Soapbox Engage Blog

“Marketing” may not always be on the top of your mind, as a nonprofit professional. We focus on fundraising, networking, and reaching our financial goals. But whether you’re aware of it or not, many of the strategies you use in these fundraising steps, especially around year-end giving campaigns, are actually marketing strategies!

We've got some practical steps to help you develop a successful strategy for your 2022 year-end fundraising campaign. With a little advanced preparation, you can conquer your holiday fundraising goals!

Craft a Successful Nonprofit Year-End Fundraising Plan

1. Set a holiday fundraising goal
2. Identify marketing strategies for year-end fundraising
3. Segment your lists for holiday fundraising success
4. Craft your 2022 year-end giving campaign messages
5. Personalize your year-end appeal communications
6. Create custom donation pages for your holiday fundraising campaigns
7. Add a sense of urgency to your fundraising message
8. Plan and schedule your donor communications
9. Follow up and thank your donors
10. Offer recurring giving options

1. Assess last year and set a holiday fundraising goal for this year

As with many things in fundraising, it's best to start with reflection. Look back over last year's fundraising campaign. Did you accomplish your fundraising goal? What worked well that you should definitely repeat? What do you want to change or adjust for greater success? Which networking or advertising methods worked best for your audience last year? (Social media, blogging, newsletters, direct mail campaigns, etc.)

Once you've identified what went well last year, it's time to set your fundraising goal and begin putting the pieces together for 2022’s campaign.

You and your team might feel slightly overwhelmed or daunted by the number you write for your total fundraising objective. Don't be afraid to break your goal down into smaller chunks. For example, you might break your total fundraising goal into more manageable objectives:

• Giving Tuesday goal. Here are 25+ tips to maximize your Giving Tuesday support.
• Shopping season goal (Between Giving Tuesday and the start of the first winter holiday)
• Winter Holiday goal (Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanza, etc.)
• Between Christmas and New Year

Breaking your fundraising down into mini-campaigns gives your team several smaller objectives to work toward. It also creates some opportunities to pause and celebrate (or make adjustments) along the way.

2. Identify "marketing" strategies that you want to use for year-end fundraising

Now that you've got a sense of your fundraising goal, it's time to identify the marketing strategies you want to use to finish the fundraising year strong. Social media campaigns, email appeals, direct mail, Peer-to-peer campaigns… All of these are examples of marketing strategies that nonprofits can use for fundraising.

Businesses also use similar marketing campaigns to get your attention--promotional emails and social media advertisements, paper flyers in the mail, and even "refer a friend" promotional campaigns.

Which strategies worked well for you previously? Which ones will you modify and try again? And since you've broken your 2022 year-end giving into smaller goals or chunks, which strategies will you choose for each mini-campaign?

3. Segment your lists for holiday fundraising success

If you haven't done so yet, it's essential to segment your donor lists for all your upcoming communications. All your donors are unique, and they'll respond much better to a personalized message from you--especially during the year-end giving campaign.

People are more likely to donate, volunteer, or take other actions when they feel seen and valued as an individual rather than as "one in a thousand."

Some common list segments include:

• Average gift size
• First-time donors
• Monthly donors
• Date of last known gift to your nonprofit
• Type of supporter (business sponsor, volunteer, major donor, etc.)

Of course, some donors might fall into several categories, and that's ok! Just be sure they receive the types of communication that you feel best matches your current relationship with the donor.

For example, suppose your supporter gives monthly but is also a potential major donor with whom you communicate regularly. In that case, it's probably time to move them out of the "monthly donor" list segment and begin communicating with them as a potential major donor.

4. Craft your 2022 year-end giving campaign messages

You'll be competing against many other nonprofits and groups trying to grab a slice of the year-end giving pie. It's essential to craft a marketing message that stands out in the crowd.

Think about how you can leverage the gift-giving season to your advantage. Some nonprofits encourage their readers to give a financial gift in honor of a loved one during the holidays.

Many people enjoy giving holiday gifts that make a difference in the world, too. Additionally, some people may be stressed about their finances--feeling like they don't have extra cash as they do their holiday shopping. Create opportunities for families to give a gift to someone in need!

One of the most critical factors in fundraising is the wording you use to ask for donations. Whether you are crafting an email ask, social media post, event invitation, or your website’s donation page, your wording impacts the outcome. This free Definitive Guide to Asking for Donations will help you convert more donors with the right words.

