Giving Tuesday 2023 is right around the corner. If you want a successful campaign this giving season, now is the time to start planning and prepping. And we are here to help.
What is Giving Tuesday?
Giving Tuesday is a global day of giving. It is on the Tuesday after Thanksgiving, following Black Friday and Cyber Monday. And then, it’s game on. Giving Tuesday kicks off the giving season when nearly 1/3 of all financial gifts are donated. Giving season lasts through the end of the year, and takes place predominantly online.
Here are some more fun #GivingTuesday facts to kick off your planning:
Increase in new recurring donations in 2022
Dollars donated on Giving Tuesday in 2022
Increase in donations from 2021
Website Checklist
Since Giving Tuesday is primarily based online, now is a good time to give your site a tune up. While an efficient website is essential all year, ensuring you have the right pages with the quality content paired with a smooth user journey is more necessary than ever. After a year of so many people nearly living online, not only did the number of mobile users increase, online giving grew in size, dollar amounts and retention rates. People’s standards have gone up and their patience for rookie mistakes is down.
Here are a few things to put at the top of your #GivingTuesday To Do List:
Is your site mobile friendly?
The number of people donating via their phone is increasing each year. Ensuring that your website is mobile responsive is a priority. You don’t want a clunky desktop site on a phone scaring off potential donors.
How is your donation flow?
How often do you donate to your own organization? You’re probably not going through the whole sales funnel on a weekly basis. With #GivingTuesday upon us, now is the time to explore the whole process from beginning to end, and from every angle.
Refresh your nonprofit marketing funnel
Not everyone who supports your nonprofit is going to take the same journey to become a supporter. Take a look at your marketing funnel to optimize each donor’s path.
Check your donation form
Here at Mittun, we are passionate about donation forms. We analyzed 2021’s #GivingTuesday forms to determine what works and what doesn’t.
Modernize the donation experience
Offering an easy donation experience is key, but that doesn’t mean it has to be boring. Check out what’s new in online giving, and how you can use it to engage donors.
What is your site speed?
Nothing sends people running faster than a slow site. On average, people have a threshold of about 3-5 seconds of patience for a loading page before they simply leave and don’t come back. Check your site speed to ensure you’re not losing potential donors before you even have the chance to introduce yourself.
How sure are you of your site's security?
No website is exempt from potentially being hacked. Just ask Quest Diagnostics or Fortnite. Thankfully, there are simple steps you can take to keep your website safe.
Is your messaging on point?
Target new audiences…
Alright, now you’ve got a secure website that will work quickly on any smartphone to get your #GivingTuesday message across. You’re done, right? Not quite. Once they land on your site, you want to engage them.
Keep it Fresh
For the younger audience, a design that feels fresh will instill more confidence and trust in the organization. Make sure you are putting a contemporary foot forward without losing touch with your brand.
Be Transparent
The younger generation may be giving more in 2021, but that doesn’t mean they have more disposable income than in years past. Tell them what a $20 donation does for the community. Give them the opportunity to say “I provided new books to 25 kids” rather than saying “I donated $100.”
Have Fun
Show a progress bar to let them see the exact impact they are making that day. Add a countdown timer to ramp up that sense of urgency. Give a social media badge for them to share after donating. Have fun with it!
…without forgetting about your existing donors.
It is a good goal to get new donors to your site, especially during Giving Tuesday, but not at the expense of your existing donors. Make sure they feel welcome too.
Invite them to Giving Tuesday.
There are lots of ways to invite your supporters to Giving Tuesday. If you have an email list, send out your #GivingTuesday plans and goals so that they are a part of it. Even better if you can target those who have given online in the past.
Be appreciative.
Let them know that their previous donations have made a difference. Like all donors, they will want to know where their dollars are going this year, but they will also want to know where they went last year and that you appreciated their gift.
What NOT to do
Don’t forget to say thank you.
Have a plan for how you will thank each and every donor – publicly and personally. Not only is it good for donor retention, it is good manners.
Don’t get stuck.
It is always best to plan for the worst and hope for the best. Spend some time thinking about what crisis could derail your campaign and how you could be ready for it. Here at Mittun, we are big fans of Agile Web Development for exactly this reason.
Be Resourceful
You are not in this alone. There are plenty of resources you can use to make this #GivingTuesday your best yet:
- GivingTuesday.org shares everything you need to know about the big day.
- Website solutions for Classy customers include a new donation or landing page.
- Mittun knows how important Giving Tuesday 2023 is, and this is only the beginning. Check back for more tips, or reach out to talk about your specific strategy
Are you ready for Giving Tuesday? Let's Talk
Are you looking for help with your Giving Tuesday campaign in 2023?
Contact Mittun for a free assessment today.