make sure you’re making the most of this year’s close.

Free Ebook: Ending 2020 Well

Organizations that have the tools in place to easily accept donations online, run virtual events, and participate in online fundraising campaigns have been able to take advantage of this unique year. In this ebook, we’ll help you set a strong fundraising foundation that will leave you feeling confident in your virtual fundraising abilities. We’ll also share insights from nonprofits so you can learn from real-life situations.

Get Your Free Copy