Well, Giving Tuesday is behind us! Or maybe that’s what you’re thinking. But actually, the most critical stage of the campaign has just begun. While many people are motivated to give to campaigns and causes because of Giving Tuesday's momentum and social pressure, we all know that relationships and authentic connection to the cause are the roots of excellent donor retention.
By following up properly with your Giving Tuesday donors, you can cultivate authentic relationships that continue beyond their initial donation.
We’ve put together this timeline to help you with your post Giving Tuesday communication:
- Wednesday: The Thank You
- Week One: Social Media Invite
- Week Two: Share Opportunities to Engage
- Week Three: Update on their Impact
- Week Four: Ask for another Donation
Wednesday: The Thank You
Telling your Giving Tuesday donors thank you is a critical first step toward retaining them.
At a minimum, each Giving Tuesday donor should receive a thank you email. Take the time to create a custom thank you email template for each fundraising campaign you run year-round to streamline this process. GuideStar reports that new donors who receive a thank you within 48 hours of donating are four times more likely to give to your organization again, so Wednesday is the perfect day.
Personalized thank you's like phone calls, handwritten notes, or individual emails are best whenever possible, and they make a great first impression on new supporters.
If you don't have the bandwidth to send a personal note to each new donor, write segmented emails with more personalized touches for each group of donors.
Consider going one step further for any donors who gave large first-time gifts on Giving Tuesday. Something like a special gift, a personal phone call from the board, and other efforts to show your gratitude will go a long way toward cultivating a personal relationship.
Luckily, the Soapbox Engage Donations app integrates with your CRM, so you will have all the data you need to know how this Giving Tuesday gift compares to previous gifts—or if it’s their first time donating!
Finally, always express your gratitude on your website, social media, and email campaigns. Public expressions of appreciation go a long way to acknowledge your supporters' generosity.
Week One - Social Media Invite
The week of December 4th
Social media is a great way to show the impact of your organization, and let donors see the impact of their gift. The week after Giving Tuesday, you should send an email to your supporters inviting them to follow you across your social media channels. That way, they can see their gift being put to work, and will be able to see future calls for support from a variety of channels.
Week Two - Share Opportunities to Engage
The week of December 11th
It’s important to keep building a relationship with a donor by providing many different types of opportunities to engage with your nonprofit. Inviting donors to year-end virtual events and recruiting them for volunteer opportunities keeps your supporters connected to your cause.
And a bonus: volunteers are more likely to donate! 79% of people who volunteer with a nonprofit also donate to the organization.
If you don’t have any year-end events scheduled, substitute in a donor survey as a way to learn more about this group of new donors. Offering a wide range of engagement opportunities reinforces that you care about your supporters far beyond their financial contributions.
With the Soapbox Engage Forms app, you can easily create a form where people can sign up to volunteer, take a survey, or express their interest in other engagement opportunities.
Week Three - Update on Their Impact
The week of December 18th
One of the top reasons donors only donate once to your nonprofit is that they don’t know the impact of their contribution. People want to know you're using their donations well in order to be motivated to donate again.
The third week after Giving Tuesday, show your new donors the good that came from their generosity and inspire them to give again. Consider using a variety of platforms to show donor impact. There are loads of ways to get creative and show your supporters how they're making an impact, from social media posts and email updates to blog posts and videos.
Incorporating visuals (like photos and videos) and specific stories really helps capture the imagination and emotions of your supporters. Include some highlights like the amount of money you raised on Giving Tuesday and the specifics of what you plan to accomplish with the funds. Be sure to thank them for their role in bringing about your nonprofit’s success.
Week Four - Ask for Another Donation
The week of December 25th (the final week of the year!)
One of the main reasons people don't make a second donation is because nobody asked them for another gift. It's easy to assume that if donors want to continue supporting your organization, they'll continue organically (or if you keep sending generic communications).
Research indicates that people who give a second gift are 63% more likely to continue giving. They move from "impulse giving" or motivation because of a special event (like Giving Tuesday) and now give intentionally to invest in the long-term success of your cause. And with the timing of Giving Tuesday, asking for another gift during your year-end appeal is the perfect time!
It’s important that you follow the steps above in the timeline before asking for another gift. You need to acknowledge their first gift and establish meaningful interactions to begin building a relationship. Really, the goal is to ensure people feel cared for. You don't want to wrongly imply that you only contact them when you're making an appeal.
By following this timeline, you are well on your way to building a great relationship with your Giving Tuesday donors. The key to retaining Giving Tuesday donors is the same as donor retention any other time of the year. And that's great news because it means any nonprofit can boost their Giving Tuesday donor retention! There's no magic solution or secret; just excellent donor care and strategic communication.
Here are three more resources to help boost your fundraising and donor engagement:
- 5 Simple Tips to Improve Donor Relations: Improving your donor relations is one of the most effective ways to increase your donor retention. But it takes strategic work. This blog post shares five simple tips to help you do so.
- Boosting Donor Engagement: 5 Strategies for Nonprofits: Although donor retention varies from year to year, it's far better to maintain higher donor retention rates over time. It leads to more consistent funding for your cause. How can your organization retain donors and generate long-term financial stability for your mission? Check out these five strategies to boost donor engagement.
- How to Retain and Engage Donors after A Virtual Event: Your nonprofit probably emphasized connecting to as many donors as possible during your virtual fundraisers. But it's easy to overlook donor retention after the event is over. Head to this blog to learn about some best practices and strategies you can incorporate to boost your donor retention after virtual events.
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