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Written by: Maria Rummel
Whether the weather agrees with us or not, the holiday season is just around the corner. Retail stores have been planning for months, but it’s time for the rest of us to get started on our end-of-the-year campaigns.
Most people see the start of the holidays as Thanksgiving, Black Friday, and Cyber Monday. In 2012, a group of individuals from Belfer Center for Innovation & Social Impact at the 92nd Street Y in New York City aimed to disrupt the consumer sequence, including a kick-off to the year’s most charitable season – Giving Tuesday.
#GivingTuesday
This year, November 28th, 2017 marks the 6th year of #GivingTuesday. According to the movement’s website , “#GivingTuesday connects diverse groups of individuals, communities and organizations around the world for one common purpose: to celebrate and encourage giving.”
#GivingTuesday is a big deal for businesses in the giving sector. A successful campaign often rests on name recognition, an engaged network, a compelling story, and able donors. Many others harness the power of social media to do what they can and join the larger #GivingTuesday movement.
Well-known organizations that are making the most out of #GivingTuesday include Riley Hospital For Children and Best Friends Animal Society , America’s largest no-kill animal shelter and rescue program. Both organizations have an incredible story to tell and connect with their respective audiences.
How can you raise your business up with a successful #GivingTuesday campaign without name recognition, the hook of those adorable puppy-dog eyes or a heartfelt plea to assist a sick child in need?
Start where you are. Engage the networks you do have and progressively expand.
Plan your #GivingTuesday campaign:
1. AWARENESS
Agree on one powerful message and theme for your campaign. Ask yourself how easy it is for your friends to explain the impact their donation makes. Back to our examples, Riley helps sick kids, and Best Friends keeps animals alive. Your message should be simple enough for friends to tell friends.
2. REQUEST DONATIONS
On #GivingTuesday, your audience is prepared to give. November 28th is the time to loudly spread a compelling reason to donate and make strong calls to giving action. The spirit of #GivingTuesday encourages gifts of all sizes – it’s all about encouraging people to do what they can, whether that be $10 or $10,000. Oh, and then make it easy to actually donate.
3. TELL YOUR #GIVINGTUESDAY STORY
Get the most out of your #GivingTuesday campaign by creating content after the event and illustrates its impact. Remind people of the reason they gave and show them what you did. Look at your donation reports, talk to recipients or staff, and organize your #GivingTuesday story for the public eye.
4. FOLLOW-UP
The most important part about following-up after #GivingTuesday, is making sure that it happens. Getting donors in the door on November 28th is an invitation to future giving and support of your organization. Make sure your donors feel appreciated for their efforts.
Promote your #GivingTuesday Campaign
Social media is one of the best tools to spread the word about your #GivingTuesday campaign. Engaging early and often will help the digital strength of your campaign and get your followers talking about your cause.
Related: What Marketers Can Learn From the Indiana Pacers Surprise Launch Event
Planning and scheduling consistent social media can take a long time and feel repetitive. Our exclusive #GivingTuesday social media planning sheet will help consolidate your efforts and make social scheduling a breeze.
#GivingTuesday is a great way to get people excited about your organization and end the year on a high note. But, like all campaigns, it’s best done with some advance thinking. Get started planning your campaign today!