Is #GivingTuesday Worth the Effort?

#GivingTuesday

#GivingTuesday gets a lot of hype.

During the first year or two, it seemed like the ideal way for nonprofits to remind the world that giving should be a priority. Creative campaigns were tweeted, emailed, and posted receiving great results.

Then, everyone joined on the bandwagon.

After ten #GivingTuesday emails in an hour, no one organization is standing out and most people are hitting delete before they even see the ask.  Or are they?  The statistics prove that there is a slight surge on the Tuesday after Thanksgiving, though only a small increase.

According to Network for Good’s, 2015 Online Giving Trends, 4% of December giving takes place on that Tuesday.  However, there are 5 other days that each represent 4% of year-end giving (or more).  December 1st, 28th, 29th 30th and 31st all fall into that category. In fact, #GivingTuesday is the 6th lowest day of average giving for the month. This year, #GivingTuesday will be in November. One can only wonder if that will offer more opportunities for year-end giving or simply spread it out over a longer period of time.

What does this mean for you? 

  1. Online giving is continuing to have a positive impact on nonprofits.
  2. Email drip campaigns that start in November and continue into December will probably have better results than focusing your efforts on the one competitive day that is #GivingTuesday.
  3. Make sure you are offering a year-end email (or two) during the last 3 days of the month when close to 40% of all gifts are given and the average gift is between $81 to $167 greater than #GivingTuesday.
  4. While the average gift did not vary greatly between mobile and desktop, 97% of people gave on their desktop.
  5. Request recurring gifts in every email. Monthly giving is continuing to rise (see the benefits by reading David’s recent series) so always offer the opportunity and don’t forget to track your results.

And most importantly, make a plan now–some might say you are already late. Create a calendar, write the emails, and schedule them ASAP.  This is too important to leave until last minute; your year-end fundraising success depends on it.

Read previous articles on #GivingTuesday

Follow Up and Acknowledgements for #GivingTuesday Gifts

Making The Most Of #GivingTuesday