Zach Christensen, Stelter’s VP of Strategy, Innovation and Marketing, joins the blog to provide practical tips and planned giving best practices for planning and executing your year-end marketing.
As someone who’s been in the fundraising industry for over 20 years, I know how important the final months of the year are for your nonprofit. After all, 50% of nonprofits receive most of their annual donations in the last three months of the year—that’s huge! So, it’s essential to have a solid plan in place as you approach this critical season.
But planning isn’t just about creating a to-do list. It’s about aligning your goals with your mission, connecting with your donors on a deeper level, and ensuring that every action you take drives your cause forward.
Setting Year-End Goals and Objectives
Setting the stage for a successful year-end campaign starts with having clear goals and objectives. It’s easy to get caught up in the whirlwind of tasks and events, but without a clear direction, even the best efforts can miss the mark.
Take a step back and revisit your organization’s mission. Your year-end campaign should be all about advancing that mission and bringing those core values to life. Ask yourself: What is my goal for the final part of 2024?
Perhaps you want to:
- Deepen relationships with long-term donors
- Reach out to new supporters
- Raise awareness about a specific initiative
Your goal informs every part of your campaign, from messaging to donor outreach. Once you’re clear on it, you’ll be able to determine the action steps (objectives) you need to take to reach it. Plus, aligning your goals with your mission inspires your team and makes a compelling case for donors. When donors can see the connection between your goals and your larger vision, they’re more likely to feel that their contributions really make a difference.
In short, taking time to align year-end goals with your mission transforms your campaign from a series of fundraising activities into a strategic effort that resonates with donors and advances your organization’s long-term goals.
Planned Giving Best Practice: For organizations focusing on planned giving, it’s essential to target the right audience. Consider your supporters’ recent giving history, long-term giving history, frequency of giving, affinity and age when creating your list. To resonate with this audience, start by thanking them for their support, then align your messaging with their values and long-term interests. Finally, highlight the impact of legacy gifts and how they contribute to your organization’s future.
Crafting and Executing Year-End Campaigns
Now that you’ve set your goals, it’s time to plan and execute your year-end strategy.
It’s never too soon to start. Early and consistent communication builds momentum and engages donors before they’re flooded with other appeals. This approach, highlighted in “Advice From 2 Nonprofits: How to Maximize 2020 Year-End Giving,” allows you to build momentum and engage donors before they are inundated with other appeals.
Tailor your messaging to resonate with your donors’ motivations. Understanding why your supporters give—whether it’s for tax benefits, personal values, or the spirit of the season—allows you to create more personalized and impactful appeals.
Practical Tip: Mix up your communication channels. Using a combination of email, direct mail and social media can boost donor engagement. An integrated strategy ensures your message reaches your audience through their preferred communication channel.
But be sure to build on past successes. This is where a control package comes in handy. A control package is a set of tested and proven materials—like direct mail, email sequences, or digital campaigns—that consistently perform well with your donor base. Identify elements from previous campaigns that worked well, maybe a specific email subject line, direct mail design, or donor segmentation strategy. Use these components as a starting point for your current campaign.
Once your control package is ready, experiment with new approaches by creating test packages. These test packages can include variations in messaging, design or channels, uncovering what resonates best with your audience. Over time, this iterative process helps you fine-tune your campaigns for even better results.
Planned Giving Best Practice: When communicating with donors, especially those considering planned giving, emphasize the long-term impact of their support. Use storytelling to showcase how legacy gifts have made a difference in the past and how they’ll continue to support your mission in the future.
Harnessing the Power of Data and Analytics
Data and analytics are game changers when it comes to refining your year-end strategy. Tracking key metrics gives you valuable insights into what’s working and where adjustments are needed. Whether you’re analyzing response rates from direct mail campaigns or conversion rates from your website, these metrics paint a clear picture of your campaign’s effectiveness.
Practical Tip: Keep an eye on your click-through rates (CTR) and the number of people unsubscribing to your email campaigns to gauge donor engagement. Metrics like these can help you identify topics your donors are interested in (or not!) and optimize future campaigns. Try A/B testing to fine-tune your messaging. Regularly reviewing your data and acting on the insights it provides will help you continuously improve your strategy and achieve better results.
This data-driven approach helps you uncover your donors’ preferences and make informed decisions about future campaigns. Regularly analyzing the results of your control and test packages ensures that your strategies remain dynamic and responsive to changing donor behaviors.
Planned Giving Best Practice: Use data to help identify potential planned giving prospects who might not be on your radar. Look for patterns in donor behavior, such as consistent giving over many years, volunteerism or responses to legacy-focused communications.
Ready, Set, Go!
As you dive into the year-end fundraising season, remember these three pillars: setting clear goals, executing with precision, and leveraging data to inform your decisions. By approaching your campaigns intentionally and embracing a data-driven mindset, you can maximize your impact and set the stage for a fantastic new year. And, keep in mind that it’s not just about hitting financial targets; it’s about connecting your donors’ passions to your mission and building lasting relationships that will support your organization’s future.