The giving season is almost upon us. As a crucial time for nonprofits to get that year-end boost, it’s essential to have a strategy that not only encourages donations but also fosters long-term relationships with donors.
So in the spirit of giving, we’re answering common Giving Season questions that nonprofits like yours have shared. Take these into consideration so your team can navigate the upcoming season with confidence.
1. How can we effectively communicate our mission to encourage more donations during the giving season?
Be clear and compelling. Highlight the impact of your work wherever possible — especially on donation pages and forms. That’s the critical point. With configurable donation forms, like Fundraise Up’s Checkout, you can add imagery and text to tell your story. And Fundraise Up Campaign Pages allow you to dedicate entire pages to a singular cause like American Humane’s Active Wildfire Rescue.
And don’t forget a popup message that overlays on your homepage. A popup message ensures that the first thing a website visitor sees is a call to action leading them to your campaign. This guarantees that your campaign won’t get overlooked and people know what your immediate need is.
2. What strategies can we implement to increase the average donation size from our supporters?
Consider suggesting higher donation amounts on your donation form and explaining the specific impact of each level. Our customers have seen incredible success with AI-powered personalized ask amounts.
Offer more payment options. Your donors have different giving preferences — why not meet them where they are? By limiting your options to credit cards and bank transfers, you could be missing out on additional revenue. That’s why we offer a wide range of payment options for nonprofits to add including credit cards, bank transfers, digital wallets, and even crypto. And don’t forget to share how larger donations can make an incredible impact. In this example using our mock nonprofit, here’s how Impact Descriptions can subtly encourage people to give more.
3. What tactics can we use to convert one-time donors into recurring donors?
Encourage monthly support directly in the donation checkout. When you offer a seamless and convenient way for one-time donors to become recurring, research shows that many people make that jump.
Organizations like Animal Haven have tripled their recurring revenue by including an upsell in their donation checkout!
4. What are some effective ways to use social influence to boost donations during the giving season?
People appreciate feel-good stories, especially around major holidays. So take advantage of the timing by sharing compelling stories and calls to action.
- Use social sharing features to make it easy for supporters to share your campaign with their networks. Fundraisers is the go-to community-driven fundraising tool.
- Collaborate with influencers or partners to expand your reach and credibility. Ever considered Twitch as a marketing tool?
- Implement a Social Proof feature on your donation pages to encourage people to join the community.
- Expand the sense of community to a global level with a fun visual element like our Donor Map.
It’s all about creating a sense of trust! If potential donors see others giving, they’re more likely to give as well.
“Social proof techniques work because they elicit inspiration and the feeling of ‘being part of a community’” - Aklima Baiguisova, Head of Product, Fundraise Up
However you choose to use social influence, follow these steps:
- Find the right mix of content. Do a deep dive into your social channels. Find the posts that get the most engagement from your audience and see if you can identify a pattern.
- Direct people back to your website. Be sure to include a call to action that links back to your website. Remember, that’s where all of your important content lives and where people will go to donate.
- Drive engagement from your followers. Always prompt your followers to take action in your social posts. Whether it’s asking them to donate to your campaign, create a fundraiser, or simply share the post with their followers, it’s a good opportunity to get user-generated content and expand your reach.
“We look at our organic social media as a place where we’re telling our story for the first time… so it’s really important to tell vivid, colorful stories so you can make people feel.” — Animal Haven
5. What successful campaign examples can we draw inspiration from to improve our giving season efforts?
We love to see Fundraise Up customers get creative for their Giving Season campaigns! Take American Heart Association’s engagement play.
By providing three ways for website visitors to offer their support, and including survivor stories, supporters are drawn into the mission and more likely to take action.
And there’s more! These examples are sure to get your creative juices flowing as you finalize outreach plans.
6. How can we collaborate with corporate partners to enhance our fundraising efforts during the giving season?
Just like with donors, make it easy and meaningful. Offer opportunities for collaboration, such as sponsorships, employee giving programs, or matching gift campaigns. Follow these steps for success:
1. Make it easy for companies to get involved
For example, Fundraise Up, in partnership with Double the Donation, integrates with its 360MatchPro solution to upsell to eligible match amounts, encouraging larger donations and a greater number of match requests.
2. Demonstrate campaign success viability
For example, incorporate a matching gift search tool in your online donation forms so donors can easily and quickly check if their employer offers a matching gift program during the donation process
3. Assure companies and donors that their impact makes a real difference
For example, the Fundraise Up Insights Dashboard enables you to track performance, spot trends, and analyze key metrics such as campaign donation comparisons, donation frequency tracking, and popular giving times.
Supercharge Giving Season with Fundraise Up
The giving season presents a unique opportunity for nonprofits to engage with supporters and drive meaningful impact through donations. Implement these strategies with confidence, and you’ll be well-equipped to make the most of the 2024 Giving Season. Our platform experts are ready to help you get supercharged. Talk with our team today to make the most of Giving Season 2024.