Giving Tuesday is right around the corner, and that means that the season of generosity is kicking off soon. With more than 30% of all donations taking place in December, it is important to have a game plan in place. Here are a few tips on how to ask for donations so you can end 2021 on a high note.
Asking Individuals
It’s no surprise that people like to donate to nonprofits that they feel a connection with – a cause that resonates with their values or an organization that helped their loved ones. And since nearly ¾ of donations come from people, not corporations, it is important to take a look at how and why they give.
How They Donate
Gone are the days of people pulling out their checkbook to hand you their donation. So what are the top ways people donate to their favorite causes?
- Online Donations
- Text to Give
- Events – Virtual, In-Person & Hybrid
How Donating Benefits Them
Your organization exists to do some good in the world, and their donation helps you have an impact. But make sure you explore the reasons they donate outside of altruism to get a well-rounded view of the benefits for everyone.
Makes them feel good about themselves
Helps them connect to a cause they care about
Provides tax incentives for giving
The Ask for Individuals
Facebook and Other Social Media
If your organization has a strong presence that includes regular content, a complete profile and some activity with followers, then you are in a great position to make an ask over social media!
When creating a post, either organic or sponsored, there are a few key pieces to include:
- Visual content, like photographs or video
- A link to your donation page
- Info about where the donations go
- Progress toward your goal
Going back to how donating benefits the donor – make sure you are also posting success stories from your organization so they can feel connected to the cause, and also give some public “Thank you’s” to your donors in addition to your regular follow-up.
Bonus! Hopefully many people will donate as they see your post. However, make it easy for those who want to think it over and come back. You can add a Donate Button directly to your Facebook page so they don’t even have to scroll.
Email Marking for Donations
Email is a cost-effective and efficient method of asking for donations. It allows you to make many asks with one click, and it keeps your donors and prospects informed about your progress and outcomes. But before you sit down to start crafting that email, make sure you’re putting your energy where it counts.
First, look at your list. Are you able to break it down into groups so that you can personalize the message? Filtering the list into groups such as “past donors,” “volunteers,” or “prospective donors” allows you to speak directly to their relationship with your nonprofit. Then you can get to the nitty gritty.
The Subject Line
It’s only a few words, but they are the most important. With so many emails going unopened, you gotta grab their attention from the get-go.
The Content
Get to the point. Make the ask and explain the impact. Don’t let their eyes glaze over as they read about every program and service and volunteer opportunity and event and…..
The Link
Make it easy. Instead of hiding a link in the body or stating that there is a donation page, add an obvious button that links right to an updated donation page.
Finally, and as always, make sure you are thanking them. No matter the donation, no matter the method of asking, it is always important to recognize your donors, especially if you want to turn their one-time donation into a recurring monthly donation.
Your Very Own Websites
All roads lead back to your website. Buttons and links and QR codes will be sending people right back to your site. Check out some of the websites we have created, and see if you can spot these features.
For more advice on how to do all this, check out our previous post on how to get your website ready for Giving Tuesday.
Asking Businesses
When looking for donations from your community, don’t overlook all of the businesses that might be willing to rally behind you.
How They Donate
The rules are a little different when the donation comes from a business as opposed to a person. Here are some of the common ways they give back to their community.
- Corporate Grants
- Matching Gifts
- In-kind Donations
How Donating Benefits Them
While a business is not capable of those feel good emotions like people, there are still some benefits they get.
Good for publicity
Expand their corporate social responsibility initiatives
Provides tax incentives for giving
The Ask for Corporations
Because of these differences between individuals and businesses, the ask has to be a little different. Since it is often a larger request, this is more about relationship building.
Once you’ve established a corporation to work with, don’t forget BIG thank you’s. This relationship can be mutually beneficial year after year, but only if you express your sincere gratitude for their donation and the immense impact they are having.
Tips & Tricks
Demonstrate the Impact of Donations
Money is still tight for a lot of people right now. Providing impact metrics can help people see how much help an organization needs or how little it actually takes for them to make a huge difference.
Celebrate Donors in Real Time
With so many ways to connect, make sure to thank your donors in real time – online events, live streams, videos and more can help people feel connected to your cause.
Recommit Supporters to Mission
Don’t think just because your nonprofit isn’t specifically related to current events that your supporters will be unwilling to donate. Show them how your nonprofit impacts the world, and inspire them to help you continue your good work.
Ask for a Specific Donation
When people hear “donation,” they might shy away thinking that they don’t have the option to be generous. However, if you are asking for $5 or $10, it shows that even a small donation can have a huge impact.
We want to hear from you!
We would love to know: How do you ask for donations during giving season?
We are constantly amazed by the nonprofits we work with. Share what has worked for you in the comments below, or email them to us:
Are you looking for help getting your website and landing pages ready for giving season?
Contact Mittun for a free assessment today.