5. Personalize your year-end appeal communications

Even though you've segmented your donor lists, people know they're not the only ones receiving your emails and letters. There's still plenty of room to personalize the appeal to communicate how much you value them as an individual.

At a minimum, be sure to use first names in your email subject lines and direct mail salutations. Avoid using greetings like "dear friend" or "Mr./Mrs. X." These generic greetings are cold and far too formal. You can also use your fundraising data to request a donation in line with their giving history. If possible, add a handwritten post-script or note from a board or staff member in the margins--especially for long-term and major donors.

6. Create custom donation pages for your holiday fundraising campaigns

Use custom donation pages for each of your 2022 year-end fundraising campaigns so you can share all the essential information and reassure donors that they're in the right place. Custom donation pages with the Soapbox Engage Donations app also make it easy to associate each donation with a specific campaign for easy reporting and list segmentation. That way, you can follow up with people who gave to a particular campaign and share updates, highlights, and other giving opportunities in the future.

Use the Donations app to create an unlimited number of mobile-friendly donation forms so people can give anywhere and on any device--whether they're standing in line for Black Friday deals or relaxing at home.

7. Add a sense of urgency to your fundraising message

Many people make year-end gifts to take advantage of tax benefits or because they're more confident in their overall financial position. Many people put off making a donation during the holiday season because they're busy or forgetful. Don't be afraid to remind your audience of the closing window of opportunity to give!

Find a strategy of conveying a sense of urgency that fits the "personality" of your nonprofit. Use a countdown timer to a major giving deadline or a progress bar toward a specific goal (especially if challenge grants or matching gifts are at stake). Perhaps use a bit of humor around last-minute shopping.

8. Plan and schedule your communications

Decide precisely when you'll send out different communications to your supporters. What days will you put the direct mail asks in the mailbox? When will you send email campaigns? How frequently will you update your social media platforms? When will any Peer-to-Peer campaigns launch and end?

Having a plan ensures that your communications will be consistent and thoughtful rather than appearing haphazard or desperate. It also helps keep your team on the same page throughout the busy year-end fundraising season. Even if publication dates need to be adjusted a bit, having a plan to start with is much better than no plan at all. Here is a guide to making an end-of-year fundraising timeline.

9. Don't forget to follow up (and say thank you)

Throughout your year-end giving campaign, it's critical to follow up with donors to confirm you received their donation and to say thank you. Let people know exactly where their gift is going and how they're making an impact.

This is also a valuable time to thank your year-round supporters. Not only do they deserve to receive some recognition and gratitude, hearing from your organization may help them decide to make another donation.

This might seem time-consuming, but saying thank you is an excellent strategy to cultivate a strong relationship with each donor and increase their likelihood of giving in the future. Here’s how to write the perfect nonprofit thank you email.

10. Offer recurring giving options and encourage your supporters to share

Instead of asking people to give just one 2022 year-end gift, consider asking people to give monthly for the next year. After all, it's much easier for most people to give $20 each month for 12 months than it is to make one $240 donation. Recurring giving options are a win-win for everyone because your supporters can give more over time, and you can create a more reliable donation stream.

Another strategy to boost your year-end fundraising efforts is to encourage people to share your message and fundraising campaign on your behalf. Whether it's adding social sharing buttons to your emails and donation confirmation pages or creating peer-to-peer fundraising campaigns, make it easy for your supporters to become your advocates by sharing your message.

Now that you've got a great year-end giving plan for 2022, here are three more resources to help you plan other effective fundraising campaigns.

• 5 Tips for an Effective Digital Advocacy Campaign: Digital advocacy campaigns are essential tools for nonprofits. This blog post offers five different strategies for effective digital advocacy engagement.
• How to Choose the Right Fundraising Event for Your Nonprofit: Fundraising events are an excellent way to bring supporters and like-minded people together around a common cause. The right fundraising event can generate a lot of revenue. But big events require more time and resources to plan and execute. This blog offers some insights into choosing fundraising events that best fit your nonprofit's needs and planning capacity.
• How to Write an Excellent Fundraising Letter: A fundraising letter is one of the most valuable tools in your organization’s toolkit, and will be very handy during your 2022 year-end campaign. This post contains tips to write an excellent fundraising letter.