We get this question often: “What can I do to be part of Giving Tuesday?”
Giving Tuesday was created four years ago as an antidote to the consumerism of Black Friday and Cyber Monday – major shopping days on the Friday and Monday after Thanksgiving. The #GivingTuesday initiative took shape on Twitter as a call for people to donate to charitable organizations and nonprofits, refocusing people on thinking about others during the holiday season.
Because the #GivingTuesday marketplace is crowded and most organizations do not see a large return for their efforts on this day, we don’t recommend that our clients make big investments in promoting the day. However, ignoring #GivingTuesday entirely means that you could be walking away from potential donations. Instead, there are a number of smart, simple techniques to communicate and connect with your donors on Giving Tuesday that can build bridges (and potentially see a return) without much effort or expense.
Amazon Smile:
Prior to Thanksgiving, remind donors through your regular email communications and social media posts that loyalty programs like Amazon Smile (link: smile.amazon.com) are an easy way to support your ministry as they shop online. Invite them to designate your charity as their Amazon Smile beneficiary, and to use the link for their seasonal shopping. If your organization has not already, be sure to register your organization with Amazon Smile prior to making these posts.
Promote your existing campaigns:
Leverage the #GivingTuesday hashtag on December 2 in all social media outreach, highlighting your existing campaigns and funding. No need to create a special landing page or content.
Highlight Your Gift Catalog:
Combining shopping and doing good is a win-win for your donors. Showcase several products from your gift catalog on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram– and don’t forget to share how these gifts support your organization.
Multiple Social Postings:
#GivingTuesday is a huge social media event – more than 750,000 posts were made with the hashtag last year on Twitter. By posting more frequently throughout the day, you’ll stay at the top of your donors’ news feeds.
Email Donors that Morning:
Remind your donors why your mission is worth supporting on #GivingTuesday, before they get deluged with other suggestions.
Ask Donors to Retweet and Share:
Your supporters are your greatest ambassadors. On your Facebook and Twitter posts for the day, remind followers to share your posts and tweets to encourage your donors to spread the word about your organization.
