Are you ready for your annual year-end campaign?

Posted by Heather Cox

Planning and managing a year-end campaign may not be quick and easy, but it is pretty simple. I’ve put together a basic framework, month by month, that you can use to manage your year-end giving appeal.

August

Set campaign goals
Set a begin and end date for the campaign (hint: the end date should be in early January)
Get organizational buy-in from your web team, marketing team and all decision-makers
Request/negotiate some real estate on your home page for the campaign

September

Concept and write the messaging for all components of the campaign
Determine distribution of messaging (email, direct mail, web site and social, for example)
Write all “thank you copy” and determine means of distribution (phone calls, handwritten notes, email)
Write post-campaign copy to try to lift donations early in the new year

October

Connect with donors — send an impact statement, annual report or share a win via email, DM or video
Creative implementation: design direct mail, email campaign, banner ads, home page popup, new-year ask, thank you cards and shoot video
Design and print holiday card

November

Launch campaign
First direct mail appeal drops
Send HTML email immediately afterward (with consistent messaging)
Be sure the home page popup is live (also with consistent messaging)
Distribute a video via your social channels (this could be a simple, interview-style video)

December

Send holiday card
Second direct mail appeal drops
Email appeal with same messaging
Takeover the entire home page with a full size lightbox, if possible, with your year end appeal during the last two weeks.
Follow up with 3 final emails, with the last 2 mailing after December 25, and message “get your tax writeoff before the end of the year”

January

Apologize for the last minute blitz of emails — explain that you felt it was necessary to break through the noise in everyone’s email box. Explain that even though they missed the deadline, they can still make a donation.
That’s it! You’re done!

The team at MillerCox can help with your nonprofit with messaging and creative implementation. Just give us a ring at (301) 933 4062 to talk about your goals.