How I would plan Giving Tuesday with a team of 1
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Hi Reader, Giving Tuesday is December 1, and if you're the only fundraiser at your organization, it can feel like one more big thing stacked on top of year-end. It doesn't need to be a huge production. It needs a plan that works backward from the date. Here's how I would do it, with a real date for each step (feel free to shift them to fit your calendar!). Pick one goal and one reason by October 30 Choose a single number, either a dollar amount or a donor count, and one sentence on what that money does. The key here is one of each. A campaign with three goals and four messages is hard to explain in an email and even harder to share. Ask for a match or a lead gift by November 6 Think of a board member or a donor who might offer a match, even a small one. "A generous supporter will match every gift up to $2,500 on Giving Tuesday" gives people a reason to give that day instead of later. If nobody says yes, you still have your goal and your reason, so nothing is lost. Write everything in one sitting by November 13 Block two hours on one morning and write all of it at once: 4 emails and 3 social posts. Then schedule them by November 20. Writing everything together keeps the messages consistent, and it means you aren't drafting on Thanksgiving week. Contact your top donors personally from November 16 to 25 Before any mass email goes out, send a short personal text or email to your 10 closest donors. Tell them the date, the goal, and the reason. These are the people most likely to give, so they should hear it from you first, not from a mailing list. Send four messages Here's the schedule I'd use: a heads-up on Tuesday, November 24. The main ask on December 1 at 8:00am. A progress update with the match total on December 1 at 6:00pm. And a thank-you on December 2 that shares the final number. Every one of them points to the same link. What I'd skip A custom landing page, a new graphic package, and a presence on every social platform. Pick email plus one social channel and do those two well. With a team of one, doing less on purpose is what makes the plan hold up. If you want ready-made social media templates, you can purchase them on my template store today!
What's your one goal you're deciding today? Hit reply and tell me! Cheers, |