A Better Giving Tuesday, Part 2 - Get Out of the Inbox

Giving Tuesday already?!? After the year we've had, it's hard for many of our clients to contemplate how to fundraise effectively, let alone plan a full-blown year-end campaign. 

That's why we're taking some time this week to outline six of the challenges we’ve encountered this year in our fundraising engagements, as well as our recommendations on how to overcome them. This is part two of the series; you can find part one here. 

Today we'll cover one of the questions we get the most.

Challenge 2:
Our email open and click-through rates are worse than ever, and social isn’t performing well for us any more. How do we make sure our messages are received and read?

Recommendation:
Get Out of the Inbox

The Details:
This year, digital channels are incredibly congested. The clutter from the election is real, and while people are spending more time at their computers because of stay-at-home guidelines, the competition is higher than ever.

You have to have great email, web, and social, for sure – but more than ever, human connection is king. It’s time to pick up the phones, ask how your donors and constituents are doing, and engage them the old fashion way: one-on-one, peer-to-peer. And don't underestimate the power and reach of good old-fashioned snail mail. 

First Steps:

1. Compile a list of your most important supporters. Note, this may not simply be people who’ve given a great deal. It also may be long-term supporters who’ve given year over year, no matter what.
2. Set aside time to call your supporters and thank them. This can be a lot of work if you try to do it yourself, so mobilize your entire team (and volunteers) to reach out.
3. Inventory the digital channels that have been most and least effective. Prioritize any spending accordingly.

Honestly, we love digital tools – but it is never a good idea to rely solely on digital communications for your campaign. This year, that is more true than ever. Integrate other, more personal channels into your campaign and you'll find you are a lot more effective. 

For more on this and our other fundraising advice, we invite you to download our free guide to Giving Tuesday and year-end fundraising. A bit of preparation now will save you a lot of stress in a month